The essential episodes of Taskmaster
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Taskmaster — each pick states its reason.
- 01
In the first ever episode, Greg Davies and Alex Horne challenge Frank Skinner, Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty, Romesh Ranganathan and Tim Key to paint the best picture of a horse while riding a horse
- 02
Greg Davies and Alex Horne set madcap tasks for five comedians: can they identify the mystery pies? But these are no ordinary pies - these are Taskmaster pies!
- 03
Doc Brown, Joe Wilkinson, Jon Richardson, Katherine Ryan and Richard Osman tackle tricky tasks, including a potato hole-in-one that will surely go down in television history
- 04
Al Murray goes to extreme lengths to maximise his point potential with an egg cup. Sara Pascoe swiftly becomes one of the greatest sporting minds of our time using a few balloons and a loaf of bread.
- 05
It's the series finale, but who will lift Greg Davies's golden head? Noel Fielding finds his soulmate, and Mel Giedroyc bites off more than she can chew.
- 06
Aisling Bea, Bob Mortimer, Mark Watson, Nish Kumar and Sally Phillips tackle futile tasks: basketball (no hands), rowing (no oars) and cuddles (no kissing)
- 07
The series reaches its majestic climax. Which of our contestants will win Greg Davies' coveted golden head and become only the seventh Taskmaster champion in history?
- 08
Water, sand and beach balls contribute a seaside feel to this episode, but the jovial tone is soured by one contestant's flagrant cheating.
- 09
Greg Davies' assistant Alex Horne is powerless in the face of Ed Gamble's creative vision. Plus: bare chests and bucking donkeys.
- 10
Mawaan Rizwan attempts a farm-related illusion in the hope of impressing domineering Taskmaster Greg Davies. Plus: pasta disasters and catapult calamities.
- 11
The Lure of the Treacle Puppies
The contestants argue about facial hair. Mike Wozniak vaults a high fence. Lee Mack struggles to see a balloon.
- 12
Greg Davies sets more tasks to contenders Alan Davies, Desiree Burch, Guz Khan, Morgana Robinson and Victoria Coren Mitchell, while his loyal sidekick Alex Horne gets all excited over a task involving a fiendish riddle. In this edition Morgana drenches herself in peas, Victoria learns a new skill, Desiree makes a political statement with jam, Alan piles on the sunglasses and Guz pens a new song.
- 13
This time, in an unexpected interpretation of a task, Bridget Christie shoves a cuddly toy inside a traffic cone, to create a scene that almost reduces Little Alex Horne to tears. Taskmaster Greg Davies is surprisingly sympathetic to his PA's distress but is less forgiving of Sophie Duker's dinosaur impression. Meanwhile, Ardal O'Hanlon is defeated by a robot, Chris Ramsey is impressed with a hose, and Judi Love is confident about everything except marbles.
- 14
The Taskmaster's much-admired assistant, Little Alex Horne, has many talents. He can use a stopwatch, he can record statistics and he can comb Greg Davies' hair every night for exactly 20 minutes. But can he competently wield a pair of pliers? Rosie Jones is keen to find out. Elsewhere, Andy Zaltzman finds a really important pen, Jack Dee adopts a charismatic New York accent, Babátúndé Aléshé creates a lovely little otter and Emma Sidi enjoys some horrible wine.
- 15
The contest continues, with Jason Mantzoukas trying to befriend a fisherman, Rosie Ramsey displaying a talent for trotting, Fatiha El-Ghorri boasting about her seductive scent and Stevie Martin pitching for a role in Downton Abbey. Meanwhile, Mathew Baynton spectacularly forfeits any remaining dignity. In a not-unrelated instance, Little Alex Horne's shoes are doused with yoghurt as Taskmaster Greg Davies casts his judgements.
Shows like Taskmaster
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
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- 04ComedyThe essential episodes of South Park1997–present·Comedy Central
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- 06Comedy·Adventure·Science-FictionThe essential episodes of Rick and Morty2013–present·Adult SwimRick is a mentally gifted, but sociopathic and alcoholic scientist and a grandfather to Morty; an awkward, impressionable, and somewhat spineless teenage boy.
