''Taskmaster'' was an American comedy
panel game
A panel show or panel game is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Celebrity panelists may compete with each other, such as on ''The News Quiz''; facilitate play by non-celebrity contestants, such as on ' ...
show. The Taskmaster format was originally created by British comedian
Alex Horne
Alexander James Jeffery Horne (born 10 September 1978) is a British comedian and musician. Horne is the creator of BAFTA award-winning TV series ''Taskmaster'', in which he also performs as the Taskmaster's assistant. He is the host and ban ...
during the
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
in 2010, then became a UK television show on
Dave Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
in 2015. The American adaptation was produced for
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy program ...
in 2017. Based on the
original British version, the American TV series stars comedian and actor
Reggie Watts
Reginald Lucien Frank Roger Watts (born March 23, 1972) is an American comedian, actor, beatboxer, and musician. His improvised musical sets are created using only his voice, a keyboard, and a looping machine. Watts refers to himself as a "disinf ...
in the titular role of the Taskmaster, issuing simple comedic and bizarre tasks to regular contestants, with Horne acting as Watts' assistant and umpire during the challenges.
The series was recorded in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
, and the contestants were
Lisa Lampanelli
Lisa Lampanelli (born Lisa Marie Lampugnale; July 19, 1961) is an American former stand-up comedian, actress and insult comic.
Early life and journalism career
Lampanelli was born in Trumbull, Connecticut, to a middle-class family. Three of her ...
,
Freddie Highmore
Alfred Thomas Highmore (born 14 February 1992) is an English actor. He is known for his starring roles beginning as a child, in the films '' Finding Neverland'' (2004), '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' (2005), '' August Rush'' (2007), and ...
,
Ron Funches
Ronald Kyle Funches (born March 12, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. Born in California, Funches spent his early life in Chicago before relocating to Salem, Oregon, as a teenager. He began his comedy career in Portland, Oregon, a ...
,
Dillon Francis
Dillon Hart Francis (born October 5, 1987), also known by the stage name DJ Hanzel, is an American electronic music producer and DJ.
Early life
Francis was born in Los AngelesAhmed, Insanul (March 13, 2012Who Is Dillon Francis?Complex. Retri ...
, and
Kate Berlant
Kate Elizabeth Méndez Berlant (born 1987) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. Her stand-up comedy and improvisational work are often surrealist and absurdist.
Early life
Kate Elizabeth Méndez Berlant was born in Los Angeles in 19 ...
. It premiered on April 27, 2018 and was won by Kate Berlant. Watts has said that there will not be a second season.
Episodes
Panellists for this series were
Dillon Francis
Dillon Hart Francis (born October 5, 1987), also known by the stage name DJ Hanzel, is an American electronic music producer and DJ.
Early life
Francis was born in Los AngelesAhmed, Insanul (March 13, 2012Who Is Dillon Francis?Complex. Retri ...
,
Freddie Highmore
Alfred Thomas Highmore (born 14 February 1992) is an English actor. He is known for his starring roles beginning as a child, in the films '' Finding Neverland'' (2004), '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' (2005), '' August Rush'' (2007), and ...
,
Kate Berlant
Kate Elizabeth Méndez Berlant (born 1987) is an American comedian, actress, and writer. Her stand-up comedy and improvisational work are often surrealist and absurdist.
Early life
Kate Elizabeth Méndez Berlant was born in Los Angeles in 19 ...
,
Lisa Lampanelli
Lisa Lampanelli (born Lisa Marie Lampugnale; July 19, 1961) is an American former stand-up comedian, actress and insult comic.
Early life and journalism career
Lampanelli was born in Trumbull, Connecticut, to a middle-class family. Three of her ...
and
Ron Funches
Ronald Kyle Funches (born March 12, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. Born in California, Funches spent his early life in Chicago before relocating to Salem, Oregon, as a teenager. He began his comedy career in Portland, Oregon, a ...
, with Berlant being the overall winner.
Reception
The show received mostly positive reviews, though some critics compared it unfavorably to the original series.
Davies and Horne later said the show would have worked better with fewer changes from the UK format.
References
2010s American comedy game shows
2018 American television series debuts
American television series based on British television series
Comedy Central game shows
English-language television shows
Television game shows with incorrect disambiguation
2018 American television series endings
Taskmaster (TV series)
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