Iconic Sitcom On Hulu Launched Leading Actor’s Entire Career
By now, we’ve all seen our fair share of classic sitcoms, which dominated the television space throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. These days, the shows don’t tend to perform as well as they used to, though the old classics are constant binge-fodder for streaming subscribers. One of the greatest sitcoms of all time, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is wholly responsible for catapulting Will Smith into A-list stardom, and is currently streaming on Hulu today.
Need The Rundown? Just Listen To The Theme Song
Just about everyone alive is familiar with the basic premise of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as spelled out in the series’ ear-worm introduction music. If you need a refresher, the series is a story all about how a fictionalized version of Will Smith’s life was turned upside down. After getting into one little fight in the streets of Philadelphia, his mother got scared, and recommended he go to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air, California.
A Classic Coming-Of-Age Sitcom
As Will struggles to fit in with his affluent cousins, he brings a certain rugged flair to his newfound home, and over time, he and his extended family learn a lot from one another.
Along the way, viewers are introduced to the ever-wise and ever-hungry Uncle Phil, the dorky but well-meaning Carlton, and the family butler Geoffrey, who is often referred to by Will simply as “G.”
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air stars Will Smith in the leading role, alongside a wide array of excellent performers, including James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Janet Hubert, and Daphne Reid.
Not A Biographical Series For Will Smith
What many fans don’t know about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is that the series is not actually based on Will Smith’s life. While Smith is truly from West Philadelphia, and many elements of his character were developed to play to his comedic strengths, the core concept of the series actually loosely adapts the life of music manager Benny Medina. Like the fictional version of Will Smith, Medina’s life was changed in his teenage years when he was invited to live with an affluent East Los Angeles family.
Gets Deep Without Losing Its Sense Of Humor
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was created and developed for television by the husband and wife duo of Andy and Susan Borowitz, who worked closely with Benny Medina and NBC execs to perfect the series’ overall tone. The show follows themes of oppression and class divides within the black community that are still eerily prescient today, and offers some incredibly emotional moments in a sea of mostly upbeat humor. Legendary musician Quincy Jones helped to score the series, and even convinced Will Smith to take on the leading role as his first screen acting performance.
The Obstacle Is The Way
Smith was apparently reluctant to even get involved with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, though he ultimately agreed to lead the cast due to a financial bind which saw him struggling to cover his debt to the IRS. In one of the wildest outcomes in Hollywood history, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air launched Will Smith to A-list status, making him a bona fide movie star by the time the show concluded in 1996. It’s truly fascinating to think about how the history of cinema would have changed had Smith not owed money to the IRS in the late 1980s.
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air On Hulu
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If you’re interested in catching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air today, be sure to stream the series on Hulu. The show holds up surprisingly well nearly 30 years after its release, and still holds strong as one of the best Will Smith performances of all time. Personally, I consider this series to be on the Mount Rushmore of classic sitcoms.
