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Taskmaster

Ridiculous tasks. Serious competition.

2023–Ongoing5 seasons50 episodes~47 min/epMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Tough-love Taskmaster Tom Gleeson and his trusty assistant Tom Cashman put a batch of Aussie battlers through their paces!

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Taskmaster?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Taskmaster streaming on Hulu.

Subscription

Highlights

What stands out about Taskmaster?

Taskmaster earns 2 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Taskmaster worth watching?

Taskmaster's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all shows, from 842 ratings across 2 sources. 83% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of shows

77th percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)74th
Approval (how many liked it)79th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

76 /100

74th percentile of all shows

74th percentile among Comedy78th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

83% liked it

79th percentile of all shows

75th percentile among Comedy83rd percentile among 2020s
83% rated it 7–1017% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

69th percentile

821 ratings across platforms

54th percentile among Comedy71st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 24 days to Oct 28Down 29% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a distinct Australian adaptation of the Taskmaster format with its own comedic style.

Fans praised

  • Tom Gleeson and Tom Cashman's chemistry and hosting
  • Australian humor and unhinged contestant banter
  • evolving quality and good guest mix across seasons

Detractors panned

  • overbearing canned laughter and poor sound production
  • embarrassing, amateurish comedy execution

What stands out

Characters70

Tom Gleeson and Cashman praised as coming into their own

Pacing55

one fan notes final task is cut short and lacks audience shots

HumorDivisive40

highly divisive — fans love the unhinged Australian banter, detractors call it embarrassing slop

AtmosphereDivisive40

fans enjoy the evolving charm, detractors cite painfully amateur production feel

Sound and music15

detractors blast overused canned laughter and whooping track

Episodes

6 seasons

Season 5 · 2026 · 10 episodes

  • S5E1

    Where the War Happened

    May 7, 202652 min
  • S5E2

    I'm the Girl One

    May 14, 202648 min
  • S5E3

    Very Flaccid Paintbrush

    May 21, 202649 min
  • S5E4

    Jesus Would've Nailed This

    May 28, 202647 min
  • S5E5

    Your Crotch is Worth 1 Point

    Jun 4, 202649 min
  • S5E6

    Having a Menty B

    Jun 11, 202650 min

Watch experience

What is Taskmaster like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

Setting

  • Contemporary
  • Realistic
  • Institutional

Themes

  • Friendship
  • Ambition

Feelings

  • Joyful
  • Absurd

What it asks of you

  • Even-paced
  • Casual
  • Easy watch
  • Resolved

How it leaves you

  • Fun
  • Feel-good

Style

  • Playful
  • Wry: Amused and slightly dry about it.

Story

  • No archetype
ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Heaviest: throughoutWitty humor
Told as
Episodic · 11% of shows: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Unscripted · 15% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show adopts a lighthearted, playful competitive tone, with the hosts and contestants engaging in witty banter.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently light and playful mood across episodes and seasons.
StructureEach episode follows a consistent format: task assignments, attempts, and scoring.
Episode formatEach episode follows the same game-show format of tasks and scoring, with no continuing story.
Season formatEach season features a new panel of contestants but the format remains unchanged, making any season an entry point.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Why it leaves you this wayViewers leave amused and satisfied by the clever tasks and the rapport among participants.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeThe show is an unscripted game show/panel competition with no narrative plot.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

FriendshipAmbition · 14% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe chemistry and playful rivalry among the panel of comedians drives the show's humor and appeal.
StanceThe show celebrates creative problem-solving and comedic banter among the contestants.

The world

PopSupportive music · original score
SettingAustralian television studio
MusicThe theme music and interstitial cues are upbeat and playful.

Content guide

Is Taskmaster okay for kids?

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • AustraliaPG
  • New ZealandM

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Taskmaster have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Taskmaster?

Cast

Tom Gleeson
as Self - Taskmaster
Tom Cashman
as Self - Assistant
Lloyd Langford
as Self - Contestant
Dave Hughes
as Self - Contestant
Anne Edmonds
as Self - Contestant
Jenny Tian
as Self - Contestant
Josh Thomas
as Self - Contestant
Wil Anderson
as Self - Contestant
Nina Oyama
as Self
Julia Morris
as Self

Crew

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TMDB's suggestions for shows like Taskmaster include Taskmaster (2015), Animaniacs (2020) and Talking Tom & Friends (2014).

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