Summary
Subtitles are my jam. I turn them on when I’m watching anime and K-dramas, and sometimes, even English movies and TV shows (because these days it’sso hard to hear dialoguewithout them). It’s safe to say that I can’t do without subtitles, but there are a few things about how some streaming services do them that get on my nerves.
When Foreign Languages Are Not Translated
Recently, I was watchingThe Equalizer 3, in English, but a few minutes into the movie, I realized that a good chunk of it is spoken in Italian. I don’t speak Italian, so I turned on the subtitles for help—only to be greeted with a useless little box that said “[speaking Italian].”
It’s frustrating. Subtitles are supposed to help you follow the dialogue, but a lot of the time, it feels like they are sloppily done. I’ve heard people argue that it’s intentional—that you’re not supposed to understand, because it’s a storytelling device meant to build tension or mystery. And sure, maybe that works sometimes, but I still think viewers should get to decide if they want to know what’s being said.
At the very least, if you’re not going to translate it, just leave the screen blank. “[Speaking in a foreign language]” tells me nothing and only makes me feel like I’m missing something important.
When English In a Foreign Movie Doesn’t Get Subtitled
This pet peeve is basically the inverse of the one I just mentioned. I’ve noticed that sometimes when, for example, I’m watching a non-English foreign movie with English subtitles, a character will suddenly say something in English, and the subtitles will just skip it entirely.
I get it. It’s English, so I’m supposed to understand it. But there are plenty of reasons I still want my subtitles.
For one, the actors speaking English might not be native speakers, or they’ll have strong accents. And while they’re clearly trying, the pronunciation can be rough enough that I can’t always make out what they’re saying. Then there’s the whole issue of “cinematic” audio mixing, where thedialogue is buriedunder music or sound effects. Even if the English is perfect, I still need subtitles to catch what’s being said.
When Subtitles Skip Over Visual Context
Another thing that grates on my nerves is when subtitles ignore important visual context that is meant to help you understand what’s going on.
A great example is when I was watchingRecord of Ragnarokon Netflix. In the first episode, a lot of the characters are introduced through on-screen text. But while that text was on the screen, the characters were also speaking—and for some reason, Netflix decided I couldn’t have both. So the subtitles would just completely skip the on-screen text in favor of translating the dialogue.
And it’s not just character intros. Things like building signs, billboards, or even phone screens sometimes go untranslated, even when they’re clearly relevant to the story.
When You Can’t Choose Between Subtitles and Closed Captions
There’s a small but important difference between subtitles and closed captions. Subtitles stick to just the dialogue, while closed captions include all audio cues, music, and sound effects, which is why you get things like [pensive music] or [squelching noises].
Closed captions are essential for people who are hard of hearing, and they can double as subtitles if you’re willing to tune out all the extra descriptions. That’s probably why a lot of streaming services prefer them—it’s a way to kill two birds with one stone.
The thing is, though, we often don’t get to choose between captions and proper subtitles. Netflix, on the other hand, recently got it right by introducingdialogue-only subtitletracks, and I’m not sure why more streaming services haven’t followed suit. Making a subtitle file from a caption file isn’t even that hard. Just strip out everything in brackets and boom—dialogue-only subtitles, ready to go.
AI-Generated Subtitles
I’ve long suspected that streaming services are using AI instead of real translators to subtitle their content, but I’ve never been able to prove it until recently, when Crunchyroll released a horrendous translation ofNecronomicon and the Cosmic Horror Show. In the subtitles released with that show, character and place names were completely wrong, there were multiple grammatical errors, and most embarrassingly of all, the German subtitles actually included the phrase “ChatGPT said…”
Some viewers have speculated that AI-generated subtitles aren’t just being used for new releases, but that services like Crunchyroll are quietly replacing subtitles in older content too—possibly to avoid licensing fees. I can’t say for sure if that’s true, but based on what we’ve already seen, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise.
When the Subtitles Spoil the Movie
Everyone hates a spoiler, but getting one while you’re in the middle of an actual show is the worst. Poorly-timed subtitles can end up giving you a few seconds of foreknowledge in a scene that can totally spoil it. For example, imagine watchingThe Empire Strikes Backand the subtitles give away the identity of Luke’s father before Darth Vader can get around to saying the iconic line. Or when a subtitle ends with an ellipsis or a dash, basically warning you that something’s about to cut the character off mid-speech. It’s a small thing, but it can seriously undercut the moment.
What Can You Do if You Encounter Poor Subtitles?
You can also try switching between subtitles and closed captions if your streaming service gives you that option. Sometimes the difference between the two is like night and day. And if all else fails, consider watching the movie or show on DVD or Blu-ray, as these physical formats often come with their own subtitle tracks.
Subtitles and closed captions are invaluable for many people to get the most out of viewing their favorite shows and movies. For me, they help me enjoy the wide range of content I love, whether it’s in my language or not. They’ve come a long way, but hopefully the streamers will continue to improve them, and maybe this roundup will help!
