Laughter Tracks

Mr E

I read an article in an airline magazine recently on how laughter tracks in sitcoms have damaged broadcasted comedy in the last 20 or 30 years. The writer said that he hated been patronised by laughter tracks.

This goes back as far as M*A*S*H in the 70s, where the shows creators refused to put a laughter track in, but the network went over their heads and put it in anyway (in all scenes except operating theatre scenes). Apparently the DVD release of M*A*S*H has an option of removing the laughter track, so the series can be seen as it was meant to be seen.

Even in modern day comedies, sitcoms like Friends are rehashing the same old tired jokes, and we almost feel obliged to laugh - simply because the 'audience' is laughing. "Oh that must have been funny, because the audience is laughing".

Some shows have no canned laughter, and are all the funnier because of it. You're laughing at the comedy because its funny - not because someone told you to laugh. Imagine what The Office, The Simpsons or Family Guy would be like if you were told when to laugh? In fact, its the lack of a laughter track in recent Simpsons episodes which highlights the fact that the writing isn't very funny at all.

So I ask.... What is your opinion of laughter tracks? Patronising, or a necessary evil? Would any modern day 'sitcom' benefit from having the laughter track removed?

Gordon

Very annoying indeed, I wish they made the League of Gentlemen without the laughter track.

However, it may stand that many sitcoms (I am not sure of the amount) are recorded in front of an audience. And maybe the fact that an audience is giving feedback to the actors may make the acting a bit more realistic for how we - the viewer - can experience the show. And hence - where to pause and where to cut in the dialogue. However, that said, if the writing isn't funny, maybe the show shouldn't be aired.

Removable laughter tracks is a great idea though.

mike65

Laugh tracks are Satans Giggle.

M*A*S*H was shown on BBC without the the track cant remember which version RTE screened. Many bad guffaws are actually real studio laughter though which proberly makes it worse. For years there seemed to be a woman in the audience of every BBC sitcom recording who would screech like she was having an orgasm. Her work can be heard in things like Allo Allo and Hi-De-Hi.

Mike.

parasite

i think league of gentlemen was originally shown on the bbc without the laughter tracks, but all the repeats on uktvg2 have them, same with alan partridge
totally ruins it

Gordon

Originally posted by parasite
i think league of gentlemen was originally shown on the bbc without the laughter tracks, but all the repeats on uktvg2 have them, same with alan partridge
totally ruins it

Ah I thought I remembered it without laughter. On the DVD it has the laughter unfortunately.

Karl Hungus

Those are dead people laughing.

Pigman II

Shows Without laughtracks (LT) are not 'all the funnier because of it'. All that's happening there is you are NOT being exposed to the jokes that mis-fire in the same way you would be in a show with an LT.

You could watch an LT show and a non-LT show that both gave you 5 LOL moments and come out convinced that the non-LT show was funnier. This is not the case. It's merely that the LT in the LT show has ironically ended up working against it and has only managed to HIGHLIGHT its mis-fires instead of covering them up. Basically, a funny show will be funny whether it's LT or non-LT.

That said tho I would like to get rid of LT's purely from an intrusion POV. Despite the sound being annoying on the ears it's reckoned that as much as 1/3 of the runtime on an average American sitcom is taken up with 'audience reaction'.

(BTW, 'I'm Alan Partridge' Series 1+2 are definetly two shows that could have done without an LT. In fact, I think I remember the writers saying as much on the DVD.)

raphaelS

Imagine if they had use them for The Office...

I am agree, Laugh tracks ruin comedy... bloody americans!... I laugh if I want not when you want...
They use to have that for the audience "Laugh" or "aplause" light box... I'm wondering if they are using that on Irish TV with live show?

Raphael

lodgepole

Red Dwarf had a good laughter track. Filming in front of an audience can give sit coms an energy that purely studio shot stuff doesn't have. I love in Red Dwarf when the cast have to pause lines so that the audience can stop laughing.

Big Ears

At least the laugh track never affected father ted , probably cause that was funny throughout the whole episodes so it wouldnt matter when u play it ( the laugh track ) .

But with some shoes its definetly better without .

Also watch King of Queens ( shown on paramount at sometime in the day ) its not funny at all but its like theve a constantly running laugh track . ( everytime some1 speaks , or makes a certain look on their face ) .
I hate that show .

sceptre

The reason King of Queens is still running is nothing to do with it being funny or not.

Big Ears

Originally posted by sceptre
The reason King of Queens is still running is nothing to do with it being funny or not.

I said constantly running laugh track , not constantly running

ixoy

Generally, I dislike them for much of the reasons said. It's quite patronising, sort of like the execs are saying: Look here's the joke! Laugh you stupid idiot! Laugh at the wonderful joke!
However, we've just quoted examples of shows that work without laughter tracks - but does anyone seriously believe that Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, etc. have been made worse because of laughter tracks? I don't. I think the key is the type of comedy you're pitching. Animated can't work for obvious reasons but certain other ones - the more surreal or documentary ones - work on the basis of their close adherence to either a skewered reality or a pastiche of our own. The situation alone itself is enough to get the humor. Friends isn't in some sort of funny situation, so the laughter track helps us along. Besides, if that show had no LT I'd most likely have switched it off ages ago...

Stark

Malcolm in the middle creator cited all the above reasons for not having a laughter track. The show is all the better for the lack of it.

Sabrina the teenage witch is probably the worst show as regards laughter track. The track kicks in even before the joke is made.

(Salem walks into room, laughter starts because you just know he's going to say something sarcastic).

SirLemonhead

You don't notice it too much if the show is actually funny, like father ted, blackadder etc.

I hate saved by the bell...and friends. I'd hear laughter and not understand why.

Stark

That's true, I never noticed the laughter track in those shows, or in the League Of Gentlemen. Was always drowned out by the sound of real laughter

m4cker

To be fair with friends anyway and alot of other american shows there is a studio audience there. however their laughter is edited in post production to more closely suit the situation.

Can you be funny with no one there to laugh.

Genghis

My maxim - Once I detect canned laughter in a show, I can never enjoy it again. However, if a show is genuinely funny, I often either don't 'notice' any laughter track, or find that it actually contributes to the comedy. For example, reading the discussion above I knew immediately that Friends (a show I detest, and for the life of me cannot see as humourous) has a fake LT, whereas with Father Ted and Fawlty Towers, I had to stop and think - 'did they have a LT at all'?

lodgepole

Originally posted by m4cker
however their laughter is edited in post production to more closely suit the situation.

And to mask any edits that are made for the timing of jokes.

simu

If I were making a show, I would put in canned laughter at random moments just to mess with people's heads (and get them to think about what they're doing).

briano

Seanbaby wrote a thing on laughter tracks here
which is funny enough

Giblet

I really notice it in friends, all I can hear is "HAHAHAH" every second, it makes the show so cheap.

Stark

Anyone remember "Coach" on Network 2? "Coach is filmed before a studio audience", as if you couldn't notice.

Love the Family Guy pisstake, "damn studio audience, I'm calling the cops", or in the Simpsons "Ah you're home. HAHAHAHA. Yes HAHAHAHA. What's for dinner? HAHAAHAHA"

Kain

Laughing tracks can really bring down the funny parts of a show. The worst LT i've ever heard are on shows like You've Been Framed or some other camera show that usually comes from the US. Just litening to it twice will make you want to hang yourself. I'm not kidding, somebody falls over and everyone goes wild with laughter, it's horribly annoying.

I think some LT's were good like in Red Dwarf. And some live audiances were good like in Married With Children.
I think Black Books would have been an even better show if they had left out the LT.

Blisterman

Some shows like Monty python and scooby doo are not suited for a laugh track. Shows with punchlines like friends work much better.

Has anyone noticed that recently, few new shows have laugh tracks.
Malcolm in the Middle, Scrubs and the Office for example.

Big Ears

Originally posted by Stark
Anyone remember "Coach" on Network 2? "Coach is filmed before a studio audience", as if you couldn't notice.

Love the Family Guy pisstake, "damn studio audience, I'm calling the cops", or in the Simpsons "Ah you're home. HAHAHAHA. Yes HAHAHAHA. What's for dinner? HAHAAHAHA"

when Mr. Burns takes over all T.V. stations to get his teddy bear .

Burns: Smithers im home ( laugh )
Smithers : what already ? (laugh)
Burns: yes (laugh) .