How to add interlacing back into (SD) progressive video?
 

We all know that:
1. Shows like Sesame Street were shot on interlaced videotape - 29.97 NTSC, 60 Hz, ideal for CRT sets.
2. Streaming services can only stream at 24-30 fps, progressive. This means anything originally shot on videotape is converted to 30 fps, progressive.

And YET … someone managed to take clips from episodes streamed on HBO Max, and increase the frame rate to 60, giving it the “CRT” look we’re all more familiar with. WHA??:eek:

Behold:
https://bbcdn.stablecube.com/file/rj...ba1d67b6d3.mp4

How was this impossible effect achieved?
Could they have used Topaz? Or Sony Vegas? (My attempts to communicate with this person have been futile.)
I’m amazed by this, because whenever I’ve tried this with Premiere Pro (the “optical flow” setting), the results are only half satisfactory, since the two frames between camera switches are also blended (not what I want). This person obviously used something higher-end, but what?

NOTE: I’m not inquiring about downloading methods, only enhancement methods for personal use (because the rights holders and the streaming services clearly don’t get it).
Help appreciated, thanks in advance. 🙏

That video is terrible, interlace is hosed. It's just a dumb bob.

There no real way to restore lost data. You can interpolate, but it has negative side effects. There are ways to do that in Avisynth.

Topaz is junkware, adds more artifacts than not.

Premiere deinterlace options have always been awful.