"Assistant to the Sensai? That's pretty cool."

I have a theory about the state of tv sitcoms. We all know that the two funniest comedies on network tv are The Office and Arrested Development. (This is really just a fact, not an opinion, so there is no need to argue.) Both shows, however, fail to draw big audiences. Anytime I read anything about Arrested Development, it says "the funniest show that no one watches."


Now my theory is that Americans don't "get it" with these shows because neither show has a laugh track. The most popular comedies are all filmed in front of a studio audience. Two and Half Men is the most popular sitcom on tv. The #1 sitcom, and yet I know no one who watches it. But with the live audience laughing, the television audience gets a clue about when to laugh. They are being told what is funny.

With The Office and Arrested Development (and even with Scrubs), however, the audience has to think. We have to decide for ourselves what is funny. And we aren't ready to do that much work for a half-hour comedy.

Americans are too stupid to know when to laugh, and the good shows are suffering.



Several years back, before he created West Wing, Aaron Sorkin had an excellent show called Sports Night. In the first season, the show had no laugh track, though it was incredibly funny. But it also had serious moments, so people couldn't figure out if it was a drama or a comedy. So in the second season, the network made Sorkin add a laugh track. Here's how Sorkin described it: "It feels like I've put on an Armani tuxedo, tied my tie, snapped on my cuff links, and the last thing I do before I leave the house is spray Cheez Whiz all over myself."

Exactly.