Bel-Air trailer breakdown: The Fresh Prince is back

Peacock just released its first full trailer for the upcoming reboot of iconic 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, titled simply Bel-Air. So, let’s have a look at what we can expect with a Bel-Air trailer breakdown.

Read on for everything we learned about the Fresh Prince reboot coming to Peacock in February,

Bel-Air tells the story of Will Smith, who relocates from West Philadelphia to live with his aunt, uncle, and cousins in Bel-Air after a fight puts him in danger in his hometown.

The Peacock original series is a reboot of the 90s sitcom, switching gears to tell the story as a more somber drama.

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The biggest and most obvious difference between Bel-Air and the original is its tone. While the 90s Will Smith sitcom dealt with heavy themes like racial profiling, class inequality, and parental neglect, it was, at its heart, a comedy. Carlton’s dance moves, Uncle Phil’s disdain for Will’s friend Jazzy Jeff, and Will’s general prankster attitude were just a few examples of the show’s non-stop sense of humor.

In short, this ain’t your auntie and uncle’s Fresh Prince. So, without further ado, here’s our Bel-Air trailer breakdown.

Bel-Air trailer breakdown

Below are a few moments that stand out in the new Bel-Air trailer, and the information we can glean from them.

“Ten years is a long time”

As with the original show, Bel-Air sees Will returning to an extended family he hasn’t seen in a while, in this case, ten years, he tells us.

That means we’re very much in fish-out-of-water territory. Will isn’t just from Philly and a rougher neighborhood. He’s been away long enough to be a complete outsider in Bel-Air.

“One little fight”

Right away in the new Bel-Air trailer, we see that we’re in completely new territory. The air of unease amongst the Banks family upon Will’s arrival is palpable. “I’m glad you’re safe — we’ll talk later,” says Uncle Phil, dismissively.

“I hope one day we can talk about why you’re really here,” Carlton says to him while they’re getting reacquainted. Flashbacks immediately show us the altercation that led to Will’s move to Bel-Air.

While the “one little fight” he mentions in the original theme song is shown as a cartoonish encounter, the new show gives us some glimpses of a scary confrontation including a gun and excessive force from police on the scene.

Will on the run

Will was always escaping his past in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but the new show suggests he’s actually on the run from someone who means him harm.

“Now some bad man from Philly want to deal with you,” house manager Jeffrey says, summing up Will’s predicament.

Carlton’s got game now

“You’re a long way from home, Will,” Carlton says to his cousin, with an air of superiority when they first see each other.

Will’s cousin has an air of self-assurance and coolness that his 90s counterpart notably did not. Will was the cool cousin who immediately eclipsed his nerdy, Tom Jones-loving counterpart, making friends at school, getting girls, and dominating on the basketball court while Carlton looked on from the sidelines.

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This Carlton is “thriving.” He drives an expensive car, plays lacrosse, and excels academically. It’s Will who has trouble fitting in, finding little camaraderie with his new rich peers.

“If you want to do well, just keep your head down and follow my lead,” Carlton explains. Not that Will is entirely receptive. Some push and pull is sure to see hierarchies shift at least a little bit as Will settles into his new life.

Ball is life

One of the main ways Will finds to fit in in the original show is through his basketball talents, becoming a star on the court.

That’s still the case in Bel-Air, where we see him hoisted into the air by his teammates. For all the differences between the original sitcom and this new drama, some throughlines clearly exist.

Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv

One of the most powerful and touching elements of the original show is the relationship that develops, over many seasons, between Will and his aunt and uncle.

Will is initially skeptical of his rich family and looks down on them as sell-outs who forgot where they came from and what it means to be Black in America without the wealth and privilege of the Banks family. That dynamic doesn’t last long. The Banks’ worked hard to get where they are, fighting for their community, taking pride in their identities, and providing for their kids. They treat Will as one of their own, and he grows to love them.

We see hints of that dynamic in the Bel-Air trailer. Uncle Phil explains to Will what it means to get a second chance, and Aunt Viv encourages him to hold onto who he was in Philly. “Be the Will that charmed West Philly with his talent and swag,” says Aunt Viv, as we see Will invert his school jacket, repeating his signature look from the 90s.

When is Bel-Air coming out on Peacock?

Bel-Air premieres on Peacock February 3. That puts the premiere on Superbowl Sunday. Subsequent episodes will stream weekly.

That’s what we learned from the new Bel-Air trailer. Hopefully, this Bel-Air trailer breakdown answered any questions you may have about the upcoming Peacock original show before it launches.

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