One of the most groundbreaking sitcoms of the '90s, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was about more than silly antics and laugh tracks. It tackled some deep and serious issues through its run, many of which fans got to learn more about during the recent HBO Max reunion special. Not to mention it helped kick off an incredible A-list movie acting career for its star, Will Smith.
There were plenty of jokes and running gags that ran throughout, some of which have involved memorable scenes from the series. But, some were better and more frequent than others.
Uncle Phil's Angry Face
Even though Philip Banks was arguably the greatest TV dad, something happened in virtually every episode: Uncle Phil, as he was known to Will, would get worked up. Usually, the catalyst involved Will in one way or another. He would get that look on his face. The vain would pop out of his forehead and he would yell, or at least speak in such a tone and with such a terrifying look that even Will would back down.
Oftentimes, his yelling began with the word "Will!" and involved Aunt Viv trying to calm him down. But, sometimes, Uncle Phil's yelling was directed at others, including people who tried to take advantage of or hurt his nephew or children.
Will's Dancing
From that first scene with Will imitating Ashley as she danced around in her room to when he was dancing while she was banging on her new set of drums, it wasn't uncommon to encounter Will dancing up a storm.
What was the funniest part about it was that he would often use very exaggerated, hilarious moves that showed both his rhythm and his outgoing and fun personality.
Playful Jabs Among The Family
Whether it was a joke referencing Carlton's height, Uncle Phil's baldness or weight, Hilary's lack of intelligence or shallow nature, or Will's crude nature, the family took every opportunity to make fun of one another.
Even though the remarks were often hurtful, the family members took the insults in stride because each one dolled them out as often as they took them.
Will And Jazz's Handshake
The handshake was imitated and replicated many times by fans of the show who loved how a simple handshake demonstrated years of a close friendship between two young men. It was never normal but rather a powerful slap of the hands followed by both men leaning back in opposite directions and making a sound like the air coming out of a tire.
Hilary Being Clueless
The ongoing joke was that Hilary was spoiled, petty, selfish, and materialistic, but also not very smart; she was easily the least intelligent character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The actoress who played her, Karyn Parsons, revealed on the reunion special that the showrunners wanted to make Hilary a more layered character over time, but she felt that some people are just the way they are and they don't need to change—and Hilary fit that mold.
Thus, it was an ongoing joke that Hilary was completely clueless about things that most people who didn't have her wealth and access would know. For example, when she got her first job, she had no idea that so much of the check would end up going to pay taxes.
Will Mocking Carlton
Also revealed in the reunion was that the friction on the series was mainly supposed to be between Will and Uncle Phil. But, the chemistry between Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro, who played Carlton, was too great to pass up.
The characters could not be more different; Will the loud and obnoxious character from a low-income neighborhood, and Carlton the young man who grew up with wealth and privilege. Carlton and Will learned a lot from one another over the course of Fresh Prince's run. But, that didn't stop the insults from flying, mostly with Will ribbing Carlton about everything from his choice of attire to his height.
Jeffrey's Sarcastic Comments
Jeffrey was the dutiful butler and one of the best TV butlers to grace the small screen. What made him so great was that he didn't just do his job and keep his mouth shut, but he spoke up about his true feelings.
Often, however, he would say things under his breath or completely openly, but with his usual monotonous and sarcastic tone such that the family didn't even realize he was insulting them.
Breaking The Fourth Wall
The show often broke the fourth wall, usually with Will looking at the camera after saying something. In one instance, he even uttered words about living in a TV show and being able to pause people. In another, he jokingly asked why the family couldn't afford ceilings when they were so wealthy, after which the camera panned up to show the studio set above.
One of the funniest fourth wall instances, however, was when Will commented that something changed about Aunt Viv that he couldn't put his finger on. The change, of course, was a different actoress playing the main role.
Jazz Getting Thrown Out Of The House
One of the best recurring gags ever on television was Uncle Phil physically throwing Jazz out of the house. As covered by ScreenRant, the scene was filmed so many times in one day, with multiple takes that they decided to simply use the one good take every time. Thus, it became a running gag that whenever Jazz showed up at the house wearing a specific shirt, fans knew how the scene would end.
The Carlton Dance
The Carlton Dance has become a pop culture moment that everyone exactly what it refers to as soon as they hear those two words. Done on a whim, Ribeiro says he tried to figure out how he thought Carlton might dance, and those iconic movies just came to him.
Ribeiro, of course, is often asked to do the dance. He and Smith have also done it together on multiple occasions when reuniting in recent times.