Taskmaster! Season 5 Episode 4 Residue around the hoof.

As the fourth episode of Taskmaster's fifth season, "Residue around the hoof" offers an hour of hilarious and unconventional challenges for the five contestants on the show: Bob Mortimer, Aisling Bea, Mark Watson, Sally Phillips, and Nish Kumar. Host Greg Davies and his assistant Alex Horne introduce a series of bizarre tasks that require the players to demonstrate their creativity, strategy, and absurd sense of humor. From interpreting a vague phrase to manipulating objects without using their hands, the contestants have to think outside the box and outdo each other to earn the coveted points.

The episode begins with a daunting task: create the longest continuous whisper. As the players gather in the Taskmaster studio, they learn that they need to whisper a single sentence to each other without taking any breaks or pausing for too long. The sentence "I like the smell of my own farts" sets the tone for the absurdity that follows, as the contestants struggle to keep the whisper going while trying not to laugh or breathe too loudly. Bob Mortimer's attempt is particularly memorable, as his tendency to ad-lib and exaggerate turns the sentence into a hilarious monologue that almost derails the task.

The next task is all about wordplay and improvisation. The contestants take turns to interpret a phrase that Alex Horne has written on his tablet, but they can only use objects they find in a box to illustrate their interpretation. The phrase "it takes one to know one" leads to some playful and imaginative performances, as the players use toy dinosaurs, egg timers, and even their own faces to convey their ideas. Aisling Bea's interpretation involving a toy monkey and a banana is a standout moment, as she manages to be both creative and oddly logical.

The third task is another physical one that tests the players' dexterity and teamwork. They have to extract a large object from a box using only their feet, while blindfolded and wearing boxing gloves. The object turns out to be a watermelon, which proves to be slippery and difficult to maneuver. The players' contortions and struggles are a source of amusement for both the Taskmaster and the audience, as they try to coordinate their movements and avoid smashing the fruit. Sally Phillips and Nish Kumar show some impressive footwork, but it's Mark Watson who surprises everyone by suggesting a radical solution to the problem.

The midpoint task is a solo challenge that requires the players to identify a series of images that are gradually revealed on a screen. The catch is that they have to describe each image with a single word that begins with the same letter as the previous word. The resulting word chains are both funny and frustrating, as the players struggle to find suitable words and keep track of the sequence. Bob Mortimer's absurd sequence involving "pomegranates," "gibbons," and "nuclear reactors" is a testament to his unique sense of humor, while Sally Phillips manages to turn the tables on Greg Davies with her last word.

The penultimate task is a mental one that involves counting a large number of objects in a room without touching or moving them. The players are allowed to use any method they like, but they have to be precise and accurate in their counting. The objects include books, pencils, rubber ducks, and even stuffed animals, and their placement and arrangement add to the challenge. Bob Mortimer's approach involves some surreal reasoning, while Aisling Bea and Mark Watson resort to estimating and rounding up. Sally Phillips and Nish Kumar struggle with the sheer number of items and try to divide and conquer.

The final task is a collaborative one that requires all the players to work together to create a domino chain reaction that spells out a word. The catch is that they have to make the dominoes fall using only their mouths and some blowing tubes, without touching them directly. The word they have to spell is "Taskmaster," and the resulting attempts are both chaotic and hilarious. The players try various strategies and techniques, from blowing hard to using improvised mouthguards, but the fragile dominoes often refuse to cooperate. Greg Davies' reaction to the final result is a fitting end to an episode that showcases the absurdity and creativity of Taskmaster at its best.