NationStates

Through out the years we have seen Comedy shows come and go. Some were the best and some were the worst, which leads us to this question "What makes a good comedy show?" For some people might like having a laugh track (Example: Big Bang Theory) while others prefer a show without the laugh track (Example: The Office).

What about you NSG? To you what makes a comedy show perfect?

For me the perfect comedy show for me would have to be a show without a laugh track and forced jokes. Because I think a show shouldn't rely on laugh tracks to make its audience laugh and forced jokes can make a scene awkard and unfunny.

So NSG in your opinion what makes a good comedy show for you?

Honestly the laugh track thing is kinda weird. It's one thing when you have a live studio audience, which is where laughtracks came from. The audience in the studio laughing. But once that stopped being a thing, it's kinda odd to include just because.

Recognizable characters you can identify with, that's important.

Other than that, great writers are what matter most.

Pope Joan wrote:Recognizable characters you can identify with, that's important.

Other than that, great writers are what matter most.

Yeah good writers is a must have in shows like these.

Aeritai wrote:... laugh track...
What about you NSG? To you what makes a comedy show perfect?
...without a laugh track and forced jokes....
So NSG in your opinion what makes a good comedy show for you?

I agree to finding laugh tracks and forced humor unfunny. I dislike laugh tracks even when used to sweeten the contemporaneous studio audience laughter. Good comedy needs no laugh track.

I think that a well written creativity where the humor fits the actor (the script-writers are aware of whom they are writing) makes for good comedy. The actor needs to have good timing for his delivery (especially for the comic) or be excellent at reading the audience for improv. There has to be good chemistry between the actors on stage as well. Also, little to no contemporary politics that will date the program, and more relatability about the quirks of our nature and the human condition.

In general I personally prefer the more wittier banter and comedic devices. I rather dislike slapstick and disparagement (insult, cringe and dark humor) and do not mind deadpanning, lampshading, well crafted self-deprecating humor and the occasional running gag. I also prefer satirical comedy to mere lampooning and least like buffoonery.

Lunatic Goofballs.

A half-dozen or so Oxbridge wits and a US animator doing pretty much whatever seems funny to them with plenty of money from a public broadcaster to do it all with. I'd call it Ethel the Frog.

IMO, the best comedy shows are usually more natural rather than artificial if that makes any sense. I get a much better laugh if the joke sounds like an actual joke rather than something written up in a corporate board meeting.

Farnhamia wrote:Lunatic Goofballs.

Deeply missed. I hope he’s doing good.

The less usage of the laugh track, the better. Preferably there would be no laugh track, but I can tolerate it in moderation. However if the laugh track comes after practically every single sentence, it’s not funny. It’s annoying.

Deadpan comedy is the best for me so far, and maybe throw in some slapstick, which is not exaggerated, but just some.

I think Spaceballs and Looney Tunes have the best balance of it, at least personally for me. I like the delivery of the lines more than slapstick, but sometimes, you just want to see some goofballs hurting each other in funniest of ways.

Though of course, comedy is subjective, so what I find funny, may not be to you, but hey, go with what you enjoy!

Something with original jokes, puns and an interesting background—like the history of the characters, an ongoing theme like love or science, has a few main characters instead of 1, 2 or 30, but a lot of secondary characters that come when they are needed. Also should last for tons of seasons with at most, like 20+, only a little of the comedic spirit dying.

I’ve never heard of such a show, probably because my expectations are too high.

Garden at 6th Mile Road wrote:Deadpan comedy is the best for me so far, and maybe throw in some slapstick, which is not exaggerated, but just some.

I think Spaceballs and Looney Tunes have the best balance of it, at least personally for me. I like the delivery of the lines more than slapstick, but sometimes, you just want to see some goofballs hurting each other in funniest of ways.

Though of course, comedy is subjective, so what I find funny, may not be to you, but hey, go with what you enjoy!

I wouldn’t mind incorporating a little slapstick comedy to it too. Like Laurel and Hardy.

Observational comedy.

Sitcoms are trash.

Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:

Farnhamia wrote:Lunatic Goofballs.

Deeply missed. I hope he’s doing good.

Yes. I think he is, since he left us to go do some comedy writing, if I recall correctly. If you see a comedy that has lots of taco and mud jokes, that's probably LG.

Farnhamia wrote:

Nanatsu no Tsuki wrote:
Deeply missed. I hope he’s doing good.

Yes. I think he is, since he left us to go do some comedy writing, if I recall correctly. If you see a comedy that has lots of taco and mud jokes, that's probably LG.

I have fond memories of LG talking about him and his friends tazing one another's nut sacks at parties for entertainment purposes