Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 11

Taskmaster:  UK Series 11

Year:  2021

Channel:  Channel 4

Contestants:  

Charlotte Ritchie

Jamali Maddix

Lee Mack

Mike Wozniak

Sarah Kendall

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

Much like series 10, series 11 was under COVID guidelines.  This time, the producers had time to prepare (in series 10, social distance guidelines were created halfway through the team tasks). 

Series 11 is better than 10, and sometimes it's as simple as having the right comedians.  Both Lee Mack and (especially) Mike Wozniak are hysterical, and fit right in with the mentality of the show.  There's a reason Mike Wozniak was chosen as the Taskmaster's Assistant for the Junior Taskmaster show. Sarah Kendall also shines in her tasks.  Jamali Maddox alternates- he has a lot of lateral thinking, but there are times he just doesn't seem to care.  Charlotte Ritchie is charming, which is not the same thing as being good at the game.

 

Portrait Decor:  

Series 11 went with an Russian theme, and the portrait has Greg Davies looking like Lenin...

CCCP Davies....

Best task of the season:

"Prize task:  The thing that makes you look the toughest"  Four of the five are excellent, ranging from fuuny and good to hysterically bad.  But then Mike Wozniak steps up to the plate...

Worst task of the season:

"Fart."  I normally really enjoy the tasks assigned to just one person- but I can't stand scatological humor.

Trivia:

* The location tasks were at White Waltham Airport

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Rhod Gilbert (Season 7)
3. Ed Gamble (Season 9)
4. James Acaster (Season 7)
5. Mike Wozniak (Season 11)
6. Rose Matefeo (Season 9)
7. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
8. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
9. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
10. Lee Mack (Season 11)

Season Ranking:

1. Season 9
2. Season 7
3. Season 4
4. Season 11
5. Season 5
6. Season 10
7. Season 8
8. Season 6
9. Season 2
10. Season 1
11. Season 3

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

Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 08

Series 8- some good points, but too low key to be great.

Taskmaster:  UK Series 8

Year:  2019

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

Iain Stirling

Joe Thomas

Lou Sanders

Paul Sinha

Sian Gibson

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

Series 7 was brilliant.  Series 8 was a step back.

In part, it was due to circumstances out of their control.  Paul Sinha had surgery right before he filmed his tasks, and in retrospect he was not at full strength.  And Joe Thomas seemed very low key during the series, though he seemed to 'get' the energy of the show by the final episode.  Between the two, the energy was brought down compared to the previous series.

The other three contestants are well-suited for Taskmaster.  Sian Thompson is adorable and weird.  Iain Stirling is obsessed with winning and (like James Acaster) full of madcap energy.  And Lou Sanders is absolutely ruthless and just as obsessed with winning as Iain.  

The task themselves weren't bad- but this series (like series 6) is missing the overall chaos that elevates Taskmaster to a great season.  

 

Portrait Decor:  

Series 8 went with a Japanese theme (look for the 'TM' logo on the wax seal), with a portrait of the Taskmaster in an anime style

Best task of the season:

"Completely erase this eraser."  A simple task that had the contestants coming up with a variety of solutions.  The reason this qualifies is that it's the one task that the contestants really showed fire and argued with each other.  

Taskmaster doesn't require the contestants to be feuding or actively disliking each other (that would hurt the series)- but it works best when the contestants show fire and are trying hard to win and willing to argue for points. 

Worst task of the season:

"Put something on your face that looks like a moustache from a long distance away, but when you get up close, you realise it's something completely different to what you thought."  Blech.  It's more disgusting than clever or funny.

Trivia:

* The location tasks were at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

* Some themes throughout the season:  Sand, Pink

* Iain Sterling showed up on the final episode wearing pajamas; I think this is the first instance of someone wearing a special outfit for the finale.

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Rhod Gilbert (Season 7)
3. James Acaster (Season 7)
4. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
5. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
6. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
7. Lou Sanders (Season 8)
8. Richard Osman (Season 2)
9. Kerry Godliman (Season 7)
10. Nish Kumar (Season 5)

Season Ranking:

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

Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 07

“I know it’s early days but are we the stupidest so far?”- James Acaster, series 7, episode 1.  

No, James, you're not.  The most chaotic, on the other hand...

Taskmaster:  UK Series 7

Year:  2018

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

James Acaster

Jessica Knappett

Kerry Godliman

Phil Wang

Rhod Gilbert

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

Series 6 was missing a chaos agent to put the show in overdrive.  Series 7 does NOT have this problem.  

Like Series 6, Series 7 had one smart, practical player (Liza Tarbuck in series 6; Kerry Godliman in series 7).  After that, Series 7 has a great cast of chaotic characters, including:

- The wildly incompetent one (Phil Wang)

- The contestant who is too eager to win (James Acaster).

- The wildly unpredictable person (Jessica Knappett)

- The one who is constantly bending if not breaking the rules and is a master of non-linear thinking (Rhod Gilbert).  As a bonus, Gilbert (a longtime friend of Greg Davies) makes it his personal goal to embarass and/or break the Taskmaster (and Alex Horne) throughout the show.  It's not a great way to win points, but it's a fantastic way to steal the show.

The individuals are great, and the chemistry between everyone is brilliant.  The contestants are constantly sniping at each other and arguing with both Greg and Alex.  It makes for a fantastic series.

 

Portrait Decor:  

Series 7 went with a portrait inspired by Pablo Picasso

Best task of the season:

"Prize: Most confusing thing."  There's some brilliant tasks here, but this one has everything- Rhod Gilbert taunting the Taskmaster, Phil Wang's 'bartering' system, James Acaster getting pulled aside by Greg Davies for a stern lecture, and Jessica Knappett's brilliant snark.  

There's some great tasks throughout this series, both in terms of brilliant thinking ("Tie yourself up as securely as possible") and amusing utter debacles, ("Make the best extension to the Taskmaster House.")

Worst task of the season:

"Make the best Christmas cracker."  There isn't a really bad task this season.  This one just felt a little flat, partly because Christmas crackers are a staple in England but not in the US.

Trivia:

* The location tasks were at Woodrow High House

* I believe this is the first series where Alex answers a question with "All of the Information is on the Task", during the Ten-Word Story task.

* Phil Wang's outfit is a constant source of laughs

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Rhod Gilbert (Season 7)
3. James Acaster (Season 7)
4. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
5. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
6. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
7. Richard Osman (Season 2)
8. Kerry Godliman (Season 7)
9. Nish Kumar (Season 5)
10. Tim Vine (Season 6) 

Season Ranking:

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

Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 06

The sixth series-  Missing the chaos ingredient.

Taskmaster:  UK Series 6

Year:  2018

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

Alice Levine

Asim Chaudhry

Liza Tarbuck

Russell Howard

Tim Vine

Number of Episodes:  10

Notes:

Starting with Series 6, Taskmaster went with ten episodes.  The greater number of episodes gave opportunities for more tasks and could build more storylines into the season.

Series 6 isn't great.  On paper, it's not bad- Liza Tarbuck is an excellent player and very sardonic.  But it's missing a chaos gremlin; a contestant who is completely unpredictable, regardless of their performance.  Tim Vine comes closest, but he comes across with a 'Dad Jokes' vibe.  The other three are funny at times, but never unpredictable.  The series is missing the chaos of the previous series, and it shows.  

 

Portrait Decor:  

Series 6 portrait is based on MC Escher's "Hand with Reflecting Sphere"

Best task of the season:

"Make an outfit of things bought from this stationery shop."  The solo tasks (tasks given to just one person) is a highlight of the season.  They picked the right person for this task- someone just odd enough to embrace it full-force.  And the followup question to the rest of the contestants was exactly right

Worst task of the season:

"Write, illustrate and read out a bedtime story for grown-ups. Your bedtime story for grown-ups may be no more or fewer than 50 words."  There's some creativity here, but it's a task that takes up a lot of time, and too many of the contestants went for gutter humor

Trivia:

* There were two remote locations:  The Black Horse Inn and Girl Guiding Headquarters , both located in Chesham.

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
3. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
4. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
5. Richard Osman (Season 2)
6. Nish Kumar (Season 5)
7. Tim Vine (Season 6) 
8. Katherine Ryan (Season 2)
9. Tim Key (Season 1)
10. Liza Tarbuck (Season 6)

Season Ranking:

1. Season 4
2. Season 5
3. Season 6
4. Season 2
5. Season 1
6. Season 3

Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 05

The fifth series- if watching spectacular failure is your bag, this is the season for you.

Taskmaster:  UK Series 5

Year:  2017

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

Aisling Bea

Bob Mortimer

Mark Watson

Nish Kumar

Sally Phillips

Number of Episodes:  8

Notes:

Series 5 is eight episodes of very funny but terrible players.  .  Nish Kumar sets a new standard for 'loveable loser' (and Greg plays it up, verbally taunting him on his performance), but Mark and Aisling also are enjoyable car wrecks.  The show plays up Alex and Mark Watson's long friendship, usually to Mark's detriment (the solo task assigned only to him is brilliant).  Sally Phillips is slightly weird, playing herself up as sex-deprived, and very competent.  And Bob Mortimer is very competent and just wonderfully weird.  

It's not a good season if you like to see how clever the players are.  It's a great season if you like to see Greg taunting the other players (and Alex) all season long.  

Portrait Decor:  

Series 5 portait was based off Rene Magritte, and the portrait of Greg has a pineapple in front of his face, based off the painting The Son of Man...

Best task of the season:

"Write and perform a song about this woman."  The overall theme of season 5 has been how badly Nish Kumar has been at tasks, and the epic failures of Mark Watson (who is not bad all the time- but he screws up, it's hysterically blatant.  So having the final house task have both of them do a brilliant job is a standout moment.

Worst task of the season:

"With this camera strapped to your head, record the most incredible footage."  A little too long, too many of the contestants think 'disturbing' equals ''incredble', a side discussion on Bob's toilet habits is distgusting, and Nish is so awful that Greg openly asks if he is sabotaging the tasks.

Trivia:

* The reoccuring remote location for the season was at Frensham Great Pond

* Two contestants did not win a single episode, the only time this has happened

* Some seasons have a continuous reference to a prop- in this season, it's coconuts.  

Contestant Rankings:

1. Mel Giedroyc (Season 4)
2. Bob Mortimer (Season 5)
3. Hugh Dennis (Season 4)
4. Noel Fielding (Season 4)
5. Richard Osman (Season 2)
6. Nish Kumar (Season 5)
7. Katherine Ryan (Season 2)
8. Tim Key (Season 1)
9. Sally Phillips (Season 5)
10. Al Murray (season 3)

Season Ranking:

1. Season 4
2. Season 5
3. Season 2
4. Season 1
5. Season 3

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

Taskmaster Retrospective: UK Series 03

The third series, a year later, only had five episodes

Taskmaster:  UK Series 3

Year:  2016

Channel:  Dave

Contestants:  

Al Murray

Dave Gorman

Paul Cowdhry

Rob Beckett

Sara Pascoe

Number of Episodes:  5

Notes:

The early series only had a few episodes- 6 for series 1, 5 for series 2 and 3.  The longer series (now ten episodes each) helps- storylines build up both between the performers and between them and the Taskmaster.  There are callbacks to previous tasks, and more memorable moments in the longers series.  So the earlier series are hurt by the short running time- you don't learn enough about the contestants as much.

Series 3 has some good contestants- Al Murray constantly trying to buy his way into winning tasks, Rob Beckett (working on no sleep with a newborn) getting weird in his ideas, Paul Chowdry taking the role of the guy who can't win- but it also lacks in the infighting of series 2 or the initial feel of series 1.

On the positive side, Greg Davies starts introducing his assistant as "Little Alex Horne", beginning the abuse Davies will heap on Horne for years to come.

Portrait Decor:  

Series 3 went with a Roy Lichtenstein style for the portrait behind the desk.  

Best task of the season:

"Surprise Alex when he emerges from the shed in one hour." A simple, creative task that lets the contestants get weird.  There's some clever responses (Al and Rob are excellent), and I think more episodes could have given them more chances to be weird.

Worst task of the season:

"Fill this egg cup with your own sweat."  I don't like tasks involving body fluids.  But making one (and only one) of the contestants constantly speak in a different accent every time during the task is pretty funny.

Trivia:

* Sara Pascoe mentioned that her boyfriend is a huge Queen fan.  Her (now ex-) boyfriend is John Robins, who latered appeared in series 17- dressed as Freddy Mercury

* This is the first series where Alex is referred to as "Little Alex Horne"

Contestant Rankings:

1. Richard Osman (Season 2)
2. Katherine Ryan (Season 2)
3. Tim Key (Season 1)
4. Al Murray (season 3)
5. Josh Widdicome (Season 1)
6. Rob Beckett (Season 3)
7. Joe Wilkinson (Season 2)
8. Jon Richardson (Season 2)
9. Sarah Pascoe (Season 3)
10. Romesh Ranganathan (Season 1)

Season Ranking:

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