Ashes to Ashes – Why the subtitles?

The third installment of Ashes to Ashes was one of the filler variety. The plot involved a serial rapist who preyed on “impure” prostitutes. It was mildly interesting, but I was hoping for a few more clues as to how and why Alex Drake is stuck in 1981. I was denied. Instead, there was a glimpse of her daughter, another freaky appearance by Pierrot, and a quick flashback of her parents right before their car exploded.

Since the episode was so-so, allow me to go off on a bit of a rant. I noticed something that used to irk me when I watched Life on Mars. One word: subtitles. The last time I checked, the British speak the English language. In fact, isn’t the language named after them? Well, that hasn’t stopped someone from subtitling a great portion of Gene Hunt’s dialogue. Is the heavy accent and street slang really that incomprehensible? I watch a good deal of Brit series, so perhaps I’m just accustomed to the dialect.

I still find this practice ridiculous. It’s not even used for every line. Hell, if they’re going to do it, why not subtitle the whole damn show? It’s beyond annoying when only a select few sentences are deemed too difficult to understand. How do they decide which lines to text? Is there some sort of focus group consisting of dimwitted Americans sitting in a room, raising their hands whenever they hear a phrase that frightens or confuses them? Or is it up to the discretion of a lowly intern at BBC America to pick and choose the dialogue that makes no sense? I’d like an answer. Who do I know over at the network? Oh yeah, that’s right, nobody. Shit.

Alright, I’m done bitching. I needed a forum to lodge my complaint; now I can go on living my otherwise peachy existence.

Here are a few of Gene’s best lines. Some were subtitled, others were left alone.

• Alex asked him if they had a “rape suite” for conducting discreet interviews with victims. Gene’s response: “Is that with or without the mini-bar?”
• “Don’t you ever get brain ache?” Gene’s retort to Alex’s psychobabble.
• “Sometimes I hate you, Drake.” She has a way of getting beneath Gene’s skin.
• “Got a dose of the old pox, Raymondo?” Gene’s not-so-subtle inquiry into the burn on DS Ray Carling’s lip.
• “Anything you say will be taken down, chewed up, and spit down your scrawny throat!” Gene Hunt’s version of the Miranda rights.

I’m still liking Ashes to Ashes, although Gene, and to a lesser extent, Ray, carried this episode on their backs. The sexual tension between Alex and Gene continues to build. She even left him an opening; however, he didn’t snatch the bait. I doubt anything will come of it, but it does add flavor to their combative exchanges. Hopefully, next week’s chapter will be a tad more revealing.

Clacked by Scott Tunstall
on Mar 22, 2009 @ 16:00 EST5EDT