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The Guardian
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Crime scene catharsis: how a darkly comic video game and TV show turned me into a murder clean-up specialist
Lately I've been playing a new job sim game, Crime Scene Cleaner, while also watching BBC's comedy series The Cleaner, both of which focus on the aftermath of gruesome murders – sometimes you just need some cosy viewing to take the edge off the day. In the TV show, Greg Davies plays Wicky, the acerbic employee of a government-endorsed clean-up company, while Crime Scene Cleaner's lead character Kovalsky is a lowly janitor, mopping up blood and disposing of trash to cover up for a mob boss named Big Jim. The crime scenes in both are laughably over the top. Or are they? I've never actually seen a real-life murder scene, so perhaps copious blood sprayed over walls and ceilings and the masses of broken furniture is completely normal. Stepping into Kovalsky's plastic overshoes, the aim is to leave each location exactly as it was prior to the … um … incident. Unlike Wicky, who has to constantly deal with annoying homeowners and neighbours, Kovalsky has no living humans for company; just the dead ones that he hauls over his shoulder before slinging them unceremoniously into the back of his pickup truck. Each scene plays out in silence, save for the occasional brief chat with Big Jim and Kovalsky's own pithy self-talk. Both Kovalsky and Wicky are world-weary labourers, doing what is necessary to get through each blood-splattered scene. But there are differences between the two men: Kovalsky swipes cash and valuables to boost his bank balance (he's saving up to pay his daughter's medical bills) while Wicky just wants to get finished in time for curry night at the pub. Crime Scene Cleaner is a weird concept for a game, the unnatural offspring of PowerWash Simulator and Hitman. But despite the macabre premise, I've come to appreciate the quiet, contemplative and satisfying process of cleaning up, as Kovalsky stuffs fragments of glass, pizza slices and broken crockery into his bin bag before hurling it into his truck and getting started on all the blood spatter with a microfibre mop, pushing sofas and tables back and returning ornaments to their rightful spot on the shelves afterwards. It's immensely satisfying, despite the game's realistic yet tiresome insistence on continually wringing out your mops and sponges. Exploring increasingly bizarre locations is also a common theme between the two: Crime Scene Cleaner has a pizzeria, a museum and a spooky smart house; The Cleaner takes in an ice-cream parlour, theatre and stately home. I love that the game gives me a chance to become a more sedate version of The Cleaner's Wicky without the interference of coppers, maniacal novelists or even the killer themselves (as brilliantly portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter in the show). With his daughter ensconced in a medical clinic, Kovalsky's only (living) companion is his playful German shepherd. Its name? Dexter. Of course. At the end of each clean-up, I find myself standing back and admiring the scene, content with a job well done. Crime Scene Cleaner and The Cleaner both tap into the very essence of black comedy, where horror becomes amusingly banall. In both, the crimes have already happened, the worst has been done and all that remains is… the remains.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Show I Thought I'd Hate (And Learned to Love)
For ages, various friends of mine recommended that I check out Taskmaster, a British comedy game show in which a group of five comedians earn points by completing a series of silly challenges. The show, which first premiered in 2015, has crossed the ocean in recent years to become a word-of-mouth hit, with fans drawn to its comic hijinks and nonsensical premise. Yet every time my friends nudged me toward Taskmaster, I'd wrinkle my nose. Making the program sound exciting is tough: The idea of stand-up comics and character actors improvising art projects and undergoing physical trials doesn't seem like it'd be very fun to watch. And more important, I spent much of my youth in England; as I'd repeat to anyone who'd listen, I left the country to escape series like this one. Taskmaster is what's known as a panel show, a format that is a pillar of British TV. It's as foundational as the pre-dinnertime soap operas or the smoldering costume dramas that are exported to Masterpiece. Series in this genre are typically simple and cheap to produce: A committee composed of several comedic entertainers make fun of current events (Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You), answer trivia questions (QI, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year), or suss out which of them is telling the truth (the aptly titled Would I Lie to You?). The panelists' goal is to amuse one another as much as they do the audience. This type of comedy series can be good background viewing, but it's also overwhelmingly homogenous—both the rotating casts and the bits often start to feel repetitive. So the thought of diving into Taskmaster didn't initially appeal to me, even with the more competitive angle; after all, plenty of panel shows ostensibly revolve around a game, even if winning it doesn't matter. The Taskmaster setup, I discovered, is special, despite the glancing similarities to programs of its ilk. After enough hounding by some pals—British and American ones—I gave in and fired up an episode. (In the United States, the series is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube and Pluto TV.) At first, I was at most mildly amused by the seemingly traditional panel-style proceedings. But I was properly hooked after the comics were issued a bizarre prompt: 'Create the best caricature of the person on the other side of the curtain. You may not look at the person. The person may only say yes and no.' [Read: The game show that parodies your to-do list] Strange requests of this nature, I soon learned, are Taskmaster's bread and butter. The activities are overseen by the titular Taskmaster, Greg Davies, and his assistant, Alex Horne. Horne is the show's creator, but on-screen, he plays an eager second fiddle to Davies, who presides over each episode with imperious fury. Davies judges the panelists based on a combination of in-studio and on-location challenges. The ones undertaken onstage follow set rules: First, guests present the funniest answer to a ridiculous request (such as finding the 'most interesting autograph on the most interesting vegetable'); then they take on a dare that unites them in some sort of tomfoolery. The remote tasks, however, are the series's centerpiece. Sometimes, the premise is straightforward—finding creative ways to fill a tub with water or slide the furthest distance, for example. Sometimes, it's a more subjective concept, where who wins is totally up to Davies's personal taste. And sometimes it's a puzzle of sorts, a fiendish brainteaser designed by Horne and his team to get the best, most infuriated reactions from the participants. The contestants watch edited clips of their performances together, giving them the chance to see—and poke fun at—how they each accomplished the challenges. The seemingly impossible assignment Horne and company have set for themselves is to create a weeks-long tournament focused on what appears to be a mundane idea. The stakes are somehow ridiculously low—the winner essentially just receives bragging rights, along with a comically ugly metal bust of Davies's head—and incredibly high, for comedians looking to boost their notoriety. But the revelations that emerge, such as which comedian has a surprising level of artistic talent or a particularly creative approach to problem-solving, are more than just hilarious. The panelists handle their tasks seriously; each prompt yields very different results, and the methods they choose offer a small, fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of their brain. Watching how they go about keeping a basketball on a treadmill without touching it is as much part of the joy as hearing the jokes they tell about it afterward. I started with Season 4, because it had several guests I recognized—the comedians Noel Fielding and Mel Giedroyc were well known when I lived in England, and the actor Hugh Dennis has memorably popped up in international hits such as Fleabag. Taskmaster almost always throws some up-and-coming British comics into the mix too; the variety makes for an exciting change of pace from the stagnant casts populating the panel shows I remember. The serialized format also helped me become a fan of the performers I was less familiar with. The emotional investment builds naturally, with the audience following the contestants week to week. [Read: The comic who's his own worst enemy] The show even seems willing to expand its own comedic sensibilities. Season 19, which began airing last week, features a notable American player—the actor Jason Mantzoukas, a podcast and sitcom legend who's probably best known for his work on The League and Parks and Recreation. Only one other American comedian, Desiree Burch, has been on Taskmaster before now; unlike Mantzoukas, she is established in the U.K. and has lived there for more than a decade. American humor can often be more brash than British comedy, which is cloaked in irony and self-deprecation. So far, however, Mantzoukas's high energy is gelling well with the show's competitive bent. The first episode—which, like every installment, landed on YouTube the day after its premiere—makes clear that his anarchic style would stand out against Taskmaster's vibe of enthusiastic curiosity, what with its big, brassy score and fast-paced editing. That spirit does take some getting used to. For its first few years, Taskmaster was a cult program even within the United Kingdom. It has since cultivated a loving fan base and expanded into a global franchise, with editions produced in New Zealand, Finland, and Croatia. By contrast, a spin-off made for U.S. audiences in 2018 flopped. Yet the producers seem to believe that the American audience is only growing, as bringing in Mantzoukas, putting every episode online, and announcing the Season 19 cast at an event in New York City all suggest. Instead of Americanizing it, however, it's best to emphasize Taskmaster's most easily translated quality: its sense of novelty. With reinvention baked right into the concept—new participants each season, new tasks each episode—it stays fresh and compelling far longer than the average British comedy game show. I still swear I'll never watch another panel series, as cute as the clips that come across my social-media feeds sometimes are. When it comes to Taskmaster, the efforts made to win over someone as resistant as me have worked: I'm now as fervent as the folks who urged me years ago to check it out. Article originally published at The Atlantic
Atlantic
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Atlantic
The Show I Thought I'd Hate (And Learned to Love)
For ages, various friends of mine recommended that I check out Taskmaster, a British comedy game show in which a group of five comedians earn points by completing a series of silly challenges. The show, which first premiered in 2015, has crossed the ocean in recent years to become a word-of-mouth hit, with fans drawn to its comic hijinks and nonsensical premise. Yet every time my friends nudged me toward Taskmaster, I'd wrinkle my nose. Making the program sound exciting is tough: The idea of stand-up comics and character actors improvising art projects and undergoing physical trials doesn't seem like it'd be very fun to watch. And more important, I spent much of my youth in England; as I'd repeat to anyone who'd listen, I left the country to escape series like this one. Taskmaster is what's known as a panel show, a format that is a pillar of British TV. It's as foundational as the pre-dinnertime soap operas or the smoldering costume dramas that are exported to Masterpiece. Series in this genre are typically simple and cheap to produce: A committee composed of several comedic entertainers make fun of current events (Mock the Week, Have I Got News for You), answer trivia questions (QI, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year), or suss out which of them is telling the truth (the aptly titled Would I Lie to You?). The panelists' goal is to amuse one another as much as they do the audience. This type of comedy series can be good background viewing, but it's also overwhelmingly homogenous—both the rotating casts and the bits often start to feel repetitive. So the thought of diving into Taskmaster didn't initially appeal to me, even with the more competitive angle; after all, plenty of panel shows ostensibly revolve around a game, even if winning it doesn't matter. The Taskmaster setup, I discovered, is special, despite the glancing similarities to programs of its ilk. After enough hounding by some pals—British and American ones—I gave in and fired up an episode. (In the United States, the series is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube and Pluto TV.) At first, I was at most mildly amused by the seemingly traditional panel-style proceedings. But I was properly hooked after the comics were issued a bizarre prompt: 'Create the best caricature of the person on the other side of the curtain. You may not look at the person. The person may only say yes and no.' Strange requests of this nature, I soon learned, are Taskmaster 's bread and butter. The activities are overseen by the titular Taskmaster, Greg Davies, and his assistant, Alex Horne. Horne is the show's creator, but on-screen, he plays an eager second fiddle to Davies, who presides over each episode with imperious fury. Davies judges the panelists based on a combination of in-studio and on-location challenges. The ones undertaken onstage follow set rules: First, guests present the funniest answer to a ridiculous request (such as finding the 'most interesting autograph on the most interesting vegetable'); then they take on a dare that unites them in some sort of tomfoolery. The remote tasks, however, are the series's centerpiece. Sometimes, the premise is straightforward—finding creative ways to fill a tub with water or slide the furthest distance, for example. Sometimes, it's a more subjective concept, where who wins is totally up to Davies's personal taste. And sometimes it's a puzzle of sorts, a fiendish brainteaser designed by Horne and his team to get the best, most infuriated reactions from the participants. The contestants watch edited clips of their performances together, giving them the chance to see—and poke fun at—how they each accomplished the challenges. The seemingly impossible assignment Horne and company have set for themselves is to create a weeks-long tournament focused on what appears to be a mundane idea. The stakes are somehow ridiculously low—the winneressentially just receives bragging rights, along with a comically ugly metal bust of Davies's head—and incredibly high, for comedians looking to boost their notoriety. But the revelations that emerge, such as which comedian has a surprising level of artistic talent or a particularly creative approach to problem-solving, are more than just hilarious. The panelists handle their tasks seriously; each prompt yields very different results, and the methods they choose offer a small, fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of their brain. Watching how they go about keeping a basketball on a treadmill without touching it is as much part of the joy as hearing the jokes they tell about it afterward. I started with Season 4, because it had several guests I recognized—the comedians Noel Fielding and Mel Giedroyc were well known when I lived in England, and the actor Hugh Dennis has memorably popped up in international hits such as Fleabag. Taskmaster almost always throws some up-and-coming British comics into the mix too; the variety makes for an exciting change of pace from the stagnant casts populating the panel shows I remember. The serialized format also helped me become a fan of the performers I was less familiar with. The emotional investment builds naturally, with the audience following the contestants week to week. The show even seems willing to expand its own comedic sensibilities. Season 19, which began airing last week, features a notable American player—the actor Jason Mantzoukas, a podcast and sitcom legend who's probably best known for his work on The League and Parks and Recreation. Only one other American comedian, Desiree Burch, has been on Taskmaster before now; unlike Mantzoukas, she is established in the U.K. and has lived there for more than a decade. American humor can often be more brash than British comedy, which is cloaked in irony and self-deprecation. So far, however, Mantzoukas's high energy is gelling well with the show's competitive bent. The first episode—which, like every installment, landed on YouTube the day after its premiere—makes clear that his anarchic style would stand out against Taskmaster 's vibe of enthusiastic curiosity, what with its big, brassy score and fast-paced editing. That spirit does take some getting used to. For its first few years, Taskmaster was a cult program even within the United Kingdom. It has since cultivated a loving fan base and expanded into a global franchise, with editions produced in New Zealand, Finland, and Croatia. By contrast, a spin-off made for U.S. audiences in 2018 flopped. Yet the producers seem to believe that the American audience is only growing, as bringing in Mantzoukas, putting every episode online, and announcing the Season 19 cast at an event in New York City all suggest. Instead of Americanizing it, however, it's best to emphasize Taskmaster 's most easily translated quality: its sense of novelty. With reinvention baked right into the concept—new participants each season, new tasks each episode—it stays fresh and compelling far longer than the average British comedy game show. I still swear I'll never watch another panel series, as cute as the clips that come across my social-media feeds sometimes are. When it comes to Taskmaster, the efforts made to win over someone as resistant as me have worked: I'm now as fervent as the folks who urged me years ago to check it out.
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
What time is Taskmaster on TV today? How to watch latest ep
Taskmaster is back with a brand new episode - but how can you watch it? 📺 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Taskmaster's newest series continues on Channel 4. It is time for the first team task of the season. But how can you watch it this week? A brand new episode of Taskmaster is just a few hours away. The comedians will be taking on their first team task of the season, it has been confirmed. Greg Davies and little Alex Horne are back to cast their eyes over the latest batch of comedy stars. It is airing weekly on Channel 4 - which became its home back in 2019. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how can you watch the latest episode? Here's all you need to know: What time is Taskmaster on TV today? Taskmaster Greg Davies and his assistant 'Little' Alex Horne. | Channel 4 | Channel 4 The show's 19th series will continue on Channel 4 this evening (May 8) - having premiered last week. It is set to start at 9pm and will be on for approximately an hour, including adverts. Taskmaster's latest episode will finish at 10pm and will be followed by a Gordon Ramsey programme. Viewers who can't watch it live will be able to catch up with it on demand. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The preview for the episode, via Radio Times, reads: 'The first team task of the series brings the usual awkwardness, but also the joys of Stevie Martin inventing a new way for humans to move and Fatiha El-Ghorri sweeping the lawn with a small broom. Elsewhere, Rosie Ramsey has a visceral reaction to mental arithmetic, Mathew Baynton strikes his own face with a grape, and Jason Mantzoukas destroys a shower.' How to watch Taskmaster series 19? Channel 4 is the current home of Taskmaster - having acquired it from Dave back in 2019. It will be broadcasting the latest episode on live TV from 9pm this evening, as previously mentioned. It will also be live and on demand via Channel 4's streaming platform - which also goes by the same name. The first episode of the season is available and episodes are added weekly.
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
What time is Taskmaster on TV today? How to watch latest ep
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Taskmaster is back with a brand new episode - but how can you watch it? 📺 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Taskmaster's newest series continues on Channel 4. It is time for the first team task of the season. But how can you watch it this week? A brand new episode of Taskmaster is just a few hours away. The comedians will be taking on their first team task of the season, it has been confirmed. Greg Davies and little Alex Horne are back to cast their eyes over the latest batch of comedy stars. It is airing weekly on Channel 4 - which became its home back in 2019. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But how can you watch the latest episode? Here's all you need to know: What time is Taskmaster on TV today? Taskmaster Greg Davies and his assistant 'Little' Alex Horne. | Channel 4 | Channel 4 The show's 19th series will continue on Channel 4 this evening (May 8) - having premiered last week. It is set to start at 9pm and will be on for approximately an hour, including adverts. Taskmaster's latest episode will finish at 10pm and will be followed by a Gordon Ramsey programme. Viewers who can't watch it live will be able to catch up with it on demand. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The preview for the episode, via Radio Times, reads: 'The first team task of the series brings the usual awkwardness, but also the joys of Stevie Martin inventing a new way for humans to move and Fatiha El-Ghorri sweeping the lawn with a small broom. Elsewhere, Rosie Ramsey has a visceral reaction to mental arithmetic, Mathew Baynton strikes his own face with a grape, and Jason Mantzoukas destroys a shower.' How to watch Taskmaster series 19? Channel 4 is the current home of Taskmaster - having acquired it from Dave back in 2019. It will be broadcasting the latest episode on live TV from 9pm this evening, as previously mentioned. It will also be live and on demand via Channel 4's streaming platform - which also goes by the same name. The first episode of the season is available and episodes are added weekly. Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
