TV shows that have been ruined by having a laugh track:

[jagec]

People who don't like things that I like are all pretentious losers with no taste.

Kind of ironic post, i think.

 

[Jadow]

I hated the laugh track on Cheers, it always seemed so forced and poorly timed.

 

[PatrickBateman]

Never bothered me too much on most shows. I liked Big Bang Theory at first then the laugh track got to me and I can't watch it at all.

Sheldon: Hello penny
*audience: "BWAAHAHAHAHAHhhhhhahahahahahahaha"
Penny: Yes Sheldon?
*audience: "HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA.....hehehehhhhhhhh"
Sheldon: "Can I come talk to you about something"
*audience: LOLOLOLLLBWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHAHAHAHAHAHAH"
Penny: "ok"
*audience: "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA"
Sheldon: "Thank you"
*audience: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

 

[sandorski]

Gilligans Island the TV series was hilarious with a laughtrack. The Movie didn't have a laughtrack and sucked.

Perhaps the series sucked as well without the laughtrack, but I still have fond memories of it.

 

[purbeast0]

watching fresh prince of bel air right now and the laugh track does not bother me one bit.

 

[Ruptga]

Gilligans Island the TV series was hilarious with a laughtrack. The Movie didn't have a laughtrack and sucked.

Perhaps the series sucked as well without the laughtrack, but I still have fond memories of it.

I could never find the funny in that show, and I definitely would have eaten Gilligan by the third day on that island.

 

[IronWing]

Schindler's List

 

[pontifex]

I don't get this. it comes up fairly often. it's not something i've ever really thought of. I pay attention to the characters and show, not some random sounds. so no it doesn't ruin anything for me.

 

[sandorski]

I could never find the funny in that show, and I definitely would have eaten Gilligan by the third day on that island.

:|

 

[DrPizza]

I don't necessarily find laugh tracks annoying. But, I do find them annoying when it's played after a line that wasn't funny. Someone above was making fun of Big Bang Theory for doing so. I'm fairly convinced that Seinfeld, while having a live audience, also embellished the laughter with a laugh track. Just watch the clip linked to above. Sure, it has that guy laughing all alone, but it still follows the same format. Starting around 3:30 in that clip:

"Why don't the two of you just race again"
"That's a good idea"
"No, no, no, no, another race, out of the question."
"I know because you've been saying that for 20 years. You couldn't beat me then and you can't beat me now."
"Race him Jerry, race him" - pause filled with laughter.

Maybe you had to see the whole episode to see why that line was funny.

 

[Jeffg010]

Married with Children was the best show with a laugh track. It was good when Al did something and it started to cheer. They did start out doing it all live but then morphed into laugh tracks.

 

[phreaqe]

I don't necessarily find laugh tracks annoying. But, I do find them annoying when it's played after a line that wasn't funny. Someone above was making fun of Big Bang Theory for doing so. I'm fairly convinced that Seinfeld, while having a live audience, also embellished the laughter with a laugh track. Just watch the clip linked to above. Sure, it has that guy laughing all alone, but it still follows the same format. Starting around 3:30 in that clip:

"Why don't the two of you just race again"
"That's a good idea"
"No, no, no, no, another race, out of the question."
"I know because you've been saying that for 20 years. You couldn't beat me then and you can't beat me now."
"Race him Jerry, race him" - pause filled with laughter.

Maybe you had to see the whole episode to see why that line was funny.

Since they had a live audience, the audience member may have been laughing at something happening off camera, like George entering or something like that. I can accept that much more then i can the show like MASH. I actually have those on DVD and they give you the option for the laugh track free version when you select an episode. Its is WAY better.

 

[Oyeve]

Never bothered me too much on most shows. I liked Big Bang Theory at first then the laugh track got to me and I can't watch it at all.

Sheldon: Hello penny
*audience: "BWAAHAHAHAHAHhhhhhahahahahahahaha"
Penny: Yes Sheldon?
*audience: "HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA.....hehehehhhhhhhh"
Sheldon: "Can I come talk to you about something"
*audience: LOLOLOLLLBWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHAHAHAHAHAHAH"
Penny: "ok"
*audience: "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA"
Sheldon: "Thank you"
*audience: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

That show has a live studio. I think it works rather well.

 

[Oyeve]

I could never find the funny in that show, and I definitely would have eaten Gilligan by the third day on that island.

I watched it to see Ginger and Maryanne.

 

[busydude]

That show has a live studio. I think it works rather well.

I'd like to disagree. My GF likes that show, but I absolutely hate it. It is more pretentious than funny, but the experienced is definitely ruined by that excessive laugh track.

 

[mugs]

I honestly don't notice laugh tracks. It only bothers you because you fixate on it.

This is pretty hilarious though:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YguljAFU3Bc

Seinfeld did just fine with one. Usually they suck but Seinfeld's jokes are actually great

Live audience.

 

[pmv]

I think it varies from show to show.
Some definitely gain hugely from a live audience and sound flat without one (I suspect performances gain from the audience presence as well). Canned laughter can sometimes be OK, sometimes it gets annoying and stupid. Varies, depending on how well/clumsily its done and the nature of the show and even the mood of the viewer.

 

[Lounatik]

Now, I'm going back a ways, but The Odd Couple ( which they let tou know every episode " Filmed in front of a live studio audience" ) was really funny with the audience cracking up in the background. I guess way back then, most of these comedies were treated like Broadway shows,and since Jack Klugman and Tony Randall were both accomplished stage actors as well as Garry Marshall being a producer, it worked perfectly. It was like you were part of the audience, not forced to laugh because of them.


Peace


Lounatik

 

[Oyeve]

Now, I'm going back a ways, but The Odd Couple ( which they let tou know every episode " Filmed in front of a live studio audience" ) was really funny with the audience cracking up in the background. I guess way back then, most of these comedies were treated like Broadway shows,and since Jack Klugman and Tony Randall were both accomplished stage actors as well as Garry Marshall being a producer, it worked perfectly. It was like you were part of the audience, not forced to laugh because of them.


Peace


Lounatik

Yep, and the actors were so pro that they even knew when to pause the next line because someone kept laughing too long. Ah, the good old days.

 

[Fritzo]

I seriously don't even pay attention to laugh tracks. It's amazing how annoyed some over- sensitive people get over them.

 

[nCred]

I don't necessarily find laugh tracks annoying. But, I do find them annoying when it's played after a line that wasn't funny. Someone above was making fun of Big Bang Theory for doing so. I'm fairly convinced that Seinfeld, while having a live audience, also embellished the laughter with a laugh track. Just watch the clip linked to above. Sure, it has that guy laughing all alone, but it still follows the same format. Starting around 3:30 in that clip:

"Why don't the two of you just race again"
"That's a good idea"
"No, no, no, no, another race, out of the question."
"I know because you've been saying that for 20 years. You couldn't beat me then and you can't beat me now."
"Race him Jerry, race him" - pause filled with laughter.

Maybe you had to see the whole episode to see why that line was funny.

The "Race him Jerry, race him" line is something you would expect in a high school movie where a guy is "challenged" by another dude and his girlfriend eggs him on to take up the challenge. Only Jerry and the other guy are 20 years removed from highschool which makes the whole thing funny.

 

[shortylickens]

Sports Night did not have a laugh track in its original run.
It was added on syndication, which ruined it because it was not originally there and Aaron Sorkin hadnt written it with laugh track in mind.
Also one release of the DVD's did not have the laugh track, the 2nd release (with the documentary) did have the track and ruined it.


MASH discs all have the option to play a laugh-free audio track. Changes the experience somewhat.

 

[mugs]

Sports Night did not have a laugh track in its original run.
It was added on syndication, which ruined it because it was not originally there and Aaron Sorkin hadnt written it with laugh track in mind.
Also one release of the DVD's did not have the laugh track, the 2nd release (with the documentary) did have the track and ruined it.

That's interesting, I never realized that. Is the yellow box with fat cases the version that has no laugh track? I lost one of my discs from that version so I bought the other version with slim cases, but I don't think I've ever watched those DVDs.

 

[shortylickens]

Yeah I have the yellow box version. Minimal laugh on episode 1 and none after that.

 

[Murloc]

they don't disturb me much honestly.