5 votes

What’s the deal with Seinfeld’s aspect ratio on Netflix?

7 comments

  1. lou
    (edited )
    Link
    As a longtime fan who first watched the show in the original aspect ratio, this feels like an over reaction... I mean sure it maybe ruined one joke, but this isn't The Lighthouse or the Snydercut.

    As a longtime fan who first watched the show in the original aspect ratio, this feels like an over reaction... I mean sure it maybe ruined one joke, but this isn't The Lighthouse or the Snydercut.

    6 votes
  2. tomf
    (edited )
    Link
    I don't know why Netflix went with the crop. For purists, Google Play did a new transfer with the correct aspect ratio, but there are still a few episodes with this gross crop. List of Widescreen...

    I don't know why Netflix went with the crop. For purists, Hulu (or maybe Amazon?) Google Play did a new transfer with the correct aspect ratio, but there are still a few episodes with this gross crop.

    List of Widescreen Episodes
    • S03E03 - The Pen
    • S03E15 - The Suicide
    • S03E17-E18 - The Boyfriend
    • S04E02 - The Trip 2
    • S04E06 - The Watch
    • S04E22 - The Handicap Spot
    • S05E02 - The Puffy Shirt
    • S05E05 - The Bris
    • S05E06 - The Lip Reader
    • S05E07 - The Non-Fat Yogurt
    • S05E09 - The Masseuse
    • S05E11 - The Conversion
    • S05E15 - The Pie
    • S05E18-E19 - The Raincoats
    • S07E11 - The Rye
    • S07E14-E15 - The Cadillac
    • S07E21-E22 - The Bottle Deposit
    • S09E03 - The Serenity Now
    • S09E16 - The Burning
    • S09E21-E22 - The Clip Show
    • S09E23-E24 - The Finale

    For a lot of shots it doesn't really matter, but there are times when the frame feels cluttered with the crop. When TBS aired the series they sped it up a bit, which is the worst of the worst.

    With this Netflix transfer, they also changed the contrast, saturation, etc -- comparison.

    I still prefer the original 4:3 aspect ratio. I rarely use Netflix anyway, but it'd be nice if these services offered both.

    3 votes
  3. cloud_loud
    Link
    The same thing happened with Friends when it was remastered. It’s not a big deal.

    The same thing happened with Friends when it was remastered. It’s not a big deal.

    2 votes
  4. deknalis
    Link
    Mildly annoying, but Seinfeld is hardly known for its background jokes like The Simpsons.

    Mildly annoying, but Seinfeld is hardly known for its background jokes like The Simpsons.

    2 votes
  5. [4]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [2]
      lou
      Link Parent
      I've been a fan since the 90s. This doesn't really bother me. Seinfeld is just not the kind of show in which this change matters that much.

      I've been a fan since the 90s. This doesn't really bother me. Seinfeld is just not the kind of show in which this change matters that much.

      1 vote
      1. [2]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. lou
          (edited )
          Link Parent
          I find 4:3 on a wide screen TV generally unpleasant. If there's no other way, or if it's a conscious creative choice, sure, no problem. I won't deform the content, and I like old stuff too. On...

          I find 4:3 on a wide screen TV generally unpleasant. If there's no other way, or if it's a conscious creative choice, sure, no problem. I won't deform the content, and I like old stuff too.

          On Seinfeld, what you're generally losing is the lower portion of the shot... their legs. 90s sitcoms are not memorable due to their cinematography, they all look kinda the same. The camera follows whoever's talking.

          Because Seinfeld was largely shot in film, they can do pretty much whatever they want without losing definition. I ❤ film!

          If we were talking about Jaws or Lawrence of Arabia, then sure, I'd be very concerned. Seinfeld, not so much.

          Besides, by now I watched the 16:9 version more times than the original. There's really no discernible expressivity loss in my view. That's just how Seinfeld looks to time.

          With that said, it would be very nice to have the option of switching the aspect ratios, even though most people would just watch whatever the default was.

          3 votes
    2. tomf
      Link Parent
      You can get the Google Play rip that covers most of the episodes in 4:3.

      You can get the Google Play rip that covers most of the episodes in 4:3.

      1 vote