Gen Z are watching TV with subtitles and it’s for this ‘super imperative’ reason

Gen Z watch TV using subtitles more than anyone else (Picture: Getty Images) Many of us sink onto the sofa after a long day at work and whack our favourite TV show on the big screen, whether it’s Traitors or a Gilmore Girls rerun. But, more than half of Gen Z admit they cannot watch their favourite programmes without subtitles. YouGov surveyed 35,000 Brits and found 53% of 18 to 24-year-olds opt for subtitles when the TV is on, as do 46% of 25 to 34-year-olds. In fact, they use them more than any other age group, even those aged 75 and over. Surprisingly, the age group least likely to use the on-screen text were 55 to 64-year-olds (20%), despite more than half of those over 55 in the UK suffering from hearing loss. But, if you’ve assumed Gen Z’s reliance on subtitles is due to a shorter attention span, thanks to the trappings of TikTok and brain rot, you’d be mistaken. While one respondent with ADHD said ‘it’s helpful to have them there just in case’, since those with the disorder struggle with inattention, many people’s motivations were far simpler. Here’s why those of us who are younger would rather read than just listen… Gen Z don’t want to miss a thing Following a complex movie plot can be a task, and young adults say it’s easier to understand what’s happening when they can read it, as well as listen to it. ‘Without subtitles, I feel like I miss important information and misunderstand the plot line and story, I would rather understand the movie completely without missing any details,’ admitted one young woman. Switching the TV subtitles on has become necessary to understand the plot (Picture: Getty Images) Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Another agreed, writing: ‘[With] some TV it’s like super imperative that you catch every word. If you mis-hear something it can cause a plot hole, so it’s safer to have subs on to make sure you really get what’s happening.’ Gen Z also shared an aversion to rewinding programs to make sure they knew what was going on. ‘It means… I have a full understand of what’s going on without having to rewind,’ said one man. It’s modern TV’s fault Habitual subtitle users were also quick to blame what they felt was poor sound mixing on newer shows and movies, suggesting subtitles were an insurance policy. ‘It means that if the sound mixing or speech becomes unclear, I have the backup ready to go,’ shared one young man. Another in her late teens to early twenties found herself frustrated with not being able to hear properly. ‘I often struggle to hear quieter dialogue or understand what’s happening when multiple sounds overlap, so keeping the subtitles on is like safety barriers almost, ensuring I know what I should be hearing,’ she said. This is a common technique in films which are made to be watched in the theatres. The difference between the quietest and loudest parts is called dynamic range. In the cinema, a wide range is impressive; in the living room, it causes quiet dialogues to almost disappear and loud scenes to be startling, according to audio company Faller. But it’s not just those aged 30 and under that had this gripe. Those in the over 55 bracket were equally as perturbed. ‘I think modern films tend not to mix dialogue to be easier to hear,’ wrote one man. ‘Christopher Nolan is well known for this.’ ‘Actors mumble on TV nowadays,’ added one woman. ‘I can watch old programmes without subtitles, but modern programmes involve too much realist acting.’ A noisy house Talking near the TV was another common reason for subtitles, or loud traffic rumbling outside. In fact, any background noise was a motivating factor. ‘[When] I’m eating when watching TV and can’t hear over the crunching,’ said one. ‘I have always lived in flats or house shares and don’t want to disturb neighbours with loud TV.’ ‘It’s easier to just read than to try block out background noise in my head,’ admitted another. It’s more effort to turn the subtitles off once they’re on (Picture: Getty Images) Accents Others struggled with strong accents in TV shows, especially American or English regional dialects. ‘American slang, for example, Scottish accent, Liverpool accent…they’re all hard for me to understand, when I read the words, it makes sense,’ said one woman. Another young viewer said: ‘Whilst watching American shows like Breaking Bad as they have strong accents.’ ‘If I’m not familiar with the accents then I can’t fully understand every word which means understanding the plot is much harder,’ added one. Then it’s habit And, once you get into the habit of using subtitles, many viewers seem to find themselves unable to stop. ‘I just like to read and I’ve become reliant on them,’ admitted one Gen Z woman. ‘It’s become a habit for me to have them on,’ another agreed, ‘I feel strange without them!’ Others simply felt it was too much of an effort to turn the subtitles off once they’d been turned on, so they’d accepted their new norm. So, subtitles on or off? Let us know which camp you’re in. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@metro.co.uk Arrow MORE: Male stripper event in sleepy town turns into ‘Roman orgy’ — it’s becoming the norm Arrow MORE: The most controversial cake trend of 2026 has finally hit UK supermarkets Arrow MORE: South Park reveals the toxic ‘looksmaxxing’ terms every parent needs to know