Taskmaster series 12

[Poobum]

TBH the most impressive thing VCM has done so far in this is work out the scores for the space hopper task.

They've done essentially the same food task at least once before, haven't they, but with the food in pots or bowls instead of plastic bags?

It was basically "don't breach the pie" from series 1, but less interesting.

[mjwilson]

The prize tasks and the live tasks are actively hurting the show for me, now. Between the lack of effort put in by people for the prize task and the general poor quality of the live tasks, each show is starting and ending with a whimper.

The prize task has been dead for a while, I've been giving it the benefit of the doubt and assuming that lockdown meant that people didn't want to go out to get things for it, but now it just feels like no-one cares. Kill it off.

[Norton Canes]

I'm starting to actively dislike VCM as well, which might make this series a real struggle

Exactly how I've felt for the last six series of Only Connect

[Ambient Sheep]

Bloody hell, the negativity here!  Both episodes were good I thought, yes E1 better than E2 but both a great watch.

Put up with far worse than this in S6 & S10 (and to some extent S8 & S11).

[olliebean]

I think it's because it's come straight off the back of the second NZ series which was, frankly, much better than this one has been so far.

[beanheadmcginty]

I don't know why this happens and it irritates the shit out of me, but when I watch Taskmaster (any of them) my brain automatically switches off when the task is being read out and then re-engages when they start doing it. So I then have to rewind and make a deliberate effort to watch the task being read out. What causes this?

[BritishHobo]

I have exactly the same thing. I get worried I'm starting to go senile, but it's such a specific lack of attention - it is exclusively as the task is being read out.

[frajer]

I don't know why this happens and it irritates the shit out of me, but when I watch Taskmaster (any of them) my brain automatically switches off when the task is being read out and then re-engages when they start doing it. So I then have to rewind and make a deliberate effort to watch the task being read out. What causes this?

I'm not sure but if you find out let me know because I'm dying of it too.

Me and mrs frajer have taken to waiting until the scoring to retroactively hear the aim of a lot of tasks. I think a lot of it is due to us watching on Friday evening when we're both braindead from the work week.

[BeardFaceMan]

I think it might be because they rarely have someone read out the task in one go, it cuts between the contestants all reading little bits of it, repeating bits of it etc, it makes it harder to follow.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

I can't bear to listen to the Taskmaster podcast. Did Paul Williams say anything particularly interesting about the NZ version on the latest episode?

[Retinend]

is it just me is or Greg doing a shit job of being the taskmaster this series? It's like watching a teacher try to be one of the kids

I don't really understand the praise that the NZ version gets. It's good, but basically on par with the UK version imo. The only thing it has going for it really is Paul Williams, who is just absolutely delightful.

See, for me the taskmaster is a lot more authoritative in the NZ version. And his put-downs are a lot more witty than Greg's.

[Retinend]

I enjoyed this first episode quite a lot. Could be a very strong set of contestants, all seem good. Even Alan Davies, if he's going to go down that "can't be arsed make a cup of tea i'm middle-aged and tired" route he's infintely preferable to Baddiel or Jo Brand.

I liked that he was still the smartest one in that round with the darts and balloon.

[Retinend]

I just found out Morgana is half sisters with Brody Dalle of all people. Funny old world!

edit: keeping it light, but if you dig deeper on this it's pretty fucked up

[Captain Z]

KEEP IT LIGHT!

I think it might be because they rarely have someone read out the task in one go, it cuts between the contestants all reading little bits of it, repeating bits of it etc, it makes it harder to follow.

It happens to me also. Another reason I think I've noticed it in recent series is that Alex or Greg now rarely reiterate the rules of the task when they cut back to the studio before seeing the attempts.

[olliebean]

Also some of the rules are more contrived than they need to be. For example, the food one, where the task was essentially, taste and identify the two foods mixed together in each of these bags. The detail of Alex cutting a small hole in each bag, and the insistence that a large spoonful of each must be eaten, were unnecessary, as was the option to mix them all together in the blender.

[BeardFaceMan]

Also some of the rules are more contrived than they need to be.

I think that's been my main problem with the tasks the last few series, too many convoluted tasks. Those types of tasks rarely produce gold because everyone is too busy trying to remember the rules to do anything else.

[chutnut]

I'm another one who zones out while the tasks are being read out. I think it's the little segue montage that tells my brain it can switch off for a bit, then it takes a while to realise I need to start paying attention again

is it just me is or Greg doing a shit job of being the taskmaster this series? It's like watching a teacher try to be one of the kids

To be honest I thought he'd been on pretty good form so far

[BeardFaceMan]

I can't bear to listen to the Taskmaster podcast. Did Paul Williams say anything particularly interesting about the NZ version on the latest episode?

I had a go at listening as there was a good guest but I had to turn it off as soon as they started talking about the episode, and it was a tough slog to get that far. A pleasant enough chat but nothing too interesting as Ed is so fucking boring.

[boinks]

I'm still enjoying it, although I do prefer the Jeremy/Paul combo to Greg/Alex now. I want Guz to win, or Morgana - the other three are pleasant enough to watch but not exactly thrilling. Nothing against them, though (yet).

[beanheadmcginty]

I had a go at listening as there was a good guest but I had to turn it off as soon as they started talking about the episode, and it was a tough slog to get that far. A pleasant enough chat but nothing too interesting as Ed is so fucking boring.

Ed Gamble seems like a nice bloke so I can't hate him. But the fact that he's a professional comedian is fucking insane. If he was one of my mates he would definitely be regarded as the unfunny but nice one.

[BeardFaceMan]

Ed Gamble seems like a nice bloke so I can't hate him. But the fact that he's a professional comedian is fucking insane. If he was one of my mates he would definitely be regarded as the unfunny but nice one.

Yeah he's one of those people who I don't mind seeing acting, like in Man Down, but when he's trying to be funny himself - no thanks.

The only interesting bit I can recall from the podcast was that Ed first met David Correos when he came over to do his Edinburgh show, which involved him eating dogfood and shoving a bicycle pump up his arse (although Ed annoyingly says 'ass' for some reason. In solidarity with Paul, do they say 'ass' over there?). Paul was saying he was shocked that David was actually allowed to be on Taskmaster as he's a bit out there and has form for doing shit that means it's hard for him to get on tv.

[SilverFish]

Also some of the rules are more contrived than they need to be. For example, the food one, where the task was essentially, taste and identify the two foods mixed together in each of these bags. The detail of Alex cutting a small hole in each bag, and the insistence that a large spoonful of each must be eaten, were unnecessary, as was the option to mix them all together in the blender.

I dunno - Morgana did a smart work-around. Get him to blend the stuff but ignore it and have a sniff & inspect of the bags with an option to have a little taste but not a "big spoonful".

[Ambient Sheep]

I think it's because it's come straight off the back of the second NZ series which was, frankly, much better than this one has been so far.

Ah OK, I've not seen any of the NZ ones yet.  Partly practicalities, partly have been saving them.

Thanks for that, would explain a lot.

[Norton Canes]

Desperately hoping Morgana comes out with an impression of Victoria Coren-Michell at some point in the series.

[Smeraldina Rima]

The NZ series still uses cutaways to the studio during the tasks. Can't remember when the UK series stopped doing that, eg. Tim Key reacting to Romesh smashing the watermelon. I agree with Retinend about Jeremy Wells being good.

[olliebean]

Yes, if you can get past the fact that he's not the same as Greg Davies (which seems to have been the basis of most of the criticism I've seen against him), he does a fine job in his own right.

[beanheadmcginty]

I feel like the forum will instinctively turn against Jeremy once you learn about his family background. He's almost royalty level of privileged.

[BritishHobo]

He's grown on me, but I dunno if it's fair to write off any criticism of him as kneejerk not-Greg-ness. In the first series at least, it didn't feel like he was really giving a lot - it felt like the prizes/task outcomes would be presented, the contestants themselves might try a bit of funny 'aw bullshit, I definitely deserve five points...' banter, and he would give nothing in response. Just give the points and move on.

[BeardFaceMan]

He did take a while to warm up and get into the role, but he's settled down now and is very good.

[DrGreggles]

Took him a while to find his feet, but he's good now.
People forget that Greg Davies wasn't great at the start either.