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Laugh Tracks Suck
By Jacob Cohen | August 19, 2008
Why do television producers feel the need to add a laugh track to some sitcoms these days?
Take the show Two and a Half Men for example. This show’s format seems to be nothing but one-liners separated by pauses for laughter from the laugh track. You know, you don’t have to try to make every single line of a character’s dialog funny, or to make every conversation between two characters some sort of forced lunge/riposte/counterriposte exchange, with pauses inserted for the laugh track between each line.
Even worse, a show like The Big Bang Theory would be really funny in its own right, but they have for some reason included an obnoxious laugh track. The show’s premise is solid, and the characters are well-acted (well, Sheldon is at least), but once you notice that laugh track, it’s almost impossible to un-notice it, and it really detracts from the enjoyment of the show.
Perhaps sitcom writers should take a cue from the longest running sitcom of all time, The Simpsons. A laugh track is not needed or wanted to help viewers enjoy the program. Worse, it often actively detracts from enjoyment once the viewer notices it (which is hard to avoid - laugh tracks have a very different sound from normal audience laughter).
Topics: General |
