What's Up With That? Sony Celebrates 35 Years of Nothing with Seinfeld on 4K UHD & Blu-ray December 17th - but there's a catch!

Who would have imagined a show about nothing featuring some of the worst characters imaginable lasting ten seasons let alone remaining the cultural phenomenon it is today? Concluding their incredible 100th Anniversary of Columbia Pictures, they're tipping their hat to the 35th Anniversary of Seinfeld with 4K UHD and Blu-ray disc releases.

So this news got brewing early this morning when we received a ton of messages from fans concerning the 4K listing on Amazon. Before I even had my first of my daily dozen cups of Columbia's best export, I was fielding questions about whether I knew this or knew that, yadda, yadda, blah, blah-blah, blah. Now with incredible grace, Sony has finally given us complete details for their 4K UHD and Blu-ray sets dated to drop December 17th. 

With great relief, I am pleased to report that Seinfeld: The Complete Series - 4K UHD will be delivered pressed on 24 discs presented in its original 1.33:1 broadcast aspect ratio (THANK YOU SANTA!) with HDR10, and DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio!

Seinfeld: The Complete Series - 4K UHD

Now here's where things get stranger... 

When it comes to the 1080p counterpart, Seinfeld: The Complete Series - Blu-ray will be presented in the horribly cropped 1.78:1 versions we've seen on streaming spread over 24 discs and offering DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio.

Seinfeld: The Complete Series - Blu-ray

Why is it the 4K gets the proper aspect ratio and the Blu-ray gets the ugly cropped version? What's up with that?  

Truthfully I don't know beyond the speculation that the 1080p masters were ready to go and they wouldn't have to reauthor anything in the lower resolution after the new 4K scans. The other eye line I can see is that Sony views 4K UHD as the niche preservationist format that it is and is catering to please the people willing to payout about $100 more for the set than standard Blu-ray. Mind you that's just a guess. 

Beyond aspect ratio differences, both sets look to have the same extra features - which weren't detailed in the PR so I have to assume they're the same archival materials assembled for the DVDs. 

So, grab your fork, knife, and favorite candy bar and get those pre-orders in!

Here's the full press release for your edification:

“…one of the definitive TV sitcoms of all time.” – Variety SEINFELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES The Iconic, Hilarious, Beloved, Emmy® Award-Winning, Yada Yada Yada… Show About Nothing Finally Debuts on Blu-ray Disc™ and 4K Ultra HD™ Disc December 17th Celebrating The Series’ 35th Anniversary and 100 Years of Columbia Pictures CULVER CITY, Calif. (October 30, 2024) – All of the catchphrases, all of the memorable characters, all of the misunderstandings, all of the unforgettable hilarity of one of the best television shows of all time: SEINFELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES finally comes to Blu-ray Disc and 4K Ultra HD Disc on December 17th, just in time for Festivus and other holiday occasions!   Packed with all nine seasons of the historically acclaimed series plus hours of insightful special features—from deleted scenes to inside looks to cast & crew commentaries and more—SEINFELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES is presented in two separate editions: a Blu-ray edition featuring a high definition presentation of the series in a 1.78 format, and a limited edition 4K Ultra HD edition featuring the entire series presented in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range at its original 1.33 aspect ratio.   Long-awaited by fans, SEINFELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES is finally making the leap from standard definition discs following an extensive and comprehensive 4K upgrade for the series, and is perfectly timed for the series’ 35th anniversary, as well as to conclude the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures. In addition to the physical sets, SEINFELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES is also available for purchase at participating digital retailers. SEINFELD: THE COMPLETE SERIES DISC DETAILS Synopsis: Emmy® Award-winning SEINFELD is one of the most popular shows of all time. Mining his rich comedic resources, Jerry Seinfeld provides a hysterical look at life as a single adult in the '90s. Along with a refreshing cast and top-notch writing, this series quickly revealed itself to be a beloved comedic classic. BLU-RAY EDITION 24 Blu-ray Discs Episodes presented in 1.78:1 High Definition on Blu-ray Disc; English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio Special Features include Audio Commentaries, Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, Inside Looks and Alternate Versions of Select Episodes  4K ULTRA HD EDITION – the 4K Ultra HD set is a limited edition 24 4K Ultra HD Discs Episodes presented in 1.33:1 at 4K resolution with HDR10; English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Audio Special Features include Audio Commentaries, Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, Inside Looks and Alternate Versions of Select Episodes