Netflix releases statement on The Sandman's unusual aspect ratio after receiving complaints

Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer in The Sandman

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Sandman may have nabbed Netflix's number one spot, but viewers have questions about a visual aspect of the show. The series' aspect ratio has sparked an ongoing debate, with some fans wondering if it was a technical glitch.

"Why does everything looked so stretched upwards? Is it supposed to be dreamy and I’m just an uncultured swine or is there something wrong," asked one Twitter user. "Did they fuck up the aspect ratio on Sandman or what? Letterboxed yet also noticably stretched," noted another.

However, the streamer has confirmed that the stretched aspect ratio is a deliberate, creative choice to give the show a more surreal and dream-like feeling – so there's no need to fix your TV. "As you'll note many of the environments are surreal in the series and we often say it's quite what a dream would feel like," a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement.

Based on Neil Gaiman's DC comic book series of the same name, The Sandman stars Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, the King of Dreams. After being imprisoned for 106 years, he sets out to restore order to his kingdom, The Dreaming. The series' cast also includes Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, and Patton Oswalt.

All episodes of The Sandman are now available to stream on Netflix – you can read our reviews of episodes two, three, four, five, six, and seven through those links. If you're already up to date, fill out your watch list with our picks of the other best Netflix shows on the platform.