Was That ‘90s Show Filmed in Front of a Live Audience? Revealed

One of the things that fans were quick to notice regarding That ’90s Show was the fact that there were instances in the series where there were audible laughs and reactions coming from what seemed like a live audience. This usually happened in pivotal moments or when there were old characters from That ’70s Show that appeared in the scenes. So, was That ’90s Show filmed in front of a live audience?

That ’90s Show was filmed in front of a live studio audience in Los Angeles. As such, it takes its cue from That ’70s Show, which was also filmed in front of a live studio audience. That is why there are reactions that come from the live audience. However, the series also used laugh tracks.

The thing about That ’90s Show is that it was supposed to stay true to its kind of retro feel in the sense that it should follow the same format that was quite prevalent during the older days of sitcoms. In that regard, filming the series in front of a live audience allowed it to feel more authentic and truer to its roots. Now, let’s talk more about That ’90s Show and its live audience.

Was That ’90s Show Filmed In Front Of A Live Audience?

The release of That ’90s Show was a refreshing nostalgic experience for those who grew up during the 90s or actually watched the main series, which is That ’70s Show. Of course, That ’70s Show was a huge hit during its lifetime due to the fact that it was able to garner a lot of fans over the course of nearly a decade. It ran from 1998 to 2006 and was one of the shows that 90s kids watched while they were growing up.

Of course, That ’90s Show is the direct spinoff sequel to That ’70s Show as it follows the exploits of the next generation of Wisconsin teenagers hanging out in the basement of the Forman family, where much of the original series took place. As such, it follows the same format as the original series but focuses more on kids that are growing up in the 90s instead of the 70s.

Considering that That ’90s Show is kind of like That ’70s Show, that should imply that this series should also follow the same style. In that regard, we are referring to the fact that the original series was actually filmed in front of a live studio audience.

There were indications in That ’90s Show that hint at the possibility that it was also filmed in front of a live studio audience. Of course, we are talking about the reactions coming from what seemed to be an audience, especially when characters from the original series appeared and made cameo appearances. So, does that mean that That ’90s Show was also filmed in front of a live audience?

As a matter of fact, That ’90s Show was indeed filmed in front of a live audience. This took place in Sunset Bronson Studios in Los Angeles, as filming took place between February 7 and July 21, 2022. Callie Haverda, who played Leia Forman and was still very much a real teenager when filming took place, was actually nervous about the entire filming process. She even said:

“It was definitely new to me, I was very scared of live studio audiences before I’d ever done it because I had no idea what it was. The first live show, my very first scene was actually with Debra Jo Rupp, Kurtwood Smith, Laura Prepon, and Topher Grace. So, it was like an insane experience bringing all these generations, you know, the Forman generations all together in one room and, and I think after that very first take that we did, I realized like how amazing it is to be able to film in front of people, because they bring so much energy.”

In that regard, That ’90s Show stayed true to its roots when it filmed the entire series in front of a live audience, just like how That ’70s Show did it back when it was still one of the best sitcoms on television from 1998 to 2006. As such, it delivers the same kind of nostalgic appeal that That ’70s Show had.

Why Was That ’90s Show Filmed In Front Of A Live Audience?

One of the things that we do know is that That ’90s Show was filmed in front of a live audience. Of course, this was clear when there were audience reactions in the series. This allowed That ’90s Show to deliver the same kind of authentic feel that was quite prevalent in older sitcoms that were also filmed in front of a live audience.

On top of the fact that That ’90s Show was supposed to follow the successor of That ’70s Show and that it needed to stay true to the format of the original show, it also needed to fit what was quite popular in many sitcoms in the 90s, as they made use of live-audience reactions and even laugh tracks.

The laugh that you could hear in the series didn’t necessarily come from the live audience that watched the series as it was filming. Instead, these were laugh tracks that were strategically placed all over the series to give the viewers the cue that they may need to know whether or not a certain scene was meant to be funny. And this style was quite prevalent in the older days of sitcoms.

However, throughout the ending part of the 2000s, it became clear that these laugh tracks were no longer needed for people to truly see the punchline in sitcoms. That is why there are some younger fans out there that might not understand the live-audience style of That ’90s Show, considering that this is no longer prevalent in today’s sitcom world. But the fact that That ’90s Show stayed true to its roots is what makes it a nostalgic series for those who grew up watching That ’70s Show.