Hit dramaBel-Airis taking its serious reboot of Will Smith’s 1990s sitcomTheFresh Prince of Bel-Airinto a fourth and final season with both critics and audiences still lapping it up. While the remake’s follow-up seasons, in particular, move the story of Will and his Uncle Phil’s family in different directions,without the depth of its source material, these innovative plotlines just wouldn’t work, nor would they without original creator and filmmakerMorgan Cooper.
WhenScreen Rantinterviewed Morgan Cooper, he told us that it was ultimatelythe “iconic characters” ofFresh Princethat inspired himto develop the drama series via his initial short fan-fiction movie:“It’s the iconic characters, man. That family and the moments that they were able to bring to the small screen so many years ago is so inspiring, and all of the conversations that they had that were underneath the humor, you know what I mean? They were able to have really difficult dramatic conversations and explore those types of themes…” It’s those dramatic conversations ofBel-Airthat offer a fresh, retrospective appreciation of the original.
Bel-Air’s Serious Tone Makes You Appreciate How Great Fresh Prince Was
It Laid The Foundations For A Drama Series With Longer Episodes
Although characters like the wisecracking Will, his preposterously pompous cousin Carlton, and shopaholic Hillary are a recipe for comedy gold, they gaveFresh Princeits own share of serious moments too. Thehardest-hitting of theseFresh Princemoments have been adapted and drawn outinto broader narrative arcs forBel-Air.
By expanding theseFresh Princestorylines into something bigger and heavier,Bel-Airreminds us that its progenitor was more than a comedy.
For example,The Fresh Princeepisode in which Will’s father Lou turns up at the Banks' house unexpectedly to visit his son, only to abandon him again, becomes the extended finale toBel-Air’s first season. What’s more,Lou is a recurring character inBel-Air, reappearing in season 3. Meanwhile, aFresh Princestoryline about Carlton accidentally taking some pills Will had bought from a dealer at school isturned into a multi-episode plotin which Will is framed for cocaine possession inBel-Air.
By expanding theseFresh Princestorylines into something bigger and heavier,Bel-Airreminds us that its progenitor was more than a comedy.The show famously ended episodes with a serious point to make in silence, minus a punchline of any kind – something almost unheard of among sitcoms at the time. WhenWill’s father leaves him again inFresh Prince of Bel-Air, he cries out, “How come he don’t want me, man?” and sobs into Uncle Phil’s shoulder, as the audience providing the show’s laughing track sits in stunned silence and credits roll. The episode “Just Say Yo” ends the same way, once Will has admitted he bought the drugs that almost killed Carlton.
Bel-Air Would Not Have Worked If Fresh Prince Wasn’t Already A Deep Show
Will Smith’s Sitcom Featured Personal Tragedy And Social Commentary
It isn’t just in singular moments of heightened dramatic tension thatFresh Prince’s serious scenes go beyond the limits of a typical ‘90s sitcom. The premise of the entire show offersmulti-layered perspectives on weighty social issues like race and class, as well as on Will’s personal struggle to stay on track in the absence of both his parents.
Lou’s neglect of his son underpins Will’s desire to challenge the show’s main authority figure, Uncle Phil. Carlton, on the other hand, looks up to his father and tries to be the model son. Theirclass backgrounds are also contrasted, with Will adopting the mannerisms and language of his real-life day job as a rapper, while Carlton dresses and acts as rich as his family. These themes provideBel-Airwith plenty of combustible material – not least for the drama’s very first episode, which addresses Will’s escape from Philly ganglands more directly than the sitcom.
Bel-Air Now Officially Has The Perfect Opportunity For A Will Smith Cameo
Now that Bel-Air season 4 is confirmed to be The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot’s final outing, Will Smith’s cameo could be perfectly timed.
In addition, portrayals ofpolice brutality and racial discrimination are at the heart of profoundly moving scenesin both series, withBel-Air’s differences from the originalFresh Princebeing more tonal than fundamental ones; both grappled with the same topics in different ways. InFresh Prince, Carlton is made to question his belief that the police are “just doing their job” by Will and Uncle Phil following a stop-and-search. InBel-Air, Will argues with Uncle Phil about whether his arrest was the result of a “broken” judicial system or one “designed” to be racist. In both cases, the audience is compelled to reexamine society in a way few other shows could achieve.
Bel-Air
Cast
A gritty and more grounded reimagining of the ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Bel-Air stars Jabari Banks as Will Smith. After falling afoul of a drug lord and his gang in his native West Philadelphia, Will Smith moves to a gated community in Bel-Air with his wealthy Aunt Vivian (Cassandra Freeman) and Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes). Not only must Will adjust to his new environment, but he’s also forced to deal with his past in order to embrace his future.
