Taskmaster Series 13

[Utter Shit]

Yeah I'd definitely have her down as an obvious example of someone playing up their comic persona. Obviously all contestants will be doing that (with the exception of David Baddiel, who didn't even bother turning up in the persona of David Baddiel the professional comedian, he just did the tasks as David Baddiel the man, putting no effort into being funny, and was extremely boring) but it's easier to tell with some than others.

Sophie Duker is a good example I think of playing up to a persona in a more subtle way - it's only the fact that the other contestants/Alex and Greg clearly got on with her that gives the game away, it would be easy to think she was a prim and slightly patronising posho otherwise. Ardal, Bridget and Judi always have a nod and a wink to let you know that they're not really angry/rude/whatever, but Sophie plays it totally straight and it's brilliant. And obviously Chris Ramsey is just exactly what he appears to be.

[AsparagusTrevor]

On a related note, does anyone know why UK Play has every Taskmaster series up to 9, except for series 4?

They seem to have something against fourth series. Similarly 'Dave Gorman's Modern Life is Goodish' is on there, series 1-3 and 5.

[DrGreggles]

Did Dave lose/ruin the tapes?

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Perhaps they'll get it back in two weeks. It seems that it's just the Dave series that are leaving All 4. Good thing I happened to start watching them all again a couple of weeks ago.

[Twilkes]

Perhaps they'll get it back in two weeks. It seems that it's just the Dave series that are leaving All 4. Good thing I happened to start watching them all again a couple of weeks ago.

Is that right, will S1-9 not be available on All4? I did think it odd that two streaming services were both offering the same shows at the same time. Wonder if this is related to the Supermax+ streaming that was just launched.

[greencalx]

I did think it odd that two streaming services were both offering the same shows at the same time.

Happens quite a lot - quite a few BBC shows on both iPlayer and Netflix if I recall, although in that case it can be understood in terms of the latter reaching an international audience that the former does not.

Anyway, this series is going strong. I still have Mike withdrawal, though.

[Norton Canes]

Hi whenever we watch TM on All4 the credits (and therefore the winner clowning around on stage with their prizes) squeeze down to a tiny box how can we make them go fullscreen again ta

(RETURN on the remote sends us back to the show's main menu)

[The Crumb]

Alex being a dirty old bollocks again

[bigfatheart]

Me when that task started: This must be someone on the show's fetish

Me when Sophie did that task: This must be my fetish

[Bad Ambassador]

"Alex cries every time he watches Free Willy, and frees his willy every time he cries."

[Poobum]

Bridget's slug tongue repulsed me to such a degree that I might have discovered a phobia.

[BritishHobo]

If Sophie doesn't win this series there's no justice. I've not felt this strongly since Hugh Dennis was robbed of an episode win for his amazing dance.

[Virgo76]

Alex is laughing a lot this series. A good sign. Taskmaster today is as good as it's ever been.

[selectivememory]

That licking task was fucking revolting. Not the best quality of task in this episode really, but the cast are so good it compensates for a lot.

Felt like the Swedish task could have been a massive flop, but Ardal came through big time there.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Alex clearly has the Horne for mouth stuff. It's like Quentin Tarantino and his foot fetish.

Felt like the Swedish task could have been a massive flop, but Ardal came through big time there.

Yup. I'm not sure there is much comic mileage there was in that. Chris Ramsay's result is pretty much what I would have expected. I feel like having some other goal would have helped, although I'm not sure what. Nice to see Fred the Swede back anyway. Does the Swedish version occasionally have a random British person on it?

[Small Man Big Horse]

Such a shame the tongue task was so tedious, but otherwise I thought this was great once again, I slagged off the previous series and didn't even finish it in the end, and was really worried the show had run out of steam, but with the mainly simpler tasks its been a real return to form.

If Sophie doesn't win this series there's no justice. I've not felt this strongly since Hugh Dennis was robbed of an episode win for his amazing dance.

I'm with you there, I really love Bridget and Ardal too but Sophie's bringing such a unique quality to the show, I'd seen her live a couple of times as part of a mixed bill and thought she was good but nothing amazing, but I've loved seeing how her mind works throughout this series.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

Sophie's been great in the last couple of episodes. She's properly odd.

As much as I've really enjoyed this run, I always think that ten episodes per series is a couple too many and that they should wrap up after eight to leave you wanting more. It's at this point that even the very best series become a bit predictable in that you know how the contestants are going to act, and then how Greg's going to react to them.

[steamed hams]

Sophie's been great in the last couple of episodes. She's properly odd.

As much as I've really enjoyed this run, I always think that ten episodes per series is a couple too many and that they should wrap up after eight to leave you wanting more. It's at this point that even the very best series become a bit predictable in that you know how the contestants are going to act, and then how Greg's going to react to them.

Never gonna happen but in an ideal world they'd film all the tasks and then decide the number of episodes they need after that. I think 10 is actually fine for this series and 11 too, but 10 and 12 for example would've been much better if they'd edited it down to six or eight episodes and accepted the quality wasn't there for 10 episodes.

[C_Larence]

I'm not a fan of Sophie at all, her oddness feels contrived and underdeveloped, like a sixth former trying to seem quirky. I also think she's the weakest in the studio segments, she isn't as quick on her feet as any of the other contestants.

Preferably I would like Bridget or Ardal to win, but either of the other two (although Judi has no hope) would be fine too.

[confettiinmyhair]

I feel the same way about Bridget Christie. Contrived art student comedy. It's too planned that there is no ability for improvisation, which in theory is what a Taskmaster contestant needs to do most. Improvise.

[MigraineBoy]

Frankie Boyle praising the s13 cast on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/frankieboyle/status/1534191531204169730?s=21&t=9MUi1Bom8HkYvx6nsH1LDQ

[Norton Canes]

What's so difficult about sticking your tongue in lemon then sherbet then licking an ice lolly then holding your tongue in front of an electric fan? Do those particular foodstuffs combine with the passage of air to make your tongue really hurt or something?

[olliebean]

What's so difficult about sticking your tongue in lemon then sherbet then licking an ice lolly then holding your tongue in front of an electric fan? Do those particular foodstuffs combine with the passage of air to make your tongue really hurt or something?

Why don't you try it and then let us know?

[Norton Canes]

I could but it would require some serious capital investment so I thought I'd ask first

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Champion of Champions Chrailer:

I feel the same way about Bridget Christie. Contrived art student comedy. It's too planned that there is no ability for improvisation, which in theory is what a Taskmaster contestant needs to do most. Improvise.

I like the entire current cast and would happily see any of them return for Champ of Champs 3, but I would have to agree about Christie's contrivance. I expect all the contestants put on an act to some extent, but it's often too obvious with her. A bit try-hard, as the youth say. I mean, no one actually walks like that.

[notjosh]

A bit try-hard, as the youth say.

I think you mean EXTRA.

[greencalx]

Champion of Champions Chrailer:

Please don't tell me they've filmed the whole series on a mobile phone in portrait mode.

[AsparagusTrevor]

Please don't tell me they've filmed the whole series on a mobile phone in portrait mode.

It's the Snyder Cut of Taskmaster

[Ron Superior]

I really don't see the contrivance with Bridget. Obviously she's playing up a bit for laughs but she seems incredibly genuine to me. Maybe that's just because I think she's great.

[Wayman C. McCreery]

Of course Bridget's putting on an act - she's a professional comedian doing a comedy show. She's being a clown.

If she acted on Taskmaster like she does when she's nipping to the Co-op to get some milk then it'd make for pretty unremarkable TV.

She's been great.