Taskmaster series 14

[greencalx]

1 > 7 > 5 > 14 > 13 > 11 > 8 > 3 > 4 > 2 > 6 > 9 > 10 > 12

Not sure that I could come up with a strict ranking like this, partly because I don't have the same level of detailed memory of each run (we started watching them back to back during the second lockdown, so the earlier series sort of merged into one). Also they have their own strengths and weaknesses.

If I were forced to, I think my ordering would be broadly similar though I'm not sure I'd put the first series at the top, as it has the unfair advantage of both audience and cast becoming acquainted with the format. I thought 7 was the best for sheer entertainment value, 5 had maybe more of an ensemble feel (I liked the obvious respect that Airline Bea had for Sally Phillips; and of course there was Bob), and would probably put both ahead of 1.

I have less of a problem with Baddiel (on this show) than others around here - he was a perfectly ok contestant, but I think being David Baddiel was a problem for some viewers, which I can understand. The only two contestants I found unwatchable were Iain Stirling (by some distance) and Russell Howard (who totally rubbed me up the wrong way, and is maybe my own David Baddiel). 6 is probably my least favourite run ever, although maybe that was because we were fatigued by then. I just remember thinking that the extra episodes were wasted on that lot, particularly coming from the high of 5.

I also think the task complexity thing has been a bit overplayed. I'd heard that many of the tasks in 10 were over complicated but when I watched it I thought that genuinely applied only to four or five of them. I think it's more about whether the tasks can be completed in an entertaining fashion, and 12 seemed to suffer badly from this. 11 had the airport security task which I think stands out as one of the worst ever, but at least that series had Wozniak to paper over weaknesses in the task design. This last series, as discussed upthread, suffered a bit for having simple, open-ended tasks (good) explained in a too-complicated way (bad). I spent way to much time figuring out what they were supposed to so. I fear this may be deliberate on Alex' part.