Couldn't watch this for very long. Ridiculous! The polish people are speaking english with polish accent. French people (some of them)speaking english with french accent. Let them speak their natural language for god's sake! It's 2013!
At least they spared us ze german english.
Not a lot of people want to spend 90 minutes reading subtitles.
____
It is hard not to sound condescending when you are explaining things to an idiot!
You get used to subtitles pretty fast. I'm from Sweden and over here we've had them for 50 years or so. In the long run they are way better than any of the alternatives. Like dubbed movies...
I guess that's the difference - in the UK, like it or not, we're not overly used to subtitles, so I imagine people wouldn't take as easily to having a BBC1 prime time programme having subtitles. Whether that's a dumb thing or not (and it most likely is), the fact is the programmes need viewers - so they are somewhat tied to what their viewers want to see.
Chaos... panic... disorder... My work here is done!
Subtitles wouldn't work because this is a largely British cast playing different nationalities - French, Polish, Russian, etc.
Who knows where the time goes?
[deleted]
Not used to subtitles in the UK. hahahahahahahahaha
shareWell, here in the States, when David Tennant says something like, "I'll send the car around about half-past nine," it tends to sound like he's saying, "Ahs end the car a hound Abba up a stein."
Thus, we find it useful to watch with the subtitles on, notwithstanding he's speaking English (or so we're told).
Who knows where the time goes?
Rather a parochial and silly post - Tennant's accent is perfectly clear, his own Scottish accent isn't even that difficult to understand and he has successfully supressed that for this production.
shareAgreed. I'm American, and I can understand him just fine. No matter what accent he happens to be using.
shareHow else could they do it?
You can't have people wearing little flags,like it or not english is one of the world's big languages.
Nobody would watch something where everyone spoke their own language,people who complain about such stuff are unrealistic I think.
(In any case I reckon in the real world the Poles and the French would speak French to each other,some of the diplomats would speak the local language but the Poles were pro French).
People all over europe watch english language tv because many people speak english as a second or other language.
Imagine trying to get funding for a drama where people would speak 2 or 3 different languages.
I enjoy all sorts of foreign language films and programmes,I am not a SUN reader but this was a BBC co production and the idea that it would not be in english is just daft.
Nobody would watch something where everyone spoke their own languageBecause nobody watched The Killing, The Bridge, Wallander, Borgen...
I should have said that a lot fewer people would watch something in where everyone spoke their own language,this drama features Polish,French and German and English speaking characters.
So this series had to be in one language (like THE KILLING and WALLANDER and the others programmes you mention).
The Swedes did not make WALLANDER in english,they made it in their own language and of course were glad of the foreign interest and sales.
I don't think you can compare these shows you mention with a BBC production featuring an ex Dr Who.
Of course the BBC want foreign sales but they they make most of their programmes in English (do you speak welsh or gaelic?)and don't forget the book was in english.
I don't like the tone of some of the comments here,I have watched more subtitled non english films than a lot of people,likewise I have travelled to a lot of foreign countries but I feel that this was a drama programme,it was not a school programme to teach people a foreign language.
As for the ALLO ALLO reference,I ALWAYS HATED that programme,it meant that a great programme (SECRET ARMY)did not get the praise it deserved and it also meant that people were laughing at French stereotypes from a sad time in that nation's history.
Drinking beer from traditional British pint pots in Poland, hilarious. DT is so much better than this rubbish
shareWhat is DT?
shareCompliments. No doubt the best and most entertaining discussion on subs or dubbing ever.
Some (Non-Anglo Saxon) people speak more than one language and are not put off to hear a bit of German, Polish or other language. One might actually learn a bit of foreign language too.
The 2011 Polish film In Darkness (WWII, city of Lviv) accentuates the multi-linguistic environment at the time in Ukraine by using Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, German and Hebrew (Jiddisch).
If such an accurate historical depiction is not to your liking, stick to 'Allo 'Allo.
I'm defintely in favour of subs. Helped me to learn a language or two, or three.
I think it's fine, if you were to have subtitles it would distract from the action.
What's worse is dubbing, try watching the film 1900 with Gerard Depardieu and Robert Deniro and Donald Sutherland and its hell! The film is based in Italy.
Surely you can use your imagination and focus on the story instead. I do get what you mean though but then again I am used to foreign movies so its easier for me. Give it another chance :-)