Television Anyone else love Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?

villain

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Anyone who doesn't love this show is simply bad vibes, and not to be trusted.
 

Dan

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The one they go skiing is my favourite episode.
 

Spoony

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You could probably do it, just has to be very overtly ironic.

Have you heard about this:

Yes. Fan made but Will was so impressed he's funding a full series,isn't he? I'm not sure...I quite like Fresh Prince for being this goofy sitcom. That trailer looks great but cold. What do you think?
 

hungrywing

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Yes. Fan made but Will was so impressed he's funding a full series,isn't he? I'm not sure...I quite like Fresh Prince for being this goofy sitcom. That trailer looks great but cold. What do you think?
I'm not a Fresh Prince superfan (watched a lot of it, but I've forgotten almost everything).

If we're getting super serious, then if the show handles its issues well, I think it'd be at least decent for this generation. But it'll be 'dark/serious/gritty'.

But what FP really was was one of the last family-oriented sitcoms on network TV before the plague of crime/law procedurals swept in and began blighting American - and further, the world's - culture with cynicism and nihilism.

Personally, I'd take tongue-in-cheek misogyny over that anyday.
 

Spoony

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I'm not a Fresh Prince superfan (watched a lot of it, but I've forgotten almost everything).

If we're getting super serious, then if the show handles its issues well, I think it'd be at least decent for this generation. But it'll be 'dark/serious/gritty'.

But what FP really was was one of the last family-oriented sitcoms on network TV before the plague of crime/law procedurals swept in and began blighting American - and further, the world's - culture with cynicism and nihilism.

Personally, I'd take tongue-in-cheek misogyny over that anyday.

Agreed. Off topic, I watched Boyz n the Hood for the first time since the 90s. Sure it's gritty and still a quality film, but I couldn't watch it for more than 30mins. Yet back then I was glued watching the likes of Ice Cube. I suspect I wasn't as empathic back then(not difficult) but I suppose teens rarely are. Anyway, I'd probably struggle with a dark, gritty Fresh Prince too. I recently watched FP again, like you l, I had forgotten most of it.
 

hungrywing

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Agreed. Off topic, I watched Boyz n the Hood for the first time since the 90s. Sure it's gritty and still a quality film, but I couldn't watch it for more than 30mins. Yet back then I was glued watching the likes of Ice Cube. I suspect I wasn't as empathic back then(not difficult) but I suppose teens rarely are. Anyway, I'd probably struggle with a dark, gritty Fresh Prince too. I recently watched FP again, like you l, I had forgotten most of it.
Specific reasons for the bolded part? Did it make you uncomfortable that you once enjoyed it?

Looks like Will Smith missed a trick. Maybe he should have produced a show where Will, Carlton, Hilary and Ashley are older and raising their own families in a world that would have broken Uncle Phil's heart.

But in sitcom format.
 

Rektsanwalt

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I can't put my finger onto the exact reason why, but I simply feel good watching it. Childhood memories? Light comedy without pseudo socialcriticism? I just love it.
 

Sylar

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The one where Carlton takes drugs is another great serious episode
And the one where uncle Phil is in hospital and Carlton is too scared to see him like that

Indeed. But sitcoms are more careful thesedsays, Fresh Prince was unashamedly misogynistic. Can't do that anymore.
Imagine married with children given the jokes that show did? Never a chance
 

villain

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Indeed. But sitcoms are more careful thesedsays, Fresh Prince was unashamedly misogynistic. Can't do that anymore.
I dunno, there were early episodes where Will treating women as objects blew up in his face (the one where he didn't want to date Queen Latifah because she wasn't skinny + when he as humiliated by Lisa's sorority girls, just off the top of my head) also he was almost never rewarded for his behaviour either, he got rejected far more than he succeeded.
I think it highlights that his misogyny wasn't appreciated, and he was seen more as a laughing stock more than anything else.
 

Dirty Schwein

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What a great show.

"Geoffrey! Bring me Lucille..." fecking boss was Uncle Phil.
 

Wibble

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Never a big fan of the show but I didn't really watch it much to form an opinion.
 

GueRed

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yeah it was alright. I used to watch it occasionally back in he 90's.

a couple of my mates absolutely loved the show. They still do actually
 

Spoony

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I dunno, there were early episodes where Will treating women as objects blew up in his face (the one where he didn't want to date Queen Latifah because she wasn't skinny + when he as humiliated by Lisa's sorority girls, just off the top of my head) also he was almost never rewarded for his behaviour either, he got rejected far more than he succeeded.
I think it highlights that his misogyny wasn't appreciated, and he was seen more as a laughing stock more than anything else.

True. But he dated some stunning girls too,Tyra Banks and Stacey Dash just to name a couple. It's possible that Will may have been a laugh at character like Basil Fawlty but despite his goofy behaviour he still was a cool cat unlike Carlton, a person kids would look up to. Carlton had his misogynist moments too but I just think it was the times, programme content has changed.



Specific reasons for the bolded part? Did it make you uncomfortable that you once enjoyed it?

Looks like Will Smith missed a trick. Maybe he should have produced a show where Will, Carlton, Hilary and Ashley are older and raising their own families in a world that would have broken Uncle Phil's heart.

But in sitcom format.

Actually, yes I did enjoy it - it was cool, guns and Ice Cube. This time I found the whole prison, gang culture thing etc hard to watch. It seemed more grittier than what I remembered. Laurence Fishburne was still brilliant though.

Your FP idea could've been brilliant, I'd love to have seen Will turning into Uncle Phil.
 

Norris

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Was great watching growing up. I re-watched it a few years back. Some episodes were still great, but the rest of it just didn't age all that well and some were plain boring.
 

Ladron de redcafe

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I loved it when I watched it as a kid and still found it funny when I rewatched it as an adult, but is there anyone else who feels the abundance of short/fat jokes was a bit of a putoff?

How many times are we supposed to laugh at Will Smith calling Uncle Phil fat in one way or another? How many short jokes aimed at Carlton are one joke too many?