Young Sheldon Dropping TBBT’s Laugh Track Avoided A Sitcom Spinoff Mistake

Many sitcom spinoffs replicate their predecessors too closely, but Young Sheldon dropping The Big Bang Theory’s laugh track allowed it to avoid this trap. Sitcom spinoffs are a hard thing to pull off. If the new series is too similar to the original, it can feel redundant and like a carbon copy, as seen with Friends follow-up Joey. However, if the spinoff skews too far from the style of the initial series, it can prove jarring and unwelcome. While other genres of television can thrive in this unpredictable space, sitcoms are often seen as comfort viewing. Daring experimentation isn’t always welcome.