More Than Just Black Bars
Before we dive into this year's nominated shows, let's clarify what we're talking about. Aspect ratio is simply the relationship between the width and height of the image on screen. For decades, TV was defined by the boxy 4:3 ratio, a near-perfect square.
With the advent of high-definition television, the wider 16:9 ratio became standard, better matching how we see the world and how movies were being shot. Today, however, creators aren't just sticking to the default. They are intentionally choosing—and even changing—the shape of their frame to make you feel something, often without you even noticing. It's one of the most powerful, and subtle, tools in a filmmaker's kit.
The Constricting Frame
A narrow, almost square frame can evoke powerful feelings of nostalgia, intimacy, or claustrophobia. By limiting peripheral vision, a 4:3 ratio forces the viewer to focus intently on a character's face or a specific detail, creating a sense of confinement or a throwback to a past era. For instance, a critically acclaimed show might use this vintage frame for flashback sequences, instantly signaling to the audience that they are in a different time period. It’s a trick that a show like Netflix's 'Beef' might employ in its second season, or that was seen in 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story', to ground the story in a specific historical mood, making the world feel smaller and more intense.
Going Wide for Grandeur
On the other end of the spectrum is the ultra-widescreen cinematic look, often associated with epic films like 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Ratios like 2.39:1 stretch the image, creating expansive vistas that can communicate grandeur, isolation, or freedom. In a year with ambitious shows nominated for their cinematography like 'Alien: Earth' or 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms', this technique is crucial. A wider frame can make a fantasy landscape feel truly immense or a sci-fi world feel vast and unknowable. It turns a television show into a cinematic event, emphasizing the environment and the character's place within—or struggle against—it. It tells the audience that the story's scale is as important as its characters.
A Shape-Shifting Narrative
Perhaps the most daring use of aspect ratio is when a show changes it mid-stream. A series might spend most of its time in standard 16:9 widescreen, only to have the black bars crash in from the top and bottom for a moment of intense action, mimicking a blockbuster film. Or, a show could expand its frame from a boxy 4:3 to a full widescreen to signify a character’s mental or physical liberation. This active use of the frame itself as a narrative device turns a technical specification into a dynamic part of the story. While shows like 'WandaVision' famously used this technique, 2026 contenders continue to find new ways to use the shifting frame to manipulate audience perception and emotion, proving the screen's shape is another form of dialogue.
