Seinfeld without a laugh track? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Cactus Jack · 01-07-2008, 10:24 PM

You think it could work in today's world as a single camera sitcom? I cnat picture it without the laugh track,but it could still work I think.

HugeTVFan · 01-07-2008, 11:54 PM

It would definitely be weird. Kramer's wild sliding entrances without "hahahah" but rather silence? Weird.

MonarC · 01-12-2008, 06:05 PM

That would be insane.

Schmoopie · 08-16-2008, 08:59 AM

I don't think it would be as funny, personally. A couple of summers ago, I went to a screening of the Audrey Hepburn movie "Roman Holiday". I had never seen it on the big screen before; only on VHS and DVD. I was amazed at how much hearing the audience laugh contributed to the movie. I found things that were funny that I hadn't even noticed before!

Andrea

Anti-Dentyte · 08-22-2008, 11:09 PM

I agree that Seinfeld without the laugh track just wouldn't be the same. It would still be funny, but the laugh track is part of its "essence", so something would be lost.

Schmoopie · 08-23-2008, 03:01 AM

The thing I like is that it wasn't an actual laugh track. It was a real audience reacting to what they were seeing. It gets on my nerves when shows use fake laugh tracks! Then again, that's probably the way they did it back in the 50's and 60's, wasn't it?

Andrea

DSfan · 08-23-2008, 11:22 PM

Ya I know!!

It's really funny because on some shows they have a sort of rotation of maybe 7-8 different "laugh" tracks that don't really even sound like people laughing but some sort of high pitched hyena at times. I find Saved by the Bell has the fakest of laugh tracks.

I think laugh tracks are good because it keeps you in a sort of light/happy mood instead of watching sitcoms without a laugh track and being confused thinking it isn't a comedy. When there is no laugh track, I find it makes the jokes seem way cheesier on shows like Back to You (that's cheesy to begin with, but you get the point) because it seems like nobody is laughing at it.

catlover79 · 08-24-2008, 12:23 AM

Having a live audience react to the inane goings-on just added to the show. Without those reactions, it wouldn't have been the same. I AM glad that the audience stopped cheering every time Kramer slid through Jerry's door...that got irritating.

Schmoopie · 08-24-2008, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I AM glad that the audience stopped cheering every time Kramer slid through Jerry's door...that got irritating.

I read that the producers were getting mad because the cheering was going on so long that they told the audience to stop doing it. But in watching the episodes beginning to end, I've noticed that the cheers for Kramer didn't start until Season 3.

Andrea

catlover79 · 08-24-2008, 01:32 PM

^ Interesting...too bad the Happy Days audience was never told to shut up.

Anti-Dentyte · 08-25-2008, 02:37 PM

I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.

catlover79 · 08-25-2008, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti-Dentyte

I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.

That's very true - same with the audience for the Bob Newhart Show, Mary Tyler Moore, WKRP, Barney Miller (the first couple of years when they recorded in front of an audience), etc.

Schmoopie · 08-25-2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anti-Dentyte

I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.

Jerry Seinfeld said that there were usually only about 200 people in each audience but if he would have been able to see the millions of people who were actually watching "Seinfeld" every week, he might not have wanted to end the show. Awww! That's sweet!

Andrea

catlover79 · 08-25-2008, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

Jerry Seinfeld said that there were usually only about 200 people in each audience but if he would have been able to see the millions of people who were actually watching "Seinfeld" every week, he might not have wanted to end the show. Awww! That's sweet!

Andrea

That is sweet.

DSfan · 08-26-2008, 12:29 AM

That led me to think about if this show had gone on for another 20 years let's say lol and you can imagine Kramer trying to do his crazy entrances and falling down with a cane because of old age!

01-07-2008, 10:24 PM	#1
Cactus Jack RonFingSwanson Forum Idol Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Santa Rosa Beach,FL Posts: 103,099	Seinfeld without a laugh track? You think it could work in today's world as a single camera sitcom? I cnat picture it without the laugh track,but it could still work I think.
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08-16-2008, 08:59 AM	#4
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	I don't think it would be as funny, personally. A couple of summers ago, I went to a screening of the Audrey Hepburn movie "Roman Holiday". I had never seen it on the big screen before; only on VHS and DVD. I was amazed at how much hearing the audience laugh contributed to the movie. I found things that were funny that I hadn't even noticed before! Andrea
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08-24-2008, 12:23 AM	#8
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	Having a live audience react to the inane goings-on just added to the show. Without those reactions, it wouldn't have been the same. I AM glad that the audience stopped cheering every time Kramer slid through Jerry's door...that got irritating.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

01-07-2008, 11:54 PM	#2
HugeTVFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 04, 2007 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 326	It would definitely be weird. Kramer's wild sliding entrances without "hahahah" but rather silence? Weird.

01-12-2008, 06:05 PM	#3
MonarC The truth will set you free Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 05, 2002 Location: 3rd Stone From The Sun Posts: 9,525	That would be insane.

08-22-2008, 11:09 PM	#5
Anti-Dentyte Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 100	I agree that Seinfeld without the laugh track just wouldn't be the same. It would still be funny, but the laugh track is part of its "essence", so something would be lost.

08-23-2008, 03:01 AM	#6
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	The thing I like is that it wasn't an actual laugh track. It was a real audience reacting to what they were seeing. It gets on my nerves when shows use fake laugh tracks! Then again, that's probably the way they did it back in the 50's and 60's, wasn't it? Andrea

08-23-2008, 11:22 PM	#7
DSfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,204	Ya I know!! It's really funny because on some shows they have a sort of rotation of maybe 7-8 different "laugh" tracks that don't really even sound like people laughing but some sort of high pitched hyena at times. I find Saved by the Bell has the fakest of laugh tracks. I think laugh tracks are good because it keeps you in a sort of light/happy mood instead of watching sitcoms without a laugh track and being confused thinking it isn't a comedy. When there is no laugh track, I find it makes the jokes seem way cheesier on shows like Back to You (that's cheesy to begin with, but you get the point) because it seems like nobody is laughing at it.

08-24-2008, 01:32 PM	#10
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	^ Interesting...too bad the Happy Days audience was never told to shut up.

08-25-2008, 02:37 PM	#11
Anti-Dentyte Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 22, 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 100	I agree. That's what so great about Seinfeld's "laugh track" is that it isn't a laugh track. It was a real audience behind the scenes genuinely laughing when there was a funny moment. The laughter was always very real on the show, and as you watch the show you are a part of that audience too. You have a real sensation of participating somehow.

08-26-2008, 12:29 AM	#15
DSfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 15, 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 1,204	That led me to think about if this show had gone on for another 20 years let's say lol and you can imagine Kramer trying to do his crazy entrances and falling down with a cane because of old age!