Well, online platforms do not care a lot about the content.
For example, on disney+, the simpsons are cropped to 16/9, which removes a lot of the image. Hopefully, I found an original version on torrent, but that's really a bad move from disney.
Disney+ actually has both versions of the Simpsons. There's an option to use the original aspect ratio you can check (of course that's opt in - the default is the wrong ratio).
Seinfeld on Netflix on the other hand only has the cropped aspect ratio (booooooooo).
I don't know if this is the case for Seinfeld, but TV productions filmed in 16:9 but for 4:3 broadcast didn't always take care that the full 16:9 frame would have adequate content, i.e. no mike booms or non-stage items visible, and therefore later 16:9 versions had to be zoomed in by some factor; still wider than the 4:3, but reduced in the vertical.
Unfortunately the streaming HD "remaster" is fully 16:9 and badly adapted, not only regarding cropping, but also colors and editing (just google for "buffy hd").
Interesting - but, are you saying netflix is using those original 16:9 scans? From all the screenshots I can see it looks like they took a 4:3 source and cropped to 16:9.
Makes me think as well that If netflix had rescanned all the film to preserve the original 16:9, I'm sure they would be have done it in 4K.
Correct, Seinfeld is cropped to make way for the 16:9 aspect ratio. However it was one of the few sitcoms at the time shot with 35mm film (but with 4:3 aspect ratio.) The resolution was high enough that later, editors were able to crop to 16:9 and maintain acceptable picture quality.
They had to make some interesting framing decisions along the way.
This is how Seinfeld would look if it wasn't cropped.
Well, that's good the option is there, but OMG who came up with that UI? They should put a ratio button on the player, not some hidden option in a details tabs I never opened.
It is still very bad that the default ratio is wrong, I see zero reason to watch it in this cropped ratio.
Disney+ has both versions, there's a setting to tick to change it. Fox previously did this change and IIRC these might be the HD versions they sold on iTunes and other places for seasons prior to the simpsons going widescreen as well.
For example, on disney+, the simpsons are cropped to 16/9, which removes a lot of the image. Hopefully, I found an original version on torrent, but that's really a bad move from disney.