Arjen Lubach is going to present some kind of laugh-or-shoot show on RTL 4, but according to TV authority Tina Nijkamp, the risk of a flop is very high. Will this undermine his image?
It is always a huge moment: Arjen Lubach who interviews fellow comedians in his satirical TV show on RTL 4. Yesterday it happened again: he hosted the presenters of the British program Taskmaster: Greg Davies and Alex Horne. Why? To announce that Arjen will make a Dutch version of the show.
Absurd television
Taskmaster is slapstick entertainment in which five well-known comedians ‘perform the most diverse, absurd and surprising tasks’. “They do this under great time pressure, with limited resources and above all: with complete freedom to carry out the assignment as they see fit,” RTL said in a press release.
“Everything is allowed, nothing is logical and only the Taskmaster determines who gets points and how many. Which five comedians will make an appearance will be announced later.”
Big risk
Expectations are low for TV authority Tina Nijkamp. “It is one risky project for RTL. Humor on TV is always difficult in the Netherlands,” she writes analysis channel. “The comedians that Lubach has as guests also cause huge ratings dips in his show. That’s difficult, but who knows.”
One of her spies says: “In Belgium, Taskmaster has already been taken off the air after one season. It was called ‘The Greatest Light’ there. In 2016 it was presented by Gert Verhulst. I hope it will score here, because I am a very big Taskmaster UK fan!”
Typecasting
Tina’s spy is moderately positive. “I saw that Diederik Smit will play the role that Alex Horne plays in the UK, I think that is the only good choice in terms of typecasting. I am curious! I wish them success in this area.”
Tina: “I’m also very curious where they are going to place this. Presumably on Sunday at the location of the talk show.”
She finds the choice for RTL 4 strange. “In terms of description, you would rather think RTL 5 or NPO 3. Not very family-like, but we will see.”
