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Taskmaster New Zealand / Misc International Versions

Started by Small Man Big Horse, December 02, 2020, 08:21:03 PM

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Small Man Big Horse

As there's a lot of interest in the NZ show, and some vague interest in other countries take on the series, I thought I'd start a thread. You can get the international episodes from this reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/panelshow/comments/c7yns3/taskmaster_international_editions_collection/ while episodes of the New Zealand show are here: https://www.reddit.com/r/panelshows/

The New Zealand one definitely seems to be the best non-English version, and I'd say it's even a bit better than this current UK one (though I am very, very fond of that too), and as for the other series I'm fond of the Norwegian one, even if the subtitles are a bit naff, and the Swedish one wasn't too bad, though I've only watched a few episodes so far.

Small Man Big Horse

And I've just realised I didn't previously reply to this:

Quote from: Hank Venture on November 28, 2020, 01:22:11 AM
I think the prize task is the one part that is better in the Norwegian one than in the British one, as the unveil concept lends itself better to the comedy than everyone turning around and looking at the big screen. Some other differences I have noticed is that the Norwegian location seems to have lots more items (cement mixer, engines and motors, stuff from the shed). And the British contestans seem way less competitive: an example of this is the "don't blink" task, where Rhod Gilbert wins (?) with 7 minutes (won't spoilt how it goes with the Norwegian one, but it's the weirdest moment in all of Taskmaster that I've seen yet ...).

Maria's boyfriend joins in S2 I'm afraid :'(

Apologies for the late reply, and though the translation aspect is a slight problem I still do enjoy the prize task, both "Steal something from Atle (the Norwegian Greg Davies)" and the "Bring in something that Atle won't know what it is" were really strong. I'm with you on the competitive side of things too, I really like how Jon gets so in to it, and even though Maria is doing quite badly this series it still feels like she wants to win each and every time.

I don't know why you'd make up that lie about Maria having a boyfriend though, that just seems mean.

Just thought I'd chuck this image in as the subtitles made me laugh:


BeardFaceMan

With the NZ show they have a funny group of comedians, some great open-ended tasks and they havent strayed too far from the Greg/Alex dynamic. Despite having never heard of anyone involved before, I'm actually enjoying this every bit as much as the current UK series.


AsparagusTrevor

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on December 02, 2020, 08:52:20 PM
Weird that Sara Pascoe is on the Norwegian version

I've watched the first couple of NZ episodes, it wasn't til the second that it started to click with me, although there was much to like in the first episode. The
Spoiler alert
leaf-blower cocktail
[close]
part made me and my wife laugh more than anything in the current UK series so far.

I'm not sold on the Taskmaster and assistant yet, Jeremy seems too mild and a bit stilted and unnatural, and Paul also a bit wooden on stage but fares a little better in the tasks themselves. We'll see if they grow into their roles better as the series goes on.

Quote from: Captain Z on December 02, 2020, 10:27:44 PM
Just found a slightly more convenient link to all NZ episodes here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DownUnderTV/comments/jfbotr/taskmaster_new_zealand_s01e01/

Thanks for this. I just watched the first one and once I got used to it not being Greg and Alex I thought it was really, really good.

The simple tasks really are the best, aren't they? I hope the UK version takes inspiration from this, scales things down and leaves tasks more open to interpretation. I'm enjoying the current UK series a lot but you're guaranteed one duff task per episode, and they're nearly always the ones away from the bungalow.

Three episodes in now. It doesn't make me laugh out loud as much as the UK version can do (probably because Greg is responsible for that) but the tasks are just far superior.

selectivememory

I've started watching the NZ one too. Four episodes in. I really find Guy an obnoxious presence in the studio segments, but he's not so bad during the pre-recorded tasks. I like Leigh because he's the one who sees some of the loopholes in the rules of the tasks, and I like Angella because she's just a delightful oddball. I would love to see how Greg Davies would react to her "make this mum proud" task attempt, because that was nuts. The other two women are decent, pretty straight down the line, funnyish and enthusiastic, so it's a fairly good balance on the panel. And as others have mentioned, the tasks have been really good. Very simple, very open to interpretation, which does contrast with the UK version which has increasingly gone for more complicated tasks which may look good on paper but don't really end up making for good TV.

I do think the host is a bit of a weak link. He's not terrible, he's just a bit bland and dry, though it does show how lucky the UK version was to get someone like Greg Davies to host it, because he's so often the funniest thing about it. As for Paul, I think he's got the assistant role down pretty much perfectly during the tasks, but in the studio segments I would prefer if he'd develop his own shtick rather than just copy Alex's.

The Lurker

Jeremy's alright. He's definitely got better as the series has gone on. Didn't know any of them before this series but Guy or Leigh would've been possible good shouts as the Taskmaster.

beanheadmcginty

Is the grass in NZ unbelievable sharp and spikey? Why did the balloons in ep2 burst on contact with the ground every time?

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: The Lurker on December 03, 2020, 07:07:38 PM
Jeremy's alright. He's definitely got better as the series has gone on. Didn't know any of them before this series but Guy or Leigh would've been possible good shouts as the Taskmaster.

Yeah, I've grown fonder of Jeremy too, the first few episodes he really was quite poor, and he's far too nice to Paul Williams, but he definitely does improve as it goes along and seems to even be enjoying himself by about the sixth episode.

AsparagusTrevor

Just watched the third episode and yeah, Jeremy's definitely perked up compared to the first two, seems noticeably more comfortable and engaging.

Ja'moke

Angella has become one of my all-time favourite Taskmaster contestants. She was great in the latest episode.

Who is coming up with the tasks for the NZ series? They're far better than the current UK series.

jimboslice

I think it's a bit unfair to say the NZ tasks are better, given how long the UK show has been going. A lot of them aren't too different to tasks we've seen before. "Make this mother proud" isn't as good as "Impress this mayor".

But yeah, keeping it simple normally helps.

BeardFaceMan

I think the difference is the UK show has started to have a lot more tasks where its fastest wins and there isn't much room for deviation, whereas these NZ tasks are mostly open-ended and give a lot of room for variety, that's what's missing from the UK version. That, and comedians taking the prize task seriously.

SteveDave

The devils of Avalon have taken these down from YouTube now. Luckily Reddit is the Wild West and I was able to download episode 7 from someone on there. At one point I tried to go to the NZ equivalent of the iPlayer and got spoilered for
Spoiler alert
the cameo
[close]
.

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: SteveDave on December 04, 2020, 10:27:14 AM
The devils of Avalon have taken these down from YouTube now.

I wonder if that's because they're thinking of broadcasting it here? It does seem to be getting quite popular, a lot more so than the US version.

Ja'moke

Quote from: jimboslice on December 04, 2020, 07:19:59 AM
I think it's a bit unfair to say the NZ tasks are better, given how long the UK show has been going. A lot of them aren't too different to tasks we've seen before. "Make this mother proud" isn't as good as "Impress this mayor".

But yeah, keeping it simple normally helps.

Sorry, I should have specified "better than the current UK series."

beanheadmcginty

The hidden fancy dress task this week is fucking inspired.

selectivememory

Yeah, that was so good. Angella and Brynley in particular were brilliant. I had been thinking that Brynley was looking a bit weird in the last couple of episodes, so that reveal was a great pay off.

DrGreggles

Quote from: beanheadmcginty on December 09, 2020, 10:05:28 PM
The hidden fancy dress task this week is fucking inspired.

That was the best TM task EVER.

Angella is wonderful.

The Lurker

Yes, that was brilliant. Shame Leigh and Madeleine's efforts were a bit duff but the other three made up for it. Like selectivememory, I to did wonder if Brynley was wearing a wig over the last two episodes so, yeah, good pay off..

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: The Lurker on December 10, 2020, 09:55:44 AM
Yes, that was brilliant. Shame Leigh and Madeleine's efforts were a bit duff but the other three made up for it. Like selectivememory, I to did wonder if Brynley was wearing a wig over the last two episodes so, yeah, good pay off..

I quite liked Leigh's effort if only because it was so rubbish, and for me only the normally reliable Madeleine disappointed.

Shockingly I thought one task was a bit weak this week, the phone an old school friend one, and I presumed there was going to be a second part to it that never came. It's the first negative thing I've thought about the show in ages though, and it was over so quickly it wasn't an issue.

Given the fancy dress task I do now wonder if there's a reason for Guy's long hair and dodgy moustache, he looks quite handsome in the pre-recorded tasks, but in the studio has the look of an eighties serial killer.

The Lurker

I really liked the "phone a school friend" one mainly for Guy forgetting his about his own brother. I also checked myself - I only have two people from primary school in my phone, one also being my sibling.

BeardFaceMan

It takes a combination of good tasks and comedians willing to go for it, which is why that fancy dress task was so glorious. The UK series hasn't had that combo for the last series or 2.

beanheadmcginty

I reckon they only did the phone a school friend task to see if Guy remembered his brother and the fact that he didn't is the only reason they included it in the show. Paul's hurt expression was funny.

Ja'moke

The outlandish costume task was ace. I really love this cast and their dynamic.

Small Man Big Horse

The Danish Taskmaster is on it's third series now, but someone's just posted the first episode of the first series along with a new batch of subtitles - https://www.reddit.com/r/panelshow/comments/kcrual/stormester_taskmaster_denmark_s01e01_w_updated/

It's a little rough around the edges but mostly fun, though for some reason I didn't quite get with the prize task only one person has to come up with a prize each week. As for the filmed tasks, there was:
Spoiler alert
Throw a teabag in to a mug - Surprisingly fun, one person was rubbish but I liked the others.
Make yourself sneeze - Okay, nothing amazing
Do something that'll look good backwards - Two were great, the others a bit nothing-y.
Place Three Yoga Balls On A Mat On A Hill - Started weakly but Christian and Ruben's solutions amused.
Studio Task - Could have been weak but Ruben losing his balloon and Christian being a dick made me smile.
[close]

Misc comments:
Spoiler alert
Lasse is too lenient and definitely should have disqualified Julie over the sneezing task, though I liked the introduction of the 12 year old in an attempt to make her feel guilty; Mark, their Alex Horne is okay, but didn't do anything that great; Nikolaj is quite annoying and though he made me laugh a couple of times, I imagine if I watched the entire series he could become quite irritating; On that front I doubt I'll watch the entire series, but I'll give at least one more episode from the first series a go, and definitely check out the second and third series to see what the contestants are like.
[close]

Seven episodes in to Taskmaster NZ. Now that Jeremy seems to be having a bit more fun I reckon it's better than any UK run since series 7.

I'll be really sad to say goodbye to these contestants once it's over. I'd be happy if they do what they did with the Norwegian version (?) and bring some of them back for the second series.

Small Man Big Horse

Suurmestari (Taskmaster Finland)

This one's a little bit different in that they have four regular contestants, but then one guest star each week, though why I just don't know. The four regulars are:
Jukka Hilden - From the Finnish version of Jackass, and also possibly a scarecrow. He was quite irritating and full of himself though his takes on the task were occasionally amusing.
Janne Kataja - A comedian and a magician and part time young John Thomson impersonator, he was okay at the tasks but dull in the studio.
Roni Back - A youtuber, but not as repellent as that might lead you to believe.
Jenni Poikelus - A radio and tv personality apparently, and the only one of the bunch who I actually liked due to either being rubbish or attempting to take on the task in a more inventive manner.
While the first episode's special guest was Mikko Leppilampi, who largely did everything in the most logical manner, and so was mostly boring.

Their Greg is a guy called Jaakko Saariluoma who offered up very little amusement, and their Alex Horne was a woman called Pilvi Hamalainen, who was very stern and no nonsense, which led to the odd funny moment, but not many.

As for the tasks, we got:
Spoiler alert
"Most important document" for the prize task - Which was bland bar Jenni's bizarre home made guide to obtaining a dog.
Collect the most tears - A favourite of mine from the UK version, apart from Jukka squeezing lemon juice in to his eye and then crying about not seeing his kids in ages, this was really weak.
Place 5 Yoga Balls in a roped off area - Akin to the one in the UK and Danish episodes, except that the hill was barely a mound, it didn't take them long to do, and the only amusement was had from seeing two of them burst the balls.
Roll a pea on the red carpet - Jenni put the pea on a sort of skateboard looking device and was unfairly disqualified, Jukka placed it in his mouth and did somersaults which still counted for some reason, and the other three were dull and not worth commenting on.
Studio Task - Guess how many answers you'll get in 10 seconds when given a category. Really fucking boring, bar Roni who panicked when he had to answer 10 pieces of clothing and everyone thought his rubbishness is hilarious. Sadly I didn't agree.
[close]

Overall: Nah, didn't click with this, I only liked one of the contestants, and actively disliked Jukka, and so won't be watching any more of it.

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