Seinfeld: Complete Series Box Set (Repackage) ? DVD

Yes, this boxset is a bit pricey. But keep in mind that it has all 9 seasons in 4K beauty. It's actually much cheaper than it was buying the 9 separate seasons on DVDs as they were released back in the day, especially taking inflation into account. The previous Blu-ray set was best avoided simply because, for some strange reason, they decided to crop the picture to fit modern 16x9 screens (I thought that tactic had come to a quick end in the early DVD era, but they also did it to the recent Babylon 5 Blu-ray set as well). Here we have the episodes restored back to the proper ratio, and further enhanced with HDR. The picture does look darned good, maybe a bit blurry on the very early episodes, but otherwise very nice. There's a bit of grain in some scenes, but not really too obvious unless you like to stand two feet away from the screen. The menu programming is a bit sloppy, as sometimes the disc crashes between episodes...but any episode can be accessed manually, and they are all there one way or another. Extras include deleted scenes, commentaries, bloopers, and inside looks. I do miss the trivia pop-ups that came with the old DVDs, but I guess it required too much programming for the 4K discs (we already know that something as simple as menus that work was already asking for too much this particular authoring team). My set also came complete with the correct discs, and I did see some people complain about missing/wrong discs...my set was fine. Despite a few shortcomings, fans of the show will be very pleased this 4K set and definitely should get it.

Like everyone else, I'm disappointed the cardboard box isn't something thicker, such as the sturdy collector's boxes that came with some of the DVD sets. Still, it isn't the most flimsy one I've owned, and it is honestly sturdy enough to hold the collection. I have been handling it gently, though, as it won't last forever. I hope they do a little better with future releases. I also hope they release the original aspect ratio again one day. I'm disappointed I had to buy the 4K to get it; I only have a PS5 as a player, and I don't own or have any plans for a 4K tv for a while. I bought 4K anyway because I don't want the cropped version of the Blu Ray release. As we haven't had cable in a long time, I've only had the DVDs to watch over the past many years. I hadn't even realized how washed out and bland the DVD transfers were at times until I watched this release. First thing I noticed is the black point is much darker than the DVDs. You can notice it the most in the opening comedy sequences; The dark shadows on the stage on crowd blend into the black bars on the side, giving the illusion of the screen being more full. The DVDs have too much brightness during these scenes, and the bars stand out more because of it. The colors throughout the show are a lot more vibrant, and the new color depth and sharpness makes everything feel more 'real'. Watching it on 4K feels a lot more like sitting back and watching the show in the 90s than it ever did on DVD. I also appreciate that 4K means they can fit more episodes per disc, so each collection is 3 discs instead of 4. Definitely eases one of the strains of being a physical media watcher. Watching the series in 4K is so much more of a smooth experience. Sometimes, the DVDs would stutter or just not quite look right as the camera pans or the characters move, but the movement in 4K is as smooth as possible. It really feels like the 90s were brought back to life with this release. The sound is much more crisp in this release than the DVDs. Sometimes it sounds more off because of it; some lines sound like they were done on an open set. I can make my peace with that, though, as it does sound like the audio is more organic/less tampered with. The menu screens are plain, and while I like the images the chose for them, they washed out and over-sharpened these images, so they're a little rough on the eyes. I do wish there were more features for the price, but overall, it's a fantastic release and worth the money for a special release like this. The main reason to buy this set is for the unaltered, originally intended video, and I feel it truly delivers on this aspect. It's not clear if we'll ever get another release of the original aspect ratio, so it may be worth buying to ensure you own it. I grew up on the original releases of Seinfeld, and I don't think I'd be able to adapt to the cropped versions. It's a shame this is currently the only way to get HD Seinfeld in the original aspect ratio.

Amazing image quality for the 4K set, the only episode that didnt make the transfer too well was the pilot and even then its some of the frames ,not all of them, that look a little blurry, my thoughts are that it may have been due to them using different cameras at the time. Its still remarkable to me that the rest of that episode looks as amazing as it does however, like if it was filmed yesterday for the scenes that look good. For those who dont understand the difference between streaming these episodes and actually owning a physical copy with a 4K picture: all i can say is for me it makes a difference, what's youre getting with physical media especially 4k will always outclass streaming quality. The other big difference is that the 4k collection doesnt cut off the image but rather shows you the entire scene as it originally aired. It made rewatching these episodes a new experience again being able to see the whole picture at an amazing quality is bringing me tons of joy, it feels like im in the audience! If youre a Seinfeld fanatic you will be beyond happy with the 4K collection. I also do understand that feeling of not knowing if you will get a damaged box or cases, missing disks and such. But I feel this may be a case where its more common to get a good condition one rather than not. I got mine in fairly great condition upon arrival, all disc's not falling out or scratched and complete. but I will say the only thing that bummed me out was the fact they didnt give us a hard cardboard quality case at the very least, the outer cover is flimsy and it will have dings especially the corners and from common handling. Overall as a huge Seinfield fan I am extremely happy and the one gripe is the flimsy outer cover. I think youre going to be extremely happy especially if youre a fellow Seinfeld fanatic!

OK, Seinfeld is my favorite TV series of all time. I've been a fan of Jerry Seinfeld since his days of doing spots on Carson. I remember when it was announced he was getting his own TV show. The pilot aired and then nothing, just nothing. It was before the days of the internet and I had no idea what happened. Figured it didn't get picked up (I was only 12 at the time so I wasn't that savvy in the entertainment industry lol). Finally like a year later more episodes aired. They re-tooled it and it worked much better than the so-so pilot. From there the first few years were touch and go because it was on the verge of getting cancelled due to low ratings. It was the best show on TV but they had it up against the #1 rated show on TV Home Improvements; what did they expect. Finally it started getting some buzz thanks to the "show about nothing" Chinese restaurant episode. It got moved to Thursdays and then it was off to the races. This 4K box set is amazing. I got this version because unlike the Blu Ray which is widescreen, this has the original TV aspect ratio of 4:3; nothing cut off the picture. It really would have been nice if they could have included both aspect ratio versions, especially at the price they're charging. Regardless, the picture quality is amazing!!! Unlike many TV shows which were shot on video, Seinfeld was shot on 35mm film since day one. The 4K really shows off the full quality and the show has literally never looked this good. I collected all the deluxe DVD season sets that came out back in the day. They had some neat things like a puffy shirt, napkin holder. ketchup/mustard bottles. It would have been nice if this expensive set came with some stuff like that for us diehard fans. My only big beef with this 4K release is it was described as "limited" when it was released. The 4K was supposed to be "limited" and then only the regular Blu Ray would be available. So I bought this on release day and paid full price. Well 8 months later and it's still available. It went OOP for a brief period, but then they just made more. Not very limited. Kind of wish I had waited since the price has dropped substantially since then (but then went back up as well). It's still over priced, LOL, but I was going to get this either way so yada, yada, yada.

Since I already own the DVD set, I opted for the standard blu-ray over the 4K UHD for several reasons. For one, I'm still resisting 4K because I don't feel like upgrading my entire video collection for a 3rd time and I still think standard HD looks great, even upscaled on a 4K TV. In terms of aspect ratio, I'm actually one who wants the original, native format but in the case of a situation comedy I didn't feel there was cinematic art being destroyed by zooming & cropping in closer to our beloved characters and their hilarious situations. What you end up with is a more immersive and contemporary vibe and I really like that as it feels like a fresh rebirth to this timeless classic series. Interestingly you actually gain a small bit extra of picture on the sides (extremely subtle, but still neat to know) -- if you haven't seen the online comparisons you can take a look at my one screen shot which shows the same scene in both formats, followed by a shot I found online that demonstrates the difference via aspect borderlines. The overall picture of the blu-ray is not as impressive as I thought it would be (looks a bit dark and looks to have post grain added which is a cheap effect for "upgrades"). However, post grain typically doesn't bother me as much as it may others. I just thought with the standard blu-ray edition coming out the same time as the 4K UHD that it would be a down converted 4K master but I wonder if that's really the case. If you want the sharpest and best picture with original aspect then by all means go for the 4K. I'm just sharing how I'm really pleased with the standard blu-ray set in 16:9. I feel more drawn into the scenes and prefer this over a smaller footprint, despite missing some of the framing (and I'm well aware that there are a couple of pivotal shots/jokes "missed" by the cropping - but those are very few and far in between). Again, I can always revisit the original DVDs if I feel the need for pure nostalgia, but I'm good for now. No regrets on this blu-ray set!

The only way to get Seinfeld in high def with the correct, original 4:3 aspect ratio. The DVDs have the correct ratio but it's DVD quality. For the regular Blu-ray release, for some reason they decided to release it only in 16:9 widescreen, cutting off the top and bottom of the images! Avoid the Blu-Ray release and buy it DVD or 4K only. Unfortunately this means you need a 4K disc player.

Best way to experience the show.

Product consists of 8 standard Blu-ray cases enclosed in a pretty cheap open sided box that is just a couple of grades above paper if that's important to you; mine arrived looking pretty bruised and thrashed. Otherwise the quality is top-notch. Each season has its own jewel case with three discs each on their own separate plastic "page". It's all pretty solid. There are 5 to 7 episodes on each disc with an easy-to-navigate menu. The audio and video are crisp and clean. Not every episode has audio commentary and those vary with different cast members, writers, etc. Some of those commentaries are pretty funny themselves. There are deleted scenes, bloopers and "inside looks" all a rich treasure of Seinfeld lore. It all adds up to about as complete an encyclopedia of this show, it's origins, development and cast as anyone could want. As for the show itself, I won't bother to review. Personally I think it's hilarious but edgy. Compared with other popular sitcoms of the time which were often squishy with sentimentality, Seinfeld famously held true to a "no hugging, no learning" mantra that some might find bracing, others not so much. For fans this collection is a must-have, especially given the caprice of the Streaming Overlords who could yank this show whenever the mood strikes them. It's always good to have your own hard copy.