Why Are TV Shows So Dark? How to Adjust Your Setup for Dark Scenes | WSJ

TV shows like “House of the Dragon” and “Stranger Things” have come under fire for being too dark. Literally. WSJ’s Kenny Wassus spoke with experts about why shows are leaving us squinting and how to adjust your TV to help.
Illustration: Alex Kuzoian for The Wall Street Journal
#TV #TVShow #WSJ

[@labloke5020]

This is an extreme example, but a lot of TV shows/movies are getting darker. I really do hate this new trend.

[@atomicshadowman9143]

I quit watching them. If more people do that it'll stop this nonsense.

[@ligametis]

When white walls is a problem to watch TV then it is a problem with movie or show.

[@07Flash11MRC]

@@atomicshadowman9143 "I quit watching them.": That's a good start, but as long as people keep buying films, keep using streaming networks and keep going to the cinema to watch them, it'll never stop.

[@aprozsolt8046]

unwatchable dark detailess piece of craps.

[@jakem9519]

I can’t even watch any Apple TV show it’s a bonehead mood unsubbed from Apple TV as a result

[@ishmael802]

I honestly hate how TV is filmed nowadays

[@bngr_bngr]

This issue was particularly a problem on The Walking Dead. There were to many scenes that were to dark. The scene just was not lit properly. Really done to cut cost. Toward the end of the show, they started to light their night scenes, so we could see what was happening. We understand there are no lights at night and it’s pitch dark. Yet no one is going to adjust their TV during a dark scene. We realize there needs to be a bit of unreality to watch and enjoy the show.

[@donkinea6357]

technically, our eyes adjust to see in darkness. For calling artist vision when completely dark in movie making is full of it. You can't see when there is ZERO information recorded. PERIOD!

[@Cmdaddy88]

It looks fine on an OLED, or even a Plasma for that matter. LCDs are really not that capable of playing very dark scenes

[@giosant5327]

@@Cmdaddy88lcd is better w peak brightness its just how deep the blacks can get and more dimming zones...but if not well lit they all look too dark imo

[@perrypereyra6671]

recent Black Panther I watched in theaters is just so dark that I can see the white screen behind and then I wish we could have theaters revolution where we dump projection system and use real pixel display with OLED, except IMAX film of course, it just infinitely way ahead in terms of quality

[@Seacai150]

I can’t stand this. You have to be in a pitch black room to see anything and even then my eyes struggle.

[@luisnuno8985]

If you make them darker the quality of the costumes and CGI doesn't have to be very good. My conspiracy theory

[@CURTSNIPER]

that trick has been around since the infancy of special effects for one key reason. information, its more obvious something is fake when placed in a bright environment like under the noon day sun, than in a breaking down ship lost in space

[@zukacs]

FILMMAKER MODE is effort made by uhd-alliance, which removes all post-processing and shows the content in originals colors

[@tom_foolery93]

Switching from HDR to SDR fixed everything on my Hisense H9G including that infamous HOTD episode.

[@airjaff]

I can't even switch hdr off when the TV detects hdr content, I have a hisense pled

[@chrismv102]

I'm a film editor. House of the Dragon is too dark...It loses the ability to see the expressions on the actor's faces. I gave up after 5 episodes...also it's not nearly as good as it's predecessor.

[@josieborchardt]

It’s ridiculous how dark they have come.

[@Dobviews]

They control the light, at this point if it is too dark for a decently priced TV... I will just refuse to watch it.

[@LiangHuBBB]

in the new black panther movie I couldnt see anything on the night scenes!

[@shahjehan]

If it’s too dark, I stop watching

[@jonathanparle8429]

I already do all those things but TV shows are still too dark. After starting to watch The Pact series 2 after half an hour of screaming at the family to buy a better light bulb for their house, I just gave up.

[@raycrossley5398]

Most of the movies we watch today on a smart TV are realy disign to be watched in the dark in a movie theater. Any anbant light on the screen will send the screen dark To watch these movies on a smart TV we have to watch them in allmost totle darkness

[@jesusramos3426]

I think show makers do this to troll die hard fans

[@doctafaustus]

As someone who has low-light visual impairment, I hate this!

[@theaxer3751]

Don't feel bad about it. I can see perfectly, and I still don't see anything.

[@naxxorm723]

There is a lot of factors... The source (bad post production gradation with bad implementation of "directors intent" if it is converted from.an SDR format then to HDR10 then to Dolby Vision. The other issue can be a bad calibration from the device or tv internal app given the tv model.with its maximum peak brightness personal value... And after all things already mentioned you have the proper tv settings/calibration depending on each model/brand... Its very dissapointing to not have a very refined final product in the end...

[@m_a_s6069]

All the tweaking and calibration in the world will not fix "intentional creative decision". IT'S STILL TOO DARK!!!

[@dogratco]

Suggest checking Vincent's HDTVTest channel on KZbin for a very technical deep-dive on this topic.

[@nerd26373]

I've had this issue with 1899. Seems like this is fairly common in other television shows and films.

[@FutureCommentary1]

First read SINCE 1899 :-D. My first thought wasn't that TV didn't exist it was how are you still alive.

[@shahjehan]

Got cancelled 😂

[@defsnotdevyn]

I had to watch it at night to see it a little better lol

[@1hunda100]

Even when I play 2k my tv is still dark on some play areas

[@jasonleahy5543]

I live in the UK and British tv dramas made by the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are also very dark, I can't even see fights and action scenes shot at night such as episodes of the BBC SAS Rogue Heroes based on a true story, I can't see the soldiers attacking German airfields in North Africa during WW2 it looks as if the production firms are using natural lighting instead of artificial lighting, I watch telly on a 2009 Apple iMac not a tv and I can't find a setting on my computer to make the screen brighter, even the VLC media player which has more setting than anyone needs doesn't seem to have a way to brighten the screen.

[@karenk3593]

I have a really old (2011?) MacBook Pro and recently found the setting to change the screen settings. Changed mine to "cinema" and it made an enormous difference. Can't remember the steps, but I found it by Googling changing screen setting on MacBook Pro. Hope that works for you.

[@madcow3417]

So... film makers are intentionally screwing up their content and we can fix it by turning up the brightness?

[@braxtonwoullard1188]

Some of it has to do with the tv screens being reflective nowadays, and most people try to watch movies on their phones outside in broad daylight when the sun is at its highest.

[@jonathanparle8429]

Funny how those two movies The Descent and The Descent 2 were excellent, yet filmed in dark underground cave-like sets and probably have more pitch black pixels on the screen at any given time than any film I have ever watched before, yet the directors and crew always made sure the darkness in a given scene was located precisely only where it really mattered and did not obscure the actual action that you did need to see. I wish that all cinematography was that good.

[@giosant5327]

Yesterday watching a movie almost made me consider changing tv but what ive seen is some content looks great and some is just not good too dark and grainy

[@jjfhbnkkbf]

They are dark in terms of content these days, especially netflix

[@karenk3593]

and amazon

[@user-yg8vo2hu6u]

actually thts wht makes those shows look real to me....i mean where would you get the lighting in the night in....in full moon day only we cant see the details of each others face in real life?

[@dmitriyobidin6049]

Yea, i should buy OLED to watch those dark screens shoved to me by streaming services in their full glory... If the show is too dark it doesn't matter how good your tv at displaying darkness. I want to watch the show, not the black square...

[@PaulHo]

Into his grandpa sweater. 🥺

[@PhiLLyPhiLLz]

Do not ever use Vivid mode, it is meant to make the tv standout in big stores. Movie mode or Dolby Vision ONLY.

[@rui569]

Why are some TV shows (and banners) meant to be watched late at night so bright?

[@t.b.3511]

So basicslly we are turning oled tvs to lcd tvs to watch contrnt

[@John-Jacob-Smith]

Funny how movies and shows made decades ago for a fraction of the cost with inferior technology didn't have these issues.

[@CURTSNIPER]

neither did the display technology of the viewer, technology will always have growing pains

[@musicisthegateway]

Bravo!! On-Brand condescending report from WSJ. Most outstanding story about how the content doesn't suck, YOU suck! "You" being the viewer that doesn't calibrate their TV like a seasoned veteran and buy an expensive TV to begin with. No wonder people hate the media.

[@FrancoQwerty]

2:49 _"every shade of black"_ 🤣👍

[@jdzajdza]

It give me Apple vibes “you are holding your phone wrong”

[@tuvoca825]

I assumed they were talking about how the story lines were too dark in this generation! LoL. The producers are editing this stuff in dark rooms. LoL. That's part of the issue.

[@methos-ey9nf]

I will concede it's an artistic choice - a stupid artistic choice.

[@paulconway384]

4k looks way too dark. 1080 Bluray nice and bright.

[@jaydibernardo4320]

Vox made a video about this as well as a number of web sites cover this.

[@akashverma5756]

There is no issue with TV, directors just need to reduce its ego. Now a days, directors consider their ego more important than audience viewing experience.

[@sorinpopa1442]

Exactly , hate how my brand new 1300 nits , miniled tv looks in some HDR or DB. Vision movies , like way darker and duller compared to SDR.

[@michaelwyckoff7593]

Unfortunately that's the way some of them are filmed.

[@ivanchavez6226]

Literally every show on apple tv

[@r.morris5589]

how about shows that have to much reading with subtitles. It is visual not a book.

[@zztop7000]

The Matrix 4 is also very dark you need to watch it in complete dark room when watching in 4k projector. This is 4k Matrix 4 i think this is just the beginning there's going to be alot of dark seen in movies it's up to producers. I thought HDR is going to be brighter bluray disc is not too dark we should go back to bluray.

[@KTM-rh8uj]

Just a few comments from Kevin Miller: 1- Regarding the viewing angle, having your eyes in the center of the screen is ideal. I cannot recommend viewing anywhere near 45 degrees off angle horizontally, especially with LCD displays. 2- I also totally disagree with the recommendation of using the Dynamic or Vivid Picture Mode, which is essentially ''Best Buy"" torch mode and completely color inaccurate. I would recommend you spend a little time on determining what are the best settings in the TV (Picture mode, backlight, black level, etc...), and analyze your viewing environment. With very dark material as mentioned in the video, TURN THE LIGHTS OFF!

[@slong5082]

2 - but is it brighter?

[@LuisRodriguez-ef8vg]

This solved with mini led tv… not deepest black level but close and u can see the details

[@Raj_Das]

OLED owners- I want perfect black level Calibrators- Making shows/movies so black that even the white subtitle hurt the eyes

[@Poweranimals]

Honestly, this stuff all gives me anxiety.

[@joe10117]

wrong response he said it s not the content aired YES !! it is..... it s called standard definition to 1080 P COLORIZING over what was fine darker shadows HDR red tones to much Facial enhancements touched up darker without keeping it cleaner anyone company who s out there made it darker added rinkles shadows that never were at all that bad or dark so yes it s the content change over not not not our TV s...

[@oscaryuen311]

very convenient when black friday is coming up

[@SuperHitman55]

This is why I rather watch UHD without HDR. If there's only UHD HDR then I'll stick to 1080P as it's not dark

[@shashankshekhar2611]

so HoD was not a podcast?

[@RXP91]

The house of dragons was mastered too dark. Your calibrator was wrong. Dolby vision mastering calls for ambient light of 5 nits, not total darkness

[@ew2645]

Oh I was thinking psychologically dark

[@mirabella2154]

Me too.

[@ew2645]

@@mirabella2154 I love the tv show Hannibal but it is dark and graphic AF.

[@ccx22]

I'm never going to watch too dark content with soo much hassle.... simple I you want me to see make it visible TO MEE

[@karenk3593]

amen. me too. I just stop watching if no settings i find make it clear enough.

[@tonicalloway7227]

"What!?"..

[@Cap_management]

I have much better solution which I successfully do for years. I skip all dark scenes until there is light again and if entire movie is dark I skip the movie as its not worth watching if you see nothing half the time. BTW I have a plasma TV from Panasonic aka top of TV other than OLED and still dark scenes are bad. I will not pay thousands Dollars to buy expensive OLED TV because they produce junk movies these days.

[@aprozsolt8046]

So the creator intend that you can't se nothing on the screen in HDR. Good to know. It is a joke, that we have high brightness tv-s and the overall avarage HDR brightness level of the movies is just the fraction of what the tv can do. Compared to SDR, this a big leap backwards. Best advice if you want a brighter HDR image is that you need to switch to SDR :D I can't believe my ears what just heard :D The whole industry is a joke. I have a 1500 nits rated HDR TV and with cranked up setting i can barely see HDR movies in a completly dark room. You can't pick the details and your eyes just fightning picking up what is going on. And they tell you, that you are the problem :D

[@MrThomasTomThomas]

So true Why do they not think about our screens? We sit in livingrooms not cinemas.

[@mastersinr]

So add a new 4k tv financing plan along with your streaming subscriptions people! its your fault!

[@MayorMcC666]

this comment section is wild, just turn off the lights bro

[@theaxer3751]

Thanks, now I can see the outline of some of the objects in screen like the director intended. I still hate it.

[@509brown]

I went from a LG OLED 65" to a Samsung NeoLED 90B 75". Problem fixed.

[@ticerqueira]

So… you called an specialist just to dismiss everything he said

[@MichaelBabich]

...or a show creators may adjust the lighting of the show in the way for it to be easily watchable on a regular LCD TV-not just on an expensive OLED TV.

[@steven.events]

The actors are paid by the minute for screen time.

[@AaronFigFront]

HDTVTest has done a video on this as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/emmWhIuZnNqqeLc

[@jamesklusener]

didn't Vox make this video a few weeks ago? mmm

[@auro1986]

hbo hides bad acting and saves money on special effects

[@bruintoo]

F that. I'll just watch on my OLED iPhone.

[@AppIeOfficial]

bro can't afford an oled tv

[@simontemplar404]

Top tip, do not watch insulting rubbish filmed in the dark.

[@Lizzy_333]

I’m glad they are, we shouldn’t be watching those things anyway 😂

[@ZorroDaddy]

I call it: Bad Production.

[@zetacrucis681]

Often it is the content. If the information is not in the data stream, no TV will be able to show it. Dark details are often lost to compression, including here for some of the examples shown in this video.

[@joe10117]

MARCH 2024 it s all over the internet hollywood usibg too much contrast HDR george gracy to magnum PI star trek columbo little house ATEAM three tv s two samsungs one LG still no better hollywood added rinkles shadows it s awfull hard to enjoy series from the 60 sto 80 s.. the facial look looks awfull hard to enjoy retro tv even black white series yeesh...

[@eduardoco789]

To be honest viewer has no time to set the right caliber for watching their tv.

[@KAZAM707]

It's not a combination of those things. It's literally the colorists ridiculous choices, not considering the reality of TVs. Or they just wanted it to look black. Which upsets people. So... Ya

[@potatomatop9326]

This is why i only watch The Boys and Invincible.

[@omar2886]

Way too much

[@waydesworld108]

If you have a TV with a good contrast ratio/black level you'll be fine. Stop buying cheap TVs.

[@Cap_management]

I have Panasonic plasma TV which was a top TV you could buy and still dark. And shouldn't creators of movies expect that most people on this planet doesn't have OLED TV while half of the people on the planet live on $2 a day? Will be movies for top 10% now or what?

[@waydesworld108]

@@Cap_management Interesting point. For me I see it more as TV designs have gotten cheaper. I have a 65 inch top of the line set as well, I got it at a good price and it battles up with OLEDs simply because it's engineered better(120 individual backlit LEDs vs Strips or Single Panel). I have also owned a Panasonic UT-50 (Plasma) in the past. They are wicked dark, but the brightness is what you need/contrast.