How many folk singers does it take to change a lightbulb? Two. One to change it and another to sing about how much better the old bulb was. OK, now laugh. Harder! That, in a nutshell, is how the laugh ...

It’s been around for decades and has often been the butt of jokes, but the laugh track has a pretty interesting history behind it. It’s easy to write it off as a manipulative way to make us think TV ...

Unpopular Opinions is a bi-weekly column in which a writer takes a stand against popular opinion, whether it’s asserting the true merit of a supposedly guilty pleasure or dissenting against the ...

The laugh track. When used correctly, it can be effective, an element of the sitcom that adds to the experience, seen and heard on shows like Seinfeld or Mom. When it isn't used correctly, it's ...

As the Emmys approach on Monday, there is an impressive roster of comedy series nominees like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Ted Lasso,” “Hacks,” “Barry,” “Only Murders in the Building.

When was the last time you spared a thought about sitcom laugh tracks? Probably years. Maybe decades? Sitcoms with background laughter have seemed almost dead, definitely and firmly dying, for a very ...