Jason Mantzoukas is bringing his own flair to ‘Taskmaster' this season
While only one episode of season 19 – or series 19, as the Brits call it – has aired to date, there were early hints that the United Kingdom will soon be fully acquainted with Jason Mantzoukas: Agent of Chaos.
Though panel shows are a fixture on British airwaves, there's really nothing on American television quite like 'Taskmaster.' An elegant blend of 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?,' a late-night talk show, and an escape room, the show forces five comedians to complete a series of absurd, often frustrating tasks devised by the show's creator and co-host, Alex Horne.
Some tasks – like
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To paraphrase former 'Whose Line' host
does
matter is Horne assembling five entertainers with the right mix of personality types and competitive styles to maximize our enjoyment.
There's usually one comedian who is surprisingly adept at finding loopholes in Horne's fiendish puzzles (like 'Veep' star Sally Phillips in Series 5); one who completes tasks through sheer force of will (like former '
What there usually
isn't
is a competitor who casually pulls a knife out of his pocket.
But that's exactly what Mantzoukas did, calmly hollowing out a carrot during a task dubbed the 'Pealympics.' It wasn't the only tool he used during the episode, either: After being told he couldn't climb on the roof of the Taskmaster house, Mantzoukas utilized a lock-pick set that he apparently always carries with him.
'Who are you?' asked a befuddled Davies.
In a recent
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Therein lies the beauty of Mantzoukas's performance style: One moment he appears smooth, confident, and hyper-competent; the next moment, he's a white-hot ball of unhinged fury. Whether he's dousing protesters with foul-smelling cologne on 'Parks & Recreation'
or trying to find a pea in an open field on 'Taskmaster,' expect the unexpected.
Kevin Slane is a staff writer covering entertainment and culture for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2014.
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