
Scripted series · NBC
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Influence goes both ways.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reads strongest on Humour, Character Depth and Bingeability.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
The story
What it's about
Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to live with his Uncle Philip, Aunt Vivian, his cousins — spoiled Hilary, preppy Carlton and young Ashley — and their sophisticated British butler, Geoffrey. Though Will’s antics and upbringing contrast greatly with the upper-class lifestyle of his extended relatives, he soon finds himself right at home as a loved part of the family.
The run
Seasons
6 seasons · 148 episodes.

Season 0 · Unannounced
Specials
7 episodes
Special extra features included on the DVD release.

Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
199025 episodes
7.6IMDbWill Smith is revealed to be a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia, who is sent to live with his wealthy relatives at their Bel Air, Los Angeles mansion. His relatives include Phillip Banks, Will's strict and gruff uncle, and Vivian Banks, Will's no-nonsense, forthright, and career-minded aunt. Other members of the Banks family include Carlton Banks, Will's preppy and arrogant cousin, Hilary Banks, Will's attractive but dumb, eldest cousin, Ashley Banks, Will's youngest cousin, and Geoffrey, the family's cynical English Butler. Will's lifestyle often clashes with that of his relatives there, and frequently got him or other members of the family into trouble as well.
Best episode · S01E06 Mistaken Identity

Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
199124 episodes
7.5IMDbThe prince is back and fresher than ever! In the second season of this inspiring comedy, as the Banks family continues to adjust to Will living with them in Bel-Air, they find themselves questioning how they live in the process. Meanwhile, Will’s fear of becoming like his uptight Uncle Philip and his preppy cousin Carlton prompts him to take drastic action to make sure this doesn’t happen. Race relations become a hot topic in the Banks household when Will’s mother, Vy (guest star Vernee Watson-Johnson, Southland; Sister, Sister), has trouble accepting that her sister Janice (guest star Charlayne Woodard, ER) is marrying a Caucasian man. And Philip and Vivian’s past returns with open arms when a Sixties radical is invited into their home. Hilarity and heart combine in the second season of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Guest stars this season include Nicholle Tom (The Nanny), Allen Payne (House of Payne) and members of New Edition Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.
Best episode · S02E24 Strip-Tease for Two

Season 3 · Complete
Season 3
199224 episodes
7.5IMDbSeason three of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air finds Will (Will Smith) firmly entrenched in the Banks family, having traded his rough-and-tumble Philadelphia youth for posh surroundings in Bel-Air. This year, Will hip-hops over to the same prep school as Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) and starts scoping out colleges. While Will tries to work his mojo on reluctant Monique (Kim Fields, Living Single), Hilary (Karyn Parsons) breaks into show business and learns some hard lessons. But the kids aren’t the only ones riding life’s highs and lows. Philip (James Avery) jumps into the race for superior court judge, opposing his sleazy but powerful former mentor (Sherman Hemsley, The Jeffersons). And Vivian (Janet Hubert-Whitten) surprises everyone by announcing that she’s pregnant! Also appearing in this hilarious and poignant season are Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty), comic D.L. Hughley, singer Tom Jones and boxer Riddick Bowe. All 24 episodes are fresh — and ready for your enjoyment.
Best episode · S03E19 Just Say Yo

Season 4 · Complete
Season 4
199326 episodes
7.5IMDbCharming and cocky Will continues his reign as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the fourth fast-paced season of this hit family comedy with heart. Will (Will Smith) and Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) are living large at college — even though they live in their family’s pool house. When they’re not hunting the honeys, like the superhot Jackie (Tyra Banks), the boys pledge a fraternity, where Will finds out that racism cuts both ways. At home, Will sneaks the dieting Philip (James Avery) some snacks, not realizing he’s endangering his uncle’s life. And Ashley (Tatyana Ali) breaks out of her childhood shell in a big way by undergoing an extremely sexy makeover, exploring the dating world and demanding some “Respect” from her parents by belting out the classic song. Donald Trump, Hugh Hefner, Dick Clark, Ben Vereen (Roots), Robert Guillaume (Benson), Pam Grier (Jackie Brown), jazzman Branford Marsalis and Boys II Men guest star in this laugh-filled 26-episode season of the freshest show around.
Best episode · S04E24 Papa's Got a Brand-New Excuse

Season 5 · Complete
Season 5
199425 episodes
7.4IMDbWill meets Lisa — and before you can say “Go slow, bro,” he’s in love, engaged, and standing before the minister with 50 pounds of iced shrimp melting in the banquet hall. All that romance must be contagious, because Carlton finds his soul sister through online dating. Unfortunately, that’s only half right. It’s Hilary. And there’s a lot more than love going on as Will grapples with a big orange whale, a mobster, a bear, Jay Leno, Lisa’s cantankerous dad, and in one of the series’ most memorable episodes, a bullet with his name on it. Get ready for laugh-out-loud fun!
Best episode · S05E15 Bullets Over Bel-Air

Season 6 · Complete
Season 6
199524 episodes
7.5IMDbAfter Will becomes Hilary's talent coordinator, her show goes national and she is lured to New York, where Ashley hopes to model. When Philip presides over a high-profile Hollywood case, his ambition almost ruins his marriage.
Best episode · S06E01 Burnin' Down the House
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.

S04E24
Papa's Got a Brand-New Excuse
Ben Vereen plays Will's long-lost father, who breezes into town and promises Will the moon, which angers an unforgiving Philip.
- Directed by Shelley Jensen
- Written by Bill Boulware, David Zuckerman

S05E15
Bullets Over Bel-Air
A planned camping trip is cut short for Carlton and Will when a robber approaches them at an automated bank-teller machine - and fires a gun.
- Directed by Shelley Jensen
- Written by Maiya Williams, Eddie Gorodetsky

S03E19
Just Say Yo
Will learns a sobering lesson after Carlton pops the wrong pills from Will's locker, mistaking amphetamines for vitamins, and winds up in hospital.
- Directed by Shelley Jensen
- Written by Efrem Seeger

S01E06
Mistaken Identity
Jailed, Will and Carlton stage a media stunt.
- Directed by Jeff Melman
- Written by Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz

S01E22
Banks Shot
Will crawls to Philip for help after sneaking out on the town and getting hustled by sleazy pool sharks.
- Directed by Jeff Melman
- Written by Bennie R. Richburg Jr.

S04E03
All Guts, No Glory
Registration day finds Will signing up for no-brainer classes, plus one that might truly challenge him - a philosophy course he takes to meet a girl.
- Directed by Shelley Jensen
- Written by Maiya Williams
Recently aired
Latest Episodes

S00E07
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion
S00E06
Will From Home - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion




S06E21
I, Stank Hole in One
- Directed by Werner Walian
- Written by Matt Tarses, Michael Soccio
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.

Andy Borowitz
Showrunner
- Photo unavailable
Susan Borowitz
Creator
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Kevin Wendle
Executive producer

Quincy Jones
Executive producer
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Gary H. Miller
Executive producer
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Winifred Hervey
Executive producer

Will Smith
Executive producer
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Cheryl Gard
Executive producer
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Michael Fry
Writer
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David Hoge
Writer
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K. Snyder
Writer
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Arnold Rudnick
Writer
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Linda M. Yearwood
Writer
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William Missouri Downs
Writer
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Elaine Newman
Writer
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P. Karen Raper
Writer
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Mort Scrivner
Writer
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David Pitlik
Writer
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Myles Avery Mapp
Writer
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Robert Bruce
Writer
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Shannon Gaughan
Writer

Felicia D. Henderson
Writer
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Casey Maxwell Clair
Writer
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Efrem Seeger
Writer

Benny Medina
Writer
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Bill Boulware
Writer
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Joel Madison
Writer

Rob Edwards
Writer
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Adam Markowitz
Writer
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Maiya Williams
Writer
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Rich Hosek
Writer

John Ridley
Writer
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Andrea Allen-Wiley
Writer
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Bryan Winter
Writer
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Leslie Ray
Writer
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David Zuckerman
Writer
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Josh Goldstein
Writer
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Marcus Jamal Gaines
Writer
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Harrison Boyd
Writer
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Ed Burnham
Writer

John Bowman
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Kandace Yvette Williams
Writer
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Mary Beth Pemberton
Writer
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Barry Gurstein
Writer
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Eunetta T. Boone
Writer
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Dan Cross
Writer

Larry Wilmore
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Ron Burla
Writer
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Lisa Rosenthal
Writer
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Devon Shepard
Writer

Samm-Art Williams
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Matt Tarses
Writer

Jeff Pollack
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Bennie R. Richburg Jr.
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jerry Ross
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Gayle Abrams
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Tom Devanney
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Tanya Ward
Writer
- Photo unavailable
David Steven Simon
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Leilani Downer
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Sandy Frank
Writer

Eddie Gorodetsky
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Michael Soccio
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- David PitlikProducer
- Kevin WendleExecutive Producer
- Quincy JonesExecutive Producer
- Joel MadisonProducer
- Adam MarkowitzProducer
- Maiya WilliamsProducer
Writing
- Michael FryWriter
- David HogeWriter
- K. SnyderWriter
- Arnold RudnickWriter
- Linda M. YearwoodWriter
- William Missouri DownsWriter
Direction
- Rae KrausDirector
- Madeline CripeDirector
- Chuck VinsonDirector
- Malcolm-Jamal WarnerDirector
- Rita Rogers BlyeDirector
- Shelley JensenDirector
Music
- Robert JeraldOriginal Music Composer
- Quincy Jones IIIOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- HuluStreaming
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
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