Now that I’ve caught up with Taskmaster (for now/barring specials)… well there’s the whole world of INTERNATIONAL TASKMASTER.
First up, New Zealand! And because… well, I have no justification. I’m starting with season 3 because that’s the one that is coming out on YouTube around now.
It’s a bit weird watching a new Taskmaster and assistant after so many seasons, but so far I really like Jeremy Wells and Paul Williams. They don’t try to copy Greg Davis and Alex Horne (entirely), but rather build their own thing.
Contestantwise, they’re all fun this series (I think I always say that). I think my favorite this series was either Chris Parker or Josh Thompson. Either such chaotic energy or generally playing it straight … until doing something absolutely bonkers.
Love it.
Onward!
Episode by episode:
1. F*** Golf
It’s so weird to swap from Greg Davis to Jeremy Wells. I like them both, but it’s still certainly a thing.
The even more extreme chair dimorphism is delightful.
32 years of a fig tree—and then chop it down. Marmalade—take that big jam. A suitcase—to get the hell out of New Zealand. 10 bottles of wine—which do not in fact weigh 1kg each. And 1/10 of a 100kg contestant.
That’s a start.
Eggs!
Ahh I’ve prolapsed. What’s prolapsed? Prolapsed is when your anus goes out and doesn’t go in. Or something.
Not something you’d expect to hear in an egg rescuing challenge.
And finally. A game of golf.
Sweaty man. Walking through the forest. Looking for a hole.
So many fake holes.
Delightful.
The fact that two of them walked right by the hole and didn’t see it?
F*** golf indeed.
Soap.
2. Sauce T**s
Something that delights the senses.
A Big Mac.
All right.
Ball me!
Balled.
Oh, it gets better.
In dramatic slow motion.
Oh … this show.
Recite pi.
Comes up with a full routine.
… What’s the first number of pi?
3. Mexican Lasagna
Hang the washing. Paul will spin the washing line once, most items remaining wins.
And then of course… the washing is absolutely chock full of random weird items.
Josh: Sad. Sad. 41 year old man trying to hang up a sour worm. Paul: It’s not sour. It’s just gummy. Josh: I am under time pressure Paul. I don’t have time to identify lollies. Paul: Well the sour ones normally have sugar on the outside. Josh: I know about the sour ones Paul.
Yeah, that’s the way to break it!
It’s… a flag?
Paul Ego: You see the Mexican flag flying up here and they’ll be like… ooh, time for some lasagna. Paul Williams: Isn’t that… Italian?
The twist… with both a flag and the name of a county and a flag…
… that doesn’t actually match?
Delightful?
The best part? That joke about lasagna? That was totally the Italian flag. 😆 He knew!
Paul (Williams) has such a delightful ‘what in the world are you even doing?!’
4. Herbs and Spices
Driving. What could go wrong?
Duck in a bucket.
What a game.
5. The Prime Minister Thanks You
I just want to clean your f***ing hands…
Throw the water the furthest.
Well. I suppose it’s a matter of definitions then.
Anyways, now for something historical.
Something at least!
This is just sad.
One of those tasks where the first person is last and the 4th is first etc. So Paul of course decides to find 3 other people to touch the cow.
Touch the cow…
…fastest will be disqualified.
lol.
6. Sweet Naval Orange
A trail of superstitions and the flip five heads in a row.
I guarantee there’s a double headed coin somewhere… (didn’t they do this on the US taskmaster recently? Taskmaster: Series 16 (episode 8))
lol.
And then a ‘sneak up on the Taskmaster’s assistant while he’s not looking’ task, just like Taskmaster: Series 8 (episode 1). It’s an episode for duplicates… but good ones!
The cameras on their heads was a good touch.
7. Butt Heavy
Give Paul money.
Written on lined paper by hand. Without the seal.
And yet they all gone on about it.
And aren’t at all suspicious when Paul pulled out one of those mobile credit card processing machines.
Paul: It’s like I’ve got no idea how to win a task.
And… that was just legit the task.
I’m so confused.
The face of two men who are totally going to enchant a forest.
He has chosen the mango, cow slayer.
That… is perhaps the most normal thing about this entire play. It got really weird.
And then there’s this.
Whatever this is.
Man this version of this show is unhinged.
And then, spot the difference!
Team final task! Rhyming debates.
Oh my.
8. Best Friends
Something you’ve never seen before.
Shows the Taskmaster the back of his own head.
Paul Williams points out that… the prize is a golden copy of… the Taskmaster’s head.
This did not go as expected 😃
And then, bring in a doppelgänger.
Oh that’s delightful.
Doubly delightful.
The fact that Justine accidentally completely the task… and still was slowest is delightful.
9. Well Alright
Well. That’s natural.
Less natural.
I did not expect her to be the one to rap.
She deserved more than 1 point.
Hidden tasks for the win!
My favorite task of the series though?
Hide your (fake) friend’s body. Whoever Paul takes the longest to find wins.
Oh that escalated quickly!
Human war boats (Battleship)!
Oh that’s cheating. Delightfully so.
Wet Ass Cutlery
Torturing Paul… turned up perhaps a bit too far.
Give Paul either a trick… or a treat!
Wonder what they all chose?
(It’s actually delightful.)
WAP is something so different…
😄
😄 😄
Move the water from one tub to another… while chained to two tubs.
That’s a delightful task… And of course, there’s more to it than one might think.
When I’ve got time left I always feel like I’ve majorly fucked something up.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED
Yeah. That’s the best.
I would never think to pick up a bath.
Well you didn’t think to put the plug in.
{Death glare}
😄 😄 😄
Chris on 169. Nice.
Delivered perfectly straight.
Paul is great.