Taskmaster Series 7

[Clownbaby]

Just getting a thread started for the new series. Lineup's alright eh

[DrGreggles]

I have high hopes for Acaster, given his twisted logic.

[Clownbaby]

I have high hopes for Acaster, given his twisted logic.

Yeah. With a bit of luck he'll be the wildcard who comes up with a hot mess solution for the simplest things. I remember him going on about torturing his nephew with cabbages a while back, or his nephew torturing him with cabbages, can't remember which. It's an interesting show this, though, cause often the ones who seem like the be funnier end up being less inventive than you'd expect, and vice versa.

[Alberon]

Mrs Alberon has gone off the show as she thinks there is far too little out of the box thinking in the latest few series. I have to agree with her to be honest (and not only because she'll hit me if I don't).

I still find it funny, but the tasks are getting a bit too straight forward too often.

[Clownbaby]

I actually found some of the earlier tasks to be more irritating, like the pie one in the first episode. You can't breach the pie but they fall to bits when you pick them up because the marbles have damaged the pastry? The best tasks tend to be ones where they are not quite straightforward enough to just boringly do, then the person doing the task can get genuinely get a bit puzzled and organically come out with a weird/silly solution.

[BeardFaceMan]

I think they started getting convoluted with the task rules because of people like Tim Key, who would usually do a task a different way than was obviously intended. Now the rules are too wordy and harsh and they dont give the contestants enough wiggle room to get creative so the tasks have turned into 'who does it quickest while doing it the same way' or 'who fucked it up completely'.

It cant be easy coming up with all those tasks, I get the impression they film a lot of tasks they dont use either because they have to try and use tasks where all 5 people did something funny. How many epsiodes in this new series?

[Utter Shit]

I remember him going on about torturing his nephew with cabbages a while back, or his nephew torturing him with cabbages, can't remember which.

Both! It was war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxBsClrLPEU

[Small Man Big Horse]

Mrs Alberon has gone off the show as she thinks there is far too little out of the box thinking in the latest few series. I have to agree with her to be honest (and not only because she'll hit me if I don't).

I still find it funny, but the tasks are getting a bit too straight forward too often.

I really loved Season 5 because Sally Phillips and Bob Mortimer were so superb, but I did have issues with last year's batch and agree with you about the tasks being too straight forward. I wish they did more creative ones where they make a short film or song (or things along those lines) but it seems if anything they're cutting back on those.

It cant be easy coming up with all those tasks, I get the impression they film a lot of tasks they dont use either because they have to try and use tasks where all 5 people did something funny. How many epsiodes in this new series?

Too many. (Ie Ten, which I think was a big issue with last season's disappointing run).

[BeardFaceMan]

Yeah 10 is too many, really felt like they were stretching it out last series, only need 6 eps really. Dave are probably over the moon with how succesful the show is, I would imagine the 10 episode length is at their insistence, I cant see them giving much thought to quality over quantity.

[remedial_gash]

Yeah 10 is too many, really felt like they were stretching it out last series, only need 6 eps really. Dave are probably over the moon with how succesful the show is, I would imagine the 10 episode length is at their insistence, I cant see them giving much thought to quality over quantity.

Yeah, I mean Dave being dropped by Virgin etc caused a tabloid story (if not an outcry) and all stories seemed to mention Taskmaster, not Red Dwarf.

[BeardFaceMan]

Yeah and ive heard far more positive stuff about Taskmaster than I have new Red Dwarf. I think it would be fair to say that Taskmaster is Daves most critically and commercially succesful homemade show, no wonder they want it on all the time.

[DrGreggles]

I think they started getting convoluted with the task rules because of people like Tim Key, who would usually do a task a different way than was obviously intended.

Key is 'task consultant' on the show and was involved from day one.
Pretty sure coming up with a new slant on the task is what they want.

[BeardFaceMan]

Key is 'task consultant' on the show and was involved from day one.
Pretty sure coming up with a new slant on the task is what they want.

Thats why it's so odd that the tasks have become so restrictive because they actively stop that. Key being involved with the show is why he went for different ways to solve the tasks in my opinion, as a way to mess with Alex. See also the cheating.

[olliebean]

Yeah 10 is too many, really felt like they were stretching it out last series, only need 6 eps really. Dave are probably over the moon with how succesful the show is, I would imagine the 10 episode length is at their insistence, I cant see them giving much thought to quality over quantity.

Did they have more task-filming days than previously? Or is it possible they just filmed the same number of tasks and set a lower quality cut-off for being included in the series?

[BeardFaceMan]

Did they have more task-filming days than previously? Or is it possible they just filmed the same number of tasks and set a lower quality cut-off for being included in the series?

For the last series it definitely felt like the latter.

[BritishHobo]

Yeah Tim Vine was in that explorer outfit for most of the tasks. Now I'm not saying poor Tim isn't allowed to wear the same thing twice, but come on mate.

[olliebean]

When was the increased episode count announced? I know they film the tasks a fair bit in advance, and I'm wondering if they were already in the can when Dave asked for more episodes, and they just had to make do with the footage they had.

Re: Tim Vine's safari suit, see also: Noel Fielding's bloody yellow skeleton onesie.

[DrGreggles]

A few of the contestants have 'a kit' they wear for most tasks.

Aisling Bea and Tim Key did anyway, as well as Tim and Noel.

[bigfatheart]

Pretty sure every contestant wears the same clothes for every task. Sometimes they'll wear a coat over it if it's cold, or a boiler suit if it's a task that'll get them dirty, but their basic outfits are always the same. It's just more obvious when they wear something unusual or eccentric like Tim Vine or Aisling Bea did.

[BeardFaceMan]

I thought it was because they had each person at the house for a day and they did all of the tasks for the series in a day, which is why theyre dressed the same. But theyre usually dressed the same when they do tasks together, which would be on a different day so I dont know really. Dont mind me.

[batwings]

1st ep now up on UKTVPLAY

https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/taskmaster/watch-online/?video=5827358886001

[notjosh]

I thought it was because they had each person at the house for a day and they did all of the tasks for the series in a day, which is why theyre dressed the same. But theyre usually dressed the same when they do tasks together, which would be on a different day so I dont know really. Dont mind me.

That and other questions addressed here and here.

His interview with Scroobius Pip is a good listen too, and has more behind the scenes insights.

[worldsgreatestsinner]

I was unsure about Gilbert but that quick change task quickly won me over

[The Lurker]

It cant be easy coming up with all those tasks, I get the impression they film a lot of tasks they dont use either because they have to try and use tasks where all 5 people did something funny.

Little Alex Horne did a Reddit AMA yesterday and that was asked. He said there are usually four or five tasks per series that don't make it in for various reasons

https://www.reddit.com/r/taskmaster/comments/9curb8/i_am_the_taskmasters_assistant_and_creator_of_tm/

[Wayman C. McCreery]

A lot of the pre-publicity for this has Alex saying that sometimes a group of contestants just click, and this is one of those series. It feels like an acknowledgement that the lineup last time wasn't the best.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I was unsure about Gilbert but that quick change task quickly won me over

Me too, I've never been a fan of his but he provided a lot of strong moments in this episode. I have a feeling Kerry Godliman is going to irritate the fuck out of me unfortunately, she was bland throughout and always did the tasks in the most literal and obvious way, but everyone else is great (or in the case of Jessica Knappett, bad at the tasks but funny whilst doing them) so hopefully it'll be a decent series.

[worldsgreatestsinner]

I always quite liked him but was aware he sometimes just gets shouty and was worried he'd keep doing that. But he seemed to be the one most likely to think sideways on a task. And I think he's the most aware that if you can make Alex genuinely uncomfortable it makes for good t.v.

[BritishHobo]

That was fucking brilliant. Every one of them funny and, as pointed out, working really well together. Everyone in a role.

Also loving that Rhod, presumably due to their relationship, properly has the ability to throw Greg off.

[worldsgreatestsinner]

Second ep is up.

[Twed]

Might be the best series yet.