Editing Laugh track (section)

==Outside the U.S.==
===United Kingdom===
In the second half of the 20th century, most sitcoms in the [[United Kingdom]] were taped before live audiences to provide natural laughter. Scenes recorded outdoors, traditionally recorded in advance of studio work, are played back to the studio audience, and their laughter is recorded for the broadcast episode (occasionally, entire shows have been recorded in this fashion, for example, the later series of ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' and ''[[Keeping Up Appearances]]''). 

One notable exception to the use of a live audience was [[Thames Television]]'s ''[[The Kenny Everett Video Show]]'', whose laugh track consisted of spontaneous reactions to sketches from the studio production crew. This technique was maintained throughout its four-year run, even as the show moved to larger studio facilities and its emphasis switched from music to comedy. Everett's later series for the BBC (''[[The Kenny Everett Television Show]]'') were recorded in front of live studio audiences.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

In the early 1980s it was BBC policy that comedy programmes be broadcast with a laugh track, though producers did not always agree this suited their programmes.<ref name=MotHHGttG>{{cite AV media | people = Davies, Kevin (Director) | title = The Making of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | medium = Video | publisher = BBC | date = 1993 }}</ref> As a result, a laugh track for ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (TV series)|The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]'' was recorded for the first episode, but dropped before transmission.<ref name=MotHHGttG /> ''[[The League of Gentlemen]]'' was originally broadcast with a laugh track, but this was dropped after the programme's second series.<ref>[http://www.filmfocus.co.uk/review.asp?ReviewID=270] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216162847/http://www.filmfocus.co.uk/review.asp?ReviewID=270|date=December 16, 2013}}</ref>

The pilot episode of the satirical series ''[[Spitting Image]]'' was also broadcast with a laugh track, apparently at the insistence of [[ITV Central|Central Television]]. This idea was dropped as the show's producers felt that the show worked better without one. Some later editions, in 1992 (Election Special) and 1993 (two episodes) did use a laughter track, as these were performed live in front of a studio audience and included a spoof ''[[Question Time]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://broken-tv.blogspot.com/2009/11/latex-lampoonery-spitting-image.html |title=BrokenTV: Latex Lampoonery (Spitting Image Giveaway Special, Part 1) |date=5 November 2009 |publisher=Broken-tv.blogspot.com |access-date=2013-07-09}}</ref>

Most episodes of ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' feature a studio audience; the exceptions, which featured no laughter at all, were all Christmas specials, "[[To Hull and Back]]", "[[A Royal Flush]]" and the second part of "[[Miami Twice]]". For their DVD releases, "A Royal Flush" (which was edited to remove over 20 minutes of footage) had an added laughter track, as did the second part of "Miami Twice" (which was merged with the first part to make ''Miami Twice: The Movie'').{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Beginning in the late 1990s, comedies such as ''[[The Royle Family]]'' and ''[[The Office (UK)|The Office]]'' pioneered a [[cinéma vérité]] style without audience laughter.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} This largely continued into 21st century sitcoms. Although ''[[Green Wing]]'' does not feature audience laughter, partly because of its surreal nature, it does feature unusual [[lazzi]] techniques, where the film of the episode is slowed down immediately following a joke. ''[[Mrs Brown's Boys]]'' and ''[[Still Open All Hours]]'' are notable reversions to the older format with a studio audience.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

===Canada===
In the landscape of contemporary Canadian television comedies, the prevalent trend eschews the incorporation of a laugh track. However, notable exceptions exist, exemplified by select programs such as the sitcom ''[[Maniac Mansion]]'' (1990–1993) and the children's program ''[[The Hilarious House of Frightenstein]]'' (1971), which, despite originating from Canada without a laugh track, saw the addition of such an element for U.S. broadcasts.

The evolution of laugh track utilization within Canadian television is further exemplified by the trajectory of the children's sketch comedy series ''[[You Can't Do That on Television]]'' (1979–90). Initially absent during its inaugural season as a locally televised program, the introduction of a laugh track coincided with its transition to Canadian network broadcasting under the title ''Whatever Turns You On''. This laugh track, predominantly composed of children's laughter with intermittent inclusion of adult reactions, underscored the unique nature of the show. However, the consistency and effectiveness of the laugh track exhibited variation across seasons.

Noteworthy fluctuations in laugh track implementation and quality are discernible throughout the series' run. The 1981 episodes stand out for their diverse array of laughter samples, contributing to an authentic auditory experience. In contrast, the 1982 season, coinciding with the series' debut on the U.S. cable channel [[Nickelodeon]], witnessed a reduction in the variety of laughs utilized. Furthermore, the introduction of Carroll Pratt's titter track, reminiscent of laugh tracks employed in popular U.S. sitcoms such as ''[[Happy Days]]'' and ''[[What's Happening!!]]'', introduced a distinct tonal shift.

Subsequent adjustments in laugh track composition aimed to mitigate issues of repetition and enhance auditory diversity. Notably, the latter half of the 1982 season saw a blend of different laughter samples, alongside the incorporation of the titter track. However, the quality of the laugh track experienced fluctuations, evident in the notably subdued and inadequately edited tracks of 1983.

Efforts to rectify these deficiencies culminated in improvements by 1984, with laughter tracks resembling those utilized in the 1982 season, albeit without the inclusion of the titter track. Notably, the introduction of a new children's laugh track in 1986, characterized by distinctly younger laughter samples, aimed to resonate with the target demographic of the series.

Upon its revival in 1989, the series adopted a hybrid approach, utilizing laugh tracks from both the 1981 and 1986 iterations, underscoring the continued evolution and adaptation of laugh track aesthetics within the context of Canadian television production.

===China===
''[[I Love My Family]]'', the first multi-camera sitcom in [[mainland China]], used a live studio audience. Some single-camera comedies, such as ''[[iPartment]]'', used a laugh track.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Laugh tracks are commonly used in variety shows for comic effect. Examples include ''Super Sunday'', ''[[Kangxi Lai Le]]'', ''[[Variety Big Brother]]'' and ''Home Run''.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

===Latin America===
Several [[Latin America]]n countries like [[Argentina]] replace the laugh track with a crew of off-screen people paid specifically to laugh on command whenever the comedic situation merits a laugh. Known as ''reidores'' ("laughers"), a senior laugher signals all the others when to laugh. In others like [[Mexico]], comedies without audience reactions were openly stated to have no laugh track because they respected their audience, most notably [[Chespirito]] programs like ''[[El Chapulín Colorado]]'' and  ''[[El Chavo del Ocho]]'', with the announcer in the starting credits stating "Por una cuestión de respeto al público este programa no contiene risas grabadas" ("As a form of respect towards the audience, this show does not features canned laughs.").<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-05-07 |title=El mundo dentro de las grabaciones |url=https://blog.chespirito.com/el-mundo-dentro-de-las-grabaciones/ |access-date=2023-04-02 |website=Blog Chespirito |language=es}}</ref>

===France===
In the realm of French television comedy, the prevalent convention eschews the inclusion of laugh tracks. However, a notable departure from this trend occurred within the productions of [[Mediawan Thematics|AB Productions]], helmed by [[Jean-Luc Azoulay]], notably exemplified by series such as ''[[Hélène et les Garçons]]'' and its subsequent [[spin-off (media)|spin-offs]]. These interconnected series, characterized by their adherence to sitcom conventions, including a duration of approximately twenty minutes and a predominantly single-camera setup, eschewed the presence of a studio audience. The absence of live audience participation stemmed from the exigencies of production, characterized by stringent editing schedules and truncated principal photography sessions, rendering the integration of genuine audience laughter unfeasible.

Critiques levied against these productions centered on various aspects, ranging from deficiencies in direction and performances to the employment of non-professional actors. Moreover, the attempt to emulate American television series formats, combining elements of sitcoms, soap operas, and teen dramas, elicited considerable criticism, with particular attention directed towards the perceived overreliance on canned laughter. This emulation was viewed as diluting the authenticity and cultural specificity of French television comedy, instead favoring a formulaic approach heavily influenced by transatlantic norms.