Ep 2. A novel about Russian Gulags.

In Taskmaster season 8 episode 2, titled "A Novel About Russian Gulags," the five contestants - David Baddiel, Jo Brand, Ed Gamble, Rose Matafeo, and Katy Wix - are given a series of bizarre and seemingly impossible tasks to complete in front of the watchful eye of Taskmaster Greg Davies and his trusty assistant, Alex Horne.

The episode begins with a challenge in which the contestants must use a vacuum cleaner to suck pieces of a jigsaw puzzle across a room and assemble it on a table. This proves to be a chaotic and messy affair, with some of the contestants struggling to get the pieces to stick to the vacuum's nozzle and others accidentally breaking parts of the puzzle.

Next up is a task in which the contestants must draw a picture with a crayon while balancing a football on their head. This proves to be a difficult balancing act, with some of the contestants opting to sit down in order to steady themselves and others taking bold risks by attempting to draw while standing up.

The third task involves the creation of a "book portrait" of former UK Prime Minister David Cameron, using only office supplies such as staplers, paperclips, and rubber bands. The contestants put their creativity to the test as they try to come up with unique and inventive ways to represent the politician in desk accessory form.

The final task of the episode is the most daunting: the contestants must each write a novel in the style of a Russian Gulag memoir, with a minimum of 500 words. They are given just one hour to complete the task, and they must also include a cover image for their book. As they write feverishly, the contestants struggle to come up with coherent and compelling storylines.

Throughout the episode, Greg and Alex provide commentary and critique the contestants' efforts, often finding themselves amused or bemused by the strange and unexpected approaches taken by the competitors. At the end of each task, they award points based on who completed the task most successfully, with the ultimate goal of becoming the Taskmaster champion at the end of the season.

Overall, Taskmaster season 8 episode 2 is a hilarious and entertaining installment of the popular British comedy show, featuring a variety of challenging and unusual tasks that push the contestants to their limits. Fans of the series are sure to enjoy this episode and its unique brand of humor and creativity.