Have literally never heard anyone argue you can't hear pictures. In what context would this even come up? The premise for the joke is tired, old, and was always stupid and unrealistic. Like movies with poor setups just to make a plot work.
Honestly remember setting up the tv to watch, raised the volume bc we knew that the beginning scenes were too quiet. By the time this hit, one of us would run over to the tv or remote to mute or decrease it.
Either way kudos to the engineers who standardize this for theatrical and home use.