I'm sitting here watching Victorious on Nickelodeon and I thought to myself, "Why the laugh track?" I understand it's purpose to an extent: it's supposed to be a signal for the audience to engage and laugh at the material presented. However, that function seems kind of like the laugh-track coordinator (or whatever the position for that is) thinks of us--the audience--as little animals or babies that they have to condition to like the show.
I prefer a live studio audience, really; at least with that, you know they are real people and, thus, can almost feed off the audience's energy. However, a laugh track seems generic and, in cases like Victorious, very overused.
Also, every time I don't laugh but the track insists that I should, I feel like the show is full of itself. The writing starts to seem pretentious, I get annoyed, and eventually I can't stand watching the show anymore. (This is especially true with iCarly, also on Nickelodeon, which I have grown to hate with a passion.)
I prefer silence, really. That way, I can watch the show MY way and pick out the jokes I prefer over the ones the writers have tried to force onto me.
EDIT: the poll is bugged. There should be a third option reading, "Silence is golden."
I prefer a live studio audience, really; at least with that, you know they are real people and, thus, can almost feed off the audience's energy. However, a laugh track seems generic and, in cases like Victorious, very overused.
Also, every time I don't laugh but the track insists that I should, I feel like the show is full of itself. The writing starts to seem pretentious, I get annoyed, and eventually I can't stand watching the show anymore. (This is especially true with iCarly, also on Nickelodeon, which I have grown to hate with a passion.)
I prefer silence, really. That way, I can watch the show MY way and pick out the jokes I prefer over the ones the writers have tried to force onto me.
EDIT: the poll is bugged. There should be a third option reading, "Silence is golden."