Taskmaster

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.

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.

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.

It's almost the same format as the UK original, but shorter. Same kind of creative problem solving challenges. And Alex Horne is on hand to provide continuity. So far, so good. What's missing are the small details that make the UK show really funny and enjoyable: Reggie Watts is a big comedian, but he does not allow himself to be as outrageous as Greg Davies (the Taskmaster of the UK original series). No small part of the fun of the UK show is the banter between Davies and Horne (part bullying, part master-and-servant, part homoerotic) and the deprecating tone of the Taskmaster's judgement of the comedians' efforts - the fun in the original is the mock humiliation, willingly accepted by the contestants. I expected they'd cut that out of the US version of the show: it's not part of the culture. I guess that's exemplary of the cultural differences that make it hard to transpose UK (or Aussie) shows to the US. What's missing, is that the producers have not found anything to replace the bits that made the UK show enjoyable -but would not work for a US audience- with something else. So all we're left to contemplate are B-list comedians' goofy videos. It's watchable, but rarely will it make you burst out with laughter.