Dyson Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Example of a laugh track used in an excellent way (seriously, this is brilliant): Example of a laugh track being removed to highlight that actually, the content isn't funny: So hey. What're your thoughts on canned laughter? I basically wanted a reason to post the first video but might as well throw open the floodgates. I can't enjoy a show if there's a laugh track added, it just grinds me. I don't want to be told when to laugh in a program and if it's not funny in the first place then..why watch it?! Bah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Big Bang Theory is just wank anyway, canned laughter or not. For me, it depends on the programmes. It gives reason for the extended pauses between characters which silence would just be boring. Perhaps if some comedys tried it with no awkward characters looking at each other for more than a second shot and took out the laugher. Maybe it'd work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyson Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 Big Bang Theory is just wank anyway, canned laughter or not. Exactly. For me, it depends on the programmes. It gives reason for the extended pauses between characters which silence would just be boring. Perhaps if some comedys tried it with no awkward characters looking at each other for more than a second shot and took out the laugher. Maybe it'd work. Have you tried watching Peep Show? It interacts with the characters and removes the silence in a different way, through character narration rather than canned laughter. And it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Have you tried watching Peep Show? It interacts with the characters and removes the silence in a different way, through character narration rather than canned laughter. And it works. I have many a season on doovdé. I feel what you're saying and yes, the lack of laughter does work, as it does in Scrubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paj! Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I'm in two minds. The best comedic things I've ever seen never have it. Like Arrested Development (though that's kinda an unusual sitcom, if it can even be classed as one) and Nighty Night. Things like Friends I find amusing, and has a lot of nostalgia attached to it, so I kinda ignore/accept the laughter there. Same with Will & Grace. I think it's just a staple of those "staged" sitcoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyson Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 But just because it's a staple doesn't necessarily mean it's good. However, I was actually thinking earlier what an episode of Comedy Rainbow might be like with canned laughter. ReZ! Care to experiment? I have this weird feeling it'd work. I have no idea why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbob Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 For me, it depends on the programmes. It gives reason for the extended pauses between characters which silence would just be boring. Perhaps if some comedys tried it with no awkward characters looking at each other for more than a second shot and took out the laugher. Maybe it'd work. I know Red Dwarf tried it on the DVD extras with 3 episodes from season 7, no laughter track at all. Didn't work too well that. Then again with Back to Earth, no laughter track but there was less of a pause between gags. Which worked better in my opinion. It does depend on how the producers make the show, if it is meant for a laughter track then put one in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyson Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 But...why would a show be produced for a laughter track? This is what I don't understand. It's as if they're making a show they know will be bad so if they cover it over with a laugh track it'll be passable? It's just strange to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 But...why would a show be produced for a laughter track? This is what I don't understand. It's as if they're making a show they know will be bad so if they cover it over with a laugh track it'll be passable? It's just strange to me. Some shows are filmed live in front of an audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEVILMURRAY Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Like the greatness that is The Fresh Prince. Delightful example of proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jav_NE Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I don't even notice it to be honest, because i watch shows i like which means i probably am laughing or at least smiling when the laughter track plays. People find different things funny, that's just the nature of comedy and our personal senses of humour. For example, i disagree about BBT - i actually quite like it. Sheldon cracks me up it. So, of course its impossible to get the laughter tracks right, but without them it would just seem a bit weird. It makes you feel like you are not alone watching the show as well and people like that. I think you should stop finding petty reasons to not watch things to be honest. How would you feel if you spent days and weeks making a tv show, then asked people to watch it and they said "no, its got a laughter track". I think you'd think they were pretty shallow, don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I think it's a lot harder to achieve a decent comedy that doesn't rely on laughter tracks. But at the same time I don't think comedies that use laughter tracks should be dismissed completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I think it's a lot harder to achieve a decent comedy that doesn't rely on laughter tracks. But at the same time I don't think comedies that use laughter tracks should be dismissed completely. I don't think people were saying that they should, only if a comedy relies purely an a laughter track, it's not a particularly good comedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyson Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 I think you should stop finding petty reasons to not watch things to be honest. How would you feel if you spent days and weeks making a tv show, then asked people to watch it and they said "no, its got a laughter track". I think you'd think they were pretty shallow, don't you? I don't see something on TV and decide "No, it's got a laughter track therefore I refuse to watch it and the creators are shit and I hate their efforts" which is pretty much what you implied in that post. It adds nothing for me and if anything it takes away from the experience. In the space where all the laughs have been added in they could have had extra content. And the question is null anyway as I wouldn't make a TV show with a laugh track. Filmed in front of an audience, that's fine. Canned laughter, go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbob Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Filmed in front of an audience, that's fine. Canned laughter, go away. I'm not too fond of Canned Laughter, but if it is a laughter track recorded from the audience then it is perfectly ok in my opinion. Canned laughter is just a way for the producers to encourage you to laugh, which works occasionally for me but not too often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rummy Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I'll be honest, having seen and known The Big Bang Theory, I still found the laughterless scene amusing to an extent, it was weird without a laugh track, but I still felt amused. There wasn't much context there to go on though, so it might just have been a bit of a 'haha wtf' kinda laugh. I think there might be a difference between the styles of comedy that use them, and those that don't. I also don't think the first video was that great, it could have been better, had they not totally abused it with the laughter track, that just made it a bit shit. Put it in in certain places, yeah, but it was near constant in that, total overkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReZourceman Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 But just because it's a staple doesn't necessarily mean it's good. However, I was actually thinking earlier what an episode of Comedy Rainbow might be like with canned laughter. ReZ! Care to experiment? I have this weird feeling it'd work. I have no idea why. I just made one before I saw this post lol! (A sketch that is, not entire episode. I saw this thread and it inspired me) you shall find out this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grazza Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 There are three options: a) canned laughter b) audience laughter c) no laughter Canned laughter is ridiculous and never needed. Audience laughter, though, is great and adds atmosphere. Let's not forget that programmes are not films - they are theatre. The actors are performing for a real audience, even if they don't acknowledge them. My favourite sitcom of all time, I'm Alan Partridge, was filmed with a real audience watching the scenes as they happened, even if some of them were behind screens. Another example - the classic sitcom, Up Pompeii - has the late, great Frankie Howerd constantly talking to the audience, and thus has their laughter included. They then made a film, which didn't work as well because there was no audience. TV at its best is more like theatre than film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I don't think people were saying that they should, only if a comedy relies purely an a laughter track, it's not a particularly good comedy. I never meant what I said as a direct reply to any of the conversation. Just what I think really. My favourite comedies are The Office (US and UK), Curb Your Enthusiasm, Peep Show, Green Wing and er... other things. The only shows I ever watch that has any canned laughter are Friends, Fresh Prince and My Wife and Kids. They're watched on the basis that there's nothing on the TV at that moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 (edited) Love Big Bang Theory. Although the newest season has been a bit crud. I don't really care about canned laughter. Quite a lot of shows with it a written with it in mind. That BBT clip was still quite funny, but obviously it was written to have a laughter track. Taking it out is just stupid. It's meant to be there. If it wasn't it would be different. Edited August 5, 2010 by Daft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I rarely even notice if a show has canned laughter or not. I don't think it's used to make something funny that's not, like Dyson seems to imply. Maybe it's just not your style of comedy that normally uses canned laughter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I know Red Dwarf tried it on the DVD extras with 3 episodes from season 7, no laughter track at all. Wait...Red Dwarf has a laughter track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daft Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 You're joking, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 You're joking, right? I was too busy enjoying the show and laughing to notice one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flameboy Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I think if its filmed in front of an audience then fine and it works well, the actors play off the audience and time themselves in delivering their lines and such like. I can even understand the use of canned laughter if a show filmed in front a studio audience and then for whatever reason move out of that filming situation. Much like Red Dwarf did in later seasons. What I don't like is shows that aren't all that funny and add the canned laughter to tell me when I should be laughing. My Family is guilty of that, can't believe this shit show is still on the TV. It's something I've thought about quite a bit being a failed script writer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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