Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 18

Series 18 is a good cast but one contestant stands out.

Taskmaster:  UK Series 18

Year:  2024

Channel:  Channel 4

Contestants:  

Andy Zaltzman

Babatunde Aleshe

Emma Sidi

Jack Dee

Wildly Inappropriate Rosie Jones

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

The cast is fun- Andy Zaltzman takes the role of the person trying very hard to win, Emma Sidi is extremely hit or miss on the tasks, Jack Dee does well but acts like the sardonic old guy who doesn't want to be there, and Babatunde Aleshe doesn't seem to be aware of what show he is on.

The standout of the cast is Rosie Jones, who is inappropriate and hysterical.  She is having a blast on the show, and carries the season.  She breaks Greg, Alex and the other contestants a half dozen times.  As funny as the other four are, Rosie takes the spotlight.

Portrait Decor:  

Series 18 had a nautical theme, and Greg Davies was decked out as an admiral in the office portrait:

Best task of the season:

"Wear this outfit throughout one future task and your points will be doubled for that task."  I love this concept- the contestants pick a task and wear a special outfit, and for that task only, the points are doubled.  Of course, they have to choose before finding out what the task is.  

Worst task of the season:

"Create, handle and voice the most charismatic new children's television puppet sidekick for Alex.."

This was going all right until Wildly Inappropriate Rosie Jones...

And I am amazed that the smell task of episode 5 is not here...

Trivia:

* The location tasks were at Thorpe Park

* Widlly Inappropriate Rosie Jones has Cerebal Palsy, and the tasks were adjusted for her condition.

* There's a couple of meta-tasks; one task punishes the players for outside the box thinking, which is unusual. 

Contestant Rankings:

1. Dara O'Briain (Series 14)
2. Kiell Smith-Boyle (Series 15)
3. Mel Giedroyc (Series 4)
4. Rhod Gilbert (Series 7)
5. Ed Gamble (Series 9)
6. James Acaster (Series 7)
7. Sarah Millican (Series 14)
8. Wildly Inappropriate Rosie Jones (Series 18)
9. Mike Wozniak (Series 11)
10. Rose Matefeo (Series 9)

Series Ranking:

1. Series 14
2. Series 9
3. Series 7
4. Series 15
5. Series 13
6. Series 18
7. Series 17
8. Series 12
9. Series 16
10. Series 4
11. Series 11
12. Series 5
13. Series 10
14. Series 8
15. Series 6
16. Series 2
17. Series 1
18. Series 3