Thought the series opener was a bit dull to be honest. Zaltzman seems like an interesting enough character I suppose. I don’t mind Jack and Baba. Never heard of Emma but she seemed ok. Rosie was Rosie. I’ll stick with it for now at least, but I’m not convinced I’ll keep watching unless it gets a lot more entertaining. Bit of a shame.
Fair play if you enjoyed that, but I just thought it was a bit weak.
I think the trouble with more recent Taskmaster series is that they now need an eccentric, yet entertaining character to make it fun.
Back in the day you had good combinations of comedians plus occasional comic naturals like Noel Fielding and Bob Mortimer who helped make the show a success. Then later on you got a few middling seasons, followed by Mike Wozniak who totally owned his season, and characters who had some really good moments, like John Kearns, Fern Brady, Kyell Smith-Bynoe, the bizarre relationship between Frankie Boyle and Ivo Graham, and most recently, Sophie Willan.
I hope Zaltzman (or maybe one of the others?) can do the business, but I’m just not seeing it from that first episode.
I thought it was a solid start , Andy is going to try and work puns into everything which is going to be fun. Hadn't heard of Emma before but she seems utterly chaotic - the ball task was definitely one for the list of all time worst attempts.
Rest were fine - I think I got spoilt with Steve Pemberton in that " veteran" slot last series that having the polar opposite in Jack Dee is going to take some getting used to.
I think the format is straying into tiredness but I am still watching it.
I tend to agree, it's one of my favourite shows but it's not quite as good as it was - I wonder whether they've stretched themselves a little thin with two series and a couple of specials a year - that's over a hundred (plus a few that they end up not using) tasks to think up every year. Plus they are running lower on comedians to go on.
It's still a good show, but it's not quite as good as it was.
A lot depends on the chemistry of the line-up too - the last series that would be in the top few for me was the Dara O'Briain/Fern Brady series a couple of years ago.
I think the chemistry of the lineup ultimately makes or breaks a series. I loved the Susan Wokoma and Sue Perkins team from S16 because it felt so natural as a duo but the last series took quite a while to get going despite having some really strong personalities. John Robins being a Taskmaster nerd that knew the show inside and out didn't especially help.
New Year's Treat has almost been better than main series just for the huge diversity. Deborah Meaden is probably permanently haunted by the toaster incident 😂
Did think last night's was actually quite weak. Didn't think any of the tasks were especially memorable, although the way they've done the teams does have potential.
Agree about the tasks themselves, but I thought the interactions in the studio were better than the first episode - the team of three meeting for the first time was great. I like the 'wear the hot dog costume for a task and double your points' idea too.
The 2 live tasks this season have been awful, live tasks in general have gone way downhill. I don't see the harm in redoing some of the live tasks from earlier seasons. They can always modify them if required.
The 2 live tasks this season have been awful, live tasks in general have gone way downhill. I don't see the harm in redoing some of the live tasks from earlier seasons. They can always modify them if required.
Didn’t get any better last night. Feels like they are trying too hard.
Loved the Pub Quiz task , thought the live task was stupid. Did start to see Andy be what I expected him to be through which bodes well because the puns will massively irritate Greg.
I don't think this is a bad cast , it feels like there's too many drawn out 2 part tasks that aren't helping things. Is it a vintage cast like Series 14 with Dara and Fern Brady? Nope but it feels like it's got more going for it than the last series which was kinda hampered by John Robins being rather good and everyone else getting Disqualified.
Loved the Pub Quiz task , thought the live task was stupid. Did start to see Andy be what I expected him to be through which bodes well because the puns will massively irritate Greg.
I don't think this is a bad cast , it feels like there's too many drawn out 2 part tasks that aren't helping things. Is it a vintage cast like Series 14 with Dara and Fern Brady? Nope but it feels like it's got more going for it than the last series which was kinda hampered by John Robins being rather good and everyone else getting Disqualified.
John Robins was amongst my least favourite contestants, I found him a horrible combination of very good at tasks but in a really boring way.
Loved the Pub Quiz task , thought the live task was stupid. Did start to see Andy be what I expected him to be through which bodes well because the puns will massively irritate Greg.
I don't think this is a bad cast , it feels like there's too many drawn out 2 part tasks that aren't helping things. Is it a vintage cast like Series 14 with Dara and Fern Brady? Nope but it feels like it's got more going for it than the last series which was kinda hampered by John Robins being rather good and everyone else getting Disqualified.
John Robins was amongst my least favourite contestants, I found him a horrible combination of very good at tasks but in a really boring way.
Him being a self confessed nerd of the show and knowing most of Alex's little tricks (the rescue Patatas task especially with the hidden grabber) really didn't help. Steve Pemberton was the real highlight of that series if he didn't get a ridiculous amount of DQs, possibly the most uniquely creative contestant ever (until Reece Shearsmith is eventually a contestant)
This series isn't outright bad but it's not particularly good either. It's just a bit milquetoast. The claimants are not particularly interesting (though maybe Zaltzman and his puns might be okay) and none of the tasks have really stood out yet.
I’m just not enjoying this series very much. I feel it’s a weak cast with weak tasks.
Granted, the cast have had some nice moments: Jack Dee is what you’d expect, Emma Sidi is ok I suppose, Zaltzman is a bit odd, (but I’m not finding him very amusing), Baba has occasional moments as does Rosie.
But nobody has been all that funny. And the tasks have, in the main, been shit.
I feel it’s either jumped the shark or needs a big rethink for future series.
Emma is the stand out despite not scoring very well, Jack and Andy are about what I'd expect. Baba has been pretty dull until last night , Rosie's dynamic with Alex is pretty funny - reminds me of Bridget Christie's approach of just making him very uncomfortable.
Just feels like a series where you could slot some of the contestants into an earlier series and it would have worked better? The dynamic just isn't quite there - feels like the Sam Campbell,Julian Clary, Susan Wokoma, Lucy Beaumont and Sue Perkins series absolutely nailed it and they've just not had anything quite match it since?
I'll still watch it every week and New Years Treat of course but this isn't an especially memorable series.
I think part of the issue is that Baba & Jack haven’t seen the show much (or at all in Baba’s case) when Rosie & Emma have clearly watched a lot as their mates have been in it and Andy has the natural mind for it. It creates a slightly odd dynamic but one that I think will improve as the series goes on. They film two episodes a time so ydays ep is still only the second time they’ve all been in a room together.
England wicketkeeper Jamie Smiths' new pads haven't arrived so Zaltzman has been tasked with taking a set out to Pakistan for him. I'm really hoping he puts them on and wears them for the entire flight
England wicketkeeper Jamie Smiths' new pads haven't arrived so Zaltzman has been tasked with taking a set out to Pakistan for him. I'm really hoping he puts them on and wears them for the entire flight
Get a player's pads to Pakistan, your time starts now.
I’m just not enjoying this series very much. I feel it’s a weak cast with weak tasks.
Granted, the cast have had some nice moments: Jack Dee is what you’d expect, Emma Sidi is ok I suppose, Zaltzman is a bit odd, (but I’m not finding him very amusing), Baba has occasional moments as does Rosie.
But nobody has been all that funny. And the tasks have, in the main, been shit.
I feel it’s either jumped the shark or needs a big rethink for future series.
The tasks have been quite poor and live tasks are awful which hasn't helped, they also really need to get rid of those go pros.
In the early seasons there was much more emphasis on the studio interaction and reactions to tasks, that's all gone now. It feels like it's going style over substance
Agree that the tasks have been a bit insipid this time around. Pushing a bloody envelope...blimey.
The pockets task was quite funny and well done Emma, but the maze/carrot thing was just monotonous and Baba should have been disqualified for running (or was it a fast shuffle in a hotdog suit?!?). Used to enjoy Alex doing a re-run and catching people out for breaking the rules after they thought they had won the round.
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Zaltzman seems like an interesting enough character I suppose. I don’t mind Jack and Baba. Never heard of Emma but she seemed ok. Rosie was Rosie.
I’ll stick with it for now at least, but I’m not convinced I’ll keep watching unless it gets a lot more entertaining.
Bit of a shame.
Hopefully it’s a grower.
Rest were fine - I think I got spoilt with Steve Pemberton in that " veteran" slot last series that having the polar opposite in Jack Dee is going to take some getting used to.
It's still a good show, but it's not quite as good as it was.
A lot depends on the chemistry of the line-up too - the last series that would be in the top few for me was the Dara O'Briain/Fern Brady series a couple of years ago.
New Year's Treat has almost been better than main series just for the huge diversity. Deborah Meaden is probably permanently haunted by the toaster incident 😂
Apparently all those unusual names for the memory task were a callback to series 1 (something I completely missed until I saw it on Twitter)
https://x.com/mollymaster7/status/1836862163627167999
Very hard to describe anybody this series as a likely winner as they are all a bit rubbish (but in a fun way.)
Rosie and "Jackie" seems like an amusing partnership too.
I don't think this is a bad cast , it feels like there's too many drawn out 2 part tasks that aren't helping things. Is it a vintage cast like Series 14 with Dara and Fern Brady? Nope but it feels like it's got more going for it than the last series which was kinda hampered by John Robins being rather good and everyone else getting Disqualified.
Really enjoyed the art task and them all being really good at it, and also the argument over rocket v a rocket.
Agree the live task wasn't as great, but they're always hit and miss given they can't edit out ones that don't really work etc.
Him being a self confessed nerd of the show and knowing most of Alex's little tricks (the rescue Patatas task especially with the hidden grabber) really didn't help. Steve Pemberton was the real highlight of that series if he didn't get a ridiculous amount of DQs, possibly the most uniquely creative contestant ever (until Reece Shearsmith is eventually a contestant)
It feels a bit "going through the motions."
I feel it’s either jumped the shark or needs a big rethink for future series.
Just feels like a series where you could slot some of the contestants into an earlier series and it would have worked better? The dynamic just isn't quite there - feels like the Sam Campbell,Julian Clary, Susan Wokoma, Lucy Beaumont and Sue Perkins series absolutely nailed it and they've just not had anything quite match it since?
I'll still watch it every week and New Years Treat of course but this isn't an especially memorable series.
In the early seasons there was much more emphasis on the studio interaction and reactions to tasks, that's all gone now. It feels like it's going style over substance
The pockets task was quite funny and well done Emma, but the maze/carrot thing was just monotonous and Baba should have been disqualified for running (or was it a fast shuffle in a hotdog suit?!?). Used to enjoy Alex doing a re-run and catching people out for breaking the rules after they thought they had won the round.