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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I going deaf or does everyone on telly mumble theses days?

137 replies

CaraBosse1 · 18/01/2018 20:23

Just watched first episode of Pretty Little Lies - God, the mumbling!

First series of House of Cards, I kept putting subtitles on because I couldn't understand Kevin Spacey.

Watching McMafia the other night, I kept saying to DH "eh, what did he say?" to which DH replied "Dunno"

Am I going mutton and jeff or does anyone else struggle to follow dramas because of the bloody mumbling?

OP posts:
afrikat · 18/01/2018 20:26

Have you checked the sound settings on your tv? They can be set so that dialogue is louder than the soundtrack which might help. I didn't think there was any mumbling in the shows you've mentioned

takeitandleaveit · 18/01/2018 20:31

Yes to the mutton and yes to the mumbling (me too) Grin

I find the news on the car radio particularly hard to follow these days, and have to turn it up, and then back down again once they've finished. Particular announcers though - some are fine, so I put that down to poor diction and/or mumbling.

Alpacaandgo · 18/01/2018 20:32

I stick subtitles on more times than not! Unless the volumes up high they are mumbling! The background sounds/music always seem way louder than the talking. It's so annoying

ICJump · 18/01/2018 20:34

I’ve started getting quite cross about this. Really actors have one job “say the fucking line”. It really pisses me off that they mumble for mumbling sake

IcanMooCanYou · 18/01/2018 20:35

Last person I heard say this was my 89 year old grandad. Your post made me laugh because that was almost his exact quote. He died 16 years ago- so not sure it's 'these days'. His last few years he constantly had subtitles on Corrie as they 'mumbled'

Original poster
CaraBosse1 · 18/01/2018 21:02

Oh afrikat - Kevin Spacey does mumble!

I don't have this problem with the Archers aka real actors!

OP posts:
WickedGoodDoge · 18/01/2018 21:05

I really struggled with season two of The Crown. They all seemed to mumble under their breath and speak really quickly.

DonnyAndVladSittingInATree · 18/01/2018 21:07

I’m so glad this isn’t just me! I’ve been noticing for the last few months I’ve had to keep having the subtitles on. I was worried it was my hearing!

maddiemookins16mum · 18/01/2018 21:16

I think my hearing is fine but I use subtitles all the time, I struggle to follow the conversations otherwise, not sure why really ☺️

NotWithABang · 18/01/2018 21:17

I love the movie Interstellar but refuse to watch it due to this.

SingaSong12 · 18/01/2018 21:18

It isn't just you. I have very acute hearing (I have ASD and listen to both speech and music radio and most tv on as low as will go.) However there are quite a few tv programmes I just don't bother with because speech is unclear or not distinguishable from the background "atmospheric music/sounds". If the makers can't be bothered to make it comprehensible I can't be bothered to watch and decipher.

SweetChickadee · 18/01/2018 21:21

DH and I are forever rewinding stuff muttering "whatdidhesay..?"

Not just you OP. Our hearing's fine apart from in noisy bars

jarhead123 · 18/01/2018 21:39

I use subtitles more often than not, I hate straining to hear what is being said

Original poster
CaraBosse1 · 18/01/2018 21:40

Thank you for the reassurance 😀

OP posts:
Oldbutstillgotit · 18/01/2018 21:41

Struggling with Sarah Lancashire in Kiri. My hearing is fine so she is mumbling as she did on Happy Valley.

WeeM · 18/01/2018 21:42

Apparently it’s flat screen TVs-the speakers aren’t as good as they used to be on big TVs. Consequently that’s why soundbars are all the rage!
We have been watching The Wire with subtitles and I still don’t understand what they’re talking about!!

Frusso · 18/01/2018 21:43

I think you may be right. I have to put the subtitles on these days in order to follow what they're saying.
I've already tweaked the settings and hearing is fine.

TeeBee · 18/01/2018 21:45

I watched the first episode of Peaky Blinders and didn't have a scooby what was going on. Watched it again with subtitles and suddenly a new whole world was opened up.

mirren3 · 18/01/2018 21:52

I'm getting thumb ache from having to rewind? replay? so much on TV just now, the worst part though is I hear my mother moaning about it and it's me speaking.

TeeniefaeTroon · 18/01/2018 22:16

Funnily enough me and my parents were discussing Sarah Lancashire the other day, we all have to use subtitles when watching something she's in.

sixteenapples · 18/01/2018 22:20

Me too!

KnittingOnEmpty · 18/01/2018 22:25

I hear you! (sorry). Me too. Just binge watched Happy Valley and subtitles were such a help.
Worst was Taboo, couldn't make out a bleeding thing, I was so disappointed as really wanted to get into it. Just gave up.

ihatethecold · 18/01/2018 22:25

I’ve changed the settings on my tv to clear voice.
It reduces back ground noise.

pilates · 18/01/2018 22:27

Yes agree, thought it was just me. That’s reassuring 🙂

PeepoPleaseNo · 18/01/2018 22:30

YY to the Crown series 2, I've had subtitles on the whole time in order to try to follow it.

The worst one ever was The Wire. The accents, the language, the mumbling, the darkness of the screen and the 'story' - aargh. Even with subtitles I had absolutely no idea what was happening and gave up after 3 episodes, despite it having been sold to me by multiple sources as The Greatest Show On Earth.