Taskmaster (Greg Davies sets some comedians daft challenges!)

Penn

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

I've seen Paul Sinha do a live gig before - he was grand and we know he's got the smarts as a Chaser to be clever about the tasks. Just looking at the lineup, he's got the most potential to be entertaining, but I'm not saying that with much confidence... Joe Thomas seems pretty dry and I don't know the others at all. It will be hard to come close to being as good as last year's lineup though.

Yeah in fairness though, the tasks last year were great too, and really encouraged out of the box thinking and creativity. The one before, most of the tasks were quite lazy and uninspired, which just enhanced how kinda bland the contestants were.

Posy

Hmm... I'm concerned.

Basq

Rewatching an episode from the series with Murray/Chowdry/Beckett/Pascoe and Gorman, the final task is unravel a roll of sellotape entirely from it's roll, put the unravelled sellotape in a lunchbox and close the lid. Beckett unravels all the sellotape around his hand, puts the cardboard inner in the lunchbox and closes the lid!

Classic!!

dulpit

Re-watching season 6 at the moment, it's actually not as bad as I remembered. I think the main issue is if Liza, Asim or Tim were on their own in another series it wouldn't be as bad, but having all 3 together does make it a little dull.

Something I wondered about, when they are discussing tasks or when Alex is adding points/etc, he's always pressing his tablet as if it controls the videos. I presume it doesn't. Does it?

Hurrache

I only recently read this thread from the beginning because I've always been behind when watching. After every announcement of the coming seasons line-up there's the very same discussion but yet each season has been a success.

Paul Sinha doesn't care anyway
https://twitter.com/paulsinha/status/1097784712200888320

Basq

Hurrache wrote: »

I only recently read this thread from the beginning because I've always been behind when watching. After every announcement of the coming seasons line-up there's the very same discussion but yet each season has been a success.

Success in what way though? The Tarbuck/Vine/Howard/Levine/Chaudry season was perfectly watchable but compare it to last year with Acaster/Knappett/Godliman/Wang/Gilbert and it was a sh*tshow IMO!

The guests make the show.. and the most recent lineup of guests is possibly more in line with the disappointment I felt for the aforementioned Tarbuck/Vine/Howard/Levine/Chaudry season.

Penn

I agree. Every series has been pretty great, but some series were far better than others, and series 6 was definitely the weakest. There was no banter or arguing between the contestants, the tasks were pretty bland, and bar Liza Tarbuck occasionally going f*cking batsh*t crazy with her ideas (usually just to end the task as quickly as possible), nobody had any real unique solutions or ideas for the most part. Russell Howard seemed bored most of the time, and Tim Vine who I thought could be great, it just didn't suit him.

It was still great, but Series 7 showed what happens when you have the perfect mix of contestants who do look like they're having fun the whole time with it.

Mr.Prodston

Or maybe we could just have James Acaster and Rhod Gilbert in every season going forwards? That'd solve a lot of problems

Hurrache

Basq wrote: »

Success in what way though? The Tarbuck/Vine/Howard/Levine/Chaudry season was perfectly watchable but compare it to last year with Acaster/Knappett/Godliman/Wang/Gilbert and it was a sh*tshow IMO!

That's the thing, I enjoyed the Chaudry season as much, if not more, than the Acaster one, we all know comedy is subjective.

Guy:Incognito

May 8th for the new series.

dulpit

Yep, there's a tweet announcing it too:

https://twitter.com/davechannel/status/1116640450306301954

ArmaniJeanss

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

May 8th for the new series.

Which is today. :eek:

dulpit

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Which is today. :eek:

I forgot until earlier today when Den of Geek put out a story. Yuss.

skipper_G

Fart in a jar, Stirling has won me over immediately

Penn

Man Joe Thomas is really awkward... but to the point where I think it could end up being really funny throughout the series.

A decent enough start. Ian Sterling seems like he could be good craic on it, Lou and Sian were decent, and Paul Sinha might be a bit hit and miss.

Basq

^ Joe Thomas is a bizarre sort in any sort of promotion/interviews also. His task between the two bridges was impressive however.

When line-up was announced, I knew Iain would be solid. And I've seen Lou Sanders on a few things since and she is quite witty.

The jury is still out on the rest!

dulpit

I enjoyed Joe Thomas for the awkwardness. I found Paul Sinha very grating, almost like he didn't want to be there. Iain Stirling was fab though...

Exclamation Marc

I enjoyed it. I think I have to separate last year's series as it was just so incredible but as starts go, it was very promising.

Joe looks wonderfully awkward, Iain hysterical, Lou looks like good fun and Paul definitely coming across as the know it all who'll be entertaining because he has little common sense. Sian seems good too but need to see more of her.

Roll on week 2!

SteelyDanJalapeno

The 1st task was rubbish, the train tracks was good and the dummy task was odd

Hurrache

Good start to the season, the panel are pretty good so should make for some good episodes.

Berserker

Hurrache wrote: »

Good start to the season, the panel are pretty good so should make for some good episodes.

Thought Paul Sinha struggled last week. Had a very strange approach to the tasks. The dummy task freaked me out.

Hurrache

Yeah, Paul was the weakest, he may be the odd bizarre contestant. It'll take me another couple of episodes to try figure out his strategy.

The dummy task was hilarious, Joe Thomas was struggling to keep himself together when it dawned on him what rabbit hole he was falling into.

Toto Wolfcastle

The smarter contestants are often a disappointment. Richard Osman and Dave Gorman weren’t as good as I thought they’d be.

Berserker

Wasn't impressed by the tasks on tonight's show. Think the tasks and the contestants are not at the same level as the last series.

Penn

Berserker wrote: »

Wasn't impressed by the tasks on tonight's show. Think the tasks and the contestants are not at the same level as the last series.

I agree they're not on the same level as last series, but I'm enjoying it so far. Lou and Ian are top of the group so far for me, Lou in particular I think is great. Watching Paul Sinha fall apart in some of the tasks in great. There's a good bit of banter back and forth in between clips both with Greg and between the contestants, and Joe Thomas is so f*cking awkward that it's hilarious to watch. Him meeting Sian last night was just so cringy

dulpit

Last night's episode much better than the first. I'm happy. Is Joe Thomas putting on an act though or is he genuinely that awkward?

Wheety

It was like Joe didn't know who Sian was and that was their first meeting. You could see when Joe came in he seemed to think it was the crew or something still setting up the task.

But maybe he did recognise her but is genuinely that awkward.

Penn

Wheety wrote: »

It was like Joe didn't know who Sian was and that was their first meeting. You could see when Joe came in he seemed to think it was the crew or something still setting up the task.

But maybe he did recognise her but is genuinely that awkward.

I think he was probably told to go to the room for a task, saw Alex and Sian in the room and thought he was interrupting her doing a task (not knowing it was a team task).

robwen

He plays the same kind of awkward cringy character in everything I've seen him in, the inbetweeners, fresh meat & white gold

siblers

Paul Sinha seems completely out of his depth. Ian Sterling is great though, he is really into it