Do You Watch TV with Subtitles On?

This is extremely random, I know, but every time I go to my brother and sister-in-law’s house and we put a movie on, they do the same thing…

Before I can even grab a blanket or pour drinks, they scroll down to “Subtitles: On” and click enter like it’s part of the start-up process.

Here’s the thing: they always watch TV with subtitles on. Doesn’t matter if it’s a British drama with thick accents or a movie they’ve seen a hundred times, they want those words running across the bottom of the screen. At this point, they say they can’t even enjoy a show without them. The subtitles are like their cozy blanket; they feel lost without them.

And I get it. Subtitles can help you catch the mumbled dialogue in “Succession” or keep up with overlapping conversations in “Gilmore Girls.” They can be a lifesaver when a child is napping and you’re trying to keep the volume low. I’ve even read that younger generations default to subtitles because so much content is streamed on phones or laptops, where sound quality isn’t exactly cinematic.

But if I’m being honest, I find them wildly distracting. Once the subtitles pop up, my eyes can’t help but dart to the text. I’m not listening to the actors anymore, I’m just reading. It feels like I’m skimming the Wikipedia plot summary instead of actually sinking into the show. Maybe that’s my ADHD kicking in, but I find it incredibly difficult to watch anything with subtitles on.

It makes me wonder: do you lose anything when subtitles become the default? So much of acting is in the delivery: the pauses, the whispers, the little nuances that don’t always translate in text. Sometimes it feels like you’re watching a play while someone sits next to you narrating every line.

So now I’m curious: where do you fall on this? Are you Team Subtitles Forever, or Team No Words on the Screen, Please? Or do you toggle back and forth depending on what you’re watching?