Have you ever wondered what TV’s popular sitcoms would be like if they didn’t have a laugh track?
That’s right – they’d be just like real life. In other words, not nearly as funny without the laugh track accompaniment telling us when it’s appropriate to laugh at others.
Let’s take a look at some TV scenes that have the laugh track removed and you’ll see what we mean:
Big Bang Theory
Yeah, Sheldon really isn’t as funny without that background laughter showing us that he’s intended to be amusing and not just a bit odd. And without the laughter, one has to wonder why Penny hangs out with these nerds.
Compare this to video clips that weren’t created with a laughtrack in mind, and you’ll see how just a little bit of chuckling can change the feel of an entire clip:
Like this scene from The Shining:
or Silence of the Lambs:
Think those are a little bit contrived? Why not watch a show that was just made to have a laugh-track added to it? Because really, doesn’t a laugh track just mimic what we’re typically doing while we watch these shows anyway?
Chris Hansen on Dateline’s TO CATCH A PREDATOR
As one YouTube commentor said: it’s like real-world Candid Camera!