Just a heads up for everyone that the DVD sets use the syndicated versions, which apparently added a very loud laugh track.
In its original run, Bill was a unique "sitcom" for its time in that it didn't use a laugh track at all. Like the Office today, it had its fair share of uncomfortable silences.
Just a word to the wise and all that!
thanks; I just picked up the 2 seasons for $2.50 because I really like Coleman and I never saw this show, and I was thinking that the canned laughter was pretty much the only problem with a very funny show. I just saw the pilot, looking forward to the rest of the series.
Did I not love him, Cooch? MY OWN FLESH I DIDN'T LOVE BETTER!!! But he had to say 'Nooooooooo'
I taped the entire (short) run off the network, and just ran across an odd thing. In the episode about the Computer Chip Company who Bill accused of smuggling technology to the Kremlin, there was a VERY LOUD laugh track thruout the entire episode! It was so loud, not only was it distracting, in spots I couldn't even hear the dialogue being spoken. (And this WAS on the network!)
What makes this even odder is, having watched all the episodes in network broadcast order up to this point, I have the STRONGEST feeling this episode may have been "held back" by the network, perhaps for its content. All the characters' behavior and attitudes toward Bill seem much less developed, in fact, between Woody, Newdell, Wendy, Karl and Joanna, I'd say this may have been the 2ND episode filmed (1st after the pilot).
Don't you hate when the networks decide not to run an episode when it was intended, and when it finally does show up, it's so glaringly obvious it's out of sequence? (The same thing happened on WKRP; the 3rd episode, the one about the "radio preacher" who had been a pro wrestler, was held back until the summer rerun season. It's very obvious it's one of the earliest, when you watch Bailey's behavior. She was a lot more unsure of herself at the beginning.)
Judging by the production numbers, that was the 4th episode produced for the first season.
And, yeah, I hate when the network screws with the running order. Where possible, I tend to watch old shows in production order, not airdate order.
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I just bought the DVD's and there is canned laughter. However, if the original didn't use a laugh track, then why is there a person credited for "fake laughter " in what look like the original credits. Could you clear this up for me please? It is weird though, because I've never seen a production credit for what is clearly labeled fake laughter.
shareBuffalo Bill & Hooperman, starring John Ritter, we're called 'dramedies'& had no laugh tracks.
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