Studio audiences Posted Tue May 23 07:09:48 BST 2000 by Jon

Off-shoot from the 'Couplings' debate:

Having a studio audience or laughter track completely changes the way the viewer reacts to a show. If the audience likes it, that can make me more tolerant of a show, which, when I think about what I'm watching, I decide is actually unfunny tat (NMTB, TTIAO). With a live show there is also the problem that if a joke fails then the atmosphere sours a bit, and this is apparent at home...

Compare 'Adam & Joe' and TMWRNJ. I did this once, and it struck me that the 2 shows were as funny as each other, yet Ad&Joe left a more favourable impression in my memory. Why? Because it didn't have oppressive, restless moments, when the audience weren't laughing, and thus dragging the pace down. At least half of A&J wouldn't have got laughs from an audience, but it didn't matter. When bits of TMWRJ didn't get laughs, it mattered. If you see what I mean.

I wonder if Richard Herring has any thoughts about this...

Subject: Re: Studio audiences [ Previous Message ]
Posted By jason hazeley on Tue May 23 11:59:34 BST 2000:

i was puzzled by the use of the laughter track in 'big train.' did talkback really play a load of vt to a sedentary audience?

j xxx

Subject: Re: Studio audiences [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Beccy on Tue May 23 14:14:10 BST 2000:

I think that was the case - and it was the same with Smack the Pony (Provisionally titled - The Girl's Sketch Show). - They showed about 90mins or so of sketches and made up episodes from those that got more of a response from the audience. Though I don't remember the audience being too raucous with laughter. It doesn't really make me laugh - neither then nor now. Though I didn't/haven't seen any of series 2. Is it any better?

Subject: Re: Studio audiences [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Justin on Tue May 23 16:30:19 BST 2000:

>I think that was the case - and it was the same with Smack the Pony (Provisionally titled - The Girl's Sketch Show). - They showed about 90mins or so of sketches and made up episodes from those that got more of a response from the audience. Though I don't remember the audience being too raucous with laughter. It doesn't really make me laugh - neither then nor now. Though I didn't/haven't seen any of series 2. Is it any better?

Last week's was a little disappointing, but overall the rate of hits over misses is pretty high. I enjoyed Big Train, but STP is actually much funnier - I can't think of anything (bar The Simpsons, naturally) that's on at the moment that gets more chuckles from our settee.

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