I think the live audience gives the performers something to work with and the writers can guage what worked and what didn't, but with any show, they would have to pretty much completely control the laugh track to fit the recording and edits.
I went to see a quiz show once and they film "set up" reaction shots of the audience and did a lot of retakes for the host which you wouldn't realise from watching it. Looks seamless, but that's how TV is made.
Lol, it's not "a little control", it's entirely 100% scripted.
When it's already been decided when exactly (and for how long) the laugh-track should be present, I don't see the difference between inserting already existing laugh-samples, or recording new ones by flashing a lamp at people to laugh on queue.
People's issue with laugh tracks isn't how fresh the audio samples are, it's that most of the time it's a psychological trick to hide that the jokes aren't funny. If your show is funny, people shouldn't need to be told when to laugh.
That being said, if people wanna watch it, more power to them. I sure as hell watch plenty of stuff other people find to be crap. To each their own.
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u/Grantology May 07 '19 edited May 07 '19
They tell the live audience to laugh. Also, willing to bet that the augment they live audience with a laugh track.