Foreign drama thread (BBC4, C4's Walter Pres, Sky Arts etc)

I've noticed on my travels that Norway's NRK offers viewers a choice of subtitles on their foreign (notably British) programmes, so if you can understand the language in question, you can opt to have no subtitles.

Of course, multilingualism is far more prevalent there than here

On many channels in Europe you have audio language and subtitles language choices and can change them as you wish; the options are there in most televisions and set top boxes in the UK too but not used.

We're just so used to everything being in English by default that when they show other language programming broadcasters would rather have the subs burnt in rather than explain that you need to turn them on

An exception being S4C who provide English and Welsh subs and which is displayed depends on your TV or set top box setting. Same for the audio language on Euronews.

I think S4C still show narrative repeats of some shows with on screen subtitles.

I know their repeats of Pobol Y Cym (and the omnibus before they axed it) have on-screen English subtitles.

They have a separate English soundtrack as well on some stuff like sports and the Eistedfodd.

Norway launched terrestrial a lot later than other countries, so were able to mandate a set top box standard that ensured soft subtitles worked. You can select Norwegian for hard-of-hearing or Norwegian for non-Norwegian dialogue options (and use DVB Subs). Other countries that launched terrestrial earlier used the same subtitles as teletext (and used WST subs) and so burn in non-native language subtitles.

SVT in Sweden tried the NRK approach but got so many complaints they returned to burning in.

Most mainstream terrestrial broadcasters still burn in though. NRK is an exception. Certainly DR (Danish) and SVT (Swedish) burn in subtitles for non-Danish/Swedish dialogue still.

Pay-TV channels are a different kettle of fish as they often serve multiple language regions - so soft-subtitles (i.e. non-burned in) are the only option unless you uplink multiple variants (that increasingly is the case for advertising regions anyway)

More Scandi goodness: Occupied on Sky Arts starts 13 January at 21:00



We've also mentioned, in the BBC One thread, the bilingual version of S4C drama Hinterland / Y Gwyll returning to BBC One Wales on 23 December at 21:30.

Good spot. Have heard good things.

Only just finding this forum. Had assumed it must be Young Montalbano coming next on BBC4 in the Saturday night slot - due to the lack of availability of enough new episodes of any of their other announced acquisitions - but hadn't seen confirmation anywhere. I've seen elsewhere that Trapped (Icelandic but the cast includes Bjarne Henriksen who was Theis Birk Larsen in The Killing) is due in February & assume Follow the Money will follow fairly soon after that. I'm especially looking forward to Trapped.

I'm also really looking forward to the launch of Walter Presents. Though - apart from Deutschland 83 - I'm not sure which of their initial line up to watch first. I have already seen Spin - which aired on TV5 as Les hommes de l'ombre (The Men in the Shadows). Highly recommended - especially the second series.

Also good to see more Latin American imports announced earlier in the week (Times article + Broadcast). I'm especially interested in seeing Profugos (Chile) as I've heard good things about that.

From The Times: " 9. Profugos (seasons 1 and 2)
Chile, More4, All4
The biggest hit to come out of HBO Latin America — Breaking Bad meets Prison Break. Four men become fugitives (profugos) after a failed drug deal, running from the north of Chile to the south, chased by the police and a far more dangerous drug criminal".

Their other newly announced Latin American acquisitions are from Brazil & Mexico:

"12. Magnifica 70 (season 1)
Brazil, All4
A compelling drama about erotic obsession, freedom of expression and political repression in a riveting setting: 1970s Brazil. Vincente works as a film censor and, his job to ensure that no subversive ideas or images reach an audience. His life is turned upside down when he becomes obsessed with Dora, the lead actress of an erotic film he is forced to ban.
13. Mr Avila (seasons 1 and 2)
Mexico, More4, All4
A visceral crime family saga with all the poetic pathos of Six Feet Under.
Mr Avila is a married man who balances two jobs: insurance salesman and assassin working for a criminal organisation — until it all unravels".

iPlayer link to Hinterland, for anyone without access to BBC One Wales
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06t4lqk/hinterland-series-2-full-length-episode-1

Just spotted this, starts 3rd January on S4C:

"Welsh-language drama Byw Celwydd (Living A Lie) set to add new pep to politics with intrigue and corruption
Eight-part series opens with the ruling coalition thrown into chaos by the death of a party leader after a session with a prostitute"...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/welsh-language-drama-byw-celwydd-living-a-lie-set-to-add-new-pep-to-politics-with-intrigue-and-a6788491.html

I wonder how well Welsh drama might do on BBC4. Wouldn't be surprised if they got more viewers for Hinterland in Welsh than in English.