Welcome back.Reports of my departure were greatly exaggerated.
I requested a temporary ban to help with the break from posting that I was taking.
Television Taskmaster | Series 18 starts tonight
- Thread starter prateik
- Start date
Unfortunately he's ruled it out
Ayoade's possible with him finishing Travel Man but looking at his IMDB he's been quite busy the last couple of years.
Nah you're overthinking it. She's not a good enough actor to pull that off, nor is she a comedian. She's just a woman who forgot her glasses.The football thing, yeah that was obviously a bit, but that's generally what the prize tasks are for. It's just a massive coincidence that everyone else gave reasonably good gifts, which is unheard of.
Really surprised at you putting the Alex scoring a goal with "struggling for tasks", I thought that was an amazing task. We've basically never seen Alex being actively involved in tasks either, so it felt new to me at least. Definitely agree that all five are likeable, though.
We still haven't discovered why VCM was dying her hair/wearing a wig on Only Connect...
Yeah, I'm looking forward to that.
As a huge fan of both shows, and of Victoria, I'm loving the overlap.
The podcast with her is quite interesting as she describes her approach to the show and an on-set behaviour in an excruciatingly honest fashion. She's quite open on the reasons behind her feeling uncomfortable as well as being internally forced into "funny" patterns of behaviour due to her being the only non-comedian out of the entire cast of the show.
It even sounded a bit eerie before I got into her vibe a bit more — in a more empathic person you'd associate such words with a trauma but she was simply listing all of the pros and cons of that experience as well as explaining some of the stuff that happened (and overall it was a very positive experience for her).
Agree with you on the ticket though, it was very much an expected thing to do for her as a rational persona that doesn't get irrational stuff like supporting a football club and seeks for a simpler solutions to such issues (basically the whole Richard Ayoade's comedic profile).
Still brilliant though. It requiring Alan to pay towards it was a great idea.
Guz is a United fan so judging from the end bit he kept it.
Possibly! It just felt a bit “put on” for me, but I like her as a personality.
I just thought the goal thing was a bit “thrown together” but I am nitpicking. I genuinely really enjoy the episodes even when the tasks are a bit naff.
Thanks! I will listen to this. It should be a good listen because she seems very rational and practical so will be interesting to hear her mindset.
I have definitely felt something was “forced” so far, but maybe it’s not the way I was seeing it!
David Mitchell is busy doing Outsiders anyway, tried watching it but it just didn't connect with me.
I've found it OK.
It's not as promising as the first series of Taskmaster, and I wish they wouldn't repeat the same intro, with the same jokes, every time. But some of the tasks have been entertaining enough, and I like the last part of each episode when David talks them through how they did and if they've got a badge for it.
I've liked the banter between the pairings with Lou and Ed, and Jessica and Jamali; but I haven't found Kerry and Toussaint particularly funny.
Last edited:
It’s only an ok series so far. All too calm. The prize tasks are probably one of the worst series wise.
I'd say it might be the steadiest season. All of the contestants are pretty good and likeable enough. Nobody annoying or boring, but equally nobody that stands out. In other series, you'd dread a couple of contestants tasks and couldn't wait to see how one or two handled it.
Did he? I have a vague memory of him being surprisingly sprightly; jumping over pommel horses and scoring superb bag goals.
Hugh was great. I think the "age" thing is much like the "loud" thing, in that certain people will always use that as a label for whatever reason rings true in their heads.
Yeah, I agree with this. I find them all likeable enough, and the tasks fine and watchable, but it's all fair to middling.
Others, including myself, have cited how all of the contestants are likeable this year. They also all get along and are friendly with each other.
I do wonder if they are missing that one competitive contestant though, who takes things too seriously, argues with Greg about points and highlights if any other contestants have possibly broken a rule. They can be annoying but its add something to the show that appears to be missing this season. This lot would have voted to allow Joe Wilkinson the points for his potato hole in one ffs!
I do wonder if they are missing that one competitive contestant though, who takes things too seriously, argues with Greg about points and highlights if any other contestants have possibly broken a rule. They can be annoying but its add something to the show that appears to be missing this season. This lot would have voted to allow Joe Wilkinson the points for his potato hole in one ffs!
Yeah I was getting annoyed that nobody thought to just walk around with the circles on their feet and she finally did it, only to feck up the task
she’s the only one thinking laterally in most tasks really.I was thinking this with the iron task. Did Guz really get it to land on the ironing board? Or did it just land in a bath?
I quite like it. It's obviously not Taskmaster level, but it's fun - and you can tell they're all having a lot of fun making it, which definitely helps. Also Lou Sanders and Ed Gamble are brilliant together.
Hugh drawing a middle aged black lady as an old fat bald white man is a Taskmaster all-time great moment!
Not Taskmaster related, but just seen that the wonderful Mike Wozniak will be on House of Games next week (Mon-Fri 6pm, BBC2).
I didn't know who he was before last season's Taskmaster but, like most, I thought he was brilliant on it and I'm looking forward to seeing him on HoG.
I didn't know who he was before last season's Taskmaster but, like most, I thought he was brilliant on it and I'm looking forward to seeing him on HoG.
Yeah, I do think the dynamic between a rather competitive Ed Gamble and crazy Lou Sanders works well. Some of the tasks were alright and Jamali killing off David did make laugh, but there was a bit too much fluff for me like the motto stuff.
Ok, so it seems no one else is brave enough to say it. The shelf task was one of the worst tasks ever.
And the live task one of the worst live tasks.
It's been quite a poor season overall I think. Maybe I'm too used to the format or something, but it's all a bit meh.
Tasks this series have been very hit and miss.
I think certain succesful tasks they could just repeat each series, rather than have numerous poor tasks in, so long as it's not a task that has an obvious cheat that has already been discovered.
I think certain succesful tasks they could just repeat each series, rather than have numerous poor tasks in, so long as it's not a task that has an obvious cheat that has already been discovered.
Yeah the tasks have been a bit bland. I know it's been 12 series but surely there's more inventive ones he could come up with.
I've quite enjoyed it, but then I do enjoy every series.
Yeah the live task fell pretty flat. I think stuff like that can be difficult to pull off live anyway and it seemed to move so slowly.
Yeah, I've quite enjoyed it as well.
Some series are better than others obviously, but, as you say, there's never been one that I haven't enjoyed and this has been a solid enough series. There's been a lot better series than this but I find an average series of Taskmaster so much better than most of the other shows being made nowadays.
I think a problem with the tasks is Covid - it is not just what you see on TV but also behind the scenes and the practicalities of figuring out new tasks whilst WFH, social distancing and potentially more clogged up work schedules.
Having said that, as stated above, there are good ideas to be found in some of the international versions of the tasks. They also need to be more liberal in the wording of the tasks to allow for more lateral thinking.
It isn't all doom and gloom. I mean it has still been a decent series and last series gave us arguably the best ever moment of Taskmaster with Wozniak.
Having said that, as stated above, there are good ideas to be found in some of the international versions of the tasks. They also need to be more liberal in the wording of the tasks to allow for more lateral thinking.
It isn't all doom and gloom. I mean it has still been a decent series and last series gave us arguably the best ever moment of Taskmaster with Wozniak.
Is it just me have there been a lot less "creative" tasks this season? The jingle one in the last episode feels like one of the only ones so far along with the painting one (6inchs or 6feet above you)
Those sort of tasks are always among my favourites.
Those sort of tasks are always among my favourites.
Watching this week's Norwegian version episode of the show.
The task was to create life in 100 days.
The contestants did all sorts of things, one "made" lots of flies, another came in with a duck she had made, and then this one guy come in with a fecking pregnancy test, he made his wife pregnant!
The task was to create life in 100 days.
The contestants did all sorts of things, one "made" lots of flies, another came in with a duck she had made, and then this one guy come in with a fecking pregnancy test, he made his wife pregnant!
The live task was once again great
That episode was seriously bad. Don’t think there was a single good task.
Yeah, felt so tense again.The live task was once again great
Enjoyed that one, felt the tasks were good, apparently I need to get out more because I figured the bell thing out. Sports robot and pre-fight Alan.
Ha. I've heard for years people say how good this is, so just decided to start watching some. Picked Season 7 for Gilbert + Ancaster and it was brilliant.
What are the other seasons that people recommend? 5 does look a good line-up.
1 to 5 are pretty much all gold. 6 and 8 are meh. 9 is pretty good.
Yeah, I think that's a good summing up. With series 7 and 5 as my favourites.
Personally, I quite enjoyed series 6, as I love Tim Vine, but I think it suffers for probably being the weaker one amongst such a strong first 7 series. But I think it was better than any of the series we've had since then.
Last edited:
The tasks have been so poor at times this season. Need to get some new idea men in by the looks of things.
Particular lows were the ball thing in the house, and the popcorn necklace. Commentary thing was woeful too. Hard to sit through woeful.
It was a poor episode this week, saved by a good live task. I think the actual contestants have their charm and have been great, so it’s definitely the fault of the tasks.
Particular lows were the ball thing in the house, and the popcorn necklace. Commentary thing was woeful too. Hard to sit through woeful.
It was a poor episode this week, saved by a good live task. I think the actual contestants have their charm and have been great, so it’s definitely the fault of the tasks.
Yeah, the cast has been quite good, but the tasks don’t really allow them to express themselves a lot. It’s to be expected at this point, but I really wish that it wasn’t the point.
I also feel that in earlier seasons there were often hilarious shortcuts, intended or not, and I can’t even think of one aside from the bridge table from this one (and while it was unexpected in the first seasons, at this point everyone should check the surroundings for clues, especially when there’s literally 2 objects in the room).
I also feel that in earlier seasons there were often hilarious shortcuts, intended or not, and I can’t even think of one aside from the bridge table from this one (and while it was unexpected in the first seasons, at this point everyone should check the surroundings for clues, especially when there’s literally 2 objects in the room).
I get what people are saying about the quality of tasks this series. And that's probably right. But this is one of the few modern shows that I still really enjoy and I think it's still been another solid series.
I guess my expectations are lowered nowadays as well. I think the first 7 series were brilliant, and after that it's leveled out to a solid level that has never reached those same heights again but is still much better than most other shows nowadays.
Some of the tasks haven't been great, and there's been no Mike Wozniak, Rhod Gilbert, Bob Mortimer type, but I haven't found this any less enjoyable than series 8-11 - and probably enjoyed it even more than a few of those.
I guess my expectations are lowered nowadays as well. I think the first 7 series were brilliant, and after that it's leveled out to a solid level that has never reached those same heights again but is still much better than most other shows nowadays.
Some of the tasks haven't been great, and there's been no Mike Wozniak, Rhod Gilbert, Bob Mortimer type, but I haven't found this any less enjoyable than series 8-11 - and probably enjoyed it even more than a few of those.