Sitcoms without laugh tracks

[Josh66]

But The Big Bang Theory is not a "laugh track" show...it is and always has been filmed in front of a live audience...which is where the laughs come from...the people in-studio...see the vanity card Chuck Lorre did, addressing this same idiotic allegation.

Is The Big Bang Theory shot in front of an audience? - Movies & TV Stack Exchange

Seems like the YouTube guy who makes a hobby out of removing the laughter in TV comedies might have gone off of his meds.

The point wasn't where the laughter came from it was that without it the show seems idiotic.

So? If you take any joke you've ever told in your life, videotaped it, and then cut out any laughs that followed, the viewer would assume your joke was a flop and that you were unfunny. "Oh there was an awkward pause after his joke but no laughing, what a moron."

That doesn't prove anything about how good the joke actually was.

It does if you tell that same joke to one person, and they don't laugh.

If your jokes rely on "mob mentality" to work, then they don't work.

 

[Steve5D]

The point wasn't where the laughter came from it was that without it the show seems idiotic.

So? If you take any joke you've ever told in your life, videotaped it, and then cut out any laughs that followed, the viewer would assume your joke was a flop and that you were unfunny. "Oh there was an awkward pause after his joke but no laughing, what a moron."

That doesn't prove anything about how good the joke actually was.

It does if you tell that same joke to one person, and they don't laugh.

If your jokes rely on "mob mentality" to work, then they don't work.

Sure they do.

They just work differently...

 

[table1349]

Let's be honest here there are only two reasons 50% of the viewing audience watches the Big Bang Theory. Not saying there is anything wrong with it. Just saying.

 

[runnah]

So? If you take any joke you've ever told in your life, videotaped it, and then cut out any laughs that followed, the viewer would assume your joke was a flop and that you were unfunny. "Oh there was an awkward pause after his joke but no laughing, what a moron." That doesn't prove anything about how good the joke actually was.

I don't need to be told when to laugh. If I think a joke is funny I will laugh. Pretty simple concept.

 

[The_Traveler]

No matter what you say I'm still standing firm in my stance that BBT and most American comedies I've seen are not amusing

A firm stance is probably a good thing, although a firm, wide stance undid a US Senator.

I realize that US comedies like BBT don't have the urbane sophistication and rapier wit of British shows like 'Being Served' or 'Benny Hill' but we try.

Perhaps you don't speak the language well enough to appreciate them. :smileys:


I really appreciate my own wit in the morning after all the meds kick in.

 

[runnah]

England does have some fantastic shows. The good thing is that they know when to stop. Shows like little Britain, Mitchell Webb, the office all only lasted for 3-4 seasons, they stopped before it got stale.

I would say that their humor is more intelligent but little Britain kinda proved that wrong.

 

[Tiller]

I think it's a funny show either way!

 

[table1349]

Black Adder :thumbup:

 

[rexbobcat]

England does have some fantastic shows. The good thing is that they know when to stop. Shows like little Britain, Mitchell Webb, the office all only lasted for 3-4 seasons, they stopped before it got stale.

I would say that their humor is more intelligent but little Britain kinda proved that wrong.

I just think British humor isn't as on-the-nose as American comedy.

 

[Gavjenks]

Runnah and Josh, that's not my point.

It's not that you need the cue from the mob to tell you when it's funny. It's the reverse: if a mob is there, and it's not laughing, then that's a cue that something is wrong and makes it awkward, versus if the joke were just privately directed at you.

The same joke told to me in privacy of just me and the joke teller could be funny, whereas if there were 100 people around and none of them laughed, it would be less funny to me. Partially due to social conformity (if you're claiming you are not subject to that... lol), but also partially because I'm worried there might be something serious going on. Like maybe everyone thinks it's funny, but somebody just died, or what have you, so it's socially appropriate not to laugh right this minute. You don't have to literally think of valid scenarios like that: you just automatically exercise caution at being the odd man out, partially for practical reasons like not looking like a jackass, even if you disagree.

All of this applies in a laughtrack removed video, even if you are alone in your room - your emotional responses aren't that clever to adapt so quickly to "simulated room full of non laughing people" versus actual room for of nonlaughing people.




I guarantee you, if you took the exact same video, and not only removed the laughing but RESHOT IT to not have the awkward pauses that suggest an audience and intended laughs, then it would be funnier again.

 

[table1349]

England does have some fantastic shows. The good thing is that they know when to stop. Shows like little Britain, Mitchell Webb, the office all only lasted for 3-4 seasons, they stopped before it got stale.

I would say that their humor is more intelligent but little Britain kinda proved that wrong.

I just think British humor isn't as on-the-nose as American comedy.

Well it does depend on the nose don't you think.

Having lived in Europe for 3 years the thought process in other countries and what is and is not important is different than ours. Personally I found shows like Black Adder, Faulty Towers, Are you Being Served, Keeping up Appearances, Mitchell Webb, Benny Hill and a host of others to be quite funny.

Little Britain got stale for me rather quickly as they basically had only 5 skits. The wheel Chair bit, the two Transvestites, the PM with the jealous, gay assistant, the Non Gay gay guy and the supposedly tough girl.

 

[runnah]

Little Britain got stale for me rather quickly as they basically had only 5 skits. The wheel Chair bit, the two Transvestites, the PM with the jealous, gay assistant, the Non Gay gay guy and the supposedly tough girl.

Bitty!

 

[table1349]

Little Britain got stale for me rather quickly as they basically had only 5 skits. The wheel Chair bit, the two Transvestites, the PM with the jealous, gay assistant, the Non Gay gay guy and the supposedly tough girl.

Bitty!

Unfortunately for me it was a bit boringly bitty. I only got to see one season, so it may have improved.