Netflix used AI technology to upscale a 1980s sitcom, but the result has left viewers horrified. The streamer’s HD remaster is filled with malformed hands, garbled text, and warped faces.
In February, Netflix added A Different World — a spin-off series of The Cosby Show that aired from 1987 to 1993 — to its streaming platform and listed as “HD.”
However, fans immediately started noticing that something was off in Netflix’s supposed HD remaster of A Different World.
@musicofcharlton A Different World on Netflix…. I thought it was AI, but she really made that face! (AI enhancement made it look worse 🤣🤣🤣) 🤣🤣🤣 #ai #sitcom #adifferentworld #netflix ♬ original sound – Charlton Samuel Hill
According to Futurism, content creators have pointed out significant issues with Netflix’s upscaling of A Different World. Originally shot on film and later released on DVD, the series appears to have been poorly processed, either by Netflix or the rights holder responsible for the footage.
@angelicjor Netflix thought they was slick for real. How about we stop cutting corners and actually pay people to edit 🙃 #adifferentworld #netflix #Ai ♬ original sound – Jor 🍉🌱🌻
Many shots have a flicker, too. And, this is the fun one – any shot with text gets really garbled.
These screengrabs are all from s01e01.
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[image or embed]— Todd Vaziri (@tvaziri.com) February 27, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Netflix hasn’t disclosed the upscaling methods used to remaster A Different World from its original 480p or 360p broadcast resolution, but viewers have pointed out clear signs of sloppy AI processing.
According to Futurism, telltale details suggest that an AI algorithm was used to sharpen pixelated frames, often with disastrous results. The show’s intro credits feature distorted hands, misaligned facial features, and botched logos. Within the episodes, characters’ faces appear unnatural, and background text — originally too pixelated to read — has been replaced with nonsensical symbols.
@shanselman They used artificial intelligence #AI upscaling on #ADifferentWorld and it…sucks. #Netflix ♬ original sound – Scott Hanselman
Upscaling is meant to adapt old, low-resolution footage for modern high-definition screens. When done properly, skilled artists refine the footage with computer assistance, producing a subtle yet effective enhancement. However, AI-driven upscaling technology remains news and unreliable, frequently distorting rather than improving the original visuals.
“You can make one blurry pixel into four pixels, or four pixels into sixteen pixels but you gotta have that information come from somewhere,” developer Scott Hanselman says in a viral TikTok video. “From far away, it looks amazing, and you now have a 4K, remastered version of A Different World, which I think we can all agree would be amazing. The problem is AI upscaling image technology isn’t quite there yet.”
