MovieChat Forums > TV General > What do you think about laugh-tracks?

What do you think about laugh-tracks?

posted 8 years ago by skane110-1
9 replies | jump to latest

I was reading something about how it's not a good thing for a comedian to laugh at his own jokes and it's rare since the comedian already knows the jokes and have probably repeated them several times so, why would it be funny anymore to them anyways. At the end the writer said this about laugh-tracks on tv:

"Many TV shows use recorded laughter tracks. In one sense this is the equivalent of the comedian who laughs at his / her own jokes. However we aren't evolved to have the same reaction against hearing recorded laughter as we are against experiencing it in real-life, hence TV seems to get away with it."

I have to disagree about tv getting away with it. I, for one, hate laugh tracks and while growing up, I didn't really notice them but, I totally do now and they're even distracting. I think maybe the track themselves are worse now since I can still watch re-runs of older shows and they still don't bother me. What do you think?

[–] ZakkWyldeMyLittlePony 8 years ago

I don't mind laugh tracks.

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[–] Thor-Delta 8 years ago

Some shows (particular 1960s ones) had what I call "chuckle tracks". "The Brady Bunch" laugh-track is so quiet I don't notice it. In contrast the 1990s series "Married with Children" had a laugh-track so loud that it is annoying.

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[–] ironjade 8 years ago

When M*A*S*H was first broadcast in the UK, unlike every other US sitcom, it didn't have a laugh track: it seemed very odd.

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[–] fjhansen 8 years ago

Sometimes, I think I prefer a laugh track. Live audiences tend to have some annoying laughers.

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[–] NJtoTX 8 years ago

I hate them because only about 1/3 of the lines deserve laughs. I would probably watch Big Bang Theory with a subdued laugh track, but usually it's the broad humor and stupid line getting a laugh that makes me turn it off.

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[–] CoolX3 8 years ago

Laugh tracks are universally awful for a few reasons.
1) it's the show telling you when to laugh. Treats the audience like idiots. And half the time it's not a funny line.
2) it takes up too much time. Shows like 30 Rock fit in so many jokes because instead of a laugh track they could fit in like 2 jokes a second. More rewatchability
3) the multi-cam three sided sets (which are exclusive to laugh track shoes) eliminate a lot of sight gags/camera jokes that other shows can do.

[–] starfang-7456 8 years ago

I gloss over them if there are fun lines or stunts, but when there's nothing they become really annoying.

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[–] drunkbear 8 years ago

I can take 'em or leave 'em. I really don't notice laugh tracks on shows that I love. Exception would be M*A*S*H; I hated the laugh track on the early seasons. For some reason, that grated on me. Every time they set it off, I'm grinding my teeth and thinking "Don't tell me when to laugh!"

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