King of Queens Boxset question (1 Viewer)

[Sven Lorenz]

The boxset of King of Queens that will be released next month will be in fullscreen.
From the fifth season on KoQ was aired in widescreen on HDTV and in fullscreen on normal TV.
The opening sequence (which hasn't been changed since season two) is also in widescreen on HDTV so it must have been shot in widescreen back in season two.
So does anybody here have any info on whether KoQ was shot in widescreen from the beginning?
And if it wasn't - when did they start shooting in widescreen?
I don't want to buy the boxset if it's in the wrong aspect ratio.

 

[Randy A Salas]

All of these programs are shot in 35mm; they are then sent for HD postproduction to one of five postproduction facilities in the Los Angeles area that are working with CBS while pioneering HDTV production and post. The post houses are Laser-Pacific, which maintains facilities in Hollywood and Burbank and has the heaviest production schedule with nine HD programs for CBS; Encore Hollywood, which was planning to do some of its HD telecine work at sister company Riot in Santa Monica (both are 4MC companies); Complete Post, Hollywood; Hollywood Digital (a Todd-AO company); and Modern Videofilm, Burbank.

Meanwhile, CBS's Television City in Los Angeles was using its in-house HD suite for formatting, quality control and to add promos and end credits.

The show shamelessly plugged the new format in several episodes, including a third-season show in which Doug schemes to get an HDTV so he can watch the Super Bowl in "high-def"!

 

[Sven Lorenz]

I didn't know they started broadcasting in HDTV that early.

I'll try to email Columbia Tristar and ask them whether the boxsets will be in widescreen from season two on.

I've watched all the new episodes from season six in widescreen and there's mostly dead space in the non-fullscreen areas of the picture - so it wouldn't be a complete disaster if they are released in fullscreen - but if it was aired in widescreen it should be released in widescreen.

 

[Randy A Salas]

if it was aired in widescreen it should be released in widescreen.

But it also was aired in 4:3, and that's the way most viewers saw it. The widescreen HDTV broadcast is very much an alternate format to the main 4:3 airing. It's not like, say, E.R., which all viewers now see in a widescreen format--either letterboxed or on a 16:9 set.

 

[Sven Lorenz]

Yes, but in a few years most people will have 16:9 sets - I am currently looking for an new set and about 2/3 of the sets in most shops are 16:9.
So if there is an existing 16:9 transfer then they should use it.

 

[David Lambert]

I bet my best pair of socks that Columbia never puts out that show in widescreen. Ever since an HDTV version has been available, it has been shown simultaneously in both 4x3 and 16x9, right? If that's the case, then I expect Columbia to continue to cater to what they will percieve as "the bigger market". If they do this with films that aren't in OAR, then why not use the "lowest common denominator" decision with TV shows, too?

 

[john mcfadden]

Dont count on it ...If they can muck up Married with Childern ...Why stop there ??

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Being filmed in widescreen doesn't necessairly mean it was meant to be shown that way though. See Dawson's Creek, Buffy and Malcolm for examples of this.

 

[KimK]

I have a feeling that a R2-UK release of this would be widescreen if ever available. I'm still getting the R1 season 1 though.