Comedy news: Graham Linehan interview: Laughing in the face of fashion

Tweet

IT Crowd creator Graham Linehan talks to Josh Widdicombe about bucking the trend for downbeat comedy

In 2006 the last rites were performed on British sitcom. Self-appointed experts like Mark Lawson and Alan Yentob pontificated about how the multi-channel format had destroyed the chances of a sitcom ever attracting 10 million viewers again, while Victoria Wood blamed Ricky Gervais. "The sitcom is dead," she said.

"The likes of The Office are so good that you can't go back. Everything is very naturalistic now, whereas before it used to be quite contrived." Every producer nodded their heads in agreement and commissioned another low-key comedy shot on hand-held camera.

Since the first episode of The Royle Family in 1998, commissioners have systematically deserted the studio setting and audience laughter track. After The Office, how could anyone expect to produce a credible and successful show with, gasp, a studio audience? Well, Father Ted and Black Books co-writer, Graham Linehan thought he could.

As sole writer and director of Channel 4's The IT Crowd, he created an unashamedly traditional sitcom. Audience laughter boomed out, actors shouted and lurched around the colourful, cluttered sets and nearly every line contained some kind of gag.

While he's aware his show flew in the face of fashion, he argues it was just what was needed. "Anything fashionable is death to both rock music and comedy. If there's a fashion then really what you should be doing is fighting against it," he says.

But he admits this is problematic. "If you are writing an audience sitcom, people will act like you are crazy because that kind of show isn't popular at the moment. Both Ash [Atala, producer] and Caroline [Leddy, Channel 4 head of comedy] were quite surprised when I said it should be in front of an audience. But they trusted that I know what I'm doing. Wisely or unwisely."

Laughing for a Reason

As a respected and influential comedy writer, it's not surprising Linehan got what he wanted. But did the audience? Not really. They found watching it a shock; many people disliked the brash laughter. It was "distracting". Critics, also, are always quick to point out when a laughter track rings false.

The second series of I'm Alan Partridge springs to mind. "A laughter track is bad only when you notice it," says Linehan. "The thing was, their hearts weren't in the second series of Partridge. It wasn't great, and I don't think they would mind me saying that.

The audience came in super warmed up but [Coogan et al] weren't at the height of their powers. They were still getting [laughs] off of the first series. So, everyone was thinking; 'This isn't that funny, why are they laughing?'"

For Linehan, jarring laughter like this has created one of the great conspiracy theories of modern comedy: the 'fake' laughter track. "It drives me nuts," he says. "People just love to think they are being tricked, like with the '9/11 Bush was flying the plane' shit that's going on at the moment."

He cites Little Britain (he directed the first episode) and The Catherine Tate Show as examples of laughter tracks that have gone down well with audiences. What this highlights, he says, is that each show should be judged on its merits.

"You can't just blanket everything and say everything with an audience is shit and everything without an audience is brilliant. If you had the Royle Family or The Office in front of an audience it would have been a disaster.

[But] if you had Father Ted or Fawlty Towers not in front of an audience it would have been a disaster."

Relaxing into primetime

The IT Crowd is one of those shows that needs an audience, jokes are knowingly over-the-top and set-piece gags loom large. It would seem odd to see Chris Morris deliver a speech in a fake moustache and cycling shorts without laughter.

The first series had its moments, glimpses of classic Linehan, but it seemed a little nervous. Like the audience laughter. The pace was unrelenting and the script was crammed full of gags, written with a fear that a moment without laughter would have viewers switching over to Have I Got News For You.

Linehan now admits that in the first series they were "trying a bit too desperately to please" and says the second series will remedy these problems. "I don't think it could ever be naturalist but I think certainly we are trying to pitch a lot more naturalism into the show.

This time we will have an audience that will have seen the series and be fans - we won't have to dance like little monkeys to get their attention, you know? I'm hoping we can relax a bit, let the characters come out more."

If it goes down well with audiences get ready for a deluge of similar offerings on a prime-time schedule near you. But don't expect Linehan to be at their helm. "If that does happen, then I think the thing I will be working on next will be without an audience."

He is not being deliberately obtuse, just canny: "If everyone's doing one thing, there's a very good chance that people are getting sick of it. So you really should try to do the opposite."