Yeah Sarah is terribly unfunny so far. Mike is really good. Lee Mack isn’t as good so far as I expected. Jamali is ok but a bit one note. Charlotte is the classic TM contestant that misses obvious things or messes up a lot.
Television Taskmaster | Season 17 now airing
- Thread starter prateik
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They seem a decent bunch, in terms of none of them being annoying. Mike and Lee are my favourites so far, although there's definitely much more to come from Lee if he starts performing at his best.
I wouldn't say Charlotte's been any funnier or entertaining than Sarah, really. And at least Sarah's blandness is being highlighted and Greg is making some humour out of it. Charlotte is less dour than Sarah, but isn't providing any extra humour.
That argument task was a load of balls
Yeah, it was rubbish. It reminded me of a poor one from the last series when they had to compete to convince a man to see what was in their bag (or something like that).
Tasks like that, and most of the singing ones, are my least favourite.
Bah, it was on the official TM channel too... It was S4 E1, where they had to draw that woman by just asking yes or no questions. Hugh Dennis' drawing is an all-timer
Much like with the one last season they really both looked like tasks that exist for no other purpose than to make it clear the team tasks are socially distanced.
Mike doing that little dance and then returning to the phone box was so funny. 
Watching the second episode right now.. Just finished the balloon task
a) Mike is great.
b) 2nd time Jamali should have been disqualified in 2 episode but wasnt.. he was not 3m from the mouse when he "trapped" it.. and the bottom of the balloon was clearly below his waist.
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2 episodes in.. safe to say Mike is my favourite contestant.. Jamali the least .. Pretty decent set though..
a) Mike is great.
b) 2nd time Jamali should have been disqualified in 2 episode but wasnt.. he was not 3m from the mouse when he "trapped" it.. and the bottom of the balloon was clearly below his waist.
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2 episodes in.. safe to say Mike is my favourite contestant.. Jamali the least .. Pretty decent set though..
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Nope. Might give it a shot.
Mike is really good. Not sure how he managed to track down and trap the balloon but great commitment.
Expecting the team tasks to be a bit dodgy this season too as they were filmed not too long after lockdown started (guess the bonus is at least both teams now have the same circumstances than the farce of last season with one team having a much harder job).
Random fact: Wozniak won the first ever version of Taskmaster, which was a live show Alex organised at the Edinburgh Fringe.
I'm looking forward to Lee and Mike's team tasks. I'm expecting them be quite chaotic, 'humour first, competency second' efforts. Similar to David Baddiel and Jo Brand.
It might hinder their points total and ability to win, but should be very entertaining.
It might hinder their points total and ability to win, but should be very entertaining.
I used to like Jamali, but he comes across like a right bellend on this.
Charlotte is a fecking treasure.
Charlotte is a fecking treasure.
I agree that Jamali is coming across as a bit annoying and one dimensional so far.
I'm not sure what Charlotte really offers from a comedy or entertainment point. She comes across fine, and isn't annoying, but she's not particularly comedic or entertaining.
I'm enjoying this series so far, but it's Lee and Mike who are offering the humour and entertainment for me. The other three are OK, although Jamali's a little annoying.
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Thought that was a great second episode. Best episode for a while.
I'm possibly giving her a pass because she's fecling angelic looking.
Just watched the second episode. Just feels like it's going to be another disappointing season. The contestants aren't that great and it really seems like they are running out if decent ideas for tasks. Mike Wozniak has been good but like others have said, Lee Mack seems reserved. The two women are pretty bland and Jamali is really not funny and becoming more annoying, he was horrendous in that argument task.
I love Taskmaster and I think an average / weaker series by it's standards is still one of the best things on TV nowadays.
The first couple of episodes so far suggest this series may only be one of the average ones - although it may get better if Lee let's himself go more.
TBH, I think series 8, 9 and 10 were also only average ones by the shows high standards, so it's been a while since one of the best Taskmaster series in my opinion.
My favourite was series 7, with Rhod Gilbert (especially), James Acaster and Phil Wang. That was following on from mostly very good first 6 series - and managed to top them as the best yet. Since then, I don't think any of the latest ones have been quite as good. But it's still a great show to watch even when it's not quite at it's best.
The first couple of episodes so far suggest this series may only be one of the average ones - although it may get better if Lee let's himself go more.
TBH, I think series 8, 9 and 10 were also only average ones by the shows high standards, so it's been a while since one of the best Taskmaster series in my opinion.
My favourite was series 7, with Rhod Gilbert (especially), James Acaster and Phil Wang. That was following on from mostly very good first 6 series - and managed to top them as the best yet. Since then, I don't think any of the latest ones have been quite as good. But it's still a great show to watch even when it's not quite at it's best.
I love series 7 too. The task where Rhod hid in Greg's wardrobe immediately springs to mind!
Rhod was perfect for the show as he was a mix of being really competitive and just wanting to wind up Alex and Greg as much as he could.
I loved the season Nish Kumar was on as the entire cast was really good like wise the Noel Fielding series.
The season with Ed Gamble was fantastic due to a great cast and the rivalry between Ed and Rose who both wanted to win so much
I guess it's hard after so many seasons to find established stars so they have to take chances on lesser known guests.
I do think this season is a lot better than last though.
I'd order it 1 > 7 > 4 > 2 > 3 > 5 > 8 > 9 > 6 > 10
1 was incredible because they were all so competitive and Romesh and Tim Keys were mental. I really hope they start reusing former contestants in future series because the ones in the earlier series were largely better than the latter.
Edit: wait I've mixed up 4 and 5. 5 was the one with Bob Mortimer and Sally Philips so that goes into 3rd.
1 was incredible because they were all so competitive and Romesh and Tim Keys were mental. I really hope they start reusing former contestants in future series because the ones in the earlier series were largely better than the latter.
Edit: wait I've mixed up 4 and 5. 5 was the one with Bob Mortimer and Sally Philips so that goes into 3rd.
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Yeah, I agree about the contestants - it's like the latest series of Richard Osman's House of Games: they've used most of the best comedians willing to do it by now and so the latest groups aren't as good.
My order of favourite series would probably be:
7, 1, 5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10.
I'd like to put series 6 higher as I love Tim Vine, and thought he was great on Taskmaster, but the rest of the group were only OK.
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Thought episode 2 was very good. Mike is absolutely brilliant.
I will say though, I think I actually enjoyed the line up as a whole on NZ taskmaster more then this line up.
I will say though, I think I actually enjoyed the line up as a whole on NZ taskmaster more then this line up.
Give me a series with
Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, and Bob.
Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, and Bob.
If Sarah wins the series I might cry.
This is shaping up to be the frst series I don’t like. I think ten minutes after yesterday’s episode finished I couldn’t really remembered anything that happened.
Agreed.
The face she makes when she gets awarded points is so annoying. Seems to going for this straight faced schtick.
I don't think it helps that this week was possibly the worst set of tasks i can remember.
The airport one was one of the worst they’ve ever done. I didn’t mind the making the coal sizzle one though.
It's been a weak series. So far anyway.
Im really enjoying this season i stopped watching last season as i hated all the contestants but this time around has been the opposite for me.
The only one i find disappointing is Lee Mack who is too concerned with winning and appears horrified at the idea he may not be the champion when it is over.
Charlotte has been my favourite and Alex winding up Jamali has been great viewing
The only one i find disappointing is Lee Mack who is too concerned with winning and appears horrified at the idea he may not be the champion when it is over.
Charlotte has been my favourite and Alex winding up Jamali has been great viewing
Found out i could watch it from Norway on Dailymotion a while back, binged it all.
Later found out we have a Norwegian version, which i also like - unfortunately that tv channel has very few funny celebrities, so the same have been in like 2 seasons out of 3 :P
(ninja edit: Not all have been in 2 seasons each, but 2 or 3 of them have)
Currently watching the NZ version, which is great fun, even though i have no clue who any of them are
Later found out we have a Norwegian version, which i also like - unfortunately that tv channel has very few funny celebrities, so the same have been in like 2 seasons out of 3 :P
(ninja edit: Not all have been in 2 seasons each, but 2 or 3 of them have)
Currently watching the NZ version, which is great fun, even though i have no clue who any of them are
Coal one was apparently taken from the Finnish version.
If he was that bothered he would have put up a fight over being scored low/last on certain tasks. He is taking it seriously though but Charlotte Ritchie said he and his kids are massive fans of the show so he's not going to be the sort to clown around. There's also an interview with Mack himself where he said he came in not wanting to be last but he found himself being more competitive than he thought.
It's been one of the poorer series so far in terms of humour and memorable tasks. Not helped, I suppose, by covid restrictions limiting the task options.
However, I'm still finding it a pleasant watch as it's still one of the few modern shows that I enjoy - helped by the fact that it's one of the few shows mostly free of politics / social issues debate and just gets on with trying to be entertaining instead of preachy like far too many shows.
Also, I don't really find any of the 5 too annoying. Jamali a little bit - he's a bit too one dimensional so far with his argumentative style. Charlotte and Sarah aren't funny and are a bit bland - especially Sarah. But they're not annoying and so are OK. Lee's a little more reserved than I expected but, on the other hand, Mike, who I'd never heard of, has been really good so far.
Far from a classic series, but I think that applies to series 8, 9 and 10 as well so I didn't approach the series expecting peak Taskmaster and I'm just pleased to see new episodes.
Hopefully there'll still be the occasional series that hits the heights of most of the first 7 series, but I'm approaching each series nowadays expecting them to be more of the series 8-11 standard.
However, I'm still finding it a pleasant watch as it's still one of the few modern shows that I enjoy - helped by the fact that it's one of the few shows mostly free of politics / social issues debate and just gets on with trying to be entertaining instead of preachy like far too many shows.
Also, I don't really find any of the 5 too annoying. Jamali a little bit - he's a bit too one dimensional so far with his argumentative style. Charlotte and Sarah aren't funny and are a bit bland - especially Sarah. But they're not annoying and so are OK. Lee's a little more reserved than I expected but, on the other hand, Mike, who I'd never heard of, has been really good so far.
Far from a classic series, but I think that applies to series 8, 9 and 10 as well so I didn't approach the series expecting peak Taskmaster and I'm just pleased to see new episodes.
Hopefully there'll still be the occasional series that hits the heights of most of the first 7 series, but I'm approaching each series nowadays expecting them to be more of the series 8-11 standard.
Problems are some rubbish tasks and a panel who just are not competitive with each other, at all. They all could not care less about who wins, much the same as last season.
All the bests seasons have had ultra competitive people in them.
All the bests seasons have had ultra competitive people in them.
This week's episode was much better, I thought, with some good tasks. Makes me wonder why the edited the shows in the way they did, as they could have spread the funnier moments more evenly through the series.
Sarah is possibly the most boringly straight-down-the-middle contestant they've ever had on the show. I hope she doesn't win.
Sarah is possibly the most boringly straight-down-the-middle contestant they've ever had on the show. I hope she doesn't win.
Great hair though.
I'm loving this season to be honest it is so much better than last season the contestants are better gel a lot more.
Jamali and Alex's relationship is amazing I would watch a show with the two of them just to see how long it would take Jamali to kill him.
Looks like Sarah will run away with it though unless she really has a nightmare few weeks
Jamali and Alex's relationship is amazing I would watch a show with the two of them just to see how long it would take Jamali to kill him.
Looks like Sarah will run away with it though unless she really has a nightmare few weeks
Usually the “smart” ways of completing a challenge are a little disguised, but I’m really surprised that only two contestants figured out that you can tear down the toilet paper holder and get it away as far as possible. Although since you’re always looking for creative ways to do the task maybe this is too straightforward of a decision.
One of the best episodes in ages. Great tasks, especially the salt one.
Lee's joke about '6 quid/sick squid'
Lee's joke about '6 quid/sick squid'