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Thefirst episode ofSharp Objectsis beautifully confident.
But also, I couldnt hear all of the dialogue.
Ill admit that this is a cranky, cantankerous objection, and its also a massive self-own.
(I love this show but I cant hear anything they say!
the ancient, belligerent woman yelled online.)
But the dialogue onSharp Objectsis occasionally so inaudible that its a very real distraction from an otherwise gorgeous show.
Its time to talk about this problem!
Amma asks if Marian was perfect, and Camille tells her she wasnt, but she was close.
Its a creepy scene, and it feels very significant for Amma and Camilles relationship.
But I had to watch it three times to check that I heard what they actually said.
If quiet dialogue were just a problem forSharp Objects, this would be a small-scale grievance.
Its a problem onDietland,Mr.Robot,Fargo,Seven Seconds,Ozark, andMindhunter.
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Can I fix this problem by turning on subtitles?
Can I just turn up the volume louder?
Why is this happening?
Is whispered dialogue a new stand-in for how we know a TV show is Serious and Important?
Perhaps theres an industry-wide culture that overemphasizes visuals at the expense of sound?
Of course, whispered scenes do serve a purpose.
Barely audible dialogue can feel raw, genuine, and tonally useful in the right moments.
But the point of a TV show is that its not real life.
Actors are portraying characters, giving us access to stories we dont experience in our everyday lives.
Being inaudible is not necessary to create that mood, though.
It just makes it very, very hard to hear.
The magic would not be ruined if people spoke up just a hair.
