In its efforts to recreate the appeal of That 70s Show, That 90s Show will bring back one divisive element of the classic sitcom. It is tricky for the creators of spinoffs to work out how much of their predecessor’s formula the new show should replicate. If the spinoff copies too many elements that worked in the earlier series, it will be seen as a lifeless carbon copy while, if the new show doesn’t replicate enough from the earlier hit, the two shows won’t seem to share any connection.
Fortunately for fans of That 70s Show, the highly hyped Netflix reboot That 90s Show will be bringing back a lot of what made the earlier series a success. Not only will That 90s Show deliver on plots Stranger Things wasted, but the spinoff will also feature a divisive element of the original sitcom that has become a rare sight on television in the last few decades. Like That 70s Show before it, That 90s Show is bringing back the laugh track, a sitcom staple that was everywhere from the 70s until the 90s, but which fell out of favor after 2000.
Why Laugh Tracks Fell Out Of Favor
The laugh track (or live studio audience) was an essential component of successful sitcoms from the 70s through to the 90s, and there are still a few successful sitcoms that keep this tradition alive. However, while Roseanne’s sitcom spinoff The Conners might have held onto the original show's laugh track, a slew of great single-camera sitcoms like Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs changed what audiences expected from sitcoms in the early 2000s. This, combined with the success of sitcoms that utilized the mockumentary format such as The Office and Parks and Recreation, resulted in the once-omnipresent staple falling into disuse.
In 2023, adding a laugh track or live studio audience to a sitcom is the exception rather than the rule, despite the success of hits like The Neighborhood and The Conners. As such, That 90s Show took a creative risk when the creators of the spinoff opted to stay true to the tone of the original That 70s Show and keep the laugh track. This was one of How I Met Your Father’s wisest choices, as keeping the laugh track made the spinoff feel closer in tone to How I Met Your Mother, but only time will tell if the choice proves as successful for the Netflix series.
Why That 90s Show Needed A Laugh Track
Whether the move is divisive or not, That 90s Show always needed a laugh track. The series is not trying to be a new TV show, but rather an extension of an existing property that needs to recreate the feel and tone of its predecessor. With its returning cast and callbacks to the earlier series, That 90s Show is more of a How I Met Your Father than a Young Sheldon as far as sitcom spinoffs go.
Due to the number of high-profile cast members who are returning for the spinoff, That 90s Show feels more akin to a revival of That 70s Show than a reboot. That 90s Show can pay off many of the earlier show’s gags, but only if the series replicates the tone of its predecessor. To this end, That 90s Show is right to bring back That 70s Show's laugh track.