Note to TV producers:

[yendi]

A laugh track* never makes your show better.

Ever.

In fact, it will make your show worse.

No exceptions.

Really.

Not that The Return of Jezebel James would have been good with the laugh track removed, mind you.

In fairness, the fault doesn't lie completely with Amy Sherman-Palladino (although she certainly deserves most of it, as the writing and directing both suck ). Parker Posey is just completely off, reprising her role as Fiona from Josie and the Pussycats instead of bringing anything new to the role.

Lauren Ambrose is wonderful, though. More wonderful than the writing deserves. Dianne Wiest also outclasses the material.

Also, how did the house transform into a condo between episodes?

*Or, if you prefer, a "live" studio audience comprised of morons who laugh whenever a studio page presses a button and activates the tingler under the seats.

Comments

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

*Or, if you prefer, a "live" studio audience comprised of morons who laugh whenever a studio page presses a button and activates the tingler under the seats.

Usually still a laugh track, since in the case of a live studio audience, its added on to 'sweeten' the so called laughter that the audience isnt doing even if you shoot the audience with cattle prods...

[jathomas.livejournal.com]

I know, I know...

But "Get a Life" got released WITH and WITHOUT. I have to tell you... WITHOUT is.. unwatchable. Usually I agree, but I'm just saying.

[lurkerwithout.livejournal.com]

"Get a Life"? Was that the show with Chris Elliot as the grown-up paper boy? Because that sucked no matter how it was aired...

[jathomas.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah... Maybe THAT'S what it was! HA.

[lovingboth]

MASH is the one that came as a shock to me - it was originally aired in the UK without a laughter track and seeing it with one on a niche channel is seriously weird.

[crystalsage.livejournal.com]

I was going to say the same thing, only in reverse; I got the MASH boxed set for Xmas, and the discs have the option of turning off the laugh track. I watched one episode without it and it was so strange and awkward that I had to turn it back on.

I guess its all what you're used to.

[fings.livejournal.com]

No exceptions? Cause I think adding a laugh track to a bad drama show could help.

Or to the State of the Union speech. For instance,

"Six years ago, we came together to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, and today no one can deny its results." (insert derisive laughter here)