If you're old enough, you may remember that TVs haven't always been widescreen. Yup, once upon a time, the aspect ratio was more 4:3 than 16:9, meaning the content was filmed with this space in mind. Since TVs have changed shape and size, content producers wanting to use old shows and films have had to edit the footage to fit – either by adding pillarboxing (black bands on the sides of the frame) or by zooming out on the original negatives to add in the extra frames.
As pointed out in a fascinating Twitter thread, streamers like Netflix invariably choose the latter option – resulting in the inclusion of some amusing, and unintended, extra detail on the edges of shots. Classic shows like Friends and M*A*S*H have been subjected to this treatment, and this thread is filled with screenshots showcasing the issue. Read on to check it out (and then see our list of the best video editing software).
