The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was a sitcom through the 1990s focused on an African American family in California. While there were other shows centered around black families during the same time, and there are many now, I don’t think any had the same impact on America that the Fresh Prince did. The show provided a look into how a black family looks and even helped shape how many African American characters are represented on screen now.
Will Smith played the main character, and the basic storyline followed along with what he (and the writer of the show, Benny Medina) had experienced before fame. Will was a fatherless teenager who moved from Philadelphia to the Bel-Air neighborhood in California. In the show, Will moves in with his aunt (Aunt Vivan) and her family, which consists of her husband (Uncle Phil), two daughters (Ashley and Hilary), and son (Carlton).
The family was considered to be one of class and wealth, as his aunt was a professor at a University, and his uncle was a prominent judge in the area. At the time, many of the African American characters seen in the media were painted to be lesser than their white counterparts — they were poor, “from the streets,” or painted as criminals. Fresh Prince gave its audience a look into what a typical African American family looked like — they were no different than others.
The show was on air for six seasons and now is being remade to fit the issues we are experiencing in our society today. Fresh Prince delved into many personal problems and situations that black families throughout America were facing: school, family values, police brutality, racism, and much more. The show was able to use the right amount of humor and seriousness to inspire families and generations across America.
The show taught us that even though we all come from various backgrounds, go through different experiences, follow our own path, there is and always will be an opportunity for us to work hard, find joy in life, and spend time with friends and family!
It is an amazing show, one that you can watch at any time and with anyone! I would recommend watching a couple of episodes, and you might just learn a little something from it!