When The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Died…And It’s Not When You Think 

the "how come he dont want me" truly was one of the most emotional things i can remember seeing on tv, ever. that scene still gets me.

That scene where Carlton and Will are in jail and they start singing Go Down Moses, and their thug cellmate joins in after being silent the whole time never fails to crack me up.

Carlton running through the studio might be the funniest scene of the series

While you made extremely valid points, we have to keep in mind, that in real time, in the 90s, it was a different era. Shows weren’t being binge watched the way they are now, so a sitcom didn’t have to have continuity the way shows do today.

Although the show started with issues on racism and class. I’m glad the show branched out and took on other topics because as a black person ( I can’t speak for all) I don’t wanna see issues of race on every show. It’s exhausting. I just want to see a funny show for entertainment.

James had such a better connection on screen with the first actress that played Vivian, I don't think anyone liked seeing her replaced.

Good Times, Family Matters, and A Different World did the same thing like Fresh Prince of Belair with Wills mom, Vy, and Lisa dad, Fred. On Good Times, at the end of the 4th season, although it wasn't shown, but it was established that Carl and Florida had gotten married and moved to Arizona for Carl's health issues, and both were absent throughout the 5th season. When Florida returned during the 6th season, she mentioned Carl once, and after then, he wasn't mentioned or seen again. On Family Matters, Mother Winslow and Fletcher got married during the 4th season. Fletcher was seen a few more seasons after that and he mysteriously disappeared with Mother Winslow ever hardly mentioning him when she visits. On A Different World, Colonel Taylor and Jaleesa were married during season 5, and at the end of season 5, they had a baby, but in the beginning of season 6, Jaleesa and the baby disappeared along with Colonel Taylor's son, Terrance and they weren't mentioned by him again.

One thing I wish they would have kept in was Will playing basketball. He was a star player, and he was even looking to be scouted and recruited when he had a match-up against Marcus Stokes (played by Allen Payne). Why couldn't they have kept him hooping when he went to ULA?

You made some great points with this video. I never liked the season five finale's ending because it invalidated everything that had been leading up to that point. And it was for something that didn't even matter (Will's mother marrying Lisa's father). Since the show was going to end after season six anyway, having Will married wouldn't have had a negative impact on his character. It would have given him more of a direction. Instead, he spends the last season becoming some annoying manchild that's seen as irresponsible and stupid by everyone around him. In the series finale, they make it a point to mention that everyone is moving on in their lives except for Will. Even Ashley points this out, and Will was one of her best friends in the early seasons. Taking away all of Will's progression in the last season was pointless when he was originally in a position to move on more than anybody.

"Papa's got a brand new excuse" killed me.. even today! that whole monologue brings me to tears

Queen Latifah also played Hillary’s horrible boss!

I never looked at any episodes from this show this critically. They were always great for me.

As a one of the millions of sons of single mothers, that Will and his father's episode still makes me cry to this day...

For me, it ended when they replaced Aunt Viv. The other episodes weren't the same at all.

For me, it had three phases to its death: 1.) The set change, 2.) Changing Aunt Viv's actress, and lastly 3.) When Nicki was born and immediately grew up. The comedic element just died a bit more with each phase. EDIT: I do not have a problem with the set change itself; all I'm saying is that once it happens, the show begins to get less funny to me. I know the other two I said were kind of unavoidable, and the producers did what they could, but it still didn't make the show any better.

Can we talk about how empowering Aunt Vivian is in Season 1 only for the writers/producers to make her a laughing joke in Seasons 2-3?

I cant get thru "how come he don't want me" without crying- every single time

Will's GF in the Earthquake episode is played by Tisha Campbell who would go on to play Gina in Martin (also played Jay in My Wife and Kids). I know she is not too well-known and the show is not acknowledged much outside of the Black community unlike Fresh Prince (only a few black sitcoms have "crossed over") so I get why it might've been overlooked but it should be noted.

What gets me...Carlton studied hard and sacrificed everything in hopes of getting into Princeton....just to go to the same college as Will.

My understanding was that the show was supposed to end after season 4, with the Banks and Will visiting Philadelphia, the Banks return to Bel-Air and Will telling Phil he wasn’t returning. Will Smith only took the job to payoff his debts, but in 1994 it was announced that 1995-1996 would be the last so the storylines were usually single episodes and not season long story arcs. Tyra Banks left the show so the character was dropped.

Anybody remember the one where Will boxes a female boxer and gets whooped? Will was so hilarious in that scene😂😂😂

First two seasons are UNMATCHED and both are excellent in their own unique ways.

"How come he don't want me?" That line lives rent free in my head and I ask of that of every senseless rejection I have received.

As many memorable episodes this show had, “Bullets over Bel-Air” is my personal favorite mainly because of how deep it went with Carlton’s realization that the real world is harsh beyond the gates of the community he grew up in, also I always laugh at the scene when Carlton flips the tray with Will’s food out of frustration and Will just looked like “I was gonna eat that” 😂 I’ll always remember watching that episode at 9am on BET during a school break on a rainy morning while making some coffee 😌

I always felt that the first three seasons were better than the last three, even though I didn't hate the last three. And also, Will Smith and Nia Long actually were in the movie "Made in America" together as well.

I never took any of the bait and switch storylines serious, it was always pure comedy in my eyes 😂

I agree. They should have kept Lisa & Will through season 6 and end the series with the family moving them getting married

I understand your point about the missteps and lack of commitment to storylines but almost all of them made it possible for will to be in situations later in the show that were iconic.

I always thought that the reason the show ended was because Will didn’t wanna do it anymore. He was becoming a huge movie star and wanted to move on from Fresh Prince

Will Smith should've done a new rap intro for Seasons 5 and 6, since he was sent back to Bel-Air by an NBC exec and no longer had issues with the dude in Philly.

I'm going to say that jefferey never had any resentment, maybe a family like disappointmentat times but never disdain or long lasting issues. He keot himself professional and kept the line between master and employer . The amount of love and caring Jeffery showed the family made him part of it. When he say goodbye and used "will" instead of "master". Tear kerning.

Another thing to point out is how Carlton was more sarcastic and witty in early seasons but the later seasons make him more eccentric and exaggerated

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air show was a 90s Schizophrenic Chameleon which kind of reflects the shows it was inspired by and competing with at the time. -Slick teen antics type show Like Saved by the Bell/Ferris Bueller, Full House, Silver Spoons, Different Strokes, Family Ties -social issues/after school special/Black empowerment Cosby Show, Different World, Living Single, Martin, Family Matters -Surreal and Wacky Humor along with sometimes no lessons/no hugs Seinfeld,In Living Color, Martin, Married with Children I feel like in this way the show bounced it’s identity around due to it’s inspirations and competition. It wanted to address social issues but also not take it self seriously at all. All a part of the surreal 90s atmosphere

Great breakdown. They did do a bait and switch often in the series. I especially don't like when a character is just erased from a series. Where was Vi's husband? John Amos just doesn't have luck with TV wives.

The first three seasons of this show were literally can't miss... They were great The fourth season was decent to good but not as funny as the first three but it was still good The fifth season had some really really dry moments but it had some good moments as well The 6th season was a nice bounce back from the 5th season

Loved a college episode where Will drops a class as he fears its difficulty, even though he thinks the teacher is amazing and Phil talks some sense into him. That some of the best things in life are hard and running from the hard things will have a cost. In this case, he could lose out on a learning experience from someone that might become a mentor. In the future, things could get even worse. So he returns to the class but must complete it while he will receive no college credit for doing so due to his having dropped it in the 1st place.

Wow good job! As many times as I have seen the Fresh Prince, I didn't realize a lot of the things you pointed out. I look at the series a lot different now

First three seasons of the Fresh Prince are great, but it starts going downhill a bit when you get to Season 4, some episodes are tolerable but you can definitely notice the change too.

I didn’t like that they dumbed down the whole cast outside of Wills. And recasting ain’t viv. It lost its balance

I loved the dad episode. I bawled my eyes out when will did the monologs. Having very close relationship with my father, him being my best man at my wedding and was there before my mother right after my son was born, disappeared for years due to lies created by my stepmother. This effectively ostracized them from all sides of the family. When I saw this, I lost it. All those emotions lined up with this episode.

Wow what a flash in the past. This show really had a big impact on me growing up. Haven’t seen a show like it since but I know Family Matters also had a huge impact too!

What a wonderful review of the Fresh Prince. Brings back memories. This show will live on forever through videos like this.

My favorite episode was the one where Will was drafted to drive Ashley to her violin lesson. At the end it's revealed that she only took violin lessons to please her father. Same thing with the drums to please Will. I took violin lessons as a child but unlike Ashley I wanted to for myself. And I loved the violin!

I wished the Smith sisters were in more episodes. Aunt Helen (Jennifer Lewis) was my favorite!

Fresh Prince... Saturday morning 🌄 eating Cereal. My parents working so we got the house to ourselves until 4:30 PM. *We felt so free as kids* ✊🏽

I love this take on The Fresh Prince. Your analysis is so full and rich

Another Psyche you missed. There was an episode in which Will's mom was going to marry a man in who has a daughter played by Raven Symone. They get married and are never seen or mentioned again.

Great video just letting you know the reason why the end of the season's off like that and they started it so abruptly rapidly was because every season after the 3rd season season the show was gonna get canceled and so or something but a fan's protesters are bringing the show back into a will said that the 6 was gonna be this last

Couldn't agree more. Will and Lisa's break up killed the show for me and I struggled to watch any of the season six episodes because of it

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air is one of my favorite TV shows of all time, a show I grew up on in its original run and in syndication. The show is a serious classic. To me, this show never died. It just went down in quality in two periods: when Janet Hubert-Whiten (the original Aunt Viv) got fired after the 1992-1993 season (Season 3) and after Season 4. Granted the show was still a top-notch comedy in its entire run in my opinion, but something was missing or lacking in Seasons 5 and 6 which made the show a runaway success in Seasons 1 through 4.

Loved this show when I was younger, especially when they hit those serious notes. The one that really hit hard to me was when Will got shot and Carlton then ended up getting a gun. With how young I was, I never did question things like the Aunt Viv recasting and just kept enjoying things even with all the reruns during Nick at Nite.

Bringing in Nia long is when the show slowly was beginning of the end especially when they got engaged. Should be last episode type thing. Original Aunt Viv leaving didn't help either

The Aunt Viv change was the biggest thing that killed the joy of the show. Original Viv was funny and charismatic.... the show had a real family comedy dynamic which was lost when she was changed.

I agree with the no follow ups in major plot points but I enjoyed the shows ability to be diverse and be able to treat racial issues with seriousness and ability to show that it doesn’t always have to turn to radicalism or it doesn’t have to be so taboo to joke about. For me that’s props to the writers to not become too boxed in.

This was one of those shows I used to put in the background because I would always leave a TV running after coming home from school or any job I had. The same thing can be said for Cheers and other shows of that nature between 1985 and 2005. It was customary for me to leave a TV running in the background on a channel playing sitcoms or dramas.

Fun fact film You made valid point. And i felt the same way as you especially with the lack of commitment

Just to make one point I remember Vy being apprehensive about Janice marrying the white guy because she was worried about how their marriage would be accepted in society and what sort of impact negatively society would have on them or their children by people who are too ignorant to see the beauty in their marriage.. it wasn't so much that she herself had disdain for Janice marrying a white man

The first season was just so good we all forgot how bad some of the other episodes/seasons were.

Really enjoyed your death of home improvement video, best of luck! Tons of content for you to explore and examine in the future

SO the funny thing about back then, someone already pointed out the shows were episodic in nature and never really related, but also I would like to add that we loved seeing characters back then. It didn't really have to join together or make sense, we got the new episode once a week and as long as we got to see our favorite shows/actors, we were happy. It didn't have to ever have an over arching plot line that tied everything together.

Do 'The Nanny' next. While i don't remember every episode, i felt like during the last few seasons, CC and Niles the Butler carried the show

Dope review. Not sure if you know, but the show was actually cancelled after season 4. The show technically ended with him moving back to Philly. They eventually brought the show back for a season 5 and used that NBC employee skit as a way to show that they messed up and continue the story. I see how it can be abrupt if you don’t have that context in mind. I remembered being UPSET when I heard that was the series finally growing up.

I love this! Would you please do videos on when Sister Sister, 7th Heaven, Roseanne and Reba died?

To me, it died when they added Nicky. Thats when u know a show is done..Adding a unnecessary new kid. The only show where that worked was the cosby show, with Raven added

Fresh prince of bel air is truly a masterpiece. It has everything you want in a sitcom. It lifts your spirits up, makes you cry, makes you thrive for success. All the rehash scenes to me are genuine and I don't want it done any other way.

The show went down when janet Hubert Was fired

i do agree on the failure to follow through and it was very noticeable when i went on a rewatch binge streak. the best moments of fpba was definitely those moments that tackled serious issues. this difference of follow thru was so noticeable cause i re binged friends too during that time and friends did a much smoother job following its general plot

According to IMDb: Nbc actually was going to end the series after season 4. But then fans of the show started sending letters demanding that they keep doing the show. So that’s when season 5 and season 6 came.

Great video. Looking back there were some puzzling aspects of the show. I was like 10 when the show first aired and for some reason I always remember the serious message episodes. But then the creators would make a mockery out of the seriousness by doing stupid storylines like the NBC executive kidnapping Will. But as the show progressed even I recognised the duplication of themes throughout the series. But ultimately I still remember the serious message shows up to this day. Also, the series problem went on a season or 2 too long.

To this day, I hated how they handled Will and Lisa’s relationship in the end. I felt that they should’ve pulled the trigger on them getting married as it would’ve showed that he was ready for a commitment and left his womanizing ways. Adding Nia Long to the principal cast would’ve given the show a new dynamic seeing how she fit in well with the cast and helped developed Will’s character into a responsible, married man. Separating Will and Lisa negated all the character development for their relationship and it also made Vy and Fred into total hypocrites as they they kept lecturing Will and Lisa for being impulsive and rushing into marriage only for them to do that exact same thing. It was a total cop out way to end things and the show went back to the status quo of Will chasing women and Vy being single.

its a complete review of one of my favorite series!!! i hope you have many, many, many more!!!

I love when Ashley started her actually singing career on the tv show. That song she was singing was fire.

Another fun fact: Noah was played by Shavar Ross...AKA Dudley from Dif'frent Strokes.

Fresh Prince still stands up today

I enjoyed your take. I still think the show died when Vivian was replaced. During the first 3 seasons, I felt like the character of Vivian was the one who held the family together. From seasons 4-6, she was too soft and almost a secondary character.

Great show - I personally think it should've ended at the end of Season 4, perhaps with this Season being a little longer because it's a series finale season. The first 3 seasons were really good and so was the 4th, however, it felt like the CHARACTER of Aunt Viv (this is not to shade the second Aunt Viv or the first) changed way too much, and too many weird things started happening in the show (seances, Playboy photoshoots etc.).. Season 5 was a filler and Season 6 was losing the plot, the best thing they did between the end of S5 and then was the last episode of S6. Respectfully.

If you haven't done it yet, The Cosby Show would be cool. I personally think that the Cosby Show died when Olivia came on. The other kids started to appear less and there was too much focus on her.

My favorite episode of fresh Prince Bel Air had to be that she ain’t a heavy episode with Queen Latifah. I don’t think Will would’ve ultimately stayed with her but I would’ve liked to see her in a couple of more episodes. As that character

great analysis dude

I love that show! It’s the funniest sitcom I ever watched as a kid! If you love Will Smith, you should make a video of Men in Black, Independence Day, Shark Tale, or why you think Suicide Squad is a bad movie and how it became a box office success.

I loved this show. IMO there wasn't a point where it jumped the shark, at least not for me. I still love the show.

Honestly the show started going downhill interms of story is when vivian was replaced for personal reasons by the other one. Not to say i stopped watching the show it was still good but in terms of character development it just wasnt the same. Vivian character for example seemed less strong willed than the og Vivian. Like that episode where Phil took some higher politic title for a job without consulting with her she instead of having it out and tryna see things his way or make her valid points just leaves the house to stay with one of her sisters (I can't remember which one could of been wills mom or her other 2). The og Vivian like I said would have definitely had it out with phil that way they can work out the problem, cause her replacement just leaving the house made her look slightly weak. The second was Ashley character development. At the start of the show she was a bright and smart girl and you could tell she's more of like a girl who would either follow every rules the parents say and live off the wealth of find her passion in something else, and she eventually decides to drop out of be lair academy to attend to public school. Now there's nothing wrong with that at all but just becomes less motivated and becomes somewhat dim witted at times. To me its like she drops all of her redeeming and great qualities and decides to somewhat just want to blow through the wind and not strive to give her life more meaning. I may be reaching with the Ashley take a lil bit but thats just how I personally feel about these developments

I always liked Season 4 with the college setting, especially the cafe where Will and Carlton worked. It was a big part of growing up.

I enjoyed this summary just as much as the summary about Family matters. Hope to see more of it... The shows I'd like to see are BH90210, Sopranos, King of Queens & 21 Jump Street.

They should have definitely followed through with Lisa and Will's marriage and then explored that dynamic in season 6. Could have been a story to whether they would follow Hiliary's show to NY for Will's job or stay in LA cause Lisa didnt want to move east. Could have had them living in the pool house while their house got built, if they wanted to keep the family under 1 roof for the final season, they could have taken it to a bunch of different places that would have continued every one's progression and growth and come to the same conclusion with everyone moving out at the end going their different ways in life. Even have Lisa reveal shes pregnant at the end and have Will say J.Cole's line before J. Cole. lol

The scene with the gun. Carlton drops it at the foot of the bed, between Will's feet. That is horrible gun safety control (I just had to say that); and it occurs in a hospital. They will call the police. It's a good scene, written horribly in the context of realism.

@Fun Fact Films. I have to say... THIS WAS GOOD! I really did not expect to be sitting here doing my hair, to be soooo into this, and actually watched the whole video. The build up and your reveal at the exact moment the show ended for you was really great and understandable. I am thoroughly impressed so I liked and subscribed. Keep up the great work! 😘🥰🤗 Side bar.... the show lost it's momentum for me after Aunt Viv. was re-casted and ended when the NBC executives threw Will in the back of the van lol.

An awesome spinoff series would have been around Aunt Viv. Moving from Philly, meeting Phil falling in love, adjusting to LA affluent life and building their family. Having her introduce Phil to her family back home and seeing them navigate the world while they grow to the family we know and love would be interesting, very interesting.

I don't think the show really died. I just think you wanted the show to be more committed to story lines like other sitcoms did. But those same things you don't like made the show better to a ton of different people.

I watched the show growing up...and enjoyed it . There were funny moments serious moments. And occasionally something to learn. Hope a new generation of kids watch it

great video. till this day I'm still traumatized about going to atm's and will refuse to after the sun goes down lol

Great points and I like this series. Do The Office next! I think there's a lot of great points that can be made of what it did right and where it went wrong (aka Season 9) :D

Back then, we honestly didn't notice most of your points. We were just there lol. Aunt Viv was the only big difference to most ppl. Basically, continuity wasn't at the forefront of peoples minds when it came to this show in particular. We just knew that after a long day of school you could flip to NBC at 8pm and catch some laughs, or more surprisingly..a lesson.

I never even noticed how the episodes were repeating themselves until now lol wow thank you for those enlightenments lol.

I learned recently that the show came from a passed on idea for kid & play. The duo had a cartoon and wanted a show in exchange for that, but once it got cancelled, they were upset so the network gave the show to Will & Jazzy Jeff

The episode with Wills dad was POWERFULLY EPIC MY FAV EPISODE OF THE SHOW

The show never really got bad. But then it was never amazing to start with. It was a solid show thruout it's entire run IMO and obviously launched the career of a major movie star. It wasn't like happy days where the show morphed into a completely different(and much worse) show. The biggest departure was it moved away from the constant hip hop themes of the first season into a more generic sitcom.

So basically, you can make an entire "Zack Morris is trash"-like series out of the Fresh Prince too. Got it. 😂

Great analysis!

My Dad always been in my life since birth but he started truck driving late 80's across country so he was gone a lot.. when they showed the episode of his Dad I felt that fr fr