BBC’ viewers tuning into the new drama Marriage have moaned they had to turn the show volume down as the second episode of the four-part series aired on Monday night.
The series stars Sean Bean of Game of Thrones fame and The Split’s Nicola Walker as their characters Ian and Emma navigate the ups and downs of a marriage spanning nearly three decades.
Marriage’s first episode introduced viewers to the couple and their families, friends and colleagues, opening with Ian and Emma in an airport as they bickered over a jacket potato in a ten-minute-long argument.
The second episode began as the couple celebrated their 27-year wedding anniversary with dinner in a Turkish restaurant, before the evening was slightly upended by Emma’s demanding father.
However, in the first few moments of the show the drama was interrupted by the acapella medley of the series theme tune, consisting of overlaid talk-singing voices increasing in volume.
The loud music involves people shouting instructions including ‘to the side’ and ‘around’ in a track credited to Partita for 8 voices: No 1, Allemande and created by US composer Caroline Shaw.
The music was composed for the vocal group Roomful of Teeth and was released on their Grammy Award-winning debut album in 2012. The piece was even awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2013, making Caroline Shaw the youngest recipient of the award.
However, Marriage viewers at home were left cold by the theme tune, with many taking to Twitter to say it had forced them to turn the volume down on their television sets.
One fan wrote: “What on earth's the relevance of the extra loud intro music in Marriage. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the outro music started last night.”
Another savage fan added: “There is literally no pay off after we patiently await a break in the tedium. And that satanic worship acapella mayhem is just bewildering.”
“Oh God that song 'To the side. To the side. Turn around to the side' Torture,” another posted.
One fan wrote: “I can cope with the dullness, I can’t cope with this ‘to the side’ song popping up every now and again!” as another echoed: “And while we’re at it, what IS the bloody awful theme tune all about.”
One fan wrote: “Now muted the worst music ever,” alongside a string of angry emojis.
Another fan joked: “The Marriage theme tune just reminds me of the umpa lumpas singing in Charlie and the chocolate factory.”
This comes after several fans tuning into Sunday’s debut episode complained the first instalment was “slow” and “boring”, while others vowed to boycott the rest of the series.
Marriage continues on BBC One at 9pm.
