MovieChat Forums > Engrenages (2005) Discussion > Season 1 Picture Quality

Season 1 Picture Quality

posted 8 years ago by samr-3
5 replies | jump to latest

I have started watching this show this week on Netflix US, because a friend of mine recommended it. So far I have watched the first 3 episodes of season 1.
I like the story, and the acting, and I will continue watching it, but I am really bothered by the picture quality. The image is noisy and grainy (which can be a style choice), but what really annoys me is that the light parts of the images (walls, white cars, etc.) are overexposed and saturated. The dynamic range is extremely poor, as if it was shot with an ultra cheap video camera.
I am wondering if this is an issue of the Netflix version (although it sure doesn't look like digital compression artifacts), or if the original version shown on TV had the same issue. I know the first season is from 2005, but even at that time, picture quality of TV shows was incredibly better.

Anyone experiencing the same issue? I hope picture quality is better on the other seasons.

[–] ToHelenBackAgain 8 years ago

I've only seen one episode, but I'm pretty sure this is all a deliberate style choice throughout. The grainily low-color look of the show is mentioned in several reviews, usually positively, though I can't find anything at the moment, sorry. Apparently looking for visual terms deliberately is actually omitting them by accident, when finding them by accident was easy.

Myself, I didn't really like or dislike it. I'm not sure yet whether or not I like the show, or will continue with it, but the appearance of it is not an issue for me.

"Well, you look like you could use more bad news."

[–] samr-3 8 years ago

I do understand the use of image altering (color balance, grain, saturation, etc.) as an additional tool to set the mood of a scene, but when it is so much in your face, it becomes annoying. It's a bit like sugar in a cake: if you put too much, it becomes nauseating.

I have uploaded two images http://imgur.com/a/z8uQG
Look at the lightning on the guy's face and all the saturated pixels. The second example is Clément watching TV.

[–] ToHelenBackAgain 8 years ago

Yes, I already knew that you don't like it. You said that in your opening post.

"Well, you look like you could use more bad news."

[–] chicago85 8 years ago

I'm most of the way through season four on HULU and haven't noticed any problems except that I have to sit through commercials on the free version. I click on it to see it full screen

I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else

[–] samr-3 8 years ago

I'm now halfway through season 3. What I mentioned in my first post is only a problem in season 1. For the rest (at least up to the point I'm now), there is still the grainy image and bleak colors, which are totally fine and part of the mood of the show. Thankfully, they got rid of the overexposure.