Taskmaster - Series 8 [split topic]

[Ja'moke]

This series is ok so far... but very hard to follow last season, which is perhaps the best ever. I think there is potential for the cast to gel better as it rolls on. And Greg & Alex are as great as ever.

[imitationleather]

I'm not finding anyone an offensive on-screen presence to have to sit through, which was the case in series 4 and 6 and led to me bailing on both. This is basically fine and I'll keep watching. I am barely laughing, though.

But yeah, last series was one of the best runs of comedy I've ever seen. Having to pause programmes because I'm in such hysterics isn't something that happens much anymore now I am an old and boring man. It was always going to be impossible to follow that with this (or just about any) line-up so I have gone in not expecting it to reach anywhere near that, and it hasn't been a disappointment.

[Puce Moment]

Just caught up with the second episode and I liked it a great deal. This is clearly not the strongest line-up in the history of the show, but I think the entire Taskmaster concept can easily absorb some of the weaker contestants. The Russell comedian is clearly the weak link, but I am finding the rest a really pleasing mixture of very different types. I have never seen Inbetweeners and in fact I don't think I have ever even seen Joe Thomas in anything, which maybe contributes to me finding him quite hilarious. He is definitely going with a bit of a schtick, but his genuine cry-laughing and the awkwardness at meeting another human was really funny (to me).

Incompetent contestants can be a mixed bag in terms of comedy value, but with Sinha it's perfect because he is a such a fucking brainbox. Watching him do that rice task was fascinating.

Overall, I am most impressed with Lou Sanders - someone I do not know beyond her RHLSTP interview. Funny, enthusiastic and not afraid to glue mealworms to her face. Also, she has got the biggest laugh from me with her 'sluts' line in the first episode.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Incompetent contestants can be a mixed bag in terms of comedy value, but with Sinha it's perfect because he is a such a fucking brainbox. Watching him do that rice task was fascinating.

It is weird watching how clueless and doddering he is, the dressing gown definitely doesn't help.

[Bad Ambassador]

There's some humour in him being fully aware of how badly he's fucking up, but not being able to do anything about it.

"Is that a cup of tea?"
"Yeah..."

Offer to make her one, you rude git.

[rasta-spouse]

Another moment I liked was Horne doing some of his prepared jokes and Davies saying something like "Yeah, we have a fundamental disagreement on what humour is". Not sure if that bit was warmed up in the edit, because it seemed like there were some titters, but Davies' comment would suggest that Horne's jokes died a death.

[Twed]

Am I just easily convinced by dressing gowns or would Paul Sinha be the perfect Arthur Dent in a modern remake of Hitchhiker's?

[bigfatheart]

Ah, now that was a good episode. Paul Sinha's creepy demeanour during the tasks is starting to remind me of Hugh Dennis when he was on.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

I've always seen Paul Sinha as someone who can write great gags but doesn't necessarily have funny bones, but he's proven me wrong in this format - he's thriving.

[EbbyVale]

Definitely my favorite episode so far, with the apology task getting quite a few LOLs from me. If it were filmed in sequence I'd say Joe found his feet this week; wonder if the editing ever deliberately creates such a trajectory.

[Virgo76]

Good to hear Sian Gibson referencing Stu "ooh! I could crush a grape" Francis.
A reminder that she's almost exactly the same age as me.

[DrGreggles]

Good to hear Sian Gibson referencing Stu "ooh! I could crush a grape" Francis.
A reminder that she's almost exactly the same age as me.

It's sad to think that we're probably in the last generation who'll ever make or understand that reference.

[Clownbaby]

Paul Sinha is my favourite after last night's episode

[Virgo76]

It ranks alongside, "Do they mean me? They surely do!" in the pantheon of great, now inexplicable, 1980s catchphrases.

[The Lurker]

Yep, yesterday's episode was the best of series so far for me.

[Ja'moke]

Really enjoying Sian. She's not quite as nuts as Sally Phillips, but definitely has that side to her.

Lou Sanders is easily the best at the tasks though. I think we're heading for our third female winner in a row.

Also, does anyone else get the vibe that Greg genuinely dislikes Ian? I don't blame him.

[Wet Blanket]

I like how Joe Thomas has pitched himself as the loser of the group but is actually quite a capable contestant - he was robbed in this week's final task - while Paul Sinha talks a good game but is woeful in practice.

All I knew of Lou Sanders was her embarrassing drunk appearance on RHLSTP which was unlistenable and her subsequent sober appearance which was quite interesting. Now I think I'm a bit in love with her, although she's no Jessica Knappett.

Iain Sterling is too try hard by far.

[DrGreggles]

Iain Sterling is too try hard by far.

He still has that kid's telly presenting gene which means he's constantly loud and hyperactive.
His reaction to the failed eruption of his volcano was great though, as was Joe's when his worked.

Sinha is my favourite though.

[Puce Moment]

Regarding that Iain fella - I find the over-exaggerated reaction to getting a low mark from Greg to be too affected. Cut it out mate.

[Virgo76]

He seemed to be challenging every decision at the start. Even when they were quite favourable to him.
I don't know what Greg thinks of him.

[DrGreggles]

I don't know what Greg thinks of him.

I think he's alright.

[gilbertharding]

Regarding that Iain fella - I find the over-exaggerated reaction to getting a low mark from Greg to be too affected. Cut it out mate.

You ain't no Acaster, bruv.

[rasta-spouse]

Greg seems to dislike Iain, but he seems to really like Paul. Maybe it's an age thing. But also Stirling is a shiny-trainered bell.

[Utter Shit]

Really enjoying this series so far, when I wasn't expecting to based on the line-up. The apology task was great, I love open-ended ones like that where the contestants can really explore their own imaginations.

Seeing as we're all doing comparisons to earlier contestants, I think there's a touch of Jess Knappett about Lou Sanders. Both charmingly odd. Joe Thomas is so funny, his natural self-consciousness and shyness colliding with the weirdness and extroversion (is that a word) of his imagination. The song he did was fantastic.

Side note: I listened to the (great) Off Menu podcast episode with Phil Wang the other day - apparently he didn't realise his Bruce Lee outfit displayed his cock and balls until near the end of filming when he had his first group task with Acaster and someone else (think it was the one with the hole in the woods), and one of them pointed it out to him. Prior to that he had just thought the crew were laughing just because it was a silly thing to wear, and once he found out he became really self-conscious.

[imitationleather]

I think this series has been pretty decent so far. I wouldn't want to see Iain Sterling on anything else, but I don't think he's been appalling on this. He probably has approached it with too much of a persona in mind, but to me that is preferable to contestants who rock up having apparently never seen the show before. His volcano was very funny.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

Fun comment on Reddit:

"The apology task was fantastic. At the recording Alex went in to the effects of the Lou's apology more. Lou told Wendy the Zumba instructor that Alex was nervous about going as he was a man so Wendy very kindly rang him back and encouraged him to go. I think she rang him a couple of more times since too. Edit: Also Greg said he received Sian's naughty photo of Alex seconds before going on stage at the Royal Variety Show and was extremely confused."

[EbbyVale]

Fun comment on Reddit:

"The apology task was fantastic. At the recording Alex went in to the effects of the Lou's apology more. Lou told Wendy the Zumba instructor that Alex was nervous about going as he was a man so Wendy very kindly rang him back and encouraged him to go. I think she rang him a couple of more times since too. Edit: Also Greg said he received Sian's naughty photo of Alex seconds before going on stage at the Royal Variety Show and was extremely confused."

That's some superb detail.  One reason why Alex is so good at this is how quickly he hints at a scenario with just a few words, and sometimes the scenario might be real and sometimes it might not.  Really couldn't tell with Wendy.

[selectivememory]

I'm enjoying this series. Even Iain isn't irritating me as much as I was expecting him to, and there have been some great tasks in the last couple of episodes. Lou looks like she's going to win the series comfortably at the moment, and she's been good value, but I think Sian, Joe and Paul have been making me laugh the most.

Also, does anyone else get the vibe that Greg genuinely dislikes Ian?

Yeah, I do. I think it might cost Iain any chance he might have had at challenging for the series, because I can see Greg marking him down out of spite. Not that I mind, because I think Lou is probably going to walk it anyway.

[Spode]

I don't think anything has perfectly encapsulated a contestant as much as Iain dabbing in 2019.  And that goes for whether or not he was even being ironic. A complete divvy.

[touchingcloth]

I'm enjoying this series a lot. None of the contestants have reached the highs of some of those in earlier series, but they've also not reached the lows. I think I like them all almost exactly equally.

I'm warming very much to Joe, even though he's still the most awkward contestant there's ever been. I think as well as being quite wooden and shit, he just doesn't seem to get the format but is going along with it all anyway. Some contestants - Rhod, especially - are given a task and they approach it with a "LET'S FUCKING GET ON WITH IT" mentality, which Joe shares to an extent, but he approaches it in more of an "oh, a task, is it? Well I suppose I'd best get on with it" way. No flashes of brilliance or signs of outright stupidity, more the awkward boredom of an unsporty but not unfit child in a PE class. I'll just clock in and do me tasks. Fascinating. If Acaster was the most Taskmaster contestant ever, I think Joe is the least.

Having a field of basically mediocre and fine contestants has really made Alex (and the format itself) shine this series. He's always been great, but a lot of the highlights this time around have been his. Just great unscripted bits during tasks that really fit the tone of the show and his Greg's gimp character.