the laugh track (1 Viewer)

[John_Lee]

Similarly, the bullpen chatter with the blank screen that started every episode of Hill Street Blues created tension and excitement right out the blocks.

 

[Steve Phillips]

Just because a show was shot in front of a live audience, you shouldn't assume that there was no laugh track added to the final product.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

I was always confused by shows that took place outside and had characters going different places, but had a laugh track- I wondered how the audience was able to follow them? It was even worse on cartoon shows- were the cartoons really REAL and on a stage?

 

[Mark Kalzer]

^ ^ In those cases it is often just an instance of the characters wandering off studio, and then they cue up a pre-taped segment for the audience, to which a laugh track is recorded on top of.

At THAT point it just gets ridiculous. The whole point of a laugh track is that as actors performing, the live laughter helps fuel their performance the way it does for a stand up comedian. If it's pre-recorded however, the whole purpose is redundant.

 

[Greg_S_H]

There was an early episode of Three's Company where a woman was heckling Suzanne Somers. She delivered a line about a locket, and the woman said, "Na na na na NA!" with the same inflections Somers had given the line. There was at least one other instance on Three's Company where you could clearly hear a sentence from an audience member.

 

[Radioman970]

I've heard stuff like that before but can't recall what show.

Anyone ever been a part of an audience of a show? I'd jump at the chance to do that.