Taskmaster Fans Assemble!

[LawrieForShepherdsBoy]

We’ve got just over a week to go, so I thought we could start scratching the TM itch.

Anyone fancy joining me to share their top 5 contestants? Feel free to justify your decision.

Ill start.

Sally Philips: What a legend. When she birthed Alex, the Rosalind song in the group task. Her energy, her outfits. Just love her.

Jessica Knappet. She’s just such an awesome human. My dd says i remind her of her - I’ll take that as a huge compliment. She just made the studio sessions so funny, and I love the physicality of her comedy.

Katy Wix: It’s the poise, the creativity, everything she said and also how she said it.

Kiall Smith-Bynoe: Watching him get more and more annoyed in studio only got funnier.

Jamali Maddix: I just loved how he interacted with Greg and Alex. I honestly don’t remember a single good moment of tasking from him, but he made me laugh with almost everything he said.

Looking back at my list, I think my favourites are really informed by the way they were during the studio records.

Anyone else?

I don't know any of these. But I think they missed a trick. The riskiest thing you can do with eggs is put them all in one basket. I'd get other eggs, put mine in a basket with them, and do the thing where you swing it around, like with a bucket of water, and none fall out.

I never like all of the first episode of a series but this was my least favourite so far, I think.

I think it's going to be good! Wasn't sure about Nick Mohammed as I'd only seen him as Mr Swallow on 8 out of 10 Cats does Countdown and thought he was a bit shit but really warmed to him on TM. Love John Robins, seen him do stand-up and he was very good. Big fan of Inside No 9 so interested to see Steve Pemberton and I think he will win. Didn't know either of the ladies but heard Joanne McNally interviewed on Radio 2 and think she will be one to watch. Sophie Willan I'm not sure about, agree that the gorilla task was bigged up only to be a damp (literal) squib.

I admit to feeling meh as well. It felt like a bit of a let down.

Loved Steve, to be fair. Will never forgive Jon for breaking Sara's heart. Nick seemed very nervous.

Unusual for me in that I didn't take to either of the women and usually the reverse is true.

Bit of a let down.

How did John break Sara’s heart? I thought she left him due to his neuroses (and maybe because kids weren’t happening, possibly his ‘fault’ as she’s now a mum.)

He’s definitely changed since getting sober, so I’m going to give the man a chance.

I’m still Team Steve here though!

When she was on tour in Oz she saw his search results etc. He didn't know the accounts were linked.

What was the search history?

First episode S17 didn't really hit the spot for me but hoping it'll get into its stride soon.

As for favourite contestants, I though Julian Clary's scathing put-downs of Alex were sublime - "Good luck with your career, such as it is" etc.
And I often rewatch some tasks from different series on YouTube if I need cheering up - Daisy May Cooper and Richard Herring feeding each other watermelon springs to mind, and Julia/Lucy/Sam running a completely shit hotel.

There is a Taskmaster podcast which drops after each episode. Gives some great insight into some of the tasks (and some of the conversation/stuff that isn't shown). Added bonus for anyone who is new to the podcast, there are back episodes for every series to catch up on.

The series with Jessica Knappet, Rhod Gilbert, Phil Wang, Kerry Goldman and James Acaster stands undefeated in our house.

Also loved Julian Clary and Mike Wozniak.

Paul Chowdury is in one of the early series. He is hilarious.

Also Munya Chawawa.

Hadn't heard of either of them before. One of the great things about the series is "discovering" new funny people.

I love love LOVE Taskmaster! I got into it a bit late, started watching during lockdown. I had long covid, I couldn’t watch anything too heavy. Only downside was I coughed a lot so I ended up laughing like Mutley!
I think some people really shone through - like Jessica Knapett. She plays quite daft characters sometimes and when she did Taskmaster you realised how smart she is! I loved the dynamic between the two Sues last season. Them running the ‘hotel’ together was just brilliant! Bob Mortimer really does come across as a lovely bloke. I loved the moment when Kerry and Greg looked at each other and said ‘A laminator!’ in unison about the best stationery! Also loved Jo and David stopping for a cuppa and a sandwich during a timed task! 😂
Favourite moment ever was Sally Phillips lobbing the jelly in the bucket so casually!
I enjoyed the first episode. I think it always takes time to settle into the season and get to know the personalities.

Genius!

I really didn't understand the instructions for that painting task at all. What were all those statements about, the ones starting with Wikepedia or something?

The statements related to the order the individual sheets of paper would be positioned in to make the final picture. E.g.the paper of the contestant with the shortest Wikipedia page would be first etc.

Thanks for the explanation. To be honest I am not sure how the contestants would know things like that.

Joanna said she writes her own Wiki page so knew it would be longest and one was winner at Edinburgh Fringe or something so it would be stuff they'd know roughly

I think that task had just too much in it. For me, if it’s hard for us armchair audience to remember or be interested in, it loses a bit. And yes I appreciate they had the reminder on the chalk board.

John and Steve are Edinburgh award winners and that was probably known. Shoe size with two women on a team who hadn’t met yet? And the wiki thing seemed too random.

In my very humble opinion, the task setters overegged that one.

They were allowed to talk to each other though and the order was only for their own team. They weren't trying to guess the other teams shoe sizes (I think that's what you're suggesting 🤔)

Yes I get that. But in two word only sentences that couldn’t necessarily convey or direct the question, it just seemed overly difficult. Especially for the team of 3. And Sophie’s 2 words were mainly “oh fuck”. (Love her, btw.)