to think that Jamaica Inn is great TV subject to one proviso.

[grovel]

I can only hear/understand about 50% of the dialogue!

Apparently there is an issue with the sound on it. Beeb has had lots of complaints about it. I gave up after the first fifteen minutes!

I'm watching it on HD and honestly haven't noticed a problem, and I often have to put the subtitles on for other things.

Linky here

Thanks, DAISY

YANBU

I loved the book so was quite looking forward to it. I gave up half way through the first one as I couldn't hear it.

They've supposed to have fixed the iplayer version, and last nights was supposed to be better. I've not watched them again yet so we'll see

I think what I've seen of it is a bit hammy, personally, but I agree - even allowing for the fact I am a foreigner who's not particularly attuned to UK regional accents - a lot of the dialogue was difficult to follow.

(I did want to say to the costume designer/director that I'm pretty sure that rural working women in the early 19thc tucked up their long skirts, and didn't just trail around in deep mud with the dirt and damp creeping up the soaking wet cloth towards their waists.)

Another period drama from the BBC....HBO shows are much better than this trotted out drivel.

I just watched them on iplayer but I don't think the first one was fixed. The second one was much easier to understand. It's the accents as well, a thick Cornish accent is quite mumbly.

I gave up with it. I read the book years ago but this adaptation is nothing like it. No atmosphere, and the sound quality is awful.

Sound was dreadful as was the production,I gave up on it and I'm a big DDM fan.

Terribly mumbly. DH said they had a moan about it at work yesterday.

All that money they lavish on these things and no one bothers to check the sound?

Poor adaptation, no sense of menace and far too much obvious violence; most actors lack clear diction, Cornish accent or not; and I am sick of pictures of mediocre actresses from Downton Abbey plastered all over the pages of The Telegraph.

I have found it atmospheric and there are some creepy performances by Ben Daniels and the girl from Bridget Jones. I don't think the sound was better last night, it was worse. I actually couldn't catch some of the conversation from Joss and Patience, the worst being Joss.

Some viewers have pointed out that it is the fault of some of the actors as Ben Daniels diction/delivery is perfectly clear. I think they have tried to make it authentic and grim along the lines of the Village - there were also complaints about this series unremitting grimness.

Agree that the sound was awful - especially on Monday. Luckily I was recording it as well; I had to keep re-winding bits. I think it's really creepy - and I quite like the grime! I haven't read the book though and decided not to Google the story. Ben Daniels' character doesn't have a Cornish accent, his is RP so far easier to understand if you've not tuned into the accents.

Agree it's certain actors causing the problems with mumbling their lines! It's a very good production I think but I'm missing so much of the script that I've struggled to follow the story in places.

It's not the first BBC drama I've struggled to hear - 'Birdsong' was terrible for mumbled dialogue as well. You'd think they would have learned from it!

Haha, so true.

It's OK for me because a) it's similar to my accent so I have an ear for it and b) I know the story well.

Poor DH hadn't got a clue what Joss was saying when he was spilling all to Mary last night- a slightly important scene!

There's definitely a trend for mumbling on the telly, pretty soon everyone will speak in that absurd whisper that Andrew Lincoln does on The Walking Dead. I think actors equate speaking at normal volume with overacting.

I think part of the problem with the adaptation is that it is spun out over three nights. It's not a dense enough narrative to warrant it. And the acting is really one dimensional, although it looks beautiful and captures the atmosphere of the novel very well. Casting ain't great either - would have loved Paul Bettany in full on creepy mode as the vicar. It's all a bit leaden and dull - would have worked better as a one odd two hour telly movie I reckon.

I'm watching it with subtitles on, as recommended on the other thread.

I've stuck with it and it ended yesterday just as it was getting good, has been very slow so far, still I will see it through.

I only realised what Joss had said when Mary repeated it to the vicar! I've not been able to understand 70% of his dialogue.

Generally I'm finding it a bit clunky and it's not managing to be as broody and atmospheric as the makers clearly wanted it to be. Such a shame as I love DDM.

I like it.

I think the accents are awful. I'm Cornish so I may be being picky. I watched the first, not bothering with the rest.

I thought I as a foreigner I had to use the subtitles because of the regional accent, but now I hear the sound was utter crap!