'Hot in Cleveland' Is A Throwback Sitcom of Yesteryear

[Brian Damage]

There’s a reason (or three) that TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland feels like a throwback to sitcoms of yesteryear — and it’s not just because of the seasoned leading ladies. We got the scoop from executive producer Todd Millner.

1. LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE The show launches with a familiar line you probably haven’t heard in a while: “Hot in Cleveland is recorded in front of a live studio audience.” Millner explains, “I was watching Cheers and I heard Ted Danson say the line, and I thought, We need to do that! We need to tell people, remind them again that shows are shot in front of a live studio audience.”

2. CONSTANT CHUCKLES It may sound like a laugh track, but Milliner claims that the giggles from the studio audience are the real deal. “We keep the original laughs. In fact, when we don’t hear a reaction — like when we thought something was funnier than it was — we still want to keep that, too, because it’s a true response.”

3. FAMILIAR GUEST STARS New faces aren’t so hot in Cleveland. Instead, it’s a parade of veteran TV stars, including The Dukes of Hazzard‘s John Schneider (pictured with Valerie Bertinelli) in the pilot, Carl Reiner in episode 3, and The Carol Burnett Show‘s Tim Conway in upcoming episodes. “Why not use people who we loved in other sitcoms?” asks Milliner. Paging John Ratzenberger!

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/07/01/ho...d-school-vibe/

[80sTrivia]

I love it!!!