With reboots in vogue, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air got itself a modern-day reboot in Bel-Air starring Jabari Banks, Jimmy Akingbola, and Adrian Holmes. The original classic sitcom aired in the ’90s which pushed Will Smith to prominence. While the new age reboot has received mixed reviews, fans and critics have shown optimism for its gritty and realistic take on the beloved show of the past. Instead of being just a rehash of the original, Bel-Air has hinted at a dark and sinister fate for the Banks family. Moreover, the latest episode just confirmed that the show is full of twists and turns, rather than following the lighthearted comedic route of the original show.
Warning: Spoiler Ahead For Bel-Air Episode 4
Related: Bel-Air Review: A Fresh New Spin On The 90’s Sitcom
In the original series, Will’s brush in with the legal department was rarely shown as the show focused more on the funnier aspect of the plotline. However, the reboot has a grimmer outlook as it delves into the consequences of legal troubles. Interestingly, the show has also risen the stakes by showing Uncle Phil’s illegal and sinister influence as a lawyer, and his own criminal activities.
In the very first episode, Bel-Air played its cards close to its chest by not revealing how exactly Uncle Phil managed to get Will out of legal troubles. Now in its fourth episode, the show has taken a surprisingly dark turn by hinting that Uncle Phil is not just an influential lawyer. Instead, he might have ties to the crime syndicate, or worse, is a crime boss himself. Similarly, Geoffrey, who was a butler in the original run has a bigger role to play in the reboot. With the show getting increasingly grittier, Geoffrey might be acting as a consigliere to the Banks’ stylized version of a mafia family.
Prior to this episode, Will had an altercation with Rasheed leading to the involvement of Uncle Phil and Geoffrey. In the fourth episode, Geoffrey informs Will that Rasheed will be ‘taken care of‘, a term commonly used in organized crime to indicate murder. Moreover, it was also revealed that Geoffrey calls Uncle Phil as ‘boss‘, further confirming that Bel-Air is truly adopting a grittier and darker take moving forward.
Related: 10 Unknown Facts About Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
At the end of the fourth episode, Will receives a call informing him that Rashaad was found murdered in a strip club. Prior to this, Geoffrey had also mentioned to Uncle Phil that they have some ‘security matters‘ to take care of. If the timing wasn’t alarming enough, the fourth episode also revealed that Rashaad was trying to extort large amounts of money from Phil’s henchmen.
With Uncle Phil also running for Los Angeles District Attorney, things are about to turn even darker. As the show has chosen to reveal a darker and dangerous side of Uncle Phil and Geoffrey, their illegal activities, including the mysterious manner in which Phil managed to get Will out of legal trouble, might be a recipe for disaster. While the show might be lacking the charm of the original run, the grittier and darker overtones surely set up Bel-Air for an exciting premise.
Bel-Air is now streaming on Peacock.
