[_asummers]

This is my nightmare. Laugh tracks are one of the most obnoxious sound additions to any piece of media, to me. If the situation is supposed to be funny, it should be self evident, and should no require some additional cue. Conversely, if something is not funny, the laugh track sounds forced, and it creates a really unpleasant viewing experience for me.

[laumars]

In fairness, often “laugh tracks” are actually live studio audiences (eg Big Bang Theory) and much like how live concert recordings (where you can hear the crowd) are sometimes great when it’s a good concert, hearing the studio audience can improve you’re experience of a genuinely funny TV show. The problem is when it’s artificially added or you hear it on a show you don’t find funny; then it goes from being a subtle improvement to a massively jarring distraction.

However given how jarring it is when you don’t find something funny compared with how little it adds to the overall comedy, I can totally understand why people often hate hearing laughter in shows.

[_asummers]

My understanding of the live studio audiences is that they prompt the laughter. Is that correct? If so, the audience laughing at the jokes is just an illusion, even if genuine.

[laumars]

Depends on the show. Some do but some don't. However even ones without a laughter prompt will usually have a compere / warm up acts who will whip the audience up so they're already laughing at jokes before the main show begins recording.

[Angostura]

I remember the shock of first visiting the US and seeing MASH with a laugh track. Ironically it suck all the humour out of it.

[menacingly]

I think everyone amused by this gets all that, then pushes past it into campy enjoyment