Andy Richter Controls the (cropped) Universe (1 Viewer)

[Rick P]

Posted over in TVShows on DVD is the news that "Andy Richter Controls The Universe" is is coming out on March 24th.

HOWEVER....

It contains this little gem.. "The 417-minute collection of 19 episodes will be presented in full screen video..."

I'm hoping this is inaccurate information, but if it's not...

Excuse me but BOVINE STUFF! Was shown on FOX in freaking HD, it's been running on HDNet in HD.. WTF? No excuses this time that ... 'oh.. that's the original broadcast format'.. or 'ohh... no money to make 16:9 masters'.

Get your act straight Paramount... dosen't have to be Blu (repeat: HDNet..) but for fracks sake don't make cropped crap.

 

[TravisR]

Maybe 4x3 is the intended aspect ratio.

 

[John DeAngelis]

Good catch, Rick!

I just checked tvshowsondvd.com. They've noted the problem, too, and promise to look into it.

 

[Alan Tully]

Well if they've shot it HD 16.9, & transmitted it HD 16.9 (& it does look great), then I would think it should be 16.9 - there can't be that many people left who have 4x3 tellys. I hope it is 16.9.

 

[TravisR]

^ Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Shield and Gilmore Girls were shot 16x9 but are intended to be seen at 4x3. I'm not saying that that's the case with Andy Richter, I'm just saying it's a possibility.

 

[nikkif99uk]

I'll probably buy it regardless of the format. I just love Paget Brewster

 

[Scott_J]

TSoD has more information on the set today, including that "the 'full screen' video aspect ratio provided in the original studio info could possibly be incorrect, and that this may in fact be widescreen. We're looking into that."

Also, the set will have featurettes and commentary for select episodes.

Andy Richter Controls the Universe DVD news: Box Art & Extras for Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series | TVShowsOnDVD.com

 

[Rick P]

.. and if they put it out 4x3 I'll just keep my recordings from HDNet

 

[Rick P]

The SD broadcasts on FOX were lbx.. and since it's 16:9 anamorphic, we'll have none of the "oh... 16:9 masters don't exist" excuses for the studio screwing up.

 

[TravisR]

I'm not making excuses. I'm offering a possible explanation for why it may be 4x3. It's uncommon but shows have aired in 16x9 when the show is intended to be seen at 4x3. 16x9 isn't always correct.

 

[GuruAskew]

"X-Files" too, though they released the seasons shot in 16x9 that way even though they weren't composed for it, unfortunately.

The sad truth is, the cries of "OMG why isn't it widescreen?" point to a reverse-J6P scenario. I knew it would happen. The people who have 16x9 televisions want to fill their screens just like people used to want to fill their 4x3 sets.

Now, if 16x9 is the intended aspect ratio I hope it's an error. If the powers-that-be (in this case it should be the show's executive producer/showrunner) actually prefer 4x3 then I say more power to them. I just want whatever's right for the show.

and that's coming from someone with a 16x9 television.

 

[Mike*SC]

I have no special insight into the particulars of this show. But at the time (not long ago, but a long time ago in the timeline of HD television), the transition from 4x3 to 16x9 was very awkward. It required shooting with the 4x3 frame in mind (the vast, vast majority of viewers would watch it this way) while also protecting the widescreen frame (that is, not shooting off the set, revealing crew or lightstands, etc.). But every important character had to remain inside the narrower 4x3. Keeping track of all this on a set, while also judging performance (more important than framing!), was often overwhelming for directors and creative producers. Generally, editors cut the show in 4x3, only looking at the 16x9 frame once the cut was approved. Naturally, this revealed all sorts of continuity errors in the wider frame. While a few (very few) shows were presented in letterbox format for 4x3 televisions, most did not, and Fox's Peter Chernin expressly forbid it on any Fox show.

The point of all this is that there are legitimate reasons for the 4x3 version to be the preferred version of a show's producers, especially for a show shot five years ago. It's not exactly surprising that HDNet would show the show in HD, and since that's where the show lived after its run (that is, it didn't get a syndication on regular stations), the producers certainly couldn't stand on ceremony and demand HDNet abandon its name and present the show "square."

That said, maybe this is misinformation. Or a complete screw-up. I have no idea. Maybe it will come to light.

 

[Alan Tully]

I saw the "Buffy's" go out in 16.9 in the UK, & the framing looked just perfect to me. But I'm going to buy this show whatever, it's such a great show, & such a nice surprise to see it coming out on DVD.

 

[TravisR]

Joss Whedon has said that the show is intended to be seen at 4x3. The sixth season of The Shield is 16x9 on DVD and it looks OK to my eyes but Shawn Ryan has said that the show's AR is 4x3. While a show might look fine at 16x9, I defer to what the show runner thinks rather than what a fan who had nothing to do with its creation thinks.

 

[Alan Tully]

Around the time of the changeover (I'm thinking the second half of the 90's) I graded a lot of dramas in the UK. All these were shot on super 16 (which is not as wide as 16.9, it's 15.9 - or 14.9, I can't remember). They'd keep all the important info away from the edges & I would just use the 4x3 middle of the frame, sometimes do a second pass letterbox, & then started doing them anamorphic. The idea was that they were shot widescreen & could be revisited & redone HD in years to come. I don't think it's happened yet.

 

[Alan Tully]

Well Joss Whedon didn't think it out very well, did he! Did he really think that people would be happy watch a 4x3 show on their widescreen TV's, no, they're going to set the TV to smart & stretch the picture out. And if he's so in love with 4x3 why didn't he do "Firefly" in 4x3 (or the feature "Serenity" in 4x3). They stopped making 4x3 features in the late 50's, I've had a widescreen TV for ten years. American TV has been a wee bit slow, they obviously don't like change.

 

[Christian Preischl]

Yeah, I remember seing loads of these on the 16:9 versions of Buffy and (to a lesser extent) Ally McBeal.

 

[TravisR]

I never said that he was "so in love with 4x3", I said that Buffy was shot that way. Firefly and Serenity's aspect ratios have nothing to do with Buffy's AR. That's like saying that Speilberg shot Jaws 2.35:1 so Saving Private Ryan should be 2.35 too.

I'm sorry American TV is a decade behind you but that still doesn't change how Whedon wants Buffy to be seen.

 

[ScottLloyd]

While I would prefer 16:9, I'll take however it was intended-I've been wanting to see this since the first airing.

 

[Mike*SC]

Why would they do this? I have never done this, never once.