Taskmaster (2018) User Reviews

A watered down, banterless version of the original

[chunkylefunga · 4/10 · 13 May 2018]

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.

What he said

[alanandnee · 5/10 · 28 April 2018]

My first ever review and I came prepared to give my full and honest opinion of the show only to find that jazfro had said it first and probably better than I could. Given that it is Alex Horne's idea the format is still good but severely curtailed. It is possible more of a comment on the differences between US and English/Aussie cultures than a standalone great show. If you want to see how good it could be then find and watch the Greg Davies UK version.

Oh, dear

[suewarren-74680 · 5/10 · 10 May 2023]

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.

Weak and Insipid Version of a Brilliant Show

[michaeljones-46179 · 3/10 · 25 June 2018]

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.

It's a watered down version of the UK show

[jazfro · 27 April 2018]

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.

Can we un-air this?

[nicoacillona · 2/10 · 27 November 2020]

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.

Just can't compete with the original.

[steelthrough · 2/10 · 8 August 2019]

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.

Same old Americans ruining comedy!

[dmw-85862 · 3/10 · 11 June 2018]

What more can I say than I already have done in the tag line....

This is a very poor version of the original. American TV just doesn't seem to get how comedy works or what makes something funny and entertaining.

I was just left wondering what they were thinking, it lacks any substance, it's only 22 mins long, which is probably a blessing with this version compared to the UK version which has it spot on and at twice as long, still leaves you wanting more.

There is no chemistry between Reggie and Alex Horne, Alex tries his best but gets nothing back from Reggie or the contestants.

It just pales in every way compared to UK version. But I shouldn't be surprised as it seems to be a cultural thing in America to have dumbed down simplified comedy which almost has to be overly explained in order for Americans to get the joke, whereas British comedy tends to be a lot smarter and needs less explanation to get to the punchline, it's just more natural, the British have a better understanding of humour and comedy than the Americans, Americans tend not to understand British humour and comedy whereas British understand American comedy but just don't really find it that funny. Prime example was when American network wanted to do a version of Faulty Towers but they were going to do it without the Basil Faulty character.........??????? ............Exactly!!!

Or with monty python, they wanted to change all kinds of things and it wouldn't have been the same.

There are some fans of British comedy from the US but they tend to be the more clever and artistic folks, which funnily enough, by no coincidence are also creators or comedy in America which is very popular in the UK, like the Simpsons and Family Guy as just an example.

I guess if you haven't watched the UK version then you might enjoy it but if you have watched the UK version then you probably won't, you will just be disappointed and let down by it, knowing that if they had kept it more true to the original UK format it would be a lot more enjoyable to watch, as simple as having Greg Davies and Alex Horne presenting it would probably have been enough to inject the required entertainment and spark that is required, which is what it lacks in a big way. For me, the stand out of the show was Ron Funches, by a country mile, only time I really laughed was because of him, for a show that is meant to be comedy, only 2/7 personalities brought any comedy to the show!

Oh dear

[dwrdnrth · 3/10 · 26 January 2020]

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.

Prefer it to the UK version, except the ones with Mortimer and Phillips

[quicksmartmcoy · 8/10 · 7 May 2018]

Prefer it to the UK version, except the ones with Mortimer and Phillips.

Tragic

[hjliv · 1/10 · 22 December 2020]

I've never had a TV show make me angry before. Avalon allowed ViacomCBS to destroy a proven format.

And then Avalon decided to do business with Viacom again by selling them the real Taskmaster for the CW. That lasted one episode and resulted in geoblocking the Taskmaster YouTube channel.

Thank god for torrents.

Weak variation of a god tier show

[Slai82 · 2/10 · 28 December 2019]

The Taskmaster himself is absolutely redundant in this version. The humour provided by the character of Greg Davies Taskmaster is such a foundation to the enjoyment of the show, having Reggie sit there and just flacidly exist is a major downer. The contestants are fine, but they aren't brought forward too much I feel, which could be an editing choice or some restriction due to the time format, or something... It's basically how most American versions of good things end up, just a washed down version. Like what they did to Old Boy. Conceptually the show is great, obviously, I think the Taskmaster casting/directing was terrible, and the shortened time didn't lend itself to letting the cast express themselves comedically. Or it could be shoddy editing choices.

I hate to say it...

[johnnythreeper · 3/10 · 21 October 2020]

It pains me to see an American version of such a fantastic British show. Same could be said with Top Gear America. Much like every other brit show made for the states, it lacks everything that makes the original great, Little Alex Horn being the exception.

Reggie is a good dude, but he's a poor taskmaster. He has not the reputation needed to be the TM. Greg Davies seems like the kind of dude that would politely bounce your head off the ground, which makes him the TM.

The panelists are dismal and is such a poor representation of what America has to offer for comics. Aisling played the feminist role and did it with hilarious quips. Don't expect that from these brauds. Then you got Lisa Lampanelli telling everyone to suck her dick, cause I guess that's funny?

I really hate to see another great show . I hate it even more that it's Alex Horn's show. Dude is a comedic genius, in my opinion, and I want him to continue bringing great shows to the world.

Let me cast the show. US Producers are lazy

[keepitgoingtolife · 1/10 · 9 May 2022]

When they try to duplicate british tv on american television, they never watch the show and get to know the panel characters and their skills. They bring the show here and because they dont know the english comedians they replace them on the US version with c-list comedians from the US. They did the same with taskmaster with reggie watts. Lee mack, david mitchell, greg davies and the rest etc, are not c-list comedians. They aere the kevin harts, the jim gaffigans. The top teir...

But because they arent known in US the US producers dont know this and just put any comedian uin to do what they do. This show will fail just like taskmaster US cause they dont bother to get the same level of comedian. Just cause you dont know who they were doesnt mean they are equal to unknown US comics. Taskmaster would have killed with danny devito maybe? But reggie? Come on!!!

Massive TaskMaster fan, unimpressed

[klaythoring · 1/10 · 17 November 2020]

I'm not sure why so many UK comedians want to go to the US to 'make it' when they're so great at what they do.

Just find a distributor for US sales instead of ruining a perfect format with unfortunate compromises.

Maybe collaboration with Canada or Australia where the cheeky, ironic, intelligent humor has a place, but the US media market is a lot more flash and gloss than substance and likes to wear down the sharp edges until you've lost the best bits of a show like this.

So bad it's actually loops around so far it's still bad....

[ZEROspawn · 18 October 2020]

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.

So much more watchable than UK version

[cekadah · 8/10 · 22 May 2018]

1. It's faster with more interesting contestants.

2. I find the UK version needlessly long at 45 minutes while the US version is just 22 minutes (I'm discounting commercials).

3. The 'task' are fun to watch while contestants strive to beat the clock. The US version gets straight to the point while the UK version seems to obsess on the contestants efforts and their reaction to the task ... ex. the watermelon eating ... boring!

Give it a look!

God Awful

[daveytaylor67 · 1/10 · 21 February 2021]

80% of the comedians are just mean! The BRITs can be mean to one another but it's all in good spirit. This appeared to be very competitive and just flat out mean

Couldn't help but ruin a great show.

[csj123 · 2/10 · 6 September 2022]

The UK version if Taskmaster is brilliant, interesting, and most importantly fun. The US version is annoying, boring, and most importantly...not fun.

First, the host. Big Reggie Watts fan, loves him on Comedy Bang Bang and the Late Late Show. But he is a terrible choice for host. He should have been a contestant, where he would have been great. As a host, he is simply boring and tries to hard to be cool.

Secondly, the format. A half hour was a bad choice. An hour allows for ad-libs and a free-flowing show. This version seemed overly edited and rushed.

Lastly, the.contestants. Did the producers not watch the original series? One of the contestants isn't even a celebrity, which made boring moments. The ladies on the show were terrible. One was vulgar and annoying, the other had a hard time taking any criticism to the point she claimed it was because she was a woman. The other two men were fine and seemed to get the show.

This is what happens when US producers take a perfect show and think they can make it better. They can't. When will we learn that a show like this is for fun...not to push agendas, or be outrageous. Just follow the formula and leave it be.

Do not waste your time on this version.

It's not your fault, Little Alex Horne

[princesstefy · 2/10 · 6 January 2022]

I'm sure they tried their best in their compromises, but no. This is a rushed version that takes away camaraderie and interaction and banter, leaving mainly just competition, I can get that anywhere.

The tasks being the same are a let down.

Also, did Reggie person even watch the original show? A host is never awkward, and I cringed every time he made a stoic "funny remark"

If you like this version, you were not a true fan.

Tedious and boring, If you're gonna watch task master, watch the orignal.

[tuxifiedart · 3/10 · 21 March 2023]

I've been binging clips from the various international versions of taskmaster recently, after seeing the Aussie version and subsequently realising the ridiculous amount of international Taskmaster releases. Most of them are ok. The jokes don't meld quite as well as the original, the comedians and actors are a bit less funny, not as good sets. But most of them are at least competent, they do the format well, have somewhat likable hosts, and are well edited to keep up a fun casual pace that gives comedians the chance to shine. I'd still argue the first 8 series of the original show are far and beyond better than anything created after, including all the alternation releases, but most of it is at least competent copies that I imagine are fun for people who haven't watching the originals.

The US version however, in the tradition of the US inbetweeners, gracepoint, and so amny other botched adaptations, is horrendous. And heavily suffers from a few major problems as I'll outline

1) potentially its biggest flaw is the pacing. Most versions of taskmaster have a simple 45 minute format. Start of with an introduction and a prize task, then cut to some pre-recorded tasks intercut with live reactions, and live discussion and scoring of the tasks, then end it with a live task , and then potentially a pre-recorded tie breaker if a tie emerges. Simple and easy. But US taskmaster decided to make the baffling decision to go with a 22 minute format. Cutting out any chance for banter, the majority or the reactions and discussions have been cut, there's no longer any live task, and the prize task has been cut down to a comically short length. Sure the original format can go on a bit, there's often a task that's less strong than the rest, and the way they edit it means you have to have a pretty decent attention span. But the 22 minute format is entirely too short to be fun.

2) another major flaw is the tone. Taskmaster is a show about comedians being silly people, doing things to make an audience laugh, and to make each other laugh, whilst also being real people who, are friends with each other who work in a much more friendly industry, but are still competitive enough that there feels like there's a real competition going on. USA completely botched the tone. These people don't feel like they're taking any of this seriously, they have no dynamic with each other they feel contractually obliged to be there. Which they are in the original as well but you get the feeling that if time and money weren't a problem they'd be coming here just to have fun. Everyone is being far too serious and it's just not fun, everyone feels awkwardly confused and the tone never seems to settle for anything beyond that.

3) the host has absolutely no comedic skills whatsoever, he doesn't have the mix of dry whit and faux power madness that makes Greg so likeable. That feeling that he's genuinely enjoying being here. Alex is trying his hardest but bless him he has no working relationship or dynamic with this deeply uncharismatic and unfunny man sitting to his left. The funniest thing about the dynamic was how incredibly sunburnt Alex managed to get during his time in America.

4) both sets are just less fun. The interior set feels like they've just placed some random nice looking chairs down with no cohesion, in a random stage they've found, then put a taskmaster logo on the floor and called it a day. And the task sets feel like they've rented out a holywood mansion, which is likely what they did do. It;'s so much more overblown and less quaint like the orignal taskmaster house and caravan that it can't compare.

Those are the 4 main issues i have with the whole premace, and I'm really glad it never caught on tbh. Tbh i think the only ways to fix to show for a US audiance would be to change the tone and style completely to fit the people you get to do it. With Taskmaster usa, they've only changed things for the worse. Ruining the pacing, not understanding the tone, having hosts that don't mesh well together, and having a set that feels incredibly inconsistent. They had so much creative play room, but as many other reviews have said, this is just a pale immitation, watch the original. And if you're done with that, watch any other version before this. The champions of champions series, the aussie series. Even the foriegn language series are better subtitled.

Who?

[aaronsfoutch · 2/10 · 8 June 2023]

I LOVE Taskmaster UK so much and noticed they were doing it on other countries but I wondered why not in the U. S. Well... only just this week did I discover they tried to launch it in the U. S. back in 2018... Great! I thought... until I watched the 1st episode... and recognized only 3 of the cast ... Alex Horne, Ron Funches, and Lisa Lamanelli (who I am not a fan of and I don't personally know anyone who is) She's such a polarizing figure even amongst liberals I scratched my head wondering why she would be included in the very 1st season. (Probably some Comedy Central executive demanded it.) But who was this banterless wooden figure they made the Taskmaster??? I had to know... who is Reggie Watts??? And for that matter the other 3 contestants???

Reggie Watts... is someone most famous for his shows on Cartoon Network.. I wouldn't expect anyone outside of those who watch Cartoon Network to know who he is! The UK gets Greg Davies... and we got the guy who's famous for Superjail and other (honestly just plain awful) shows on Cartoon Network! The U. S. has so many great comedians like Wanda Sykes, Jack Black, Joel McHale... etc... who would have drawn a larger audience as Task Master or contestants... who are these other 3 contestants??? I have no idea... And as I check their IMDB I know them from absolutely nothing. Taskmaster is so great and looks so fun.... how could you not find people that would want to be on the show that people would ACTUALLY KNOW WHO THEY ARE!

This thing was made to fail from the start... and it's the casting.... I wouldn't be surprised if Comedy Central is at fault for that...

Needs a different host

[jenniferleewright · 1/10 · 21 October 2023]

Love the original, it's so smart & funny and the two hosts both have such a great report and charisma even when they're being unkind, but the US version left a bitter taste in my mouth. Reggie, while a fun and talented musician, is a terrible host. Unfunny and unfair. The very last game of the show left me with an especially bitter taste in my mouth. Let's try again with somebody else, we can do better!! Would also like to see the prize format consistent with the original, less pressure more fun. With a few tweaks, and a really large pool of talent to choose from, I could see the US give the UK a run for their money!

Completely missed the point...

[ehgodfrey · 1/10 · 19 February 2024]

Absolutely the wrong energy for the host, the participants have no clue how the show works, just a huge failure on EVERY level. There is no reason this can't work for an American show. Australia and NZ both nailed it and in some ways are better than the UK version, but this US attempt was just terrible. Needed someone like a Joel McHale to host, I love Reggie but he is a terrible fit for this.

I know it's dead in the water now, but fortunately the UK, AU and NZ versions are all going strong. Just a wasted opportunity and another to add to the long list of failed UK to US adaptations. Didn't think they could do worse than the US IT Crowd.