Taskmaster #2 Are you a child of divorce?

[nbt]

Sophie and Nick are my favourites. Nick is a revelation. I love his wistful comments 'oh I actually thought that was good' as his latest attempt is revealed

Another bit that made me laugh was when Greg had asked Nick what marks he should be given for the team task and Nick replied, “five?” It was just the way he said it 🫶

 

[DontQuoteMe]

I've not watched the series yet, was it similar to James Acaster or Ed Gamble, or more intense?

Worse! At least James and Ed were funny with it. John’s desperation was so obvious.

 

[Katykatykaty]

I have a proper crush on Nick and I’ve no idea why! He is so far from my usual type but I just love him.

John however makes me want to punch him in the face. So irritating!

 

[StephenTJackson]

I thought it was a Pointless laptop style prop that Alex always just used to pretend to do stuff with in the studio.

Never realised he was putting scores in there etc as well.

 

[DontQuoteMe]

John’s making it a less enjoyable watch this series, although Nick and Sophie are helping to bring it up a bit!
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I really love Nick, he’s a little treasure!!!

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

For goodness sake!
Why are you a “ham”, whatever the bloody hell that is, because you don’t find someone funny?!

RJ doesn’t take kindly to anyone having the temerity to hold a different opinion to her - her ‘mad angry cry’ being a prime case in point.

Clearly, it is obligatory to find RJ funny because RJ finds RJ funny, and if you don’t think she’s funny, you are ‘angry’.

I didn’t find John or Joanne especially funny or entertaining on the most recent series. Does that make me an ‘angry ham’, or is it ok to have not been a fan of either of them?

 

[HoGi]

Noooo please not Rosie Jones

If this person is on the next series I won't be watching

 

[Jelly Bean]

Omg I loved that watermelon task with Steve and Nick tonight
They were both so hopeless. I was starting to think Nick's winking was another secret task but doubt it And again he did his 'oh but I thought I was really good' over carrying the table. It's so endearing.
Steve came into his own with the mannequin task - very Inside No 9.

 

[Willow9999]

I think it’s getting to the stage that the show needs a bit of a rest and I say that as someone who adores it. It all feels a bit tired and churned out. The tasks aren’t as engaging in general and some of the contestants really haven’t been a good bit. If the last name on that spoiler is right I really don’t think I can watch. John and Joanne have been bad enough.

 

[Jelly Bean]

If this person is on the next series I won't be watching

I know. There will be no rapid banter of any sort, and 100% she'll constantly be getting into twitter spats at the same time. Gutted JD might be on during the same series. One of my all time top wishlist contestants but I don't think even he could rescue it.

 

[Jelly Bean]

I've not watched the series yet, was it similar to James Acaster or Ed Gamble, or more intense?

James Acaster is one of my favourite ever contestants. And I say that as someone who didn't really know who he was at all.
He was competitive but strangely innocent about it all. And his exasperation every time a 'trick' was shown was always hilarious. When they had to build a structure as a team and Rhod Gilbert just pissed off to the shed was so funny

 

[Scarecrowboat]

Getting away from potential spoilers and back on last week's episode, the fish task was possibly one of the most boring tasks they have ever done.

The only remotely funny bit about it was Nick smashing it, and that was less about the task and more about the surprise of lovely Nick not being rubbish.

Still got a few to go, but this is definitely down there as one of the worst series. Even worse than the Lou Sanders/Iain Sterling year and I really hated that one. At least that one had bonkers Joe Thomas.

Just no chemistry between anyone in this cast, no banter, no memorable tasks or stand out moments.

 

[The Devils Arse]

I adore nick. His "midair" task while as being as close to the ground without touching it was a gem.

 

[Jelly Bean]

John’s face when he only scored 3 for his picture of Nick

Nick was his usual lovely self. Sometimes it’s not what he says but the way he says it, that makes him so endearing and funny.

Sophie and Nick are my favourites. Nick is a revelation. I love his wistful comments 'oh I actually thought that was good' as his latest attempt is revealed
I always hoped Sophie would be good as I'd seen her on a couple of things and she seems genuinely funny and a bit of an oddball, but not in a forced 'look at me being quirky' way.
Steve is good too and seems to be enjoying himself.
John is OK but veering a bit into the Iain Sterling territory of wanting it too much.
And Joanne thinks she needs to provide a constant deadpan ironic commentary on it all which is getting tedious.

 

[npfiii]

Iain Sterling

He just came across as an absolute cock with anger issues.

 

[DontQuoteMe]

He's too try hard.

I agree - same as Mae Martin
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I do like how Sophie and Steve appear to be happy for each other when they do well. The toilet paper through the tube, live studio task. When Steve completed it, Sophie dropped all her stuff to clap him! And he seemed pleased for her when she scored highly in a task last week

 

[Jelly Bean]

And grinning inanely. I don’t think I’ve laughed at a single thing she’s said or done this series. Thank God for Nick

I knew nothing of Joanne before this show tbh.
I get the impression she finds it just hard to let go and enjoy herself. She seems incredibly self conscious literally all the time. Always aware of the camera and her 'angles', always has to have a running ironic commentary.

 

[StephenTJackson]

Joe was great. Perpetually bewildered.
One of my favourite series is still S7 with Rhod Gilbert and James Acaster. The whole cast seemed to have a lot of fun.

I fell in love with Joe Thomas on Taskmaster.

The hide from Alex thing at the train station is still one of my favourite ever TM tasks, and Joe was amazing at that.

And a of his proper real effort in tasks and the subsequent meltdown at others bullshitting and the cute apology after.
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Getting away from potential spoilers and back on last week's episode, the fish task was possibly one of the most boring tasks they have ever done.

The only remotely funny bit about it was Nick smashing it, and that was less about the task and more about the surprise of lovely Nick not being rubbish.

Still got a few to go, but this is definitely down there as one of the worst series. Even worse than the Lou Sanders/Iain Sterling year and I really hated that one. At least that one had bonkers Joe Thomas.

Just no chemistry between anyone in this cast, no banter, no memorable tasks or stand out moments.

If John wasn’t on it and it was some other bonkers person and they’d put Sophie and Nick together in a team I think it would have been a bit more funny. John just sucks the fun out of it. Joanne and Steve do make me laugh but not as regularly as Sophie and Nick. The tasks have just missed the spark at points like the fish task, what was the point? Surely there needed to be some wanky work round of a second part to it?

I did enjoy the baskets and portrait task this week though

I don't dislike John Robbins, but this whole series for me is feeling like hard work.

I shouldn't be doom scrolling on my phone as much as I am when watching.

I think it’s getting to the stage that the show needs a bit of a rest and I say that as someone who adores it. It all feels a bit tired and churned out. The tasks aren’t as engaging in general and some of the contestants really haven’t been a good bit. If the last name on that spoiler is right I really don’t think I can watch. John and Joanne have been bad enough.

I've been feeling this for a while that it's too many series too quick, the tasks have gotten ridiculous on either too complicated to follow, rubbish, boring, or just utterly shite.

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

Is he her ex? I really couldn’t take to him on TM, but I’m with you - not keen on Sara either.

Yes, and they both wrote shows about their break-up.

Separately, I find them both insufferable. If I was unfortunate enough to encounter them as a couple, I’d likely commit a crime.

 

[Pontiac_Bandit]

As a fan of their podcast, John played Taskmaster exactly as I would have expected him to. He is hyper competitive, very heavy on preparing for things and has often had times where his bad showmanship makes him look very childish and petty.

I thought he came across fine on the show, but he was clearly in it to win it and had studied the show in depth before his tasks. Which ultimately made him a little too boring and smug.

I think if he'd leaned more into mocking how competitive he was, and had fun OTT reactions to winning tasks/episodes it would have been fine, but his quiet fake-humble "oh yes, I guess I've done well" expressions really bothered me he clearly takes himself very seriously and doesn't have the ability to reflect and realise how he comes across! You can do well and still be fun, John!! Dara managed it, Morgana managed it! He's so overly earnest.