Badly Lit Tv Programmes

[Barquentine]

Has anyone else noticed the very poor lighting of TV dramas and other TV programmes? Many serials set in the past have a washed-out greenish/ochre tinge like that somehow makes it more authentic - maybe supposed to hint at sepia-tints?
Now though I'm watching a science programme on BBC 4 that seems to use some filter giving it a hazy, washed-out appearance.
Why are they doing this?

[ferlew]

No idea, but it puts me right off. You miss so much detail
So many do it these days, games too.

[Jomlett]

The BBC 4 programme is about Light and Dark so the do have a reason for the tinting, but usually when this happens I have a special setting and that special setting is Black and White. I turn the colour OFF!

[Buenchico]

Have you actually tried viewing a test card, to see whether your screen is set up correctly? If you're using Freeview, here's how to do it:
http://www.ukfree.tv/helpme.php?faqid=1107051204

The column of boxes to the left of the central picture should be bright white at the top and jet black at the bottom, but with the boxes in between clearly showing intermediate steps. (i.e. the second box mustn't be so bright that it blends into the white one and the second-from-bottom mustn't be so dark that it blends into the black one). Further, the colours across the top mustn't be too bright (closer to 'pastel' on the left particularly) and the girl's skin tone should look untanned and natural.

The vast majority of TV sets in people's homes aren't set up correctly, so it's unsurprising when they report problems with brightness, contrast or colour balance.

[bibblebub]

It's not the screen set-up; some programmes and adverts definitely look washed-out/misty, as one can verify simply by changing channel and seeing that other programmes are ok.

[Barquentine]

I found a BBC production manual online for producers and lighting crew describing low energy lighting since, apparently 80% of a production's cost can go on lighting. Also it referred to reducing their carbon foot print. I think they must be using those horrible LED lights. At the same time I think the turquoise/greeny tint on period dramas in a trendy fad that will pass in time. I'm glad to discover it's not just I that dislikes this trend.
And what about those shows where the camera is jolting around the whole time - like in Casualty - as if that makes it more like being there - oh please!

[heathfield]

What cheeses me off is those many detective programmes where they enter a house and search around using flashlights. Why does it never occur to them to just switch the lights on? Grrr!

[keenonhist]

a very good example of low light is the,now ended,run of "Doctor Blake Mysteries" Shown on BBC2 (I think)The indoor shots were very dark.And it didn`t help with the sets painted in very dull colours. The program was set in 1950/60`s Australia,maybe they were trying to set the scean of the period but it made for difficult viewing,other wise it was a very good production.
keenonhist