AI “Upscaling” is Ruining Classic Sitcoms
The enshitification of streaming sitcoms has begun.
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@awebmate
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
Calling it "upscaling" is the first mistake. Upscaling changes the resolution, but does nothing for quality. "Enhancing" is the right word for what they aim to do.
@ShariahLawrence
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
Another problem is in this video. You're comparing the streaming version to a youtube rip of the DVD. Compare it directly to the DVD and you will understand. There is ZERO NEED for upscaling the majority of this content, the DVD looks fine on a 4K TV. This is all a marketing scam so they can say "available in 4K"
@ladiijulie
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
Thanks for this breakdown. Found this video after watching NY Undercover on Hulu/Disney and getting annoyed at some scenes being ultra smooth AND laggy. Which in turns makes me doubt it’s the original content. I wish they’d just leave it alone.
@faelinalamar7013
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
When it comes to AI Upscaling, I've seen it done well and done poorly. Look at the fan made upscaling for Deep Space 9 to see it done well. The difference is that DS9 fan upscaling involves people. It has humans reviewing, tweaking, and integrated into the process. Companies view AI as a way to cut workers and push slop for a quick buck
@sirducksworthythe3rd842
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
No its nor ruining them, its actually helping and making them look alot better, and I hope they put these upscakeds out on physical
@RetroRedLight-ue1ry
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
I don't know about these shows but I do know Babylon 5, Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Voyager was filmed on film but scanned and edited on video tape because it was cheaper and faster at the time.
@RetroRedLight-ue1ry
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
I've seen upscales done right from Sci-Fi shows done by fans like Babylon 5 and Star Trek and the fans are very picky when doing upscales. They really will try and make it look its best playing with the different settings and so on. Some people will render out the video three or five times and mark out different parts of the video. So one part of the video could use one engine from Topaz Video Enhance Ai and another part of the same frame is using a different part from other engine. This takes a long time to do its not a simple click upscale you then have to bring all that footage into a editor and then start masking out different parts.
@marknickells6097
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
"My biggest irk, is the constant push for A.I narration. It's so annoying, and unnecessary . THE content creators need to start addressing this issue. And get strikes for doing this. We basically , need to call them out. And report them. That's the only way, things will change. And YOUTUBE does not have or the authority to modify my work, without my permission. Which is never.
@luckyiest1234
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
If we can’t find any other upgraded technology to remaster videotaped shows besides using AI-Upscale
We just have to keep it that way
Like Make it ancient
or Stretch it in 16×9 if we have to
@juliana.lymond2622
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
AI is my weakness!
@NotaNinja
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
AI is destroying everything.
@lukasbrown6114
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
I am waiting for this bubble to pop and I am scared for all us average American citizens truly.
@BurningBushPedagogy
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
YOU PEOPLE CANT SEE? They are preparing to start having AI avatars making YouTube videos, so they dont pay AI and you get less n less views till you quit, Replaced, if people dont complain and rage, they keep trying. If people act all classy and cool they go on.
@txx3-t5r
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
ai is 💩 i use NEAT VIDEO TO REMOVE VIDEO NOISE FROM OLD SHOWS
@jasonjohnson7714
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
i've stopped watching streaming content by ~90% because half the stuff i click on is bizarro ai upscale
@capguncarcrash
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
got a strong feeling the people behind the "upscaling" don't even watch the shows — and what about the few people who used to manually manage color correction and other minor adjustments in tv and film who are out of work while the material suffers?
@drsdiva
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
2:10 this is UNnecessary.
The shows were just fine.
@drsdiva
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
0:36 thanks for this heads up
I had NO idea they were doin this.
Imma be watching Roseanne like 🧐 now.
@TheUnivahFilmEngine
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
Ur right
These industry people are completely out of touch with what real people want.
@sayhello5377
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
3:30– as you were talking about generative AI taking human jobs and doing a worse job of it, your video paused, and a Google AI ad played 😂
@sayhello5377
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
Part of the appeal to the old sitcoms is the nostalgia element. We remember watching them when we were kids. There’s something comforting about the fuzzy screen. I don’t want that to be erased and replaced by freak faces.
@svluxe024
May 15, 2026 at 11:15 pm
A controversial opinion for some but obvious for others: If they wanted to remaster that series, there were two ways to do it:
* If they wanted to do it using AI upscaling, they could have looked for a better quality AI tool, so that the remastered episodes wouldn't look weird.
* The other option would be to get the original master of the episodes for the remastering process.
* AI Bros and anti-AI's are equally dishonest, lacking in nuance and relying solely on sarcasm and acidity.