By Brooks Welch
‘Bel Air’, the dramatic reboot of ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, premiered on Peacock with three episodes airing after the Super Bowl. The premiere was met with mixed feedback from audiences versus critics.
#BelAir isn’t just a “remake”. It’s a retelling of a familiar story.
The show reflects on so many nuanced experiences within black families that we never would have seen on television years ago.
— Sade Ndya (@sadendya) February 14, 2022
Don’t let people lie to you. This #BelAir reimagining is really good. pic.twitter.com/n8qkUSoy2E
— Nikki Finn (@IfICouldScream) February 13, 2022
The language and risque themes take some adjusting for some audience members, however the Guardian’s critique was a stark contrast from the delight of fans.
Bel-Air review – this confused, joyless Fresh Prince remake has no reason to exist https://t.co/1yoOCFEAmR
— The Guardian (@guardian) February 14, 2022
The series has large shoes to fill and high expectations. As a cultural phenomenon for Black audiences, it’s understandable why there’s apprehension.
Reactions from original cast members were scarce, only Will Smith, producer of ‘Bel Air‘ and Joseph Marcell, who plays Geoffrey the Butler on the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel Air’, attended the premiere.
Audiences may feel more connected to the reboot if they knew the story behind its conception. As written in Will Smith’s YouTube caption, “3 years ago, my guy Morgan Cooper [Los Angeles based writer and director] uploaded his fan trailer to YouTube, showing how he envisioned the Fresh Prince as a drama. Now, here is the first full look at his retelling of the story that’s always been so close to my heart.”
‘Bel Air’ is streaming exclusively on Peacock. New episodes premiering every Thursday.
Watch Smith and Cooper meet for the first time:
Watch the trailer for ‘Bel-Air’ here.