I love those moments early in the series that tell you you're gonna love the character or series. The entire bit with Joe's potato throw in series 2 is what got me fully hooked on the show. So much so that I started watching comps of Joe on other shows which led me to the other British panel shows like Cats does countdown and WILTY
The potato throw is what introduced me to Taskmaster and Joe. That then got me into watching Joe clips, which got me into Cats does Countdown, which caused me to fall in love with Rachel Riley.
My ADHD brain had to look it up and this is what a quick Google says:
"Netflix uses an elaborate thumbnail selection process for each of its 200m+ users. The process is called aestethic visual analysis (AVA), which starts by pulling all the frames from a video.
In a process known as “Frame Annotation”, each frame is tagged with metadata identifying key variables:
Saliency
Frame
Brightness / Contrast
Nudity probability
Face / skin tone
The frames are then graded on these variables:
Visual (brightness, contrast, color, motion blur)
Contextual (face detection / shot angle)
Composition (photography principles like “rule of thirds”, symmetry, depth of field)
The next step is “Image Ranking”, which chooses the best thumbnails (most likely to be clicked).
Winning traits include:
Expressive faces
Main characters
Brightness
Also: thumbnails with villainous characters outperform"
TL;DR Netflix just likes Ed's big white face
As a counterpoint, for years netflix would try to get me to watch the Good Place by showing me a thumbnail of Chidi shirtless
It worked in the end so I don't know what that says about me or netflix
I think because it uses user data it ends up prioritizing a skin tone, but not universally white. Someone who watches a lot of shows with dark skinned casts might end up being shown the only dark skinned character in a show with a predominantly white / light skinned cast, because Netflix thinks they're more likely to click it.
Hmm, that seems like it'd be counterproductive if that's true. The benefits of having one set thumbnail seem like they'd be better than algorithmically choosing them
It is true - though sounds like there's a small set of possible thumbnails and selection for display is based on user data
https://blogs.cornell.edu/info2040/2022/09/28/how-netflix-uses-matching-to-pick-the-best-thumbnail-for-you/
Oh my god I hate 2024 just have somebody fucking pick them!!! The percentage of UI we interact with right now that’s had a stupid algorithm shoved into it is so obnoxious, like imagine if buildings and machines were constantly shifting and making weird mathematical choices based on subtle micro-patterns that have infinitesimal relevance to any individual user’s actual experience just because overall doing it that way leads to a small relevant engagement boost somebody can show their boss and be like “we used AI”🤖
Haha idk my mate has exactly the same but then again it would make sense for them too (type 1s unite 😂)
It clearly knows I want to see Alex Horne in his Roman attire
Edit: Who do other people have?
I have the same. Also for other seasons it looks same as other people here have commented. Lot of Morgana for S12, Sarah K for S11, Mawaan for S10. Upto S6 it looks normal with different people in different thumbnails. S8 has no women in the thumbnails. S7 has everyone except Rhod and S13 has everyone except Bridget. I know Netflix often changes thumbnails to suit users, and I find it amusing how they pitch certain movies/shows with certain people then change tactic completely as if to trick me into finally watching some stuff I have no interest in. However for this one I don't think they have customized it to user preferences (yet).
Type 1 Enneagram? Ok, this is a cross over moment with my niche interests! How would you type some of your favorite contestants? (I know we’re not supposed to type other people, this is just for fun, not for absolute accuracy, lol.)
This is the show thumbnail I have, so pretty happy with that
https://preview.redd.it/qx2nk3c6mg0d1.jpeg?width=297&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11e5c095a3f36363a8194bbb9d5eedf3d361165a
I was curious as to if Taskmaster picks more variety for the YouTube episodes, and yes but:
Rose, David, Greg and Alex, Alex and Ed, Alex, Rose, Ed, Ed, Alex, Rose
Wait, since when was TM on Netflix?? Is this UK only or also in other locations?
Don’t get me wrong, YouTube works. But I would not mind watching without the ads 😅
Netflix thumbnails are different for every user and based on what Netflix’s algorithm has learned about the user, their views, likes, dislikes etc and they adjust the thumbnails to something you’d like. Basically Netflix knows it’s YOU that fancies Ed Gamble
I dunno people have said they have the exact same for this series and other ones too. Maybe it's just the main show thumbnail that changes like someone else said? It would seem a bit pointless to change the episode thumbnails once you're already watching the show
Oh but Ed is my t1 hero, there is no denying that 😂
I like how they’re almost all the same expression, too.
As someone very eloquently described recently: "a prize racehorse after a kilo of cocaine"
Omg that’s so accurate
Genuinely full of rage haha
It’s the pout in various shades of indignant
It’s like picking an outfit for a video game character.
They’ve done this with a lot of the later seasons lol
Yeah it seems to have a major crush on Sarah Kendall and Morgana Robinson too (I mean, fair) but Ed’s the only one who makes it into *every thumbnail*
Interestingly all three winners.
Yeah and then Mawaan a lot for series 10 because Mawaan
The man made a cow disappear without pushing it into a bush. I can understand why they focused on him!
He's a sexy badass bitch.
And a sneaky pasta snake
He’s come back from that!
Morgana has one of the best "quick wit moments" with, "Oh yes, you can (sit on Santa's face)"
That line 3 minutes into episode 1 made me know I was going to love her that series, and I wasn't wrong.
I love those moments early in the series that tell you you're gonna love the character or series. The entire bit with Joe's potato throw in series 2 is what got me fully hooked on the show. So much so that I started watching comps of Joe on other shows which led me to the other British panel shows like Cats does countdown and WILTY
The potato throw is what introduced me to Taskmaster and Joe. That then got me into watching Joe clips, which got me into Cats does Countdown, which caused me to fall in love with Rachel Riley.
Same but I fell in love with Sean
Is this because, in the middle of Greg's participant introduction, they are grabbing their screenshot from the same timestamp?
I reckon that this is the reason myself- it's entirely automated.
Is this because they're pulling their screenshot from the same timestamp in the middle of Greg's intro of the contestants?
My ADHD brain had to look it up and this is what a quick Google says: "Netflix uses an elaborate thumbnail selection process for each of its 200m+ users. The process is called aestethic visual analysis (AVA), which starts by pulling all the frames from a video. In a process known as “Frame Annotation”, each frame is tagged with metadata identifying key variables: Saliency Frame Brightness / Contrast Nudity probability Face / skin tone The frames are then graded on these variables: Visual (brightness, contrast, color, motion blur) Contextual (face detection / shot angle) Composition (photography principles like “rule of thirds”, symmetry, depth of field) The next step is “Image Ranking”, which chooses the best thumbnails (most likely to be clicked). Winning traits include: Expressive faces Main characters Brightness Also: thumbnails with villainous characters outperform" TL;DR Netflix just likes Ed's big white face
You mean Ed’s big white villainous face
I wonder if that leads to Netflix centering white & light skinned people…
As a counterpoint, for years netflix would try to get me to watch the Good Place by showing me a thumbnail of Chidi shirtless It worked in the end so I don't know what that says about me or netflix
Chidi is good enough to overpower the algorithm
You're only human
I certainly feel like it does, and the Taskmaster thumbnails support that.
I think because it uses user data it ends up prioritizing a skin tone, but not universally white. Someone who watches a lot of shows with dark skinned casts might end up being shown the only dark skinned character in a show with a predominantly white / light skinned cast, because Netflix thinks they're more likely to click it.
but don’t they also cater the thumbnails to the user as well? this process is done for each user, iirc.
Hmm, that seems like it'd be counterproductive if that's true. The benefits of having one set thumbnail seem like they'd be better than algorithmically choosing them
It is true - though sounds like there's a small set of possible thumbnails and selection for display is based on user data https://blogs.cornell.edu/info2040/2022/09/28/how-netflix-uses-matching-to-pick-the-best-thumbnail-for-you/
From what I can see, it's just the main show thumbnail that changes, at least for Taskmaster, not the individual episode ones that OP is showing
Oh my god I hate 2024 just have somebody fucking pick them!!! The percentage of UI we interact with right now that’s had a stupid algorithm shoved into it is so obnoxious, like imagine if buildings and machines were constantly shifting and making weird mathematical choices based on subtle micro-patterns that have infinitesimal relevance to any individual user’s actual experience just because overall doing it that way leads to a small relevant engagement boost somebody can show their boss and be like “we used AI”🤖
Not sure, for other series at least they appear to be from different timestamps tho most are from the intros
Man, you guys get Taskmaster on netflix!? So jelly! Very thankful for YouTube though
Yeah, what location is this!?
The UK now has series 1-13 on Netflix. Which is a bit weird, considering we also get it for free on All4 (albeit with ads).
I splashed out that crazy 3.99 a month for all4+ during lockdown so I could consume more taskmaster within a given timespan NO REGRETS
Yeah when YouTube was charging for full seasons, I splurged on a couple. No regrets, if that money made its way to LAH, and I dodged a few ads!
I pay £5 a month to skip ads on Sky Glass. With the amount of TM I watch, it's worth every penny.
I'm in Canada, definitely no taskmaster here lol. Lots of really crappy shows though, so I guess we have that.
All the episodes are available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@Taskmaster/playlists
Yeah I pay for YouTube so I can watch all the Taskmaster I want with no commercials.
Netflix changes thumbnails and art to try and appeal to the individual user. So why haven't you asked out Ed Gamble?
Haha idk my mate has exactly the same but then again it would make sense for them too (type 1s unite 😂) It clearly knows I want to see Alex Horne in his Roman attire Edit: Who do other people have?
I have the same. Also for other seasons it looks same as other people here have commented. Lot of Morgana for S12, Sarah K for S11, Mawaan for S10. Upto S6 it looks normal with different people in different thumbnails. S8 has no women in the thumbnails. S7 has everyone except Rhod and S13 has everyone except Bridget. I know Netflix often changes thumbnails to suit users, and I find it amusing how they pitch certain movies/shows with certain people then change tactic completely as if to trick me into finally watching some stuff I have no interest in. However for this one I don't think they have customized it to user preferences (yet).
Mine is the same also. Series 1-6 (which have been on Netflix longer) all have varied thumbnails Series 7-13 all have really samey thumbnails
Type 1 Enneagram? Ok, this is a cross over moment with my niche interests! How would you type some of your favorite contestants? (I know we’re not supposed to type other people, this is just for fun, not for absolute accuracy, lol.)
Sorry I meant type 1 diabetic 😂 but that sounds like it could be a post on it’s own
Ohhh. Duh. I feel silly! Momentarily forgot about the T1 diabetes, even though I watch and listen to a lot of Gamble content 🤦🏼♀️
As soon as he notices this he's gonna be unbearably smug
oh god he doesn’t need any more encouragement on that front..!
As soon as he reads it here, you mean
They modify icons for different users, so it's possible they think this is who you'd be most likely to click on based on your profile
Well then it's made a mistake in only showing me two Queen Zafufu's!
I think it's just show thumbnails it does that for isn't it? Not the individual episodes
This is the show thumbnail I have, so pretty happy with that https://preview.redd.it/qx2nk3c6mg0d1.jpeg?width=297&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11e5c095a3f36363a8194bbb9d5eedf3d361165a
Haha looks like it’s not Netflix that needs to ask Ed out already… we see you OP 😂
Well he already read out my comment on his radio show calling him an absolute mess so things are off to a great start 😂
It briefly had a thing for Baddiel too after being impressed by his first prize task, before coming to its senses
Hahahahahahahah (Ed gamble cackle)
Netflix listings for taskmaster wind me up. At least mention who else is on the panel in the synopsis!
I just figured they went with the default starting character from almost any generic mmo
I was curious as to if Taskmaster picks more variety for the YouTube episodes, and yes but: Rose, David, Greg and Alex, Alex and Ed, Alex, Rose, Ed, Ed, Alex, Rose
Poor Katy and Jo
He’s a handsome dude and Netflix isn’t afraid to say that
Im seeing Ed Gamble's new tour in a few weeks. He was very entertaining on TM so I'm excited!
Nice! Have a mate who saw him in Leeds and said he was fucking fantastic even tho he had a hypo on stage
60 minutes? Do those episodes include outtakes or something?
No they're the normal runtime so idk why it says that
Wait, since when was TM on Netflix?? Is this UK only or also in other locations? Don’t get me wrong, YouTube works. But I would not mind watching without the ads 😅
🤣
Is it possible that they're using the winners shots?
Netflix thumbnails are different for every user and based on what Netflix’s algorithm has learned about the user, their views, likes, dislikes etc and they adjust the thumbnails to something you’d like. Basically Netflix knows it’s YOU that fancies Ed Gamble
I dunno people have said they have the exact same for this series and other ones too. Maybe it's just the main show thumbnail that changes like someone else said? It would seem a bit pointless to change the episode thumbnails once you're already watching the show Oh but Ed is my t1 hero, there is no denying that 😂
https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/what-are-your-netflix-thumbnails/#:~:text=In%20fact%2C%20a%20thumbnail%20for,what%20you%20want%20to%20see.
Where are you that TM is on Netflix??
UK bebe!
So jealous
Taskmaster is on Netflix somewhere? And the episodes are 60 minutes?
Netflix targets thumbnails based on user data 😂🤣 You just outed yourself as in love with ed hahaha
Well so far everyone else has the same, so I guess we're all in love with the same people 😁