Jan 22 2010
10 Misuses of the Laugh Track
It’s kind of a sign that your show sucks these days if your show has a laugh track, even if it once was a staple of everything from Happy Days to Seinfeld. Before I get a bunch of Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother defenders in here, I’m not here to debate the new crop of shows, I’m just here to show you what it’s like when you cram laugh tracks in to shows (and movies) that shouldn’t have it, and take it away from shows that need it. Observe:
The Wire
ER
To Catch a Predator
The Shining
Silence of the Lambs
Taxi Driver
Pulp Fiction
The Empire Strikes Back
Dark Knight
Alright, I got tired of doing shows ADDING laugh tracks, so now here a few examples of shows with the laugh tracks cut OUT.
Full House
Friends
The Big Bang Theory
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you should find 2 and a half men without a laugh track. it’s practically the whole show on mute.
I’ve been hating on that Big Bang Theory show forever and for some reason everyone I know raves about how funny it is.
Remember when the Flintstones had a laugh track? As if an audience was watching the cartoon as it happened?
Nice addition of the Big Bang Theory without laugh track. I find that it overuses it way too much and I don’t really see whats the big deal with the show, but the one thing that does bother me is that laugh track every minute.
Not trying to defend HIMYM but I rarely notice the laugh track on that show. I just genuinely find it funny; although Alyson Hannigan (Lily) seems, to me , be the weakest part of the show and thats usually when i notice the laugh track.
Its like we’re all part of a fringe group in some conspiracy coz everyone seems to love 2&HM, BBT and the most paralyzing abortion of them all; Tyler Perry’s House of Pain.
the big bang theory isnt that funny and this proves it
[…] 10 Misuses of the Laugh Track […]
Regarding the opening paragraph, I’m quite certain that “HAPPY DAYS” was, in fact, filmed before a live audience.
In fact, they said as much at the beginning of every show (as many sitcoms of the 70’s did).
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How I Met Your Mother actually DOESN’T use a laugh track. The show uses alot of cuts between scenes (episodes are often told in the form of flashbacks as 1 member of the group tells a story at the bar). They finished episode is then shown to an audience, whose reaction is recorded.
[…] 10 Misuses of the Laugh Track – ER, The Wire and To Catch a Predator with a silly laugh track! […]
Are you sure Friends used a laugh track? I know on the final show of the series, in the behind the scenes video I think, you saw the actors take a bow in front of the studio audience. I just assumed they had an audience every time.
You want to hear a stupid audience track, try watching the old I Love Lucy shows (hey, late at night, nothing to watch, I hate silence! Gotta turn on the tv or winamp). You’ll always hear the exact same “Uh oh” when Lucy starts doing something stupid.
What’s worse is using a “fake” laugh track, when they only play about 6 laughs. (Refer to Hanna-Barbera’s 70s shows of the day). It is like pointing a gun at someone if they don’t laugh.