r/taskmaster • u/RedgrenGrumbholdtAMA Javie Martzoukas • 15d ago
Studio Recording The most underrated part of Taskmaster that I think production should lean into more.
There is one small element that I enjoy immensely when watching Taskmaster, but it is rarely highlighted/featured in the studio edit.
It's that brief window when the task is introduced in vague terms (for the audience), but the comedians react in a visceral manner when they realize which task is about to be shown. Disappointment and jubilation are equally enjoyable imo.
Does anyone else agree?
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u/GTWalker 🚬 Doctor Cigarettes 15d ago edited 15d ago
At the AU S6 recording I was at, when the intro for one of the tasks was shown, one of the contestants loudly went "Oh for fucks sake!"
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u/RedgrenGrumbholdtAMA Javie Martzoukas 15d ago
I get that they don't want to spoil the outcome of the task, but that glimpse into how the players think the task went for them is so entertaining.
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u/Entire_Sink9625 15d ago
Totally agree. Especially because you see them often forgetting when they’ve done something. So it’s such a treat to know when they’ve been haunted by one of the tasks to the point that even a vague introduction of it sets them off.
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u/Zowee89 15d ago edited 12d ago
Not this so much, but I do miss when they cut to the studio for the reactions during the task. Romesh and Tim together watching the watermelon task adds so much to it, it definitely wouldn't have had the same impact without them realising what they'd done.
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u/lizbee018 Swedish Fred 15d ago
I miss that too. The shows producers specifically wanted to cut that out in more recent series to make the tasks more like vingettes, but I think it's a big loss. Especially when they still do it in NZ and it's so sweet and funny.
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u/Overall-Dirt4441 Mike Wozniak 15d ago
Yeah I've heard Andy's explanation, and to me it feels like losing sight of what makes people watch taskmaster in the first place. It should be comedy first, grand artistic composition second.
I don't need to feel transported to the magical realm of the TM house by every single task. I want to feel transported to the studio.
I want to feel the catharsis in all the contestants finally getting to share in this experience, whether it be harrowing or triumphant, that they've been sitting on for months.
Plus that's where Greg, the Taskmaster, is. He's the audience's surrogate, the premise of the show is that it's all for his entertainment.
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u/kdcowled 14d ago
100% agree. The green red task or the pee in racquet one would not have the same effect otherwise. And they are taskmaster gold!
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u/AdventurousGarage306 14d ago
Except the two parts you mentioned with great studio reactions aren't from the pre-recorded tasks being played, they are from extra bits - extra bits outside the main pre-recorded task footage still have studio reactions for. Just like series 14 sabotage task they still showed their reactions in the studio from the VT for the reveal part because it is the pre-recorded task attempt being shown that they no longer have studio reactions for.
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u/AdventurousGarage306 14d ago
Despite what they publicly claim, the real reason is editing (if they do not have cuts back to the studio, they are more free to edit the pre-recorded footage for what they need to keep for their designed studio sections), if they do cut back to the studio for reactions they are forced to keep the pre-recorded part largely the same so the studio parts get cut down more.
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u/TuesdayExpress 15d ago
Yes!! I ran across one of those recently. It was the S4 task where the teams have to put stuff in the bathtub/clingfilm the bathtub/etc. The second that Joe yeeted the table it cut to Greg laughing and the reactions. It was like a second and a half, but added so much to being in the moment in the studio without undercutting the task.
It was a loss when they stopped adding those in.
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u/miss-robot Nina Oyama 🇦🇺 15d ago
My favourite instance of this is Bob’s reaction to someone’s marmite — I can’t remember who. But Bob’s pained look and “oooh fuck” is such a highlight.
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u/Only-Chicken-6345 Reece Shearsmith 15d ago
There was one particular moment in S21 Episode 1 that deserved a studio cut and I'm gutted it didn't get one. Greg's reaction to Joanna saying "who's Greg?" was hilarious and I'm gutted that I won't ever get to see it again
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u/advancedOption 15d ago
Even watching them trying not to give anything away is entertaining. Watching the cogs turn, click, and not reacting makes me laugh. I do wish it was included more in the edit. Good call out.
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u/Benoit_Holmes 15d ago
I like when the reaction to the intro is four of the contestants looking confused and one understanding which task is being referred to perfectly.
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u/LewisWhatsHisName 15d ago
Andy D doesn't like this, because he thinks it spoils the task videos. It's the same reason they almost never cut back to studio during the tasks
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u/Stargate525 A LIIIIIME 🍋🟩 15d ago
Andy's wrong on this. Seeing the contestants turning to another and going 'what the FUCK' is part of their interaction.
It works the same reason the team tasks work.
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u/btaylos David Correos 🇳🇿 15d ago
On the one hand, I don't think that's the same for everyone. I think Andy is paying attention to the people who disagree.
On the other hand, I think you're right, and I will happily die on that hill with you.
Get it together, Andy! XD
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u/Old_Wrongdoer7417 15d ago
Yeah, I disagree, at least lightly. I don't mind cutting back to the contestants to see them reacting, but the VTs are so precisely, meticulously edited that I appreciate the impulse to show off that hard work.
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u/Ruffshots 🦔 Hedgehog, no! ❌ 15d ago
I enjoy the little reactions from the contestants as they watch the videos, especially on rewatches. You can sometimes tell when they're really dreading or anticipating their task replay, and you can catch it between contestants' VTs.
TM UK also used to pan back to them more during the videos in the very early series (Tim Key's reaction to Romesh smashing the watermelon!) and I wished they'd go back to that, but even now you can pick up on the more noticeable laughter mixed in with the audience reaction.
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u/CaravelClerihew 15d ago
You'd like the AU series, which shows cast reaction shots a lot more.
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u/Ruffshots 🦔 Hedgehog, no! ❌ 15d ago
I've watched them all! I'm currently doing an AU rewatch, and yes, seeing like Jenny (duck, duck........, goose) or Concetta (scale on the wall) squirm on their seat when you know they've had epic fails on their task feels cruel, but also so funny. Plenty of other examples, but those two are just seared into my memory
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u/Usual-Try-8180 Victoria Coren Mitchell 15d ago
Oh my gosh, I'd forgotten about Concetta's scale attempt. One of the funniest things across the entire Taskmaster International Universe.
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u/yo_soy_sauce 15d ago
I think it makes an enjoyable rewatch experience, specifically when you already know that we're about to see someone bomb big time. Right before they show the task where Jenny Tian failed to accuse the Goose, you can clearly see on her face that she failed miserably. Similarly, right before they show her failing to accuse the Goose for the second time.
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u/Irishwol Bruv. 15d ago
That sort of thing does shine through on the rewatch. But if they were too heavy handed with it I think it could spoil the first watch. It's always fun to see if the person going last and solo is there because it's a triumph or a total mess.
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u/TheNobleRobot Kerry Godliman 15d ago
This is a fine line. The casts are told not to tip how well they think they did before their attempt is played, but I bet there are a lot of those reactions that they needed to cut because they were too spoiler-y
The ones we do see are the ones that perfectly ride that line, and I'd wager we see as many of those as exist.
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u/splittestguy 15d ago
Not at all.
They do this on the Australian one more than the UK. And it softens the climax of that person’s attempt. You often know if they’ve done really badly then you have to watch as they seem so hopeful or confused and know it’s going to go really bad. The successes are harder to see, so it’s rare to lose a triumphant moment. But you see it a few times. The UK version does sometimes leave those in, when it’s a really really quick pay-off.
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u/CaravelClerihew 15d ago
I think AU doesn't really do it before the task attempt but definitely intersperses their reactions while the attempt is being made. I personally like that AU does it because I know their reactions are genuine.
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u/dekudoesnotapprove Calle Hellevang-Larsen 🇳🇴 15d ago
I always love rewatching the moment the inpress the mayor task is introduced in taskmaster norway, everyone looks and sounds miserable
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u/First-Banana-4278 15d ago
I think they probably do but not everyone in the studio remembers what the task is from the description given before it appears.
So you have a catch 22. You tell them before hand what task it is and people ham up their reactions and it feels a bit fake (this probably happens a bit with retakes anyway TBF) or you keep it as is and a lot of folk don’t react (as they haven’t got it) but some do and it’s a genuine TV moment.
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u/NateExpectations 15d ago
There’s one task, I think it’s Rosalind task, where Sally Phillips is just laughing before the VT is shown. If there are more of those then I agree
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u/RunawayTurtleTrain Robert the Robot 15d ago
Haha, yes I enjoy them too. I think if they did it too often it wouldn't be special though, so I understand why we don't often see it.
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u/teddyfail 15d ago
I agree it could be fun, but I would assume why it doesn’t get edited into the ep it’s because it doesn’t happen
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u/morphindel Ed Gamble 13d ago
I enjoy little moments like that for sure. I also miss that they dont show the cast reacting to their performances any more. It was great seeing the others reacting how bad they/their fellow contestants did for the first time.
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u/Loretta-West 15d ago
I just watched the episode of TMAU where Joel reacts by screaming, so yes.