The gritty reimagination of the nineties Will Smith sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is due to debut on Super Bowl Sunday on Peacock in the US, and on Sky/ Now in the UK. Since the original announcement, there’s been a mixed reaction to the new series. Having now seen the first few episodes (and as a fan of the original series), I can understand the concerns. Taking away the comedy of the show in turn takes away a lot of the soul, and it leaves me wondering who will enjoy it. Bel-Air is set in the present day and focuses on the central themes explored in the original show such as race, class and what it means to be successful. And it’s packaged into a modernised box that better suits a modern audience. In theory, at least. The reboot came about from a fan-made trailer by director Morgan Cooper for a then hypothetical series. After the video went viral, it caught the attention of Will Smith, who worked with the creator to bring the show to life on Peacock.
Jabari Banks plays Will Smith (who, oddly, played himself in the original series) – and he manages to capture Smith’s swagger and mannerisms perfectly. However, the show just isn’t as addictive to watch without the interwoven jokes and hilarious behaviour from the Banks family. Carlton fans will be shocked by this hard-edged interpretation from Olly Sholotan. It’s a far cry from the dancing, nerdy portrayal from original Fresh Prince actor, Alfonso Ribeiro. I understand the messaging that the show is trying to convey with this overachiever, but any likeability of Carlton has been whipped away. Other characters in the family – Uncle Phil and Hilary in particular – have also been given a dose of reality. Whilst many people will be wondering whether a reboot such as this was ever necessary, the fact is that nostalgia always has, and always will, sell. Bel-Air is just one of many revivals and reboots that are appearing on streaming services. Peacock alone has already aired Saved By the Bell (2020) and Punky Brewster (2021) and is developing a reboot of the hugely popular sci-fi series, Battlestar Galactica. Paramount+ is another streaming service that’s marketing itself on reboots, with content inspired by Flashdance and The Italian Job in development. Most recently, HBO Max debuted a continuation of Sex and the City called And Just Like That…, which reunited three of the original four main female characters – Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte. That was, unfortunately, its downfall and the absence of Samantha (Kim Cattrall) didn’t go unnoticed. Her presence was only shown via texts, as the actress refused to return to the show due to a disagreement with Sarah Jessica Parker. Despite the criticism, HBO Max executive Casey Bloys states that the series is one of its most successful, so it is almost certain to return for a second season – even if old and new fans are displeased. Many are curious to see what the reboot is all about and, given the hype surrounding it, it’s likely to be the same for Bel-Air. It’s already locked in for a two-season order by Peacock. Disney+ is another streaming service reliant on reboots, spin-offs and revivals. Star Wars and Marvel are its two most marketable IPs, with new series under these labels regularly becoming the most popular shows on the platform. Although many criticise Netflix for its churn model of content, it’s one of the most innovative streaming services for creating original shows and films that don’t rely on existing material. At the other end of the scale, Apple TV+ has created only a handful of series, but those have ended up being new critically acclaimed stories such as Ted Lasso and The Morning Show. These are much more compelling than Bel-Air and are more likely to attract brand new viewers on the strenght of the writing, which of course leads to recommendations of what to watch. Peacock, however, hasn’t been around as long as Netflix, and it doesn’t have the Apple’s brand power. Therefore, it must rely on something safe and sure-fire to bring in viewers. Will Smith remains one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and Fresh Prince is an iconic show – with HBO Max airing a reunion special back in 2020. I imagine that, despite Bel-Air’s shortfalls, it will still rack up decent viewing figures due to the nostalgia factor. However, whether it will retain viewers over time is another matter. The beauty of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was that it took hard-hitting subjects and presented them in a sitcom that appealed to a broad age range. One moment, you could be laughing at Jazz getting thrown out of the house by Uncle Phil, and the next you would be on the edge of tears over Will’s own difficult family situation. The new Bel-Air doesn’t quite have the same magic of the original and that’s a common theme with reboots on streaming services. I love familiar stories and characters just as much as anybody, but maybe it is time to let go of these types of stories and invest in something more… fresh.
What I’m watching this week
In a shock turnaround that I never saw coming, The Book of Boba Fett has managed to somehow become quite compelling in the last few episodes – mainly due to it becoming a prequel to The Mandalorian season three. It is a shame that a series about Boba Fett is not that great when it focuses on the bounty hunter himself. However, episodes five, six and seven are riveting. In all honesty, you could just watch these episodes and not bother with the rest of the series, which is very slow-going. You can watch The Book of Boba Fett (and The Mandalorian) over on Disney+. An account costs either £7.99/$7.99 per month or £79.90/$79.99 per year. Hannah Cowton is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor and Macworld, working across entertainment, consumer technology and lifestyle. Her interests and specialities lie in streaming services, film and television reviews and rumours, gaming, wearables and smart home products. She’s also the creator of The London Geek, a geek culture and lifestyle blog.
