Taskmaster

I've seen it all and have taped but not seen the new episode yet. David Baddiel is on this one though, he's about as funny as Alzheimer's.

 

There's a new series out already? The shine's wearing off for me because of this. I love this show but its been heading in a downward direction. Still not going to stop me from watching it though.

 

Watched every episode, love it. Disagree that it's going downhill, I've loved every series.

 

Well I saw Jo Brand is on this series as well. That makes this series a no from me then. Baddiel I could just about handle in small doses, but with Brand added to the mix also, then I'd just spend half my time fast-forwarding through their banal attempts at humour.

 

The last few series haven’t been as good, but I do think that’s partly down to personal preference.

The season 2 line up was my favourite by a mile, while season 5 was also right up my street as it had Bob Mortimer. 6,7 and 8’s cast have been underwhelming but the show is still really good

 

Just two episodes in and I feel like the spark's back. It is true that this show makes even people you dislike or just weren't that interested by seem much more likable and interesting.

On another note, apparently there was a Taskmaster book full of tasks for the reader to do that came out last year. One of the tasks was to meet/visit a given place yesterday. The turnout was much bigger than expected. Props to Little Alex Horne.

 

This has been much better than the last couple of series and even though I was only glad to see Ed Gamble when the line up was announced originally, Jo Brand and David Baddiel have been properly funny.

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Yeah I quite like KW, her Kerry Godliman impression was spot on last week.

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The series with James Acaster, Jessica Knappett, Kerry Godliman, Phil Wang and Rhod Gilbert was decent - but should have been better with that cast - but other than that it’s not been as good since S3. Still enjoy it, like.

And I’ve got to disagree about Baddiel, he’s just been annoying so far.

 

I love this show, funniest thing on tv, and I think it’s actually getting better. The last 3 season have been 3 of the best imo, especially seasons 11 and 12. It’s not got old for me yet. A big part of the shows success is the 2 hosts

 

I think the guest decides how good the series is. The concept is great, but if you do not like the guests they pick for a series, it will be hard to get into.

 

John Kearns played one of the most awful characters ever in Cats Does Countdown's (RIP Sean Lock, you will never be forgotten) Dictionary Corner. However, he's redeemed himself IMO at least by creating the Comedy Central panel show Guessable (hosted by Sara Pascoe, Darren Harriott and good old Alan Davies as team captains), a new-ish panel show with long-term potential. It's a good enough show to watch if you have time to kill. He's a bit of an oddball so he'll be a bit of a wildcard. Might be similar to Joe Wilkinson's legendary appearance in series 2.

Munya Chawawa is quite a new talent on the other hand. He went viral a couple years back with the parody rap song below and has been making rounds around the regular panel shows over the last year too. I expect a fair amount of musical/arty stuff from him. He's already been breaking out recently but Taskmaster will probably propel his profile a lot.

Agree that the recent seasons have been better than the middle ones. They have that balance of warmth/charm, easygoing/fun/variety in thought vibe and banter that the first five series had and which made the show a success in the first place. The middle series suffered/bore the brunt of the expansion to 10 episodes per series which led to some extremely over-complicated and un-creative tasks, as well as too much shouty over-competitiveness and over-playing the whole the Taskmaster is mean and arbitrary shtick. Still, series 7 is still one of the best ever series - Acaster, Knappet, Phil Wang, and Rhod Gilbert all in the same line-up was just golden, especially Acaster who is easily the best comedian around these days IMO. Nothing will beat series 1 and 2 however - that Wilkinson potato moment is absolute TV gold. I've shown that clip to 4 people and all of them now watch Taskmaster regularly.

 

I've missed the last couple of series, no reason other than just falling out of the habit of watching it so I'll try and get back into it.

Dara is quite obviously a comedy veteran these days so I'm looking forward to what he can do - he was excellent live too. I didn't like Sarah Millican when she first started on the scene because her entire schtick was "cake good, men bad" but over the years she's become a lot more well versed and won me over, I actually do enjoy her on panels shows now. I remember seeing Fern Brady on Live at the Apollo, youngish Scottish lass. Can't really remember her act being anything wild.

I can't remember any Taskmaster guests that I didn't like, all of the newer comedians (or even those I'm just not familiar with) have all added something that mades the show great. They naturally have to share the TV time and people don't tend to get swamped by the old pros.

 

Last series was a hoot, set up this new series to record. Do not like O'Briaiaiaiain though will suffer him if the rest are quality.

Was watching an older making of doc on YouTube the other week about this and I never knew that it's pretty much all Alex Horne's show from development through to production and indeed the tasks themselves are all his. Fair play, he's got some comedy gold and a successful format with this.