At first glance, it might seem like a strange decision to take one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 1990s and turn it into a rather dour and realistic social drama. However, that’s exactly what Bel-Air has done with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
While some might have raised their eyebrows at the show’s central conceit, the truth is that it actually manages to make some notable improvements over the original series. It maintains some of the elements of its predecessor, it also manages to succeed on its own terms.
Its Darker Thematic Material
Like all good 1990s sitcoms, The Fresh Prince did manage to address some serious topics during its time on the air. However, it never lost sight of the fact that its primary purpose was to be funny. Bel-Air, by contrast, knows that it has a lot to prove, and so it consistently dives deeper into the pressing issues of the present, whether that’s gun violence on the streets of Philadelphia or the prevalence of microaggressions in the world of big business.
Carlton Is More Complex
Carlton was, of course, one of the funniest characters on the original series, largely because he always took himself so seriously. He’s a very different character in his new iteration, prone to bouts of jealousy and cruelty, particularly when he feels like his way of life is being threatened by Will’s presence. He is thus far more complex than the earlier Carlton and, given how important a role he will play in Will’s life, this is a very good choice of the show and an improvement.
Hilary Has More To Do
Hilary was one of the most likable characters on the original series, but she was also one of its least interesting. Though she was always good for a laugh, for the most part she was little more than a stereotype. Her new iteration, however, is far more complicated. For one thing, she is someone who wants to achieve something in the world, though she has yet to figure out just what. It’s precisely her lack of focus, and her tendency to believe in her own rightness, that makes her character arc so compelling to watch.
Ashley Also A Character Arc
Given that the original series was a sitcom, it didn’t always have time to develop each of its characters in the way that they deserved. One of the most notable victims of this was Ashley, and so the new series had quite a lot of room to work with in terms of crafting a new personality for her. Among other things, she has shown that she is a young woman struggling to figure out her sexual identity, and so it seems fairly likely that she will eventually become a beloved LGBT character in television.
Will Is More Well-Rounded
There’s no question that the original Will was one of the coolest men to have ever appeared in a sitcom. He was lovable and smart, and he was the type of character that inspired the audience to love him. This new Will, however, is something very different. While he is charismatic and quite skilled as an athlete, there is also a brittleness to him that makes him prone to anger and frustration. As with the other characters in this new series, it’s precisely his flaws that make him such an improvement from the limitations imposed by the original.
The Stakes Are Higher
Given that the original series was a sitcom, it’s understandable that, at times, its stakes would feel rather low. Audiences know that a sitcom will almost always end with the world restored to balance by the end of an episode. In Bel-air, by contrast, makes it clear from the beginning that the stakes for both Will and the Bankses are very, indeed.
For Will, coming to Bel-Air literally saves his life, even though he finds it harder to escape from his past than he would like.
Uncle Phil Has More Room To Grow
The original Uncle Phil was one of the best father figures in television, and while he would often grow very frustrated with Will, it was still clear that he loved his nephew. The new Phil, by contrast, is a far more complicated and ambiguous figure, and his relationship with Will can be quite strained. However, this means that has more room to grow and change as the series goes on, as he confronts both his own morally questionable behavior and the pressures that Will creates.
Its Greater Emphasis On Politics
One of the key plot points of the new series is that Uncle Phil is making a career for himself in politics. While this was clear in the original as well, Bel-Air makes a point of showing just how much he is willing to give up in his pursuit of power.
Additionally, it details how many challenges he faces as he deals with the many competing interests for his political capital. For this series, Will’s presence has political as well as personal consequences.
It’s More Realistic
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has many strengths but, due to the constraints imposed by its genre, it wasn’t always the most realistic series. Bel-Air, by contrast, shows from the very beginning that it really does want to immerse the viewer in this world. As a result, it manages to capture the sun-drenched appeal of California. Furthermore, it also has a more realistic approach to its other settings, including the school that Will attends with Carlton.
It Has More Emotional Depth
Like most other sitcoms, Fresh Prince largely sketched its characters in rather broadly, and while they did grow and change as it went on, the emphasis was usually on the laughs. From its first episode, Bel-Air made it clear that it was going to improve on this aspect of the original. There’s a greater emotional depth to this series and to its characters, whether that’s Will’s relationship with his mother (who continues to worry about him even after he moves to California) or Aunt Viv’s conflicts with Hilary.