With and without laughtracks

[bouche]

Big Bang Theory and The Wire

[Northern Wish]

I think Big Bang Theory is a decent comedy.

But then again I liked Zoolander.

[bONES]

I wish no shows had laugh tracks. They often make me change the channel or turn the tube off when they become really annoying. I don't need to be told/reminded that something is funny and I should laugh..now

The Big Bang Theory = funny (to me)

[Jaimoe]

Some average sitcoms benefit by being filmed in front of a live audience. But the vibe would certainly change for the worse if SCTV, both Offices etc... were shot with laugh-tracks.

[bradm]

But the vibe would certainly change for the worse if SCTV, both Offices etc... were shot with laugh-tracks.

Or Arrested Development:

http://tv.gawker.com/5461575/arrested-development-with-a-laugh-track-proves-the-laugh-track-needs-to-die?skyline=true&s=i&autoplay=true

Aloha,

Brad

[Jaimoe]

However, I can't imagine Fawlty Towers (perhaps the funniest sitcom of the '70s, and of all-time) without with a laugh-track.

[bouche]

Mash was very different without a laugh track. On the DVD, you can watch without the laugh track. I never really came to a conclusion to which approach I preferred.

Apparently, there was never laughter during scenes in the O.R.. There was also an episode which passed the entire time in the O.R. and obviously, it was an episode without a laugh track.

[larry_llama]

the problem with laugh tracks is they disrupt the flow of what would be normal conversation between characters... which becomes painfully obvious when it's removed

but it also makes the removal of them not really an accurate gauge of the humour. I mean, if they hadn't inserted them, the jokes might still be funny if the timing was corrected to remove the gaps that they had to insert for the laughter... if that makes sense

but it's still fun to watch those edits

[Jaimoe]

Mash was very different without a laugh track. On the DVD, you can watch without the laugh track. I never really came to a conclusion to which approach I preferred.

Apparently, there was never laughter during scenes in the O.R.. There was also an episode which passed the entire time in the O.R. and obviously, it was an episode without a laugh track.

A lot of MASH wasn't shot in front of a studio audience (for obvious logistical reasons) and the laugh-track was of the fake canned variety. It was deemed inappropriate to have a laugh-track duing the O.R. scenes.

[Hartamophone]

The new Chuck Klosterman book, Eating the Dinosaur, has an extended section about laugh tracks. Among other things, he talks about how people feel smart and like they are on the inside of something if they laugh when there's no laugh track.

Worst current use of a laugh track: 2 1/2 Men. Good Lord, that show is terrible, and the addition of a laugh track at the end of almost every sentence makes it pretty much unbearable.

[Northern Wish]

Worst current use of a laugh track: 2 1/2 Men. Good Lord, that show is terrible, and the addition of a laugh track at the end of almost every sentence makes it pretty much unbearable.

Agreed, and I know because I sit through portions of it waiting for Big Bang Theory. Never again though, thanks PVR!

[Jaimoe]

Worst current use of a laugh track: 2 1/2 Men. Good Lord, that show is terrible, and the addition of a laugh track at the end of almost every sentence makes it pretty much unbearable.

Worst non laugh-track that resembles a laugh-track: Letterman's audience.

[Ms.Huxtable]

I had an unbearably hard time getting through season 1 of Big Bang Theory for this very reason. The laugh track was just so insulting. It was more painful because it breaks up the flow of the actors who aren't yet totally in touch with their characters and the interaction with others, so it added one more obstacle for them to overcome IMO.