Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 04

 The fourth series- and the first great series

Taskmaster:  UK Series 4

Year:  2017

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

Hugh Dennis

Joe Lycett

Lolly Adefope

Mel Giedroyc

Noel Fielding

Number of Episodes:  8

Notes:

As the show became more popular, Taskmaster grew, increasing from 5 episodes in series 3 to 8 in series 4.

By this point, the series has locked in the format, so what separate the good series from the great series are two factors- the tasks and the casts.  The tasks get a little more creative and there are a lot of art-based tasks in the series.  But the cast for series 4 is absolutely brilliant (tm Mel Giedroyc).

Noel Fielding is wonderful and weird, and you never know what he comes up with.  Joe Lycett is snarky throughout the series.  Lolly (the youngest contestant on the adult show) is cheery and every once in a while shows flashes of extreme competitiveness.  Hugh Dennis plays deadpan, but is very thoughtful and clever in the tasks (and is absolutely dreadful on the prize tasks, a running joke in the series).  And Mel Giedroyc is so happy and bubbly that it infects the entire series (and causes the show to create special tasks just for her).

It's a great cast, both interacting with each other and with Greg and Alex.  And the show jumps a level with this group.

Portrait Decor:  

Series 4 went with a Vincent van Gogh theme, with a self-portrait of the Taskmaster behind the desk

Best task of the season:

"Make the most exotic sandwich."  Rule of thumb- never trust Taskmaster.  They don't lie, but any time a task seems too easy, expect a twist

Worst task of the season:

"Work out what's in the sleeping bag. You may not look inside the sleeping bag. You may not take items out of the sleeping bag."  There wasn't a bad task the entire series.  This one was unfair, because there wasn't a good way to figure out the items- though we did have a fair argument over what 'take items out' mean.  

Trivia:

* For the first time, the series had a reoccuring location for some of the tasks, at the Chesham United Football Club

* The caravan makes it's first appearance in the show on Episode 1.

* Mel Giedroyc collects the wax seals with every task.  

* Episode 7 has the first ever three way tie for the episode.  

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
3. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
4. Richard Osman (Season 2)
5. Katherine Ryan (Season 2)
6. Tim Key (Season 1)
7. Al Murray (season 3)
8. Josh Widdicome (Season 1)
9. Joe Lycett (Season 4)
10. Rob Beckett (Season 3)

Season Ranking:

1. Season 4
2. Season 2
3. Season 1
4. Season 3