CBS's 'Bob Hearts Abishola' seems to get over teething troubles but fans want the comedy to ditch its laugh track
Even when the show was just two episodes old, CBS's 'Bob Hearts Abishola' managed to garner a lot of controversies. Some felt that Chuck Lorre was remaking 'Mike & Molly' with a black woman replacing Molly, some felt that the jokes on the show were sometimes too similar to Lorre's other shows, and peddling stereotypes of Nigerian characters when Lorre wanted to tell the story of immigrants.
The biggest controversy featured the dialogues between characters who were identified as Africans and those identified as African-Americans. The two communities have often had many differences and those who identify as American Descendants of Slaves (ADOS) felt that certain lines were insulting to them, especially when the Nigerians rank men: first from the same tribe, then same country, then white men, then African-American men.
However, seven episodes in, the show seems to have retired its racial jokes and focus more on its character dynamics. Last week's episode proved to be the season's strongest, with this week's following through as well.
However, fans of the show do have one common complaint. They hope the CBS show will ditch its laugh track. Laugh tracks are common for CBS, and especially, Chuck Lorre shows, but viewers find it unnecessary for 'Bob Hearts Abishola' and feel that it ruins the experience of watching the show.
One fan tweeted, "Caught up on #bobheartsabishola. Still, think it's charming. But that laugh track still endlessly irritating and DISTRACTING. I get that's @CBS thing, but it's ruining it for me [sic]." Another agreed, writing, "@CBS #BobheartsAbishola #Bob #Abishola Seriously lose the laugh track. If it's really funny we will really laugh. Not everything that is said is funny [sic]."
Dropping the laugh track is a feasible thing for the show to do, especially considering that another CBS show, also from Chuck Lorre, 'Young Sheldon', does quite well without it. Lorre's show on Netflix, 'The Kominsky Method' does not have a laugh track either.
'Bob Hearts Abishola' airs on CBS on Monday nights.