A Different World was previously available to stream on Max and Prime Video, which both support the show’s original 4:3 format, before coming to Netflix where it’s now cropped to 16:9. These AI upscaling issues haven’t arisen for the show on other platforms before, but Netflix itself may not have been responsible. As noted by Gizmodo, the licensing rights to A Different World are held by the Carsey-Werner production company, which also owns Roseanne — another 1980s sitcom that’s similarly blighted with ugly AI upscaling on Peacock.
I remember TNT used to show the later seasons of Angel, which were originally 16:9, cropped to 4:3 and then stretched back to 16:9. 🤮
Please leave the original aspect ratio alone. Also fuck AI.