Poll: Would TV shows be better without the laugh-track?

[RagnarokHybrid]

I love iCarly and Victorious, so first of all, fuck you.

Ahhh I'm joking, I'm joking, even I agree that recent episodes overuse the laugh track WAY too much. A tiny little joke=cue laugh track. Stupid really.

I don't mind laugh tracks, sometimes they can enhance the comedy, take for example, The I.T Crowd.

Ha! [Now Initiating Flame War Mode: 2% Complete]

I used to like iCarly a lot but now I only seem to get laughs out of Nathan Kress. And I liked Miranda Cosgrove better in Drake and Josh. Honestly, though, I try really hard to like Victorious but the laugh-track every few seconds kinda kills it for me. They even use it during the songs which totally ruins the first-time listener effect.

I've got to give those other shows you all mentioned a try. Maybe there's a formula to whether or not a show can work with/without a laugh-track. Guess I'm gonna be spending a lot more time on the couch.

 

[Declan Murray]

I think it depends, I find a laugh track a bit insulting to the viewer (I know what a joke is, if you need to tell me to laugh then it's not a funny joke), but for shows like Saturday Night Live and the Daily Show I think the live audience works

 

[Lyri]

*snip*

I understand why you'd want to get rid of it but quite honestly they shouldn't get rid of it. Comedy programmes are supposed to be funny, jokes are supposed to be funny this much is pretty much taken as a given.

Well laughing is a social thing, when you're sitting at home watching a tv show you won't really laugh.
You laugh with your friends because it's sort of like a way of showing you understand the joke and you can laugh with everyone about it. A good time is had by all.
The laugh track is there to make you laugh along with it, if you're watching a comedy programme at home, chances are you won't laugh out loud.
You're rather likely to base the effectiveness of the humour on your own reaction, I know I've done it. I've slated a programme because I didn't laugh.

If they have a way of making you laugh and making you feel like this isn't just you laughing along with the TV then they're doing it right.
It should be changed up so it's not just the same, tired recording but it should stay.

 

[Romblen]

Laugh tracks have their place. It works in some shows and doesn't work in others.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Probably, but then we wouldnt have as many shows that use them.

 

[Dr Pussymagnet]

I don't watch sitcoms with laugh tracks very often but I can tell you right now that if Scrubs were to have a laugh track of it's own, I'd quit watching.