The Middle Vet Eden Sher Reveals Advice She Got From Night Court’s John Larroquette About Sitcoms With Live Audiences: ‘It’s So Profoundly Unnatural’

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In the acting world, it’s common to find yourself surrounded by veterans who have been in the industry longer than you. During a shoot for the revamped NBC comedy, Night Court, The Middle’s Eden Sher received guidance from original cast member, John Larroquette – an experience that was quite typical in her profession.

What Did The Middle’s Eden Sher Say About Getting Advice From Night Court’s John Larroquette?

Appearing as a special guest star on a renowned comedy like “Night Court” (featuring Melissa Rauch, John Larroquette, Nyambi Nyambi, Lacretta, and Wendy Malik) presents an exceptional chance for any actor to showcase their skills to a larger viewership. However, Eden Sher, the actress most recognized for her extensive role as Sue Heck (almost getting her own spinoff) on ABC’s family comedy, “The Middle”, is already quite proficient in filming sitcoms.

Working with TV icon Larroquette during the third season of Night Court didn’t go unnoticed by her, as it still graces our screens in 2025. Interestingly, despite playing Sue for a remarkable nine seasons, her experience on the NBC sitcom was distinctly different when it came to how she handled her role in the workplace comedy. In her own words to Bleeding Cool:

During that week, I had numerous chances to interact with others and share conversations. However, it was John who taught me the most, particularly about the skill of pausing in conversation and locating humor within humor, a technique necessitated by the awkwardness of pausing for laughter.

From him, she picked up the skill of timing, particularly in delivering jokes. This is something that becomes more important in multi-camera sitcoms where pauses are needed for the audience to laugh between lines. However, since single-camera shows don’t have a live audience, this skill isn’t as necessary or practiced there. She further mentioned this point.

On a single camera setup, you work solely with individuals involved in your specific scenes during filming. In contrast, a multi-camera setup requires rehearsing the entire show daily before shooting begins, ensuring that every cast member is present on set for the duration. This setup allows for interactions and relationships to develop more organically, such as my close bond with John since all our scenes were together.

As a devotee of sitcoms myself, I’d wager that many dedicated viewers might not realize the distinct differences between single-camera comedies like “The Middle” and multi-camera shows such as “Night Court”. In a single-camera setup, you’re confined to interacting solely with those who share your scenes during filming. On the other hand, working on a multi-camera production means you have the exciting opportunity to collaborate with every cast member featured in that particular episode each day.

According to what was mentioned earlier, this implied that the five-time Emmy award winner (who had four consecutive wins for the original legal comedy) was usually on set when she was around, and it was primarily from him that she gained the most knowledge because her scenes frequently involved the talented actor from “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.” Fortunately, this arrangement provided her with opportunities to pick up tips from a true expert in the art of pausing.

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2025-02-20 00:38