Entertainment
NBC’s Stellar ’90s Series Is Officially Surging the Streaming Charts
It’s no surprise that people have been craving a little bit of nostalgia lately. It’s nice to remember a time when the world didn’t feel like such a mess, and the most important thing was making sure you caught the full lineup of TGIF programming. There were plenty of family sitcoms back in the 1990s, and these shows were always filled with tons of laughs and heartwarming moments. Whether you couldn’t miss an episode of Family Matters, Full House, or Saved by the Bell, there was never a shortage of entertaining television. If you’re yearning for a little bit of that sentimental, yet silly humor, there’s one more wholesome ’90s sitcom that can satisfy that need and is currently racing up the Apple TV store charts.
What Is ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ About?
If you somehow managed to miss watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air when it aired from 1990 to 1996, now is the perfect time to binge it. When it originally aired on NBC, the sitcom was a huge hit, running for six seasons (and 148 episodes!) of pure fun. With one of the most famous and memorable theme songs and opening scenes, Fresh Prince sets up its delightful story. Will Smith plays a character of the same name who is growing up in West Philadelphia. When the teen runs into some trouble after playing a game of basketball, Will’s mother insists that he leave the neighborhood to escape any danger.
Will is sent to live with the Banks family, led by his uber-wealthy Uncle Phil (James Avery) and his Aunt Vivian (Janet Hubert-Whitten for Seasons 1 through 3; Daphne Maxwell Reid was recast in the role for the final three seasons). The two fill in as parents for Will, with a stern, yet loving manner of discipline and guidance. Their children also provide lots of storylines. There’s the spoiled, shallow Hilary (Karyn Parsons); goofy, straight-laced Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro); and the sweet-natured and easily influenced Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali). The Banks family lives in a huge mansion in the wealthy neighborhood of Bel-Air, California, and the household is run by the snarky British butler, Geoffrey (Joseph Marcell). Will must traverse this new lifestyle, as well as the normal coming-of-age battles every teenager must face.
‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Is a Fun-Filled, Nostalgic Binge-Watch
Despite Fresh Prince being in the style of the somewhat dated multi-cam sitcom with a live studio audience, the show still holds up remarkably well. The pilot episode is a perfect introduction to exactly what type of tone the show will use: a fantastic blend of light-hearted humor with some more serious themes thrown in. While there is still dopey (now iconic) dancing from Carlton and snide one-liners delivered by Geoffrey, Fresh Prince is a much more noteworthy sitcom because it also highlights fascinating issues like Black male identity, racial profiling, and class differences. An episode like “Blood Is Thicker Than Mud” in Season 4 is a powerful glimpse at code-switching, all within the framework of the traditional sitcom. Many claim that the best episode of the series is “Papa’s Got a Brand-New Excuse” in Season 4, which gave Smith a chance to dive into intense emotional territory after his character’s father returns and then abandons him once again. By blending both humor and somber themes, Fresh Prince teaches valuable lessons between some of the laughs.
Watching Fresh Prince today offers an exciting look at Smith back in the early days of his career. Smith creates a protagonist who is relatable and endearing, while still being the vehicle for presenting thought-provoking themes. It’s easy to see Smith’s skills grow with each season, and it’s no surprise the Oscar winner would go on to star in high-caliber projects like Ali and King Richard. While none of the other cast members’ careers went on to reach the same heights, the series does offer a bevy of guest stars with everyone from Tyra Banks and Malcolm Jamal-Warner to Queen Latifah and Oprah making appearances. Each episode is also a fun blast-to-the-past with the music, fashions, and celebrities of our pre-millennium lives.
With a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score and a rising spot on the streaming charts, Fresh Prince is a perfect option for binge-watching if you’re looking for an escape. The sitcom also inspired a drama that re-imagines Will’s journey in a four-season series called Bel-Air, which aired on Peacock from 2022 to 2025. Although this is a high-quality drama, nothing beats the original, which you should add to your binge-watch list right away.
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