Why do people hate sitcoms with laugh tracks?

Question

Since when did people become superior to the laugh track sitcoms that have been on tv since the beginning of television? I can name several successful sitcoms that had laugh tracks like seinfeld, cosby show and for more recent shows will and grace and two and a half men. My point is that laugh track shows have existed for a long time compared to shows with out it and the single camera format so why are there people out there acting as if laugh track sitcoms aren't good or "telling you when to laugh" when most sitcoms use it? I like sitcoms with no laugh tracks but that doesn't mean that those type of sitcoms are superior just because they're not "telling you when to laugh." That's just stupid. The sitcoms that do have laugh tracks, I don't even laugh at every joke and that's the way you're supposed to watch it. You're not supposed to blindly laugh just because the audience laughs.

Answer 1

It's annoying to hear a bunch of disembodied voices laughing. And jokes are always hit or miss, but the laugh track keeps going even if it's a horrible joke.

Answer 2

It's not just that people think they are being told when to laugh, though that is a component of it. A strong factor is that the laughter is very unnatural - it starts and stops abruptly, the type of laughs you hear are very uniform (very little individuality), and the sound is highly compressed. Also, adding a pause for the laughter breaks up the natural flow of the dialogue, making is seem stilted and unnatural.

If you have ever attended a taping of a show, you will realize that the studio audience *is* being told when to laugh, sometimes with signs, or by signals from a person on the crew.

Answer 3

I find it extrememly annoying. I just want to sit back and enjoy the show without some fake laughter constantly coming through the room :/

Answer 4

Canned laughter is just a bit annoying, thats all... and its usually put on shows that are not always funny. lol.

Answer 5

She took my cat with her, what a pussy *laugh track*







It takes away the ability to identify your own humor.