this post was submitted on 09 May 2025
12 points (100.0% liked)

Television

998 readers
520 users here now

Welcome to Television

This community is for discussion of anything related to television or streaming.

Other Communities

Other Television Communities

:

A community for discussion of anything related to Television via broadcast or streaming.

Rules:

  1. Be respectful and courteous to all members.

  2. Avoid offensive or discriminatory remarks.

  3. Avoid spamming or promoting unrelated products/services.

  4. Avoid personal attacks or engaging in heated arguments.

  5. Do not engage in any form of illegal activity or promote illegal content.

  6. Please mask any and all spoilers with spoiler tags. ****

founded 2 months ago
MODERATORS
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
12
Why the Laugh Track Won’t Die (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
submitted 5 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
5 comments fedilink hide all child comments
top 5 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago

The studio laughter (or canned laughter) still adds something. I'm not a fan of any multi cam sitcoms since Seinfeld ended, but as the article mentioned, it still does something for shows like SNL.

COVID showed that some variety type shows normally filmed before an audience still benefit from having an audience. John Oliver's show without laughter seemed weird. Some standup comics have played around with the genre without an audience, and it's really interesting.

So I'm with this article. It's a legitimate style of show that uses the laughter.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Honestly a great article. So often any "article" about the laugh track just throws "it's dumb" at the wall and rants. This article is more clear. It's a style of media. Maybe it's an older style. Maybe it's changing. If it goes away, that's fine. If it sticks around, that's fine too.

Certainly the more prestige television has moved away from it, and maybe that will continue, but it still has its place.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Exactly. People have levied the same complaints about musicals, yet we don’t see videos floating around of musicals without music. Both are genres that aren’t trying to be entirely realistic.

I’m personally kind of over laugh track shows simply because they feel performative. I’d rather watch a comedy that has a plot than watch comedy built like stand-up: with a setup, punchline, and then pause for audience response. It’s why so many of them have catchphrases like “Did I do that?” “Bazinga!” and “We were on a break!” It’s fine if others enjoy different setups for the same joke, but I’d personally rather be more immersed in the show than constantly be reminded I’m supposed to laugh.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

"Realistic" is also a treacherous term.

Cutting between two closeups of people talking is not realistic. Jumping in time to the next morning is not realistic. Being able to see the conversations between people in their private homes is unrealistic. All tv is extremely stylized, we're just familiar with the style.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Good article and tbh I've always been neutral on the laugh track. I get that it's not popular but it is part of an absurd genre that's delightful for its absurdity