I've noticed that, starting with season 5, the laugh track on the show became much quieter and more of an occasional surge of chuckles than the overpowering, in-your-face laugh track distinctive of other 1960s sitcoms.
Personally I thought both versions were alright, but it got me wondering, why was the change made? Maybe Jay Sommers was considering removing the laugh track entirely but was forced to make a compromise with CBS?
I prefer the audible laugh track. Laughter is contagious, and it makes the jokes all the more enjoyable. Recent versions of "The Flintstones" are absolutely dead without the laugh track.
In these seasons the actors kept pausing for the laugh track that never came. I think that contributed to the low energy feel in this period.
But I far prefer this setup over the laugh track of the earliest episodes. Even the driest joke was met with 500 people's overlapping fits of laughter practically drowning out the dialogue. Thankfully they toned it down for seasons 2-4.
Laugh track in Seasons 5 and 6
