FRIENDS

Easily one of the most iconic shows of the ’90s, FRIENDS is what many of us grew up with. An all-too relatable story of six friends navigating their 20s in the dynamic city of New York, it seemed as if the characters were telling our story on screen. From messy jobs to weird friendships, the friends stick together no matter what. Of course, the romances on the show are one for the ages. Be it Rachel and Ross, the ultimate ‘will-they, or won’t-they’ couple or Monica and Chandler, the ‘found soulmates’, the show was a delightful rollercoaster for the 10 seasons that it was on air. With catch phrases which have remained a mainstay in our consciousness over time, like Joey’s “Hey, how you doin’?” or Monica’s erratic ‘I know!’, we still see bits and parts of these characters in our real-life friends.

FRIENDS was filmed in front of a live studio audience, with the laugh track used in the show being the real laughter of the audience. Only certain big episodes, like in the season cliffhangers, canned laughter was used since those were not shot in front of live studio audiences. The laugh track in FRIENDS makes us feel we are not alone when we watch the show, even if we are.

Seinfeld

Created by comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, the show focused on the character of a comedian, played by Seinfeld using his real name, and how he tackles life in the ever-evolving city of Manhattan. Of course, he is not alone. He has the iconic George Costanza (played by the legendary Jason Alexander), Elaine Benes (played by the incomparable Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and his annoying, yet funny neighbour, Cosmo Kramer (played by a hilarious Michael Richards).

The whole point of the show was that Seinfeld and David needed a place to comedically vent out their frustrations with life, and thus, they conceptualised the show. Though on the surface, the show might seem about nothing, its USP lies in the fact that it chooses certain moments to showcase its comedic prowess, rather than filling the show with back-to-back comedy gags.

The show, much like the trend of network television back in the day, was filmed in front of a live studio audience. The laughter was a mixture of canned, pre-recorded laughter, as well as the titters of the studio audience. But the usage of canned laughter was subtle and both Seinfeld and David were determined to use the real emotions of the audience as much as possible. Proof of this lies in the fact that in many episodes of the show, you may hear the audience audibly speaking out in the middle of a scene!

Everybody Loves Raymond

A staple in the sitcom landscape of the ’90s, Everybody loves Raymond will be fondly remembered as a memory of simpler times. A show that finds conflicts in the daily bickering and the subsequent resolution in small moments of joy that take place within a family, it brings much comfort and joy to audiences even today. The show focuses on the nuclear ‘Barron’ family of Raymond, Debra and their two kids. Ray’s parents, Marie and Frank Barone, along with his elder brother Robert, live right down the street, and as a result are always at their place. The family conflicts often result in comedic instances, but the family working towards a common resolution is heartwarming at the same time.

The jokes come in-built with this very format of sitcoms, where interpersonal drama between family members often become fodder for great comedic writing. So, like any network sitcom of the ’90s, this show too was filmed in front of a live-studio audience and thus the crew and the writing staff would get instant feedback from the audience on their material, helping them understand which comedic aspects to focus on.

The Big Bang Theory

One of the last big shows to utilise the laugh track. By the end of the show’s run, audiences were ready to usher in a new era of television, one which incorporated heavy narratives and weighty plot points. The Big Bang Theory, also referred to as TBBT, focused on four science-obsessed nerds— Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons), Leonard (played by Johnny Galecki), Howard (played by Simon Helberg) and Rajesh (played by Kunal Nayyar), and how their lives are forever changed when small-town girl Penny (played by Kaley Cuoco) moves into the adjacent apartment. The heart-warming show was a mainstay for many fans all through its 12 season run. Commercially acclaimed, the show had a ton of fans wait eagerly to be a part of the live studio audience.

I Love Lucy

I Love Lucy was a critically and commercially acclaimed sitcom of the ’50s, which aired over six seasons. It focused on the character of Lucy Ricardo, (played by Lucille Ball), whose big dreams of making it big in Hollywood, often puts her and her husband in precarious positions. Lucy Ricardo was a representation of the audience back in the ’50s, a woman who wanted to get out of the kitchen and her household chores and take over Hollywood.

One of the things that made viewers come back to the show was Lucille Ball’s impeccable comic timing and she was a pro at doing effective physical comedy. Though the show uses laugh tracks, the laughs are completely genuine because the show was filmed in front of a live studio audience. In fact, the laughs from the audience after seeing the comedic aspects of the show felt so natural, that the studio recorded them and utilised them for other shows in the future as well