Corn beef

I have long since abandoned any attempt to hear dialogue on television and rely heavily on subtitles.   Apparently, other viewers are still coming to grips with the BBC's alleged inadequacies:

First, it was the BBC’s costume drama Jamaica Inn, which attracted thousands of complaints in 2014, then last year’s Happy Valley. Now, the alternative history miniseries SS-GB has become the latest primetime BBC programme to draw criticism about characters mumbling their lines.

Following the success of TV shows such as Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, the BBC hopes its five-part dramatisation of Len Deighton’s 1978 novel, which imagines that Germany won the Battle of Britain and the Nazis occupy the south of England, will be a hit.

Following the success of TV shows such as Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, the BBC hopes its five-part dramatisation of Len Deighton’s 1978 novel, which imagines that Germany won the Battle of Britain and the Nazis occupy the south of England, will be a hit.

But the first episode of SS-GB – which had already faced some scathing reviews from TV critics for its first episode on Sunday night – has been criticised by viewers who said they had struggled to hear what was going on.

The broadcaster has promised to promised to examine the sound levels before the next episode is broadcast after dozens of viewers complained.

I'm not really bothered by the sound quality.  But I rather doubt that in the 1940s our hero would be wearing a natty dark blue shirt and tie to the office.  It would also add to the verisimilitude if the actors had learned how to smoke a cigarette without looking as if they had never done so before.

Oh, and don't get me started on actors giving each other so-called meaningful looks ...