NETFLIX RELEASES VHS-STYLE VERSION OF STRANGER THINGS SEASON ONE

Netflix has released a special edition of Stranger Things' first season formatted to resemble a VHS tape recording from the 1980s. The version features a 4:3 aspect ratio typical of older television sets, with black bars appearing on both sides of the screen unless viewed on a CRT display. The picture quality includes grain and soft blur effects intended to recreate the appearance of a VHS recording. Netflix announced the release with the tagline "Rewatch Season 1 like it's 1983".

The VHS edition employs pan-and-scan editing, a technique that crops wider images to fit smaller screens and pans across scenes when action moves to the edges. The opening animation has been edited to appear dated, though the audio remains unchanged from the original broadcast version. The Duffer brothers, the show's creators, stated that the edition would resemble how Stranger Things would appear "sitting on a shelf at Family Video" if it had existed during the 1980s. They indicated they would "maybe" release VHS versions of subsequent seasons depending on viewership of the first season special edition.

The release marks the tenth anniversary of Stranger Things' debut. Viewers can access the VHS edition by navigating to its dedicated landing page on Netflix or by searching for "Stranger Things VHS" within the platform. The special edition represents Netflix's continued efforts to expand its Stranger Things catalogue following the conclusion of the series.