Actually, like most sitcoms of that era, it was filmed in front of a live studio audience, it’s not a canned laugh track. The reason it lasts just long enough to overlap audio is because the actors wait for the laughter to die down before continuing. The whole point of the laughter isn’t to make it funnier to the viewer, it’s so the actors can see how the jokes land and tweak their performance, it’s constant feedback. It’s done for the same reason comedy has an audience even when it is a filmed special.
Funnily enough, it was filmed in front of a live audience, and it is canned laughter. In the edit, they often replaced the audience’s genuine reactions with stock laughter for various reasons. For example, when Monica popped out from under the sheets with Chandler, the audience shouted for minutes on end, they trimmed that for broadcast.
> character says something obnoxious and pauses
> canned laugh track lasts just long enough to not overlap dialog magically
> repeat
I have never seen that gif before but god do I hate it
Actually, like most sitcoms of that era, it was filmed in front of a live studio audience, it’s not a canned laugh track. The reason it lasts just long enough to overlap audio is because the actors wait for the laughter to die down before continuing. The whole point of the laughter isn’t to make it funnier to the viewer, it’s so the actors can see how the jokes land and tweak their performance, it’s constant feedback. It’s done for the same reason comedy has an audience even when it is a filmed special.
Funnily enough, it was filmed in front of a live audience, and it is canned laughter. In the edit, they often replaced the audience’s genuine reactions with stock laughter for various reasons. For example, when Monica popped out from under the sheets with Chandler, the audience shouted for minutes on end, they trimmed that for broadcast.
Hollywood trope: Applause sign. Forced laughter and laugh tracks are definitely real.
Makes me wonder what commonly accepted tropes from today will be laughed at in 10 years.
Is there a trope for “pointing out tropes?”
There should be. People too often act like a trope is always bad, but they exist for a reason. Used properly, they can aid storytelling.