Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 10

So a pandemic happened...

Taskmaster:  UK Series 10

Year:  2020

Channel:  Channel 4

Contestants:  

Daisy May Cooper

Johnny Vegas

Katherine Parkinson

Mawaan Rizwan

Richard Herring

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

In 2020, COVID struck the world.  As a result of the social distancing guidelines, the contestants all sat far away from each other, and there was no studio audience.  The guidelines started in mid-recording;  when one pair recorded their team tasks, they were together.  When the team of three recorded their tasks, they stood far apart.

I think COVID affected this season- it's hard to be funny in the middle of a pandemic.  The group tries, and there are moments.  Johnny Vegas in particular brings out laughs, and the rivalry between Daisy and Richard can be hysterical.  But the attitude feels a little somber and the chaos of series 9 is muted by comparison

It's hardly the worst series- some of the tasks are excellent, and the five contestants are working hard.  But it's largely forgettable, and I suspect one that the show would have loved to have done a do-over when not in a pandemic.

 

Portrait Decor:  

Series 10 went with an American Western theme, and the portrait has Greg Davies looking like Buffalo Bill Cody.

Wild Greg Davies..

Best task of the season:

"Team Live: Draw the animal named on your card. Each artist may draw three straight lines in their turn. The artist's teammates may have one guess after these three lines. If the guess is incorrect, the other team's artist can draw their straight lines. You may not speak or communicate with your teammates in any way."  Putting Daisy and Richard on the same team was very serendipitous.  Both were excellent players, and they clashed throughout the series.  This task had Daisy exclaim in frustration, "I actually hate you more than my husband." to Richard.

Worst task of the season:

"Learn your lines."  The idea is clever- have everyone read lines, but they are filmed separately.  Given the COVID restrictions, it makes sense.  But the task takes forever, and it's not worth the time spent. 

Trivia:

* The location tasks were at London Printworks

* This is the first season moving from Dave to Channel 4

* The opening is reworked, now showing Greg with facial hair

* Daisy May Cooper was pregnant during the taping of the show

* Daisy dressed up as a superhero (Achievement woman) for the house tasks

* Episode 1 probably goes down as the lowest scoring episode in Taskmaster history...

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Rhod Gilbert (Season 7)
3. Ed Gamble (Season 9)
4. James Acaster (Season 7)
5. Rose Matefeo (Season 9)
6. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
7. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
8. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
9. Katy Wix (Season 9)
10. Lou Sanders (Season 8)

Season Ranking:

1. Season 9
2. Season 7
3. Season 4
4. Season 5
5. Season 10
6. Season 8
7. Season 6
8. Season 2
9. Season 1
10. Season 3

Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 09

Series 9- maybe the perfect cast

Taskmaster:  UK Series 9

Year:  2019

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

David Baddiel

Ed Gamble

Jo Brand

Katy Wix

Rose Matefeo

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

I love, love, LOVE the cast for season 9.

You have two funny, clever people who are really trying to win the tasks and it shows (Ed Gamble and Rose Matefeo).  Bonus points because Ed is a longtime friend of Greg Davies and the back-and-forth between New Zealander Matefeo and the Taskmaster.  Ed later hosts the official Taskmaster Podcast and Rose takes the Taskmaster title for Taskmaster Junior; you can tell they are both having a blast on the show.

You have a quiet, weird, creative contestant in Katy Wix.  The tasks that involve her building something are where she really shines.

You have an older comedienne in Jo Brand, delivering snark and with an attitude of not wanting to deal with this nonsense.  

And you have one contestant who appears absolutely hopeless at every task and seems to just be the series scapegoat in David Baddiel.  It's neck-and-neck with Nish Kumar in the "so bad it's good" terms of performance.  But where Nish was utterly enthusiastic, David just seems confused by the whole game. 

Portrait Decor:  

Series 9 went with a Mannerism artistic theme, and the Portrait of the Taskmaster is inspired by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, with his face made out vegetables

Best task of the season:

"Complete the seven tasks. When you touch a task in any way, you must complete it before looking inside another task."  There are a bunch of great tasks this series- everything from doing a preposterous thing with a chickpea, to inventing an egg timer (showing off Katy Wix's sadistic side), to making the most dramatic entrance.  The task I've chosen (the last task in the house for the series) is clever and backfires in so many ways that it wins out, but there are many great tasks this year.

Worst task of the season:

"Make either a knee and an elbow, a knee and a knee or an elbow or an elbow look like a famous couple. You must only use your knees and elbows."  It's not that amusing, or creative, and Katy is the only one with any artistic sense.

Trivia:

* The location tasks were at Living Props

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Rhod Gilbert (Season 7)
3. Ed Gamble (Season 9)
4. James Acaster (Season 7)
5. Rose Matefeo (Season 9)
6. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
7. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
8. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
9. Katy Wix (Season 9)
10. Lou Sanders (Season 8)

Season Ranking:

1. Season 9
2. Season 7
3. Season 4
4. Season 5
5. Season 8
6. Season 6
7. Season 2
8. Season 1
9. Season 3

NBA Lottery Booking 2026

I don't believe the NBA Lottery is rigged.  There's too much money involved and there's no way the other owners would allow it.

But if it did...

2026 is supposed to be a great draft.  The experts think there might be 3-4 franchise-level players, and the draft is supposed to be deep with quality players.

AJ Dybantsa- the #1 pick... maybe?

And there's a couple of major themes leading up to this draft.

* The level of tanking in the NBA has gotten to a ridiculous level, with teams being fined for tanking games in February.  The NBA is working on new tanking rules.  But the problem is... tanking works.  If you have a bad team, and you are not a 'major media market' that can attract free agents, then the best way to get talented players is through the draft.  

* There have been a lot of trades that could affect the draft- OKC gets the Clippers pick; Atlanta gets New Orleans pick.  Washington and Utah could have lost their picks, and Indiana might if they don't get a top 4 pick

* The past two decades have had the lottery favor the Western Conference.  When a top franchise player is in the draft, they have ended up in the West.  Victor Wembanyama ended in San Antonio; Cooper Flagg in Dallas;  Edwards in Minnesota, Anthony Davis in New Orleans.  When the East gets the #1 pick, the quality of the player hasn't been so high.  It's one reason the Western Conference is perceived as the better conference.

With that said...

Tanking works:  Washington, Indiana, Brooklyn, Utah

We'll go chalk here- the four worst teams get the top four picks.  Three of the franchises have been bad for well over a decade; Indiana fell apart after making the Finals when Tyrese Haliburton was injured.

The NBA's dream scenario:  Chicago, Milwaukee, Golden State, Atlanta

Chicago is a major market undergoing a rebuild, and could use a top pick.  Milwaukee and Golden State have aging stars that could be rejuvenated with a rookie.  Atlanta is a major city with a young team and one more player might put them as contenders

That was a mistake:  Atlanta, OKC, Sacramento, Washington

The top two picks in a deep draft go to playoff teams due to trades.  The Paul George trade hurts the Clippers on last time, and New Orleans lives out a nightmare.  As a bonus, Indiana's pick at #5 goes to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Life in unfair:  Dallas, Golden State, Utah, Brooklyn

Dallas gets their second #1 pick in a row.  Golden State revives the end of Curry's career.  Utah is rewarded for their blatant tanking.  And the West get the top 3 picks