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"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990)
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showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1990) More at IMDbPro »TV series 1990-1996
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Overview
User Rating:
Creators:
Release Date:
10 September 1990 (USA)
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Plot:
The Banks family, a respectable Californian family, take in a relative - Will Smith, a street-smart teenager from Philadelphia. The idea is to make him respectable, responsible and mature, but Will has got other plans... full summary
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Golden Globes.
Another 13 wins
&
21 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(14 articles)
Ask the Flying Monkey! (November 23, 2009)
(From AfterElton.com. 22 November 2009, 6:53 PM, PST)
Justin Timberlake Golfs With His Friends For Charity
(From MTV Newsroom. 20 October 2009, 4:08 PM, PDT)
(From AfterElton.com. 22 November 2009, 6:53 PM, PST)
Justin Timberlake Golfs With His Friends For Charity
(From MTV Newsroom. 20 October 2009, 4:08 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Still fresh after all these years
more (85 total)
US TV Schedule:
Cast
(Series Cast Summary - 7 of 95) | Will Smith | ... | William 'Will' Smith / ... (147 episodes, 1990-1996) |
 | Alfonso Ribeiro | ... | Carlton Banks / ... (144 episodes, 1990-1996) |
 | James Avery | ... | Philip Banks / ... (142 episodes, 1990-1996) |
| Karyn Parsons | ... | Hilary Banks / ... (136 episodes, 1990-1996) |
 | Tatyana Ali | ... | Ashley Banks / ... (134 episodes, 1990-1996) |
| Joseph Marcell | ... | Geoffrey / ... (125 episodes, 1990-1996) |
| Janet Hubert | ... | Vivian Banks / ... (70 episodes, 1990-1993) |
Additional Details
Runtime:
24 min (148 episodes)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Brazil:Livre |
USA:TV-PG |
UK:PG |
Canada:G (Quebec) (DVD rating) |
Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) (DVD rating) |
Singapore:PG |
Argentina:Atp |
Australia:G (some episodes) |
UK:12 (one episode) |
UK:U (most episodes) |
Australia:PG (some episodes)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Will Smith's future wife 'Jada Pinkett-Smith' auditioned for a role of his girlfriend, Lisa, on his show, but was told she was too short.
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Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: In the episode where Hilary poses for Playboy, Hilary's strap-on mic is visible on the back of her red dress when she, Will, and Carlton first enter the Playboy party. It is gone in subsequent scenes.
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Quotes:
Phillip Banks:
What are you talking about? I weigh the same as I did in high school.
Will: Yeah, if you add up all four years.
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Will: Yeah, if you add up all four years.
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FAQ
Where are Seasons 5 and 6 on DVD? And when will they be released?more
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I like to think of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" as a memorable rap song from a time when it wasn't afraid to be creative or witty. Think of a song by Public Enemy, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, or hell, even The Fresh Prince's duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff (who guest stars frequently as Jazz), as the two were known back in rap's Golden Age as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
Of course, this show flourished during a time when rap was still good, and I can't help but make comparisons to the hip-hop community. There is no question that Will Smith is a born entertainer, and he got his break in stardom outside of hip-hop with "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." In it, Will Smith pretty much plays Will Smith (I bet creators Andy and Susan Borowitz had a lot of difficulty thinking up that name), a Philadelphia ghetto youth who gets shipped out by his mother to the posh excess of Bel-Air to live with relatives - The Banks.
Once out there, he finds rivalry with cousins - the preppy Carlton and airheaded would-be blonde Hilary Banks (Alfonso Ribiero and Karyn Parsons), young cousin Ashley (Tatyana M. Ali) emulates Will's hip-hop attitude, and Aunt Vivian (alternately played by actresses Janet Hubert-Whitten and Daphne Maxwell Reid) keeps husband and successful lawyer Uncle Phil's (James Avery) head cool when Will gets into trouble. To keep everything tidy and in order, their loyal, sarcastic British butler Geoffrey (Joseph Marcell) is there too.
It's still fresh after all these years. It never fails to stir up careful, thoughtful, moving, and intelligent laughs from the viewer and I'm surprised I avoided it for so long. (Why do I do this to myself all the time?)
The acting is cool and fresh by all, especially from Smith, and the ladies of the house, Karyn and Tatyana, are both pretty cute to look at too.