Viewers blast ‘mumbling’ in BBC’s SS-GB and claim audio quality was its ‘worst since Jamaica Inn’
THE BBC’s new big budget drama SS-GB has been blasted by viewers for its “mumbling”.
More than 1.5million of the seven million who started watching Sunday night’s opener starring Kate Bosworth switched off before the end.
Others — already angry at similar problems with Happy Valley, Jamaica Inn, Rillington Place, Taboo and Poldark — took to Twitter to complain.
The BBC show is the latest in what has been dubbed a "mumbling" row for the BBC, which has also been slammed for sound issues with dramas including Jamaica Inn and Quirke.
SS-GB, which stars actors Sam Riley and Kate Bosworth, shows what life in a Nazi-occupied London could have looked like.
And Matt Hemley raised a valid point when he said: "SS-GB is set in an alternate reality, the BBC states. Because in real 1940s Britain you could hear what people were saying. #ssgb."
James Armstrong added: "What we've learned from SS-GB is that, if the Nazis had successfully invaded Britain, everyone would whisper everything. #ssgb."
Victoria Louise hit out: “Why was it easier to understand the Germans speaking English than the indigenous population? Ban the mumbling.”
The series, based on Len Deighton’s alternative history novel about a detective in a Nazi-controlled 1941 London, also came in for flak for an opening sequence.
It showed a Spitfire Mk IX, despite it not being introduced until 1943.
A history buff wrote: “I’m out! Inaccurate in the first minute.”
Auriel Petri made a direct plea to the BBC on Twitter: "Dear @BBCOne Please sort the sound out on SS-GB. You cannot hear what the cast are saying. Muffled and low pitched. #ssgb."
Kevin Hamilton went straight to the point with his criticism: "SS-GB is a mess. Wooden acting and mumbled dialogue so far. Uninteresting characters. Such a wasted opportunity. Switching off #bbc."
While Laura asked: "Why is everyone mumbling on SS-GB?"
And Humphrey Pring joked: "SS-GB #stopmumbling Sam Riley indecipherable or is he speaking in code? Germans speaking more clearly."
Meanwhile, Andrew Mullins had a different laugh: "Why is this guy in SS-GB doing a Batman voice?"
Annie shared the sentiments of many with her tweet: "Ss-GB impossible to hear a word they are saying. Mumble mumble growl growl. No patience for this on a Sunday night."
Writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, the Bafta winners behind Bond films Spectre, Skyfall and Casino Royale, adapted Len Deighton's 1978 alternate history book of the same name.
Wade said: "It constantly makes you think: 'What would I have done?' This example of alternate history is particularly interesting because it's so close to what might have happened."
He added: "In SS-GB, the British are living through the Occupation. The game is still not over. History is alive - and that's what's particularly clever about this story.
"It's very important that we talk about this stuff. It's become part of our mythology that we stood alone. We did, but it was a very close-run thing."
Purvis found one moment particularly chilling on set, saying: "Seeing Lars Eidinger, who plays SS officer Standartenfuhrer Oskar Huth, coming into a church to arrest someone - that was properly scary.
"Watching a man in an SS outfit with that distinctive long leather coat really brings it home. Even though we know they're actors and are just pretending, just seeing a high-ranking SS officer inside a British church is really chilling."
Wade added: "We could have lost the Battle of Britain if the weather had been different. In fact, it was miraculous that we won that battle.
"Britain was alone at that period. America wasn't involved. They were looking the other way. It was before Pearl Harbour.
"Winston Churchill's great objective was to bring the Americans into the war, but for a long time he couldn't do it.
"In 1941, Churchill wasn't popular, although he's been borne out by history. So SS-GB has a sophisticated plot because as well as concentrating on a murder, it's also about how we got the Americans to commit to the war."
The BBC said: “We will look at the sound levels.”
Series makers Sid Gentle Films said: “We were unable to source a spitfire from 1941 which was suitable for production purposes.”
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