Taskmaster

Take note of other reviews, this show lacks the witty banter of the UK version. Alex brings some of his brand of humour to it but the rest is bland. The contestants whine and are uninteresting. It has not crossed the atlantic well and is virtually unwatchable.

Taskmaster is one of my favourite shows, so when I found out there was a US version I was excited (having watched the all the British seasons multiple times). I made it to halfway of the second episode before giving up. Reggie just doesn't have the same presence as Greg, and Alex was really the only good things about the US version. It was disappointing that they re did all the British tasks instead of creating new ones. The results were predictable and many similar to what contestants did in the original show. Whoever that angry grey haired woman is on season one, I could not stand watching. She was mainly the reason I gave up halfway through the second episode... just an awful excuse for a comedian. Overall it was just super disappointing... will patiently wait for the next season of the British version.

I'm a fan of the British version of 'Taskmaster' so thought I'd check out the American one. Oh dear. I've only seen the first two episodes, all I could find online, so it may have improved. This review is based on those eps and is my personal opinion.

I don't think it's as dreadful as most of the reviews would have you believe. There are a few giggles here and there and while the tasks were familiar, it was interesting to see them in a very different setting. But it's not great.

To start with: Insult comedy isn't a genre that the British public has embraced. We don't do 'roasts'. As far as I can tell, it doesn't play well anywhere but the US. Frankie Boyle and Nish Kumar may be the closest we have but they noticeably toned it down for TM.

In the original, the contestants include the UK's most popular and successful stand-ups, comedy writers, actors and presenters and Greg Davies is top of the tree. Reggie Watts seems like a nice man but he has no opportunity to shine in this restricted format so I have no idea if he's a good comedian. Apart from Freddie Highmore, no clue who the contestants were and I watch a lot of American tv.

A couple of reviewers have suggested that Greg should've hosted this version but I very much doubt he could've found either the time or the right tone. He's perfect for the UK version, a combination of strict father and playful older brother. And, of course, he's incredibly quick-witted which is undoubtedly why Alex hired him to host the show. Now 15 seasons in and likely to go forever.

Possibly the worst decision by the American producers was to cut the running time in half, thereby giving no time to develop any kind of relationship between the contestants and the hosts. The point of the show isn't only who can complete the tasks most quickly and cleverly but the banter, the comic faux humiliation meted out by Greg, that people tune in for week after week. Did they even watch an episode before buying the format?

Something that can't be replicated in the US is that In the much smaller world of British entertainment, many of the contestants, and the hosts, know one another. Tim Key is Alex Horne's best friend and helps create tasks, at least half a dozen of the contestants have appeared with Greg in one or another of his highly successful sitcoms. They all meet up at various award shows. It gives the show an affectionate warmth. Even when the banter sounds edgy, it's all just a bit of a laugh because they're friends, or friends of friends. It feels safe.

It's just so unfunny. Can Lisa Lampanelli actually be funny instead of just throwing every spiteful insult she's heard on a playground at poor Alex? Why replace Greg? Why make this when you can just stream the UK Taskmaster instead and actually laugh at funny comedians?

Just sad. So, so, so very sad.

I was so looking forward to this series after 6 seasons of the brilliant UK version. I was so disappointed that I only got through the first 2 episodes, I just couldn't watch any more. The humour is stifled (the show is quite heavily censored for language which seems so counter-intuitive), the host is not as acerbic as Greg Davies, the tasks are repeats of the original show's so no surprises, for the most part the contestants just aren't as funny or quick witted, and, even creator Alex Horne looks uncomfortable reprising his role as the Taskmaster's assistant. All in all, it's lost the edginess that the original series has.

I tried so hard to like this show but I'd be very surprised to hear that it's coming back for a second series.

*EDIT*

I want to add that had I not seen the UK version first, I might have rated this show higher. But in a way, this version just goes to show how good the UK version really is.

*EDIT2*

OK, so I sat through the whole thing and it did improve somewhat, necessitating a rating increase of 1 Star.