The BBC has promised to “look at” the sound on its Sunday night drama series SS-GB after viewers complained about inaudible “mumbling” during the most recent episode.
Based on Len Deighton’s novel, SS-GB takes place in an alternative timeline in which Nazi Germany won the Battle of Britain and now occupies London and the UK.
Sam Riley, the actor who played Ian Curtis in 2007’s Joy Division biopic Control, stars as Scotland Yard Detective Superintendent Douglas Archer. Writing on Twitter, one viewer branded Riley the “hoarse whisperer” because of his husky-voiced performance in the series.
Others complained of frequent mumbling from Riley and his co-stars, a criticism that has also been levelled at two other recent BBC dramas, Taboo starring Tom Hardy and Jamaica Inn. Check out a selection of their tweets below.
Was 1940's Britain comprised entirely of mumblers? #ssgb
— Andy Davies (@deadbatdavies) February 19, 2017
Sam Riley, the hoarse whisperer #ssgb
— MrPaulRobinson (@MrPaulRobinson) February 19, 2017
"Listen very carefully I shall mumble this only once!" #SSGB
— Phil…… ⚒ (@pipjcee) February 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/CraigD92/status/833429561928974338
FFS, clearly a lot of work has gone into #SSGB but it's ruined by the mumbling . I think this is the worst since Jamaica Inn.
— Victoria Isherwood (@VicIsherwood) February 19, 2017
According to The Telegraph, the BBC received “dozens of” complaints about the sound in the latest episode, though “less than 100” in total.
Responding to these complaints, a BBC spokesperson said: “We take audibility seriously and we will look at the sound levels on the programme in time for the next episode.” SS-GB continues this Sunday (March 5) on BBC One.
Read more: How the makers of BBC’s ‘SS-GB’ turned London into a dystopian Nazi-occupied zone