Taskmaster's Failed U.S. Adaptation: Did Americans Misunderstand Taskmaster?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ย. 2021
- I come to praise Taskmaster U.S., not to bury it! This semi-obscure castoff in the Taskmaster canon has been misunderstood for long enough! Taskmaster U.S. is actually not that bad, but its failure does expose some differences between U.S. and U.K. culture, and some blind spots that the team adapting Taskmaster for the U.S. seemed to have.
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I disagree that Taskmaster is about the tasks. Personally, why I find the UK version so compelling is the comedians' banter and what kind of antics they say and do during and as commentary of their tasks. The reason the show works is because the comedians are funny, not because the tasks are interesting.
Wrong
@@brandon0981 No, he's right. The host needs to have charisma, which the US version also lacked. Greg says offensive and lewd things all the time, but it's funny, because he has the charisma to make it work. He'll also willingly be the butt of the joke, talking about how he'd need a bra to hold up his fat too.
When the UK comedians humiliate Alex, it's in contrast to the stereotype of "proper British behavior". When the US comedians humiliate Alex, they're just being mean, because American culture directly flies in the face of having proper behavior, the 1950s American is trashed and not the ideal people even consider anymore.
The tasks in Taskmaster are there to focus the comedy, not the actual point. You're supposed to laugh, if it was a proper game show, then they'd edit everything to be more matter-of-fact, and would streamline the studio conversations. If the tasks actually mattered, then they'd never be getting non-comedians, like news reporters, because the entire show is a farce made for us to laugh, not determine who is the greatest at completing pointless tasks.
If it was about completing tasks, then people would be disqualified far more often, and there would be far less loopholes accepted. Every task would be rigidly defined, and not left vague. The vagueness is what produces the comedy and creativity.
@@brandon0981 right.
Agrees with LZ. The Swedish version, Bäst i test, is 57 minutes long (the broadcaster SVT doesn't have any commercials) and they fill it out with one extra task per episode, and a totally screwed interview between "our Alex" and one of the guests. And that's often hilarious. The banters between the guests and between the guests and hosts; analyzing, talking and laughing about their different takes on the tasks, that's what makes Taskmaster to the great show it is. No matter if it's the version from Britain, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, New Zeeland or any other country that stays relatively true to the format, they're good as long as the contestant's gets time to chat with each other and with the hosts.
well then you are wrong, cuz if you were right then taskmaster wouldnt be the poular show. Something with people talking and no tasks would be. You really didnt think your comment through did you?
This man has got it entirely the wrong way round. In a way I think the tasks are a backdrop. They can be very funny in their own right, but coming back to the studio, and contestants defending themselves to Greg, make the show downright hilarious
Exactly! That's how most UK panel shows are
Thinking about it, I think one of the reasons the show is SO big and has done SO well in and out of the UK, is because it does both so well.
Like, it's an excellent British panel show with plenty of banter and comedy, but it is equally a fantastic game show with interesting challenges and some ingenious solutions.
Like yes, the points "don't matter", but the scoring system does come across as more genuine than something like "whose line is it anyway".
Like it might be entirely scripted but it doesn't feel like it is.
I agree but actually took it as him saying that was the problem though.
The UK version and sucessful adaptions made clear it was a bunch of silly crap designed to give the comedians material to be funny either through suceeding or failing and making an arse of themselves.
The US version tried to make the tasks serious and have it as a gameshow where winning was more important than being funny.
Yeah, I believe his opinion about shorter show being better and the UK version being "pokey" and slow, these are the reasons American television sucks and why I didn't like shows like this until I started watching British TV, I love British panel shows
You're right. I think the success of TM happens in the studio which holds the whole show together. There is also a fine balance between competitiveness and entertainment which needs to be negotiated with entertainment having the upper hand.
As someone who's not from the UK and neither from the US I don't really get the point you made about the whole show being confusing for someone who's not from the UK. I didn't know who Greg or Alex were when I started watching, neither did I know anyone of the contestants. It just made sense that the taskmaster was sitting on a throne, since you know, he's the master. So did the fact that Alex controlled a lot of the show, because why would this be Gregs job, that's not a masters job, it's one for peasants. Also the typed letters with the wax seel are just classy af. Maybe it's really an American thing, maybe it's Maybelline
that last line caught me off guard, an earned like for sure
I think he means people from America rather than ‘not from the UK’. Americans have not had enough exposure to the rest of the world and have an insular view. I don’t know if they even show the UK version there, or just have to always make their own thing without understanding what makes something work.
Well, Americans can be a bit thick and they generally need things spelled out to them...I think the main reason Taskmaster can't work in the US is the lack of a self deprecating culture
I'm from Brazil, and I didnt know ANY of the participants from any of the seasons, Greg or Alex. Yet, I loved Taskmaster from the very first episode.
@@travelwell6049 There are loads of American fans, so there's definitely means for them to access the show.
Wow. This video is the very embodiment of why the USA is the only failed version of taskmaster. You just. don’t. get it.
The USA Taskmaster was quite bad, but it's not the only failed version. The Spanish version is as bad as the US one, and they also tried to make a German version that got canceled before a single episode came out.
Absolutely agree.
Totally. The video creator didn’t get it so wasn’t really able to critique it properly.
Taskmaster succeeds when the chemistry and banter is there and the format isn’t mucked around with. Norway and NZ worked because they didn’t mess with it.
He also ignored the elephant in the room. That older sweary lady.
@@SquirrelNutkins Agreed, I think also it was the politicisation of everything and the lack of self deprecation from a lot of the contestants that just ruined it. You can't make a show like this work if everyone is ultra serious.
@@kub2039 At the very least someone in Germany looked at the footage and pulled the plug. It _may_ still be possible to get our own version now, but it wouldn't have been possible after a failed series 1, I think.
But I really don't think it would work all that well over here anyway.
It's hard to argue that US Taskmaster failed due to not changing the formula... when every other version of Taskmaster has succeded on that same formula.
Yep. If all the other versions that follows the shows format correctly are doing well and the one that changes it up is not doing well, theres a clear reason.
The American version changed things too much
American comedians arent funny.
Well, you are entitled to your opinion. But you are wrong. When the format can cross language barriers unchanged, and still succeed - or last for so long with so many different people, it obviously works. Because they stuck to the formula. It didn’t work in America because, well, y’all made it to American. Where in the U.K was light hearted fun banter, the American guests just went hard and were just mean and abusive.
Also, how many American shows are exported to the rest of the world, with no explanation, and we just get it. And mate, the pretend pretext is still alive in the uk too…
Exactly. The problem isn't the formula or the format. It's a misunderstanding of what the cast dynamic should be and a dumbing down for the audience. It's clearly supposed to be a bit over-the-top and nonsensical. That's what the prize task introduces you to. The whole purpose of the first task is to ease into the idea that the points are arbitrary and the contestants are allowed to interpret and interact with the tasks however they want to please the taskmaster.
44 minutes = 4 tasks
21 minutes = 3 tasks
Sure, there's nothing "wrong" with having one fewer task per episode, and it does bring the benefits you described if they continue over multiple seasons.
The problem is that there was less time devoted to each task. We didn't see any pre-task discussion in the studio, we didn't see much preparation for the tasks by the contestants, and we didn't see much post-task discussion or interaction between the Taskmaster and the contestants. Because everything had to be crammed into 21 minutes. In the UK show you had conversations between the contestants about, for example, what "breaching a pie" means which seemed to last longer than an entire task on the US version. And that's why people watch, because they want to see funny people being funny.
It was more like 44 minutes = 5 tasks (including the prize task) to 21 minutes = 3.2 tasks (where only 1 contestant brings an item?)
That still is significantly less time per task though.
The long run time allows for more tasks, more time on each task, and more banter. Reggie Watts is not the guy for that. Jimmy Pardo or Roy Wood Jr would do much better.
This comment alone lets me know I don't need to waste my time on Taskmaster US. Everything I love about Taskmaster gone or pressed short? No thanks.
your comment is just pointless whining. The UK version is too slow. I've always thought that. Just cutting out the commercial transitions will save you 10 min.
@@trumpisthemessiah7017 I don't think it's too slow. And they only have one or two commercial breaks. I don't know where you see the 10 minutes.
I’ve seen most versions of Taskmaster and what the US version lacked was any sort of chemistry there wasn’t any between the competitors or between Alex & Reggie. The tasks are important to the show but you also have to be entertained.
this might be it. i watch the taskmaster nz and most of them has been friends even before the show, thus their interaction is somewhat lively
Have you managed to find the german version? There is a pilot nobody has ever seen I have heard.
I think some of the lack of chemistry in the contestents was due the shortened format of the show, rather than letting them talk amongst themselves, begging for points and critiquing the tasks. They're not given the chance to get onscreen chemistry.
@@NshbrVrjsn The NZ show is really great. Though I think it's also partially that Paul Williams steals the show almost every season. His humor is similar to Alex, but not the same. I love his take on the beleaguered and somewhat incompetent assistant. And I think it supports his work that he and Jeremy have a different chemistry than Alex and Greg, so it's a similar character, but a totally different situation.
Also the body finding task this year, and his dedication to it was beautiful. Like Alex, I think he really loves being the assistant.
True. The comedy circuit of britain is really close. They all know each other and their comedy styles.
Penn Jillette would have been the perfect Taskmaster. Not just because he's similar in stature and persona to Greg, but because he's a professional host and knows everyone in show business personally. He could have filled those seats with great talent and had great banter for years.
Excellent choice. And, now I'm thinking if it would be possible to have Teller as assistant even if he had to break his non-talking persona.
And Teller could be Alex’s assistant 😂🤣😂
dang dude. Now I want this version. Penn would be perfect
Penn could never berate an assistant (let alone Teller), or any contestant. Just isn't who he is.
This is a good answer. Penn & Teller's schtick could have even been translated to the whole, "one has the power, one does the talking" bit.
The tasks at the airport where born out of necessity to comply to corona regulations. They could space out more.
It's also the reason why the current season is largely filmed in a church.
That doesn’t make sense. Most of series 11 was still at the house. Location tasks are just to change up the setting, and make some different tasks possible
@@Zach90888 The tasks of series 11 and 12 have been filmed under strict COVID guidelines and you can really see it. Yes, most of them are still at the house, but I guess following guidelines they have less people there and they are always designed to keep a distance from each other. And yes, you can space out more on an airport and in a huge chuch.
There haven't been many location changes in the previous series, and tasks like "pop the balloon" could very easily have been done in the garden of the house, for example.
@@wohlhabendermanager That doesn't change the fact that what you said in your original comment is false. They didn't go to the airport out of necessity to follow gov regulations because they filmed at the house most of the time for that series. They did it because they are running out of ideas and need to get crazier or risk getting stale.
@@brandon0981 "Getting crazier", huh? So that's why they had tasks like "record the highest number on this pedometer" in Series 13, I guess. Which was filmed almost exclusively at the house, except for very few tasks.
@@brandon0981 You're forgetting the rather large number of crew involved. The Taskmaster house is tiny, but pre-COVID was plenty big enough for a contestant, Alex, a boom mic guy, a camera man and probably a few other extras to be present in one room for each and every task. During COVID, you cannot have that many people in a room. So they were forced to find ways to film things differently that always kept up the distances.
Just see how many folks some of the early seasons contestants roped into their tasks to see how many people would have been on set any day in that itty bitty house. It's easy to see why such grand locations (that were likely unused during COVID for their actual purposes) were utilised.
Like the US version you have completely missed what makes Taskmaster great. Who wants to watch people just doing tasks. Its the interaction between Greg and the contestants and between the contestants themselves. Until the US learns to laugh at themselves a show like this will never work in the US. On the UK version you have contestants who don’t give a shit, try their hardest and fail miserably and those who are ultra competitive.
Yeah because the one thing America lacks is an understanding of comedy??? Nah, they just screwed it up with the initial casting and lack of marketing. I've been a Taskmaster fan from day one and had no idea they made an American version.
They have the good version of Taskmaster already... It's called Game Changer / Make some Noise
This all just came down to ego. The US contestants couldn't laugh at themselves or each other for genuine reasons, only derivative ones. When the emotions are ego driven vs genuine this is what you get. It's not uncommon for this to happen on British adaptations in the US, but it's extremely on display here because Taskmaster runs beautifully in literally every other society.
I'd also add that a lot of the UK personalities on Taskmaster have worked hard to develop stage personas, and that can help them set aside their egos and be more self deprecating. These US comedians didn't really have that. Even on Taskmaster UK, you can sometimes see actors without the buffer of that persona take criticism a bit too seriously. (Greg's criticism of Katherine Parkinson's homemade masks and Daisy May Cooper's hippo drawing come to mind.)
Yeah, in the US, even the kids on a school are tough to be competitive in every aspect of their life, which I think kinda sux, and, more importantly in the US noone can be ridiculed or offended, or even noone dares to do anything what may be interpreted later as offensive to any single person. How do you want to make fun in such society ?
@@ShawnBRyanVideos A lot of the best American comics have self deprecating humor in their act, they just got trash C-list people to do the show. Please stop the racism.
@@noldo3837 What the hell are you talking about? Self deprecating humor was basically invented in the US lol. It's obvious you didn't grow up in America so keep the weird commentary to your diary.
@@brandon0981 You should probably look up the definition of 'racism', before you make yourself look even more foolish than you have already.
I think the UK tasks are funny because they are convoluted. I found it funny just with you describing the ridiculous tasks.
It’s based on Alex’s sense of humour and if people don’t get that, then they can’t enjoy it.
There is a difference between banter and just being an ass. Taskmaster UK is all banter and it’s funny. It was almost as if people did not understand this at all and genuinely thought people were being serious and mean to Alex. It was all jokes. Just a bad balance. Also imo taskmaster is barely about what the tasks are. It’s about how the contestants play them and talk about them after. The US version could not laugh at themselves. UK version everyone really tried to do the silly tasks as hard as they could bc they can laugh at themselves. Idk all around annoying seeing this adaptation.
I just watched the Us version and I agree. though I do think Lisa was somewhat misunderstood and dont deserve all the hate she got. She is an insult comic so that is her thing. From people that knew about her before they expected her to be like this as it was what she was known for. I also personally got the feeling it was not mean intent, but just a very different form for "banter" than what we where used too in UK. But that Reggie did not get time to find his position on the show as well as instead of throwing jabs at others it became more about showing off themselves was the most off putting.
But overall I dont think it was as bad as I thought it would be. I would say mediocre. Maybe I went in with alot more negative expectations from what I heard so that made me feel it was better. But I felt it was an ok thing to watch and relax to, but not something I would obsess about.
I've just watched the Bob Mortimer series (5) - they were all so supportive and encouraging of each other and took delight in each others success. Each series is a different vibe.
Why did you just repeat everything that he said in the video?
@@brandon0981 i didnt
i just feel like americans are so averse to embarrassment and self-deprecation which contradicts the whole vibe of taskmaster. So all the tasks just turned into comedy bits on the american version so the contestants could still "win' even if they were bad at the task (rather than the natural comedy that comes from people earnestly trying the task). i dont think its a coincidence that the best moment from the show involves the one british contestant lol.
as i read the comments I see others have made this same observation lol
Funny how the greatest moment in Taskmaster US was done by an English Contestant and was done the same way 3 times on the Finnish version.
That's what I just came on here to say lol
As an American who loves British panel shows and Taskmaster UK and NZ. I don't think US comedians can put aside their egos long enough. As I recall the network pulled it after the first showing only to dump it off on their streaming arm.
You're right that they did well on the tasks, but I think the short format killed any chance to develope chemistry between the contestants. They spent almost no time in the studio discussing the tasks, just a sentence or two per performance. Watching the contestants laugh at themselves would help the viewer understand that it is all in good fun.
It might have been good if the contestants were more well-known. Alex talks about how important it was to the original show's success to have Frank Skinner and Greg on board because of their reputations. Part of the fun was seeing comedians everyone already knew doing silly stuff. But we didn't get that in the US version, so it just seemed like D-list celebs who take themselves too seriously and also Freddie Highmore doing pointless stuff for a musician and a goofy British guy. There was none of the charm that makes the original so fantastic series after series. Hopefully Alex at least got a decent payday out of the US version.
I don't think well-known is the right word. I'd say the contestants would have to be funny first of all, I had no idea who anyone on taskmaster was when i started watching it yet I loved it.
i think this wouldn't work in the US simply because it's so big, and (i'm just guessing here so i may be wrong) there cannot be that many well known comedians across the whole of the states. Most of the other countries that have done taskmaster are relatively small and likely have their own recurring circuit of comics just like the uk does. and that means you'll most likely recognise at least one of the contestants every series
@@talk_it_through4730 they could have got steve-o, nathan fielder (from nathan for you) as host, eric andre , the US has no shortage of funny comedians imo. You need people who are willing to make an ass out of themselves on TV, the studio banter is also one of my favourite parts of the UK show. They did not need to copy the UK format, they could have put their own spin on it, they played it too safe and came out with something worse than bad, something very very bland. I hope they will revisit the idea with the right people.
The USA has probably the biggest, healthiest stand up comedy scene around…
A lot of the reason it worked originally was that Greg knew a lot of the contestants personally so there was great banter in the studio and the contestants threw themselves into the tasks despite potential embarrassment. Egos mean nothing in TM and that's a problem for a lot of US contestants.
Give Conan O'Brien the role of Taskmaster USA. He doesn't like comedians with ego, he constantly makes fun of his own ego, he loves humble people and will jokingly play the role of tyrant to hilarious effect, and he very much understands what makes British comedy great, and he thrives on loosely scripted material with heavy improvisation.
Plus he already has perfect assistants he shares great chemistry with, and his network of comedians and actors is so vast that he'll always be able to pull in a stellar cast.
I rest my case.
You make a strong case, Conan could've been a great taskmaster
Ooooooohhhhhh... Yes, absolutely!
Conan and Andy would have been the perfect co-hosts for US Taskmaster, but they're probably outside of the budget.
It really doesn’t surprise me TM failed in the USA considering they have been trying to remake British shows for a long time and with the exception of The Office all failed
Red Dwarf 2 times
Fawlty Towers 3 times
Dads Army
Life on Mars
Peep Show
Coupling
The Thick of it
Gavin and Stacey
The Inbetweeners
Ab Fab
The IT Crowd
Broadchurch
To name but a few
I'm actually a little sad that I'll never get to see this. Perfect casting choice
Your point of view was well made and it’s understandable. I disagree with it entirely, but I liked the video nonetheless.
Haha me too
Failures:
1) Reggie Watts - not a comedian but a musician, no chemistry
2) contestants nobody cared about.
And one extraordinarily annoying contestant.
Nailed it! Never heard of Watts...no humor weak banter, Horrible attempt at a brilliant show!
Loved Freddie. But he was the only one with the right sense of humour.
One of the few comments that gets it right,
I find it funny how the only good contestant who GOT the point of what they were doing, was English
I think the US just culturally don't understand or enjoy 'cringe'. They want to celebrate success and winners, but some of the best and most iconic moments were where the viewer is thinking 'oh no' or 'holy fuck I can't believe they just did that'.
It's like the Office. The Ricky Gervais character had to be modified to be more palatable to US audiences with Steve Carrell.
"The show was burdened with so much baggage from the UK original that the show couldn't develop its own identity and was pretty much doomed from the start". - TMNZ (particularly season 2) is proof that this is just false.
I don't completely agree. Plenty of US comedians that are self deprecating. Some were on the US Taskmaster (Ron Funches for one). Unfortunately very few good comedians got cast. Also, there was plenty of cringe on in the US Office not as much as in the UK but plenty. Also, plenty of Americans love UK shows, if not for that they would not be brought over here. What makes and breaks any show (especially in the US) is casting (also exposure). The UK had some of its best comedians on the show. The US version had shit. Reggies Watts was a terrible cast. He is funny in his own right but not for this type of show. Honeslty, Reggie is a more talented muscian than comedian. He would not be where he is if he relied simply on his comedy. There are plenty of funnier comedians. I never heard of Kate Berlant. Lisa Lampanelli was funny when she was fat I suppose. I never heard of the other American. The other reason it failed is that it was on comedy central. FYI, I love British panel shows but I did not care for this show too much.
Nah. The US loves an underdog. It's not about the cringe, it's about the underdog. Also, I hate cringe, but I love Taskmaster. It's not "cringe" humor.
@@jenniferhanses7064 Key point to the underdog story is that the underdog will win, or at least get recognition.
This is very different to British or even other European humour. This is why US adaptations for other shows just did not work, like Red Dwarf or IT Crowd. The caracters have very few if any redeming qualities, no hope to win big or get the girl.
We revel in the absurd, while you are more comfortable with happy storylines. Or a tale of an underdog, to keep the dream of 'from dishwasher to millionaire' alive.
It's not that they don't understand cringe, it's that they're rooting for a winner. They want an underdog that makes them cringe and get invested in and then they want to see that underdog win. The issue with US comedy is that individualism and 'winning' are paramount to your success socially
You get it. Cringe humor makes me feel vaguely ill. In fact, the first awkward humor I’ve ever appreciated was Joe Thomas
I can answer you question after listening to just the first 4 minutes...(some) Americans obviously just don't understand that it is not just about the task. Watching the process, banter and pure entertainment of a person trying to accomplish something a little bit pointless and obscure is the comedic gold of the series. I'm currently watching the newest series & one task was to remove all the egg from a shell...that was it, that was the task. The overthinking & bafflement of the contestants was hilarious. If you're finding the tasks boring or overly convoluted you are not getting it 🤷🏼♀
So basically you're saying take out all the things that make Taskmaster what it is (Hint: It's not the tasks), and make it into something American? Fine. Just don't then call it Taskmaster.
If the show didn't have the tasks as the focal point t build off of - it wouldn't be a show. Get over yourself
@@brandon0981 I think what they mean is kind of what the video hints at at the tail end but doesn't quite nail. The premise of the show is about the tasks yes, but the hook and what keeps you watching is the contestants and how they react. I don't agree with a lot of the video but I do think it's an issue of casting. The UK tasks have gotten bigger because of the budget but you still have very mundane tasks like 'Catch something' or 'bring in the best stationary' and it's how they react that makes the show. You have to get the right mix of people. Arguably one of the weakest series of Taskmaster was series 10, partly because of COVID but also the guests didn't mesh as well as in previous seasons. No matter what the gimmick is, every panel show will be terrible without the right cast so no, the most important thing is not the task.
@@1jazzyisenough When did I say the most important thing is the task? I didn't. I said it wouldn't be a show without the tasks. The tasks are an integral part of the show just as having the right cast is. I agree the biggest problem with the US version was the casting. If every task was something dumb and mundane the show would suck regardless of who was on it because it'd just be people trying to talk and make jokes about lame things. You need both a good base (the tasks) and good people for a show like this to work and people in the comments simp and fanboy so hard for the UK version that they think these cast members are the greatest thing on earth and can do anything. Honestly the show is entertaining enough to enjoy watching but it is FAR from the best entertainment out there and FAR from the best comedy out there as well.
@@brandon0981 Ahhh, I replied condescendingly to one of your other comments before I read this. Now I've just realised you're a salty American who got upset because he just found out the rest of the world doesn't revere you like your shit doesn't stink. Sorry about that bud, hope you learn to cope better with your unearned ego soon.
The biggest reason TM US failed is cultural. I'm an American. Watching the british panel shows was a revelation because they are BRUTAL to each other, and yet the target of the brutality *leans into it* instead of getting defensive. How many times have I heard Rob Brydon joke about how short he is? The atmosphere on the british shows is good natured rather than tense and you come away feeling everyone really likes each other. The US version had NONE of that, but that may also be because they didn't get really good comedians for it.
You're taking this too seriously, just like the American Taskmaster.
Ha! You're probably right! But it's still fun to think about.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos all fairness I'm here a year later still upset about how much we shit the bed on the series here
The Danish adaptation of Taskmaster (Stormester) also does the 'only one contestant brings in a prize for this episode' thing, which sort of to me falls apart, as each series is only 7 or 8 episodes long, meaning 2-3 contestants will bring in things twice, and the remaining only once. It's the one thing I don't like about my country's adaptation
It's really tickling me that every defence of taskmaster US is just "unlike every other country America is too dumb and confrontational to understand without being told".
Yeah, that might explain why it failed in the US, but it doesn't explain why even Taskmaster fans hate it.
@@Danonymous5000 from everything I've seen most watchers of it were already taskmaster fans so it doesn't even make sense for it to be because of that
People have made the point that the US comedians just weren't well known enough. I don't think that's the issue. I have never heard of most of the New Zealand comedians either but the show is every bit is good as the UK version. It's even made me check out some of their other work on TH-cam.
"It's too faithful" proceeds to explain why it wasn't faithful, and was unable to make even the slightest of changes.
Lisa didn't have the chemistry with Alex, to be so antagonizing. When the UK comedians did it, it was in service of actual comedy. Lisa did it, because she's a 2-bit hack comedian doing the same unfunny routine we saw her use on all the CC roasts.
I wanted to reach into the screen and smack her.
It’s funny to see Australian and New Zealand’s versions have kept so closely to the format, they have replicated the inside of a theatre that hasn’t been used since UK s1.
I'm loving the NZ version! I'll have to follow it up with Aussie next.
This video: look at this show, that works EVERYWHERE but in ‘murica.. now let’s look at how we f’ed it up and let me explain how it is all the fault of the successful show.. because ‘murica!!
I do agree that they could have changed more, and maybe that would have made it watchable. However, I can say with 100% certainty in my mind that's not why it failed, or that a format which is successful in other countries should change. The NZ version is near identical to the UK, and it's just as good because of it. The shorter length lead to very poor editing and no real time for the most important part of comedy, timing.
However, I think the reason it ultimately failed is cause it was cynical, full of ego, and seemed to care about being competitive. The failure to me falls on US show runners who think the US audience can't celebrate and enjoy mistakes, watch flawed characters doing dumb things, and that things need to be exaggerated competitions with heroes and villains. Some of the casting of panelists reflects that, and the editing absolutely reflects that, and it utterly misses the mark of TM at its best.
It's broadly speaking the same reasons IT Crowd US was bad, Inbetweeners US was bad, and Kitchen Nightmares went from a show about GR sincerely and usually politely helping struggling UK restaurants, to faked drama, spitting food out, and yelling in rat infested American places.
Draw a portrait of the taskmaster is intentionally a staple of the show. They do it once per series with a different twist each time!
Especially in the early series, they didn't always do it. (I don't think it appeared until series 4, and didn't reappear again until series 7, though I might be wrong.) To me, some of the other drawing tasks have been funnier than drawing Greg every time, though that's only my opinion.
@@ShawnBRyanVideos You must be fun at parties.
Some of these are the kinds of things that could have been fixed in a second series. It’s bizarre how US TV gives up on things so quickly and never gives them a chance to develop.
You are grasping at straws. I agree, this COULD have been good but only if they had stuck to what works or found a way to change it to fit into the time allowed. What was the point of one prize brought in. They could have just gotten rid of that. However, the biggest problem, they picked the very WRONG women comedians. They couldn't laugh at themselves and made me nauseous and uncomfortable anytime they opened their mouths. As a fellow female American, I was beyond embarrassed. I can't believe you thought Lisa"s "play-acting" funny. I truly didn't think it was funny nor was she playing. I am very familiar with Taskmaster. And god, that other girl, I wanted to push her off the stage and drive over her with my car. She was unbelievably annoying. Yes, UK taskmaster is getting old ... but that happens with anything that has run 12 seasons and remains successful. I still enjoy watching it. But the American version reveled in the worst behaviors of Americans. Most of us do not want to watch a bunch of jerks be rude and crude to Alex or each other. Whose Line is it Anyway showed the difference between comedic banter and people behaving badly. We can watch the news for that garbage, or any political debate. Taskmaster was supposed to be about fun ... the ridiculous and some of our American performers couldn't remotely grasp that concept. I lost all respect for Lisa L. Used to think her comedy was ok, but now I realize without a script, she can only talk about her imaginary "you know what". Also, when taskmaster 1st came out, people didn't fully understand what the basis of the show was. It STILL worked because it was never meant to be serious. The tasks alone display that concept. But our American group revealed the biggest problem that exists primarily in America as a whole. We have an ego-centered, me first, my voice only matters, society. And it just made me sad.
Part of me wonders whether the contestants could have been directed a bit better, to rely less on wisecracks for humor and more on genuine efforts to complete tasks. Though I'd also add that every single joke that's included in Taskmaster US is one that the director and editors (and presumably Alex Horne) thought was good enough to include. They could have edited a lot of this stuff out or told the contestants to be less abrasive, but they chose not to. Really, I think this was less an issue with the individual contestants than the production overall.
Did you cringe like fuck when the other woman accused Alex of sexism because he did his usual "you touched the ball with your hand when you weren't supposed to"? Everyone besides Freddie and sometimes Ron was incapable of laughing at themselves/taking a joke
@@ShawnBRyanVideos Alex Horne has said in interviews that at the start of filming a season the contestants are told to be themselves, not to play up for the camera (some do sometimes regardless) and are not guided into anything by anyone but themselves. seems you think they shouldav flipped that entirely maybe they shouldav been given a script too.
As for the director/ editors incuded the jokes, yh well they wouldnt have a show if they didnt. lisa was abrasive for every second she was on screen to edit "a lot of the stuff out" would mean editing her out entirely... which actually would have fixed one of the shows biggest problems, the casting was piss poor well not quite piss poor but 50% of the ppl on stage shouldnt have been there, at least not in the first season.
Unfortunately i think the show fell at the first season because US comedians didnt know about the show and so they couldnt sign up anyone who would have actually been suitable and had to scrape the barrel to get a lineup. had they managed to get a better lineup and run a decent season then more decent comics would have signed up for later seasons and lisa lampanella could have continued to screach her insults on roasts instead of bringing her shite attempts at comedy to a show where actually being funny is required. also needed more time for actual banter and discussion about the outcomes. i understand the less tasks point but there just wasntenuff time for the show to really blossom especially with lisa screaching every moment she could. SHE killed taskmaster US more than any other factor, regardless of how it was formatted or who hosted if she had been on she'd have put it 6foot under
Taskmaster is about the contestants and the chemistry between them first; you can have the best tasks but if the contestants are crap, then not even that can save the season.
For me the problem is that Watts is way to nice, and the contestants have little to none self-irony, and most of them took them selves to serious.
I think the problem is that the culture in the US is aimed for success - it is important to win, even the kids on school are tought that from early age, and also never be ridiculed, never lose face, project success, esp. not on a camera... So I think even the viewers often would not enjoy and understand the concept that it is about having fun, not about who actually wins.
I don't think it was necessarily about wacky places to spice it up. They have themes each series. You can tell by the way they change the house and the music.
the biggest flaw is just the chemistry and the jokes.. it's not there.
the UK tasks are definitely becoming more convoluted, sure.. but they still have several excellent *seasons* in the backlog.
As a Brit, every season, there has been at least 1 person i know, but it has led me to discover so many i now love. I discovered Diasy May Cooper through this, which led me to watch her in This Country which in my opinion is one of the best British comedys ever made. Its very very very British and i can't see Americans being able to get the very nostalgic British tone, but it's amazing
The weird plastic igloo is a geodesic dome invented by Buckminster Fuller: a man with a wonderful mind
Thanks for pointing that out!
It's also a handy place to have the cast/crew hang out when they're setting up between tasks and it's raining. You wouldn't expect a lady like Victoria Coren Mitchell to stand outside in the rain while smoking a cigar, would you?
i just thought the contestants were really weak, besides freddie i didnt like anyone even outside of taskmaster
I'm an American. I have loved Taskmaster for years. It failed here because the people were not funny, no one ever heard of them, and it was on a channel I forgot existed...
As an American, I think the reason Taskmaster failed here is that EVERYTHING is a fight to the death competition. Watch our tv. Everything is a smack-talking smart-ass battle. And not in a fun way. In an “I will crush you” way. It sucks.
And they say Germans have no sense of humour. Americans can only see how to succeed (usually at the expense of others) where winning is the goal. It completely misses the point of Taskmaster which is not only to provide entertainment but to do so at your own expense. Thinking outside the box is always a staple of the show as well, to complete tasks by slippery means which don't 'break the rules'. Your example with the basketball hoop isn't some revelation, it's part and parcel.
british and american humour is fundamentally different however the strict formula of the british taskmaster is what makes it so great.
Is this like one of those youtube shorts where the creator fucks something up on purpose to boost engagement with their channel?
Isn't this a common trope? US franchises a popular show into the state and completely makes a mess of it.
I mean....did you see the American rendition of Red Dwarf *shudders*
That said, Norway puts together the best Taskmaster show.
It was a long time before it was revealed overtly on episodes of TM that Alex was the brains behind everything.
So that point doesn’t wash at all.
I think an element here that contributed to it's failure is the mindset of American comedians. Like you said we don't have panel shows like this in America. They were told it was all a joke and they treated it like a joke. Other versions(I've only seen UK and NZ) they know it's a joke but they play along with a seriousness we didn't seem to get in the US version. It's that juxtaposition, I feel, that really makes the show shine.
Regarding the number of tasks, what you’re missing is that different people will enjoy different tasks. And so I would wager that the tasks that you find boring, some people really enjoy. By having a few more tasks per episode, gives the show the opportunity to breathe. Additionally, I think you missed the point of the tasks. Yes, if a task itself is hilarious on some level, that’s good. But what’s really hilarious is the reactions of the comedians to the tasks, and a commentary about the tasks afterwards. So in someways, whether the task itself is boring or not, that really misses the point. It’s how the comedians and the hosts interact with what the contestants have done that makes a difference. And the funniest parts of any of the UK Taskmaster episodes are the ones where you get the honest reactions from either the contestants or the hosts. And so the more convoluted the task is, the more likely you’re going to get those hilarious moments.
Something else that’s missed in the shorter format, though, is it means that they are by definition are going to be less in studio segments. But the end studio segments are the most important part of the show.
Because in order to get to the funniest parts, you have to have opportunities for the comedians to try and defend what they did during the tasks. It’s a buildup of background that leads to reference that leads to Comedy.
Additionally, by making the show shorter, you take away the arc of the episodes. In other words, it is unwise to look at each task as a silos separate component of the show. Because in addition to the commentary during the task, and after the task, there is an arc of self referencing each episode. While it is not the most significant part of the comedy that comes from the shell, some of the biggest laughs come from callbacks that the comedians make from being in the program. And so each episode being 44 minutes means that there is plenty of time to set up a callback that will give a satisfactory laugh. When you cut the show in half, you make the opportunity for reference much smaller. And additionally, you require that people have recently watched previous episodes in order to get certain references. While that can happen, it’s much less likely when the episodes are shorter.
While it is certainly possible that a task-based show could work in a 22 minute time frame, the brilliance of taskmaster is it has distill down to it essential parts the components necessary to bring the comedy that the show can provide.
I’m not going to suggest that every single task is perfect. But the beauty of the way that the UK Taskmaster works means that each individual task doesn’t have to be perfect. The important thing is for both of the viewing audience, the audience in the theater, the contestants, and the host, to all be seeing the same things in the same timeframe.
It is a very American perspective to try to boil such a thing down further, make it modular, and try to optimize it.
That is generally a mistake for Comedy.
Comedy resides in the imperfect, it needs space to breathe, and while there are definitely funny things that are short, Taskmaster works Precisely because it is not short. I’m not suggesting a two hour episode would be better, but I think 44 minutes seems to be just about the right amount of time to put together the different communiqué elements that are necessary.
What’s more, there is a dynamic between Alex and the host that is very hard to land. It probably would’ve made more sense not to have Alex be in the US version. Every other show that is spot off from Taskmaster has not had either of the host participate. And the host dynamic is extremely important to the comedy. I think the host casting in the US version was its biggest downfall.
Nobody mentioned about the surreal and pointlessness of the whole thing and laughing at Gregs and Alex's sureal comedy. The tasks are weird, silly and most of the times pointless. That's the beauty of it. And Greg ripping into the comedians attempts (mostly feeble). You have to let yourself go completely to get into it. It's a pretence of being competitive but that's not the reason for any of it. It's almost on the level of Python or Mighty Boosh for being ridiculous.
Surely the "move to more and more goofy locations" was because of covid restrictions, not because of the show itself?!
I thought they were just different, interesting locations. I liked them.
In Norway we call it “Kongen befaler” which is what we call the game Simon says, but instead of Simon says, it’s the king says.
As a New Zealander, gold star for pronunciation of "NZ" :)
In summary, Taskmaster US was not dumbed down sufficiently for Americans to understand.
Rings true.
You overthought this incredibly. As an English person, all of the context that you implied we were all supposed to have is completely negligible. Taskmaster was the first time I heard of the two hosts, we aren't supposed to take their "role" into account. It's all inherently apparent from simply watching an episode or two of the show.
To summarise, Americans be Americaning.
Reminds me of when they tried to bring IT Crowd to the US and the first episode was a nearly shot-for-shot reshoot of the British first episode, complete with Richard Ayoade.
Honestly, I think removing Lisa Lampanelli from the equation would have allowed success. Casting Conan as Taskmaster would have sealed the deal.
Reggie Watts was too nice and Lisa Lampinelli was too loud. Make Craig Ferguson the Taskmaster and avoid washed up, scene stealing “comedians” and the show would work in the US.
You sound like youve taken the premise of 'episodes' seriously. 'How about you take everything that makes task master taskmaster, make it diffrent, and slap the task master logo in it cause people love that british stuff'
Alex is not a "whole team of talented writers." He writes all the tasks.
He's said a few times that there is a small team, including Tim Key
Solely by Alex, or from another writer assistance;
All tasks are simplistically complex comedy gold
Always unknown who'll win ; How, When, or Why?
Uncertainty makes all Tasks uniquely enjoyable!!
Afflicted from MDD; So I rarely laugh at anything
Taskmaster UK is one of few guaranteed giggles
American argues that being American is great and better than anything else.
WRONG
Yes they’re playing out butler/Lord dynamic - which doesn’t really translate
NZ's Paul Williams is a treasure.
I'm an American who loves taskmaster and I didn't even know we had an American taskmaster . I'd say that's a failure in marketing for a start ....
I watched part of an episode of the Taskmaster USA adaptation when it aired in NZ. A female panelist was being incredibly rude and was very seriously putting down wonderful Alex's quiet personality, calling him "smug" if I remember rightly. I was horrified on so many levels and didn't watch another minute. The variety of personalities that we enjoy on Taskmaster, and the way they interact (with respect for each other!) is wonderful. There is no wrong personality for goodness sake and a safe place to be silly and laugh at ourselves is essential. I love UK comedy and all the different shows they all create. In Taskmaster, it's the combination of the people, the tasks, the sets and the unexpected, unique and often genius events that make it so watchable. Our New Zealand adaptation is, from what I can see, identical to the UK programme and it works, which makes sense because our culture is very similar. It has been great to see the people we enjoy here on the show as well.
Thank you Alex, Greg and all the crew! 🥰
Sure, it could be even less like taskmaster (I mean, some change had to happen to make it work), but at that point why even call it taskmaster?
The real problem had nothing to do with production. Had with the lack of ability of americans to make fun of themselves. It's a show about being ridiculous, only 1, maybe 2 of the contestants got that.
How can you possibly think that a 1 season port of a weird cut version of a decently funny UK comedy show can support a claim that "Americans" (meaning every one of them) can't make fun of themselves? I'd love to know things had to rattle into each other in your head for something like that to come out. If you think 6 C-list actors/comedians defines comedy in America you are an imbecile. Keep with the racism, I'm sure you think it'll work for you one day
Except we make fun of ourselves constantly. We also make fun of ignorant foreign donkeys when we feel like it.
Because we are simmering just on the edge of a civil war here, we do have to be a _little_ careful exactly how and to what extent we make fun of each other.
Also the reason to call something that's different that you hate, with people you openly hate, by the same name is because the name has owners and they can license it to whatever they want.
Freddie Highmore was the Highlight of the US version. Probably because he is British and actually knows the show.
The best American comedian I can think of to take Greg's role as Taskmaster, in the same spirit, but appropriately translated... is Conan O'Brien. He's the only one I think who would commit to the level of "no, the points don't matter and I'll take more away for you sucking up to me, just to prove I have the power!!"
Jordan Schlansky and Conan would make a good TMUS team, I think. Very different energy, but I agree that the boss/employee schtick would work better here.
I recon Rich Hall could have done it, but you'd need a bunch of contestants onboard that understood the concept
Another problem with Taskmaster US is the US TV format. a "30 minute" show is actually 20 mins with 10 of adverts. That's nearly the same amount of advert time as the UK one has for an hour long show! The US one needed longer episodes so we could get to know the contestants better, and see the discussion and banter between them before and after each task. It's one of the main components of the show. Reggie was also miscast as the host, plus some of the contestants were just irritating. Lisa Lampanelli just kept saying "suck my dick bitch" and that's supposed to be funny? Eddie Redmane was the most entertaining contestant and that's probably because he's British and got the show (and most likely has watched it before).
Like 99% of US adaptations of a UK show, it flopped because they missed the point once again.
Having not seen the US version, only videos about it - I think it's valid to say that there could have been a working adaptation that just embraced being different and that here some puzzle pieces just didn't fit together, pulling in different directions.
If they had wanted to go for a more Greg Davies type of Taskmaster, they maybe should have gone for Joel McHale. I think he embodies a similar ironic vanity combined with a genuine natural authority that allows him to mock the contestants but also root for them.
I would say - Taskmaster UK doesn't let the audience in on the joke either. Yes, the format of panel show is more common, and yes, interviews they frequently talk about how Greg just plays the taskmaster and doesn't have anything to do with creating the tasks. But in the show it's all played as if Greg had set the tasks and sent Alex out to supervise it.
Was there really an American version of Taskmaster. If so, it was so it was so un-advertised, most fans of the original didn't know it was there.
It seems like YOU are misunderstanding Taskmaster. The whole concept is a comedy show where guest comedians are invited to banter with each other under the guise of an absurd game show. The game show part is secondary; the contestants being funny to each other is the whole point. Unfortunately, 1. The short run time means that there's no space for banter and joking about each others' attempts. 2. They didn't treat it like the comedy show it is. 3. The contestants...aren't really funny to begin with ? At least, not on the show. I think had they gotten the people from Whose Line Is It Anyway (which, BTW, is another successful US adaptation of a UK comedy show, a panel show at that) + Freddie Highmore, it would have worked.
And to answer your question, no, I'm not getting tired of the tasks, even if some elements are repeated. Again, that isn't the point of the show. The real point is the contestants doing it and reacting to the attempts, which is different every time. And this is coming from, gasp, someone not even from a Commonwealth nation or the UK. Sounds like an America problem to me (save for the ones that like Brit comedy, of course).
This guy is taking the show WAY too seriously. I think the show is more about the banter and the... panel... than it is about the tasks since you know, it's a panel show.
It’s NOT about the tasks! This is exactly why US adaptations of UK shows don’t work - producers in the US don’t really understand the original show but try to put their “mark” on them anyway, thus, destroying what made the show good in the UK. Lisa Lampanelli was the absolute worst casting choice (among many many more bad choices) because, it’s NOT about the tasks, it’s all about the personalities of the Taskmaster, Alex, and the guests.
I am Russian and sorry, but that is just ridiculous that Americans seem not to get from the very first episode, that the whole point os a good laugh. And it has to be explained. We don't have that kind of shows in Russia either, but that's stupid not to understand the concept, sorry
I never heard of it. The US version that is. I love the original and New Zealand version! I just "discovered" it on TH-cam this year. I love the the idea and execution of the UK version. I don't agree that we as American's need somrthing different. What ive seen of US version, i didn't respond to the contestants as much. I love the camaraderie and hi jinx of the UK and NZ cast. I have seen every episode of UK and it is the best in my opinion because of the great comedians that have been on it.
Your complaint about task creativity exhaustion has more too do with fourteen seasons of tasks, than 22 minutes vs 44 minutes.
The swearing helps the British version. Never allowed in the US.
Taskmaster USA failed because the comedians over there are amazing but don't have the eccentricity of UK counterparts. The British are okay to look silly and to lose not so much the Americans. America should stick to SNL and reality shows.
I haven't seen the US version, but after watching the UK Season 15 on here and comparing that with our Aussie Season 1 version - I prefer the UK version. Why? Greg Davies is the best. He gives it 110% and can give as good as he gets. Whereas our Australian version has Tom Gleeson (host of Hard Quiz)... who literally just makes me cringe and insults the lesser known comedians that were on the show, making them feel like idiots. The comedians don't fight back as much and there's definitely no swearing since it's on free to air TV here. The only saving grace for our Aussie adaptation of the series is the co-host, Tom Cashman. You gotta love him and his cute lil wave he does. The tasks themselves were creative, so it really comes down to the comedians/contestants and the casting of the host/co-host. What i'd love to see is Greg Davies as Taskmaster and our Tom Cashman as his sidekick. That would make it 1000 times more enjoyable for me.
Where can I watch the US version though?
Tig Notaro should have been the American taskmaster.
That would have been very funny!
Shawn,
Please explain to the USA, what a UK season IS. As this is NOT an older program.
It wasn't advertised, it was premium cable chanel (you had to pay extra for it); IFC didn't really have original programing at the time; it was 1/2 the regular run time; Reggie Watts wasn't a household name yet; & unless you were really into underground comedy no one knew who the contents were.
That's an outstandingly high barrier to entry.
The critique of the UK Taskmasters other locations and weird tasks isn't really correct in my opinion. I am still amazed that I enjoy the tasks in new seasons without anything feeling old.
I mean if they even re-used old tasks I would be okay with that too, it's the comedians themselves that we want to see. The actual task is not _really_ that important to the show even though the tasks are obviously a big part of the format :P
The different settings they're using now, "because they're desperate", is more because now they're so established, they've got more freedom to say, "well why can't we film in a trainyard, or aircraft hangar?"
The number of tasks thing though is an interesting point.
I never even heard about this show. I'm perfectly happy watching the UK version.
US taskmaster really fell into the uncanny valley of being too close to uk taskmaster but not close enough.... kind of sad because some bits of US taskmaster is good.
I, an American, love the UK version and stumbled upon it accidentally at one point a while back and enjoyed it without having any prior knowledge of the shows format and just figured it out from watching. I had no idea an American version had been done or I would have watched it which makes me think it wasn't marketed very well. But watching your video I see your points I think it would have been better if they could have brought over Greg Davies or if they could have had a more instantly recognizable task master so that it people would have known pretty quickly that it was a persona. I would not be happy with such short episodes but I do agree that some of the UK tasks got complicated. I'm very disappointed that we didn't get a better version of this show and that I didn't know about it when it was on. Oh well.
Ive liked 99 percent of the tasks. It works by putting yourself in the their place and thinking if and how you could do it..And then laughing at the contestants feeble attempts. Adding Greg ripping into them. At times it's from the Mighty Boosh/Python kind of ridiculous and futility. Can't see Americans buying into that married with a panel show.
No wonder Freddie Highmore is gifted in lateral thinking. After all, HE IS A SURGEON!!!!
The fact that most of your criticism of the UK format was that you don't understand it and it's too complicated, should tell you a lot.
The US version failed because of obnoxious contestants, cringy shouting for no reason is not the same as playful arguing that happens in the rest.
Task master is full of whimsy, which is much more common in UK entertainment. There doesn't need to be the same some sort of satire or ironical detachment to just have fun. Especially when compared to US stand ups. Add to that the type of egos and meticulous image control that exists in US television. It becomes easy to see why it failed. This type of show works. Its existed in both the podcast and improv stage show formats for over a decade in the US.
This post is exactly why US fails when it comes to being spontaneous and funny
No, more tasks do not equate to stagnation and a shorter run time doesn't give the show any "room to breathe". The US version is probably just made that way for people with shorter attention spans. Shame that.
I would also take issue with your assertion of certain pre-known facts about the hosts.
When I first watched the UK taskmaster, I didn’t know any of those things. However, Greg Davies hosting made it very clear it was going on. His presentational style and winking and nod. Sarcasm Makes it extremely obvious that this whole thing is very silly. And I disagree that the points don’t matter, the points do matter. In a very dumb way, but some of the best episodes occur because the contestants actually take the point seriously.
Reggie Watts, problem was that he did not have this over the top presentational style. Which meant that you would be inclined to potentially take him seriously.
I will agree that if you’re going to change the dynamic of the hosts, then, perhaps changing the visual language of the show might make sense. And certainly, redoing the shell in a way that was completely different, but still have the same core mechanics could’ve worked. So if your point is that if you’re going to do a 21 minute version of Taskmaster, then you have to change it significantly to match the limited time, I could agree with that.
However, I think there’s a reason why the UK show works, and I don’t think shortening it improves it the way that you suggest.
You really failed to understand the show, just like the US Taskmaster.