Laugh tracks

[Guest123_x1]

"Cheers is filmed before a live studio audience."

Many prime-time sitcoms, as well as taped unscripted shows such as game shows have "sweetening" in the form of being shot in front of a studio audience and/or having a laugh track inserted into each episode via post-production.
Despite having been used by the television production industry for decades, laugh tracks have been the subject of criticism, mainly with claims that canned laughter doesn't really add to one's enjoyment of the show during broadcast, and also with the perception that such laughter is downright annoying.
In the past, some sitcoms carried disclaimers either spoken during the opening or during the credits, that that show was filmed before a studio audience, one example being the spoken disclaimer quoted above.
At one point, even animated shows have used pre-recorded laugh tracks, one example being Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!.

What do you think of 'laugh tracks' and shows being shot before a studio audience?

I really don't mind the use of studio audience laughter in sitcoms and game shows. The audience laughter adds these shows, even game shows-although it can be annoying if they use the same groans and laughs from a machine during production.

 

[Weeaboo Name]

Doesn't bother me if the content of the show is funny.

 

[apteryx]

i don't mind them much, but they're strange. why do you need to add laughter to the show? if there's a live audience i get it, but a joke feels forced if they're added after filming. especially when they all sound the same.

 

[Klippy]

The show actually needs to be funny if the laugh track is used. I find most of CBS's shows unbearably unfunny and the laugh tracks just make me feel stupid. I don't find very much of what is being "laugh tracked" funny. There are exceptions, but very few.

 

[Juno]

It doesn't bother me too much, if I like the show anyway I'll be mildly annoyed but I'll still watch and enjoy it. I agree with the other posts though, it definitely feels very forced when there is a laugh track, and a bit like "hey, this is supposed to be funny, laugh here". If it's funny I'll laugh, if it's not, canned laughter isn't going to magically make me find it funny. It's unnecessary.

The laughs in the tracks are usually very loud and obnoxious too, really fake.

 

[Trogd0r917]

I find laugh tracks to be annoying and unnecessary. I'm fine with shows being filmed in front of a live audience as long as no laughter or other noises can be heard from them.

 

[moon]

The Big Bang Theory has too much laughtrack ._. Luckily, I find the show funny so I most often at least snicker with the laugh track. But I used to find that show nearly unbearable because of it.

Usually I don't have anything against it actually. It was just BBT that went too far.

 

[Legobricks]

Comes across to me as the writers going "this is funny now laugh you sheep"; I find it... insulting to my intelligence, for lack of better terms. And it's just an annoying sound to hear in general, really. The only thing I think it works in is Mr Bean.

What even is the point of shooting something before a live audience?

 

[Nah]

I've never liked laugh tracks. It's kinda like the show is telling you when you're supposed to laugh. Don't tell me how my sense of humor should be, TV show. And then if you don't laugh, it's ever so slightly awkward; you're the only one not laughing at what was apparently supposed to be funny. Laugh tracks don't make the show any better, either.

And I don't give a ♥♥♥♥ if the show was recorded in front of a live studio audience. Why should that even matter?

 

[Grand Wizard Ryan]

I was giving this some thought the other day and I realised how much I hate laugh tracks. My opinions have been voiced by you guys already, but to repeat it just makes everything so much more annoying. It's even worse when it's not being filmed in front of a live audience, because it's the same laugh track and at unfunny parts most of the time.

The Big Bang Theory is like 90% laugh track now. There are literally giggles at the sight of Sheldon walking. The show itself is not even funny now! (That's a rant for another thread though)

 

[Bellsprout]

Comes across to me as the writers going "this is funny now laugh you sheep"; I find it... insulting to my intelligence, for lack of better terms. And it's just an annoying sound to hear in general, really. The only thing I think it works in is Mr Bean.

What even is the point of shooting something before a live audience?

this exactly.

sometimes when I'm watching a show I'll notice they'll play laugh tracks almost every time after a character speaks. who is picking when to insert these things? Most of the time it annoys me to the point where I change it.

 

[Honest]

I've always thought of laugh tracks as a form of sweetener for the comedy bits. If the joke or whatever was actually amusing, the laugh track actually helps in regards to making people laugh a little harder than normal (or maybe that's just me). I've seen times where shows have laugh tracks too often, or misused for a rather lame joke. That's only when I find them annoying, really. The laughter shouldn't have to force us to find something amusing.

 

[Treecko]

That's the one I like about Friends. While it did rely on laugh tracks, it was mostly recorded in front of a studio audience. The laugh track was usually only added in on parts that were supposed to be funny, but the audience didn't laugh or if a scene was shot outside of the usual sets (their apartments, the museum Ross worked at, Central Perk, etc). You can tell when there's a studio audience too cause some of the laughter is a lot more distinctive and unique than the canned laughter. For example, you can hear only just a feel chuckles at one joke compared to clapping, howling and cheering for another. I personally think it's still funny without the laugh track. (Though a bit awkward since the actors pause for laughter.)

Some shows have got me laughing a ton without laugh tracks , though whenever a show has one, it can feel as if I'm being forced to laugh at certain times and it does cause me to laugh more even when it's not really funny.