I Know All The Terms. Wheel.
We had such a good time with Taskmaster NZ that it pushed our household into a full rewatch of the original Taskmaster!
One of the most interesting things about Taskmaster is the way each series has a consistent set of contestants. It feels like you really get to know them over the course of the series - the way they think, the way they approach problems, whether they're going to pull Alex's trousers down at every opportunity - and, of course, they get to know each other.
Below the cut, I've tried to pin down the panel dynamics and my favourite contestants for each UK Taskmaster series, because I cannot shut up. I'm sure it must be possible to watch something without writing an essay about it, but apparently that's just not the person I am.
Series one: Incredibly cutthroat lineup. I don't know if I have a favourite; maybe Josh Widdicombe? His response to the 'buy a present for the Taskmaster' task was certainly an incredible moment.
Series two: This cast didn't really feel like it had much of an identity. Again, no standout favourite. If you asked me to choose, though, it might be Katherine Ryan, who had a terrifyingly, hilariously wild approach to tasks.
Series three: Things are starting to come together here; I found Dave Gorman slightly forgettable but enjoyed everyone else. Sara Pascoe might be my favourite - I just found her very likeable! - but Al Murray also cracked me up; he was clearly having a great time, and his 'throw money at every problem' approach was unique and hilarious.
Series four: I feel this series is where Taskmaster really hits its stride. Not coincidentally, perhaps, it's the first series in which the contestants feel more like friends than like competitors. The general vibe of the lineup is 'four children's presenters and a murderer', and it's a strong one. Joe Lycett is probably my favourite.
Series five: This is a great one. Sally Phillips is absolutely the standout for me; she's wildly horny and having a wonderful time. I also love how Nish Kumar throws himself with great enthusiasm at every task and does terribly.
Series six: This is another cast that doesn't really have a coherent identity, although the series still has some great moments. I find Alice Levine the most likeable contestant in this series, but Liza Tarbuck is definitely the most memorable.
Series seven: what the fuck. An incredibly depraved and horny series right from the very first prize task, and it's all Rhod Gilbert's fault. This is another series where the contestant I like the most (Jessica Knappett) is not the same as the most memorable contestant (RHOD GILBERT WHAT ARE YOU DOING). Come to think of it, the most memorable contestants tend to be the ones who throw themselves most vigorously into torturing Alex.
Series eight: Not a standout series, but still good fun! Sian is endearing and Lou is easily the most memorable and funny contestant of the series, but Joe Thomas is my favourite; he just seems so confused and unhappy to be there.
Series nine: An interesting mix of wildly competitive contestants and contestants who consistently put in the bare minimum of effort. Rose Matafeo is definitely my favourite in this series, but I'm relieved that Ed Gamble won, because I feel he might have murdered everyone if he hadn't.
Series ten: This is the weakest series in my eyes, but I do like Mawaan Rizwan and Katherine Parkinson! Parkinson in particular, more than any other contestant across the entire show, seems to view Alex as a friend and confidant, which makes for a great dynamic.
Series eleven: This doesn't have an especially strong cast dynamic but nonetheless manages to be a strong series. Mike Wozniak is enjoyably bizarre, but I think my favourite person on the panel is probably Charlotte or Lee. I like Lee Mack on Would I Lie to You but wasn't sure what to expect from him on Taskmaster; I thought he might be grumpy about having to do tasks. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he was prepared to launch himself into it wholeheartedly.
Series twelve: The first series I watched! I love how supportive all the contestants are with each other. I've enjoyed Victoria Coren Mitchell's work for a long time, and it's fun to watch her being terrible with occasional flashes of brilliance (and learning to ride a bike!), but as a Taskmaster contestant I think Morgana Robinson is actually my favourite on the panel; she's just very funny!
Series thirteen: Strong candidate for my favourite series! Sophie Duker is my favourite, but everyone is hilarious. Chris and Sophie are both strong all-rounders; Judi has absolutely no time for this shit; I have no idea what's going on in Bridget's head; it all adds up to an incredible dynamic. Ardal's the contestant I'm least into in this series, but he still has his moments and it's sort of hilarious that he keeps being a little shit in the studio, undermining everyone else's efforts.
Series fourteen: On a rewatch, this was a stronger series than I remembered! John Kearns might be my favourite in the lineup, which was a genuine surprise. I thought at first that he wouldn't be interesting (I'm not familiar with his previous work; I think I was just dubious about the office worker vibe he gives off), but he was just so endearingly hapless. The panel dynamic in this one is basically just 'everyone bullies John Kearns'.
I'd forgotten how psyched Greg is at the start of series six. He's so excited to be here, and so flirty and giddy with Alex! I'm not at all surprised that this is the series where they end up kissing; Greg is radiating 'I don't know how far we're planning to take this dynamic, but I can't fucking wait to find out.'
One of the most interesting things about Taskmaster is the way each series has a consistent set of contestants. It feels like you really get to know them over the course of the series - the way they think, the way they approach problems, whether they're going to pull Alex's trousers down at every opportunity - and, of course, they get to know each other.
Below the cut, I've tried to pin down the panel dynamics and my favourite contestants for each UK Taskmaster series, because I cannot shut up. I'm sure it must be possible to watch something without writing an essay about it, but apparently that's just not the person I am.
Series one: Incredibly cutthroat lineup. I don't know if I have a favourite; maybe Josh Widdicombe? His response to the 'buy a present for the Taskmaster' task was certainly an incredible moment.
Series two: This cast didn't really feel like it had much of an identity. Again, no standout favourite. If you asked me to choose, though, it might be Katherine Ryan, who had a terrifyingly, hilariously wild approach to tasks.
Series three: Things are starting to come together here; I found Dave Gorman slightly forgettable but enjoyed everyone else. Sara Pascoe might be my favourite - I just found her very likeable! - but Al Murray also cracked me up; he was clearly having a great time, and his 'throw money at every problem' approach was unique and hilarious.
Series four: I feel this series is where Taskmaster really hits its stride. Not coincidentally, perhaps, it's the first series in which the contestants feel more like friends than like competitors. The general vibe of the lineup is 'four children's presenters and a murderer', and it's a strong one. Joe Lycett is probably my favourite.
Series five: This is a great one. Sally Phillips is absolutely the standout for me; she's wildly horny and having a wonderful time. I also love how Nish Kumar throws himself with great enthusiasm at every task and does terribly.
Series six: This is another cast that doesn't really have a coherent identity, although the series still has some great moments. I find Alice Levine the most likeable contestant in this series, but Liza Tarbuck is definitely the most memorable.
Series seven: what the fuck. An incredibly depraved and horny series right from the very first prize task, and it's all Rhod Gilbert's fault. This is another series where the contestant I like the most (Jessica Knappett) is not the same as the most memorable contestant (RHOD GILBERT WHAT ARE YOU DOING). Come to think of it, the most memorable contestants tend to be the ones who throw themselves most vigorously into torturing Alex.
Series eight: Not a standout series, but still good fun! Sian is endearing and Lou is easily the most memorable and funny contestant of the series, but Joe Thomas is my favourite; he just seems so confused and unhappy to be there.
Series nine: An interesting mix of wildly competitive contestants and contestants who consistently put in the bare minimum of effort. Rose Matafeo is definitely my favourite in this series, but I'm relieved that Ed Gamble won, because I feel he might have murdered everyone if he hadn't.
Series ten: This is the weakest series in my eyes, but I do like Mawaan Rizwan and Katherine Parkinson! Parkinson in particular, more than any other contestant across the entire show, seems to view Alex as a friend and confidant, which makes for a great dynamic.
Series eleven: This doesn't have an especially strong cast dynamic but nonetheless manages to be a strong series. Mike Wozniak is enjoyably bizarre, but I think my favourite person on the panel is probably Charlotte or Lee. I like Lee Mack on Would I Lie to You but wasn't sure what to expect from him on Taskmaster; I thought he might be grumpy about having to do tasks. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he was prepared to launch himself into it wholeheartedly.
Series twelve: The first series I watched! I love how supportive all the contestants are with each other. I've enjoyed Victoria Coren Mitchell's work for a long time, and it's fun to watch her being terrible with occasional flashes of brilliance (and learning to ride a bike!), but as a Taskmaster contestant I think Morgana Robinson is actually my favourite on the panel; she's just very funny!
Series thirteen: Strong candidate for my favourite series! Sophie Duker is my favourite, but everyone is hilarious. Chris and Sophie are both strong all-rounders; Judi has absolutely no time for this shit; I have no idea what's going on in Bridget's head; it all adds up to an incredible dynamic. Ardal's the contestant I'm least into in this series, but he still has his moments and it's sort of hilarious that he keeps being a little shit in the studio, undermining everyone else's efforts.
Series fourteen: On a rewatch, this was a stronger series than I remembered! John Kearns might be my favourite in the lineup, which was a genuine surprise. I thought at first that he wouldn't be interesting (I'm not familiar with his previous work; I think I was just dubious about the office worker vibe he gives off), but he was just so endearingly hapless. The panel dynamic in this one is basically just 'everyone bullies John Kearns'.
I'd forgotten how psyched Greg is at the start of series six. He's so excited to be here, and so flirty and giddy with Alex! I'm not at all surprised that this is the series where they end up kissing; Greg is radiating 'I don't know how far we're planning to take this dynamic, but I can't fucking wait to find out.'