Aahana Swrup
In the HBO show ‘Task,’ the narrative is split between the perspectives of a robber and the FBI Agent who is on the former’s tail. Robbie Prendergast, a single father with a complicated family life, works as a garbage man, at least on paper. However, when the sun goes down, he and his friend, Cliff, embark on the real money-making adventure: robbing houses of drug dealers. However, soon enough, the string of occasional bodies they leave behind on the job pile up, catching the attention of the FBI. Consequently, world-weary agent Tom Brandis is assigned to a task force that begins investigating the loose ends Robbie and his accomplices leave behind. In his storyline, the latter’s position at J&W Waste Management Company informs a notable aspect of his life and characterization. Therefore, the company’s potential basis in reality itself becomes a point of intrigue.
J&W Waste Management is a Fictional Company Conceptualized From a Realistic Idea
Despite the realistic setting of ‘Task,’ many elements within the narrative retain a more fictional origin. J&W Waste Management, the place where Robbie Prendergast works is, is one such place. Although waste management companies are in short supply around most of the world, and certainly not in Philadelphia, there’s no specific business that can be pitched as a counterpart for Robbie’s place of work. In real life, there are no identical waste management companies in Philadelphia that can present a real-life counterpart for the business. Additionally, although viewers may be able to find a viable comparison in places outside of the state, such as Harro, England’s JW Waste Managed Limited, there seems to be no clear links between the two places. For the same reason, the on-screen company remains a work of fiction, created in service of the show and the character.
When creator and writer Brad Ingelsby was in the early stages of development for the show, he learned about a particular phenomenon from a friend of his. The latter, who is the chief of police in Easttown, Pennsylvania, told the creator how sanitation workers and mail carriers could facilitate crimes by obtaining crucial information about their targets while on the job. This gave Ingelsby the idea of Robbie’s character, and, subsequently, led to the creation of J&W Waste Management. Consequently, the central purpose of the company as a narrative tool stems from the role it plays in the protagonist’s narrative. The company adds context to Robbie’s storyline, enhancing his working-class, everyman persona and highlighting his financial situation. Ultimately, this contributes significantly to his characterization. Nonetheless, while J&W Waste Management works to create a more grounded narrative for the protagonist, there are no real-life connections that cement the business’ roots in reality.
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