# Taskmaster, and other British panel shows: the omnibus thread

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taskmaster-and-other-british-panel-shows-the-omnibus-thread/979600>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** reality-or-game-show\
**Created:** [February 10, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taskmaster-and-other-british-panel-shows-the-omnibus-thread/979600 "2023-02-10T22:52:54Z")\
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**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taskmaster-and-other-british-panel-shows-the-omnibus-thread/979600/1 "2023-02-10T22:52:54Z")

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Series 15 of _Taskmaster_ (U.K.) starts in March, with Frankie Boyle, Ivo Graham, Jenny Eclair, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, and Mae Martin as contestants. The [“Your Insomniac-Bored-Anxious YouTube Videos” thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-insomniac-bored-anxious-youtube-video-choices/979514) over in MPSIMS flushed out a couple of fans of the show; this thread is for discussion of the new series, past seasons, and other British comedy panel shows such as _Would I Lie To You_, _8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown_, _I Literally Just Told You_, and _Mock The Week._ Who’s your favorite contestant? Best moment? Most hopeless incompetent (looking at you, Nish Kumar and John Kearns)? Favorite sociopath (looking at _you_, Rhod Gilbert)?

Of the next cast, I’ve only ever heard of Frankie Boyle, but finding out about unfamiliar comedians and actors is part of the pleasure of the show. I’m currently working my way, not in any particular order, through the previous 14 series, and getting exposed to a bunch of comedians and actors I’d never before heard of, like Guz Khan, Munya Chawawa, Sally Phillips, and Fern Brady. I’m curious to see Frankie, because I can’t really square his acerbic, transgressive black comedy with the surreality of, say, herding ping-pong balls or cooking a pancake while wearing as many kitchen utensils as you can cram into a headband. But I wouldn’t have thought Romesh Ranganathan’s comedy would work, either, so I’m prepared to be surprised.

Anyone else?

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