Taskmaster's Tired: It's Time to Call It Quits

Taskmaster was once television's best-kept secret. After making the transition from Edinburgh Fringe stage to the screen in 2015 It was tucked into Dave's Tuesday night lineup, observed by the hundreds of thousands of us (often less) who had caught wind that it was destined for greatness. In those days, Taskmaster It was once vibrant and defiant – perfectly peculiar. Despite moving to Channel 4 in 2020, it retained its brilliance. However, after a decade, that enchantment appears to be gone.

The 19th (19th!) series kicked off a fortnight ago to not much fanfare – or at least, much less trumpeting than previous years have warranted. You’d have thought that this being its 10th anniversary year, the producers would have pulled something special out of their hats. But no, it was business as usual: five funny people faced off in a series of tasks – ranging from the bizarre to the banal – while Greg Davies and Alex Horne (the creative force behind the concept) was involved in staged arguments.

As the saying goes: if it isn’t damaged, don’t try to repair it. And to some extent, Taskmaster Isn't that incorrect: 900,000 viewers tuned into the first episode of this series, and it also attracted attention for a second run? Bafta on Sunday although it eventually fell short of Could I Deceive You? ). But – to use another well-worn phrase – familiarity breeds contempt. After 19 series, I am simply bored with Taskmaster.

The initial issue is that there are limited numbers of comics well-known enough to pull it off . Earlier series boasted impressive names, giants of British comedy – Bob Mortimer, Frank Skinner, Sally Phillips, Jo Brand. But it seems Alex Horne’s little black book of comedy contacts has run out of pages.

While this year’s contestants – Fatiha el-Ghorri, Jason Mantzoukas, Mathew Baynton, Rosie Ramsay and Stevie Martin – are all undeniably funny people, they lack the gravitas previous Taskmaster line-ups have flaunted.

Certainly, the focus of attention nowadays lies primarily with the format itself. However, I must reluctantly point out that this novelty seems to be wearing thin as well. The tasks featured in the premiere involved actions such as emptying two containers of vinegar into what was ostensibly a fish tank but was actually a small plastic container holding a model fish attached inside; performing an amusing act followed by repeating it in reverse order; and tossing raisins into a glass whilst announcing one's own name aloud. During last week’s broadcast, participants tried their hand at balancing a cup filled with water using garden grabbers and enveloping a secure box entirely in aluminum foil. Ten years back, such concepts might have been seen as peculiarly innovative—nowadays, however, they merely come across as standard fare.

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Both we who watch from home and the participants are fully aware that every challenge isn't going to be as simple as it initially appears. There’s always an undisclosed secondary component, with some sort of curveball lurking ahead. This has turned what used to feel like a whimsical, surprising show into one that's highly anticipated yet somewhat stale. The novelty of those ridiculous costumes worn during the challenges also feels passé—I must admit I found this aspect thrilling. Phil Wang’s a yellow jumpsuit in 2018, however, Mathew Baynton’s outfit inspired by the 80s had me sighing with exasperation.

It doesn’t help that Taskmaster simply can't be avoided. When the regular shows aren't airing on TV, we have the Champion of Champions In this edition, former champions go head-to-head with each other. Each New Year’s Eve, we get a special episode that mostly features people who aren’t comedians. Starting from last year, they added new changes. Junior Taskmaster (Even I have to say, I found it enjoyable). Beyond television, there’s a board game, two officially licensed companion podcasts, several books, a virtual reality video game, and a live event in London. All of this can feel overwhelming.

I used to adore Taskmaster; I could spend entire days viewing videos of the most absurd challenges. However, after ten years, we've reached peak saturation, and other formats – Last One Laughing On Prime Video, for instance – it makes things appear outdated and worn out. How about tackling this: take a break.

'Taskmaster' airs on Channel 4 every Thursday at 9 pm.