While some of us may not remember it all too well, the 90’s were an incredible time for pop culture. From the plethora of changes experienced in the music industry to the countless classic films that were conceived throughout the decade, it was certainly a memorable decade. Arguably one of the most memorable pieces of folklore to come from the 1990’s was the legendary television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a story about an African-American teenager who moves from the trenches of Philadelphia to the swanky neighborhood of Bel Air in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The seismic change in lifestyle for said young man, played by Philadelphia native Will Smith with the series based loosely upon his life, entertained audiences for six very successful seasons that you can still catch on television today, cementing the series’ place in pop culture history. Now it looks like a new generation will get to experience the same magic those going up on Fresh Prince did, with Peacock unveiling its Super Bowl ad promoting the upcoming spin-off series Bel-Air that is set to premiere this week.
While many of us have fond memories of Will Smith making us laugh when we were younger, it looks like there’s a new sheriff in town. Jabari Banks is set to play the new Will Smith in Bel-Air, Peacock’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air spin-off series that takes the classic series into the 21st century as it tackles modern issues while the young man at the center of the series learns the facts of life. Its predecessor was so successful that it’s hard to imagine the spin-off doesn’t garner some form of traction, but Peacock is pulling out all the stops to ensure that. In their new Super Bowl commercial promoting Bel-Air, instead of choosing to showcase scenes from the show they instead opted to enlist the help of the original Fresh Prince himself in Will Smith as he takes viewers through a montage of different artists each contributing their own unique take on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. Though certainly not the traditional route, it’s difficult to not get a little bit excited when watching the promo video, reposted below, and eager fans can catch the actual series when it premieres on Peacock this Sunday, February 13th.
I can personally say I’ve never met someone who wasn’t a fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The series had run its course by the time I was born yet I’ve still seen virtually every episode as reruns were always on during my childhood. Now a new generation of kids as well as fans of the original series will get to relive the magic in a whole new way in the form of Bel-Air. They won’t have to wait much longer either.
