MovieChat Forums > Sports Night (1998) Discussion > Show is great except one thing

Show is great except one thing

posted 16 years ago by mshen2
9 replies | jump to latest

Repeating the same $hit back and forth is not funny. "It's a situation", "It's not a situation", "Yes, it is"....(laugh track). It's annoying as hell. Sorkin seems to always do this although I think he learned his lesson cause there was less of it on West Wing.

[–] axis38 16 years ago

I know what you're talking about, but it's not about the humour here so much as it is about the tempo of the dialogue. I think it works mainly as a device to keep the tempo steady. As for the laugh track, it only lasts a few episodes before they get rid of it.

[–] johandav 15 years ago

"As for the laugh track, it only lasts a few episodes before they get rid of it."

Well . . . I just finished watching the second disc of the first season, which was up to episode 16, and the laugh track was still being used then. Not nearly as much as in most sitcoms, though.

They know what they like.
If they knew what they liked, they wouldn't live in Pittsburgh.

[–] Glozone 15 years ago

Yeah, "only lasts a few episodes is exaggerating", it fades to almost nothing by the end of Season 1, and is completely gone for Season 2.

[–] marshjes 15 years ago

"He can't kick."
"He's a nice guy. He'll get picked up by another team."
"No he won't. You know why? He can't kick."

Agreed with the OP. The same schtick gets old after a while. However, I'd GLADLY watch this than (gag me) 2 and a Half Men.

[–] megatosspot 15 years ago

Big long preachy speeches

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 15 years ago

Sorkin has a few writing tics that bug me (his penchant for overly broad humor, characters always sarcastically asking "You know x-thing, do you?" and variations of thereof) but it's such a small part of his overall talent that I can ignore it.

"I do NOT want your tawdry tales of office lust infecting my newsroom!"

[–] amethyst1636 14 years ago

I love Sorkin. I love the repetition; I love the cpeeches; I love the sarcasm.

But it should be noted that it's all an "homage" to Mamet.

[–] Chrysanthepop 14 years ago

Sorkin's an awesome writer and I love his brand of humour.

I agree that the show could have done without the laughtrack. It sounds out of place but there is too much good in this show to let something this small bother me.

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

[–] megatosspot 14 years ago

What a shame Mamet's godawful.