Taskmaster

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.

The show is really boring and feels so dump. Not great comedians they got for it, in fact most are directly boring and cringe. Like the one which only has one word, that she think is funny some how to yell all the time.

Kinda think it's better to recast the host, find better comedians or just remove it from the history of humankind, as it's not something we should show future generations.

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.

It's only the first season, so at the moment all tasks are complete copies/repeats of tasks from the original version. So we'll have to give it a while to see if any new tasks are made, but for now the tasks are still funny/wacky.

Reggie is no where near as good as Greg Davies. The host has to be crude, rude and a lil' be of a dictator. Reggie is a sugar coated, pg, let's not make any nasty comments, host. A good chunk of the humour is supposed to come from the banters between the host and the guests, this is completely missing.

This goes double for the guests, who again are mostly family friendly, let's all hold hands happy. We need them to take the piss out of each other and banter off each other.

So yeah, they've just taking a good, adult entertainment show, and made it a pg version with 1/3 of the banter and wit.

Just get Greg Davies to be the US host, it's not like people are tuning in because Reggie's in it. I like Reggie but he is not the man for this job.

It's also a bit odd to see blatant casual racism against the British, I thought we were in an era where we are saying no to racism.

If you want to see how Taskmaster should be done, just watch the original.

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.