“rolling laughter” is a technique you have to learn as a live performer for a reason. TV shows at the time had to bridge the gap as the 80s/90s invention of stand up as an art form set the tone for how comedy should be.

It’s not that it was always bad, it’s just that culture changed. Same as how a Jacobite audient would find it real weird we watch theatre inside(!), sitting down(!!) and not talking during the show(!!!).

there are shows where it works (Frasier) and shows where it’s horrible (Frasier 2023)

The IT Crowd is objectively hilarious without the laugh track. It’s a British thing. They have laugh tracks or studio audiences on most programs.

I know you are right about all of this, and yet I will still watch shows like the old Addams Family while I’m doing something else just to have a distraction

An episode of the IT Crowd had a B story that was kinda transphobic. It was minor enough and the show was popular enough he probably could’ve easily just apologized and that would’ve been that. But instead, in 2013 after said episode was brought up and criticized for being transphobic to the creator, said creator tripled down and became a full on anti-trans “activist” who makes even JK Rowling seem benign by comparison.

Graham Linehan is a prolific transphobe

He’s also actively picking fights with supporters of trans and non-binary people, such as recently David Tennant of all people.