The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom. There are a total of six seasons with 148 episodes in this series. This series is still on the list of the top hits on NBC. The show first aired on 10th September 1990 on its original network i.e. NBC and ran till 20th May 1996. The good news for the fans, the series is already out with a better version in its reboot titled Bel-Air. It was released on 13th February 2022 on Peacock. It has also received tremendous numbers of prestigious awards and nominations.
Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz are its creators and the developers are Benny Medina and Jeff Pollack. The producing credits of this famous sitcom go to Werner Walian, Lisa Rosenthal, Joel Madison, Leilani Downer, Joanne Curley-Kerner, and Joel Markowitz. The very main cast and characters of the show are Will Smith as Will Smith, James Avery as Philip Banks, Janet Hubert along with Daphne Maxwell Reid as Vivian Banks, Alfonso Ribeiro as Carlton Banks, Karyn Parsons as Hilary Banks, Tatyana M. Ali as Ashley Banks, Joseph Marcell as Geoffrey Butler, and Ross Bagley as Nicky Banks.
It is loosely based on the life of Benny Medina. The series starts with Will who is a smart teenager born in West Philadelphia. After his neighbor bullies him, he is sent to live with his uncle. He was rich and used to live in his Bel-Air mansion. There was a big class difference between him and his relatives which often creates controversies. All the episodes of the sitcom are stunning which makes it difficult to pick out the best ones. Yet, this blog ranks some of the best of bests episodes from the big episode list of the show.
10. 72 Hours
This episode also stands in the list of the top ten best episodes of Bel-Air getting an awesome rating of 8.1 out of 10 according to the IMDb. It is the 23rd episode of the 1st season of the show that aired on 11th March 1991 with a running time of 24 minutes.
72 Hours depicts a bet made by Will. Will was sure that Carlton won’t last a weekend in Jazz’s neighborhood. But unexpectedly, Carlton fulfills the challenge. In fact, he also starts getting along with the guys in The Hood. Now, the challenge to Will is to stop Carlton to hang with that crew members.
9. Will Goes a Courtin’
Will Goes a Courtin’ is the 6th episode of Bel-Air’s 4th season with a running time of 22 minutes which is actually worth spending. Gaining a rating of 8.1 out of 10 it has achieved a tag of one of the top ten episodes of the sitcom according to IMDb. This episode aired on 18th October 1993.
In the episode, Will and Carlton stand against Philip for their unpaid rent. Philip acts against both of them as he was not receiving the money and sues them. Although in big trouble, Will and Carlton decide to fight back accepting the challenge.
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8. Banks Shot
This is the 22nd episode of the first season of the show. It got an 8.1 out of 10 on the site IMDb. Banks Shot aired on 25th February 1991. You should watch this episode surely if you are a true fan Bel-Air.
In the episode, Philip is in the office and Vivan leaves for Berkeley for the weekend and hands over Hilary in charge of the house. Meanwhile, Will steals the car’s keys to go to the pool hall but accidentally ends up losing all his money and the car. Now, he tries to claim the money and car back by playing with that hustler.
7. Winner Takes Off
Winner Takes Off gains a rating of 8.1 on 10 as per IMDb. It is the 14th episode of the 3rd season with a running time of 24 minutes. This screening aired on 4th January 1993 on the original network.
Will and Carlton make Geoffrey believe that he won a lottery with 26000000 dollars but it was all fake. And as a result, Geoffrey quits and now the two boys have a big task. They have to convince him to come back.
6. Striptease for Two
Striptease for Two is the 24th or the last episode of the 2nd season of the series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. IMDb shows its rating as 8.2 out of 10 which itself depicts that this part is worth watching. It premiered on 4th May 1992 and has a running time of 23 minutes.
This is a strange episode creating a big dilemma for Will. Will pawns the expensive diamond accessory of his aunt for the work which went extremely wrong. Then he has to earn that money back for which he gets a stripper job. Although, Carlton takes up Will’s place on the stage getting into the groove without realizing that his mother was also in the audience.
5. Mistaken Identity
Mistaken Identity is another episode of the series that you will love to watch. It has attained a rating of 8.4/10 according to IMDb and made a place in the counts of top 5 episodes of this sitcom. This is actually the 6th episode of the very 1st season of the show that aired on 15th October 1990.
In this episode, Philip and Vivan are on a trip to Palm Springs in the helicopter of Mr. Furth. While Will along with Carlton rides Furth’s car, they are mistaken for stealing the car. Also, in it, Hilary is babysitting Ashley because Geoffrey is enjoying the weekend.
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4. Bullets Over Bel-Air
Bullets over Bel-Air is the 15th episode of the 5th season of the series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Yes, this episode has also made a place in the top 5 episodes list of the show with a superb rating of 8.5 out of 10 on the platform IMDb. The release date of this episode was 6th February 1995.
This episode contains an epic scene when Carlton was at the ATM with Will. In this episode, someone fires on Carlton in greed for money but heartbreakingly Will takes the bullet on him showing a great unusual attitude which makes the show damn interesting to watch and also creates suspense for the upcoming ones.
3. Just Say Yo
Just Say Yo is also one of the best episodes with a rating of 8.8 out of 10 as per IMDb. This episode aired on 15th February 1993 with a running time of 24 minutes. It is the 19th episode of the 3rd season of the sitcom series. You can watch it on Netflix with a subscription.
In this episode, Will appears to be encircled with loads of problems. His life revolves around his work, school, and girlfriend. Due to his trouble staying awake, he decides to take amphetamines. Carlton tells him for vitamins but he mistakenly gives him the uppers which make him end up in the hospital.
2. I, Done: Part 2
It is the last episode of the show and thereby had a big circle of viewers. Reaching the 2nd position in the list of the best episodes of Bel-Air, it received a rating of 8.9 on 10. This episode aired on 20th May 1996. It has a running time of 24 minutes and you should definitely watch this if you are looking for this series’ episodes.
The episode shows the aftermath of the Banks family and Geoffrey’s start preparation for their next steps. Thus, Will also starts pretending that he is planning something big for his future. Truth always comes forward and the same happened here. In the end, Will decided to stay in California and finish his schooling.
1. Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse
This episode is the 24th episode of the 4th installment of this sitcom. It has achieved the tag of the best episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with a brilliant rating of 9.7 out of 10 on IMDb. Papa’s got a brand new excuse aired on 9th May 1994 and has a running time of 23 minutes.
Shelly Jensen is the director of this screening and the writers are Benny Medina, Jeff Pollack, and Andr Borowitz. In this comedy episode, Will’s father appears after fourteen years and gives his loads of time to Will which makes him very happy. But Phil thinks that his father will again make him sad and disappoint him.
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