Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

For my final project, I picked a comedy called “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” on NBC starring, Will Smith. The episode is Season 4 episode 24, titled, “Papa’s got a Brand-New Excuse.” The original airdate of the episode was May 9^th, 1994. Surprisingly, the episode dealt with serious and painful issues. In my opinion, the episode was not the comedy I expected from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”.  After 14 long years, Will finally meets his biological father and things begin to really fall apart.

What fascinates me most with “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” comedy show is its simple and basic story-line filled with twists, turns and irony. A young man of very modest means from West Philadelphia named, “Will” moves in with his very wealthy and affluent family members in the ritzy neighborhood of Bel Air when his mother passes away. Will is constantly placed into situations where he clashes with the values of his family members and Bel Air society, while still trying to be his real self. Will along with his family members have stereotypes of each other’s social classes and it’s the characters who work really hard to help debunk many old ideas and perceptions of people who live on “the other side of town”. The show is interesting because, in real life, most young black men from inner-cities have absolutely no connection to people like “Uncle Phil” who live in places like Bel-Air. In other words, the young men from inner cities have very different lifestyles compared to Carlton, Will’s nerdy and conservative cousin. I believe young audiences probably find the show relatable because of the product placement on the show. For example, audiences see Nike “Air Jordan Sneakers” worn by Will and others along with the family members drinking beverages such as Coca-Cola, and Pepsi.

The character that describes me best is Will and this is primarily due to his quirky personality. Will, known for being a hip and goofy character, loves food, video games, music, sports, and beautiful women. Although I am not as funny and engaging as Will, however when I’m with friends, I often show those similar characteristics.

In the episode described above, the audience sees a rare side of Will’s emotions.  For example, when Will’s father decides to cancel the trip to see his son, Will shows anger, disappointment, and lots of vulnerability. He no longer is the funny character the audience takes for granted. Will is devastated of the fact his father who abandoned his mother and him years ago, would leave him again. It’s painful to watch because rejection is very rough, especially for children who are rejected by a parent.

Carlton is the character I enjoy the most because he is definitely counter-culture.  Unlike many young people who love pop, hip-hop or r&b music, he has a different take and style when it comes to music. For example, he enjoys Tom Jones and Michael Bolton and most people his age don’t know of these artists. Additionally, he dresses quite differently than most and his ideas and understanding of the world is in stark contrast to most young people. Although he has charisma, his value system and perceptions throw many people off. He is quirky, independent and an odd character that doesn’t really fit in well anywhere comfortably. He is definitely entertaining and I especially enjoy his signature dance which makes me laugh.

If there is one relationship that resonates with me, it’s that of Will and his Uncle Phil. Even though Will constantly pokes fun of Uncle Phil’s weight, nevertheless, they have a special bond. Uncle Phil loves Will as if he was his own. Uncle Phil defends Will and goes out of his way to understand Will, more so than anyone else partly because Will is his sister’s only child and with no other parent available and willing to care for him.  Uncle Phil gave Will guidance, support, sympathy and believed in him which accounts for Will’s overall success.