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BBC drama SS-GB criticised for “mumbling” and bad sound quality in first episode

BBC drama SS-GB criticised for “mumbling” and bad sound quality in first episode

The alternative history drama starred Sam Riley as a Detective in Nazi-controlled London – but many viewers had no idea what he was saying…

Huw Fullerton

Published: Sunday, 7 May 2017 at 8:00 am

The first episode of alternative history drama SS-GB has been criticised by viewers over its sound quality, with many complaining that lead character Douglas Archer (Sam Riley) and several of his colleagues were difficult to understand.

Such criticisms have previously been levelled at series like Jamaica Inn and most recently Tom Hardy’s Taboo, with viewers taking to Twitter to express their displeasure over the 1941-set thriller (which imagines a world where the Nazis won World War Two, based on Len Deighton’s novel) and its supposedly muffled audio.

#ssgb Subtitle department should have kept it up for all the dialogue. Head melted trying to understand this.

— Paula Nolan (@PaulaStrand) February 19, 2017

Oh God. Gruff-mumbling is spreading from Taboo in to other BBC dramas. #SSGB

— Craig (@CraigD92) February 19, 2017

#SSGB pic.twitter.com/WIJgG2fdid

— rob forster (@robforster61) February 19, 2017

Sam Riley makes Tom Hardy sound like Olivier #mumbling #SSGB

— Victoria Isherwood (@VicIsherwood) February 19, 2017

Sorry @BBC you've been turned off. Sorry I mean murmur murmur murmur #SSGB

— david olding (@olding80) February 19, 2017

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Still, not everyone thought there was a problem for the audio, with some enjoying Sam Riley’s raspy voice and others suggesting solutions for those who claimed not to hear the dialogue.

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Still, it’s not quite the auspicious start the BBC will have wanted for their star new drama, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a few sound engineers working frantically to make next week’s episode a little more audible.

And if there’s any more concrete response from the corporation, well – we’re all ears.

SS-GB continues on BBC1 on Sundays at 9.00pm

Authors

Radio Times commissioning editor Huw Fullerton. He sits in front of a shelving unit, looking at the camera and smiling. He wears glasses and has a moustache

Huw FullertonCommissioning editor

Huw Fullerton is a commissioning editor for Radio Times magazine handling comedy, entertainment and specialist drama. In a previous regeneration, he covered all things sci-fi and fantasy for RadioTimes.com.

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