Will Smith once left the hard streets of West Philly to go to Bel-Air in 1990. Now, 32 years later, Jabari Banks is doing it, portraying Will Smith. Here we are, three seasons end, and the drama keeps coming. It is time to see modern-day Will Smith living up his summer in Bel-Air. Are you ready for a new season of drama? *contains spoilers*
The Fresh Prince in 2024
As most of us know, Will Smith went to Bel-Air to live with his aunt and uncle when he got into one little fight, and his mom got scared back in 1990. Now, it is Jabari Bank’s turn to do the same with modern issues in the 21st century. Executive producers Will Smith and Morgan Cooper brought back the 90s classic The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for the Gen-Z audience to enjoy.
Unlike many others, Bel-Air has been a fantastic remake, as I stated in a previous article. This show keeps many of the original aspects of its predecessor while maintaining individuality. Bel-Air has added elements of more drama, especially within the family, and cut back on the comedy genre.
We see a lot of inner family struggles, primarily because of economic standing. There are added elements of the mental health crisis in the Gen-Z population with the added stress of high school. There is more in the storyline with Will’s relationship with basketball. In the original, we know that he was gifted in basketball, but it was not expressed as Will’s ticket to college or possibly a career. We see how big basketball is in Will’s life, especially in season 2.
A Remake Done Right
Although I wrote an article stating my stance against reboots and remakes, there are some I can stand behind. Bel-Air is one example of the very few remakes I can support. This show maintains the original elements but retains some individuality, given that the target audience is the Gen-Z population.
I love that Will Smith (the star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) is one of the executive producers creating the show. I believe he ensures that the show stands on its own while remaining on the original foundation. What I love most about this show is that the producers have had the original cast members play parts in it: Daphne Maxwell Reid, Vernee Johnson, Tatyana Ali, and now Joseph Marcell!
Reid played the second Vivian Banks, Johnson played Viola Smith, Ali played Ashley Banks, and Marcell played Geoffrey Butler in the original show. I loved seeing the original cast members, primarily when they worked alongside the new cast members. Seeing Ali playing Ashley Banks’s (Akira Akbar) teacher at school was especially enjoyable. I loved having the original and new Ashely Banks having a close relationship within the show.
The executive producers’ incorporation of the original cast members in this show is beautifully done and is one reason I believe this remake is done right. I would love to see more of the original cast members appear throughout the show, even if it is for a small part, like Reid and Johnson. With the newly released trailer of season 3, my wishes were heard!
What to Look Forward to in Season 3
I have high hopes and expectations for this upcoming season. It is Will’s first summer in Bel-Air, and I can already see it will be memorable. Following the season 2 finale, I had plenty of questions and thoughts.
- Will and Lisa or Will and Jazzlyn?
- What will happen to Carlton?
- Are Hilary and Lamarcus or Hilary and Jazz?
- Is Doc holding any more secrets?
- What is going to happen with Fredrick and Geoffrey?
Personal Reactions
I do not feel that Jazzlyn is gone for good. Will is still playing for Doc, and they will continue to have contact with each other. But in the trailer, we see that Will lost some of his magic. What is that about? What happened to Will that caused him to lose his ‘mojo’? We see that Hilary and Jazz have moved on from each other, but have they really? Or are they doing what they think is best? I will admit that personally, I believe there is more chemistry between Hilary and Lamarcus, but I do not want her to go for him for the wrong reasons.
In season 2, I thought Doc was shady, exploiting young boys for their athletic ability, but the show proved me wrong. Even though we see that he is trying to be a good influence and mentor to his players so they can be more than where they came from, I cannot help but feel that he is still holding onto some detrimental secret. He still gives me sketchy and bad vibes, but I guess we will see his true intentions.
Now that Carlton’s drug addiction is out, I wondered how his parents were going to handle it. The only empathy I have for Carlton is for his anxiety and nothing else. We see in the trailer that Phil is making him get a job for the summer as a ‘punishment,’ but I think it is more of a life lesson. He gets a job with Will at a Bel-Air country club. What could go wrong?
Welcome Back Geoffrey Butler
The return of an original cast member, Joseph Marcell, highlights the season 3 premiere! Marcell portrayed Geoffrey the Banks’ butler in the original show. In my opinion, he was the best TV butler you could ask for with his witty and sarcastic remarks in his British accent. I have no idea what part he is playing, but I am sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting to see the character he will be playing.
Speaking of Geoffrey, season 2 introduced us to another subplot: Fredrick. Fredrick is Geoffrey’s son, whom he had to leave behind in England to protect him from his past misgivings. He reconnected with him, and by the end of the season, it looked as if Geoffrey’s past may have caught up with him, and Fredrick was either the key or the bait. I do not know what to expect, so I will watch alongside everyone else to see how that story will unfold.
We are in store for many new developments and drama on August 15.
It is Will’s first summer in Bel-Air. What could go wrong?
