Bel-Air: Can The Reboot Survive the Tone Shift?

By now it should be no secret that NBC/Peacock is rebooting their hit series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Airing on network television the reboot will be for their streaming service. The original show aired from 1990-to 1996 and was a staple of family television for many young audiences. The reliability of an out-of-place youth hit home with viewers of all ages and the show’s humor kept things fresh, no pun intended.

From Google.com

A re-imagination of the beloved sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” set in modern-day America through a new, dramatic take on Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel Air. As these worlds collide, he reckons with the power of second chances whilenavigating the conflicts, emotions and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known.

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Bel-Air on the other hand looks like it will have a much different tone. With the reimagining of the original characters and their way of life, can the latest offering capture the same audiences. There was no shortage of dramatic moments on TFPoBA originally but the humor and heart that went into these characters are what hammers home the appeal.

Sure it’s not 1990 anymore and Bel-Air has to have a more modern idea of how to tell their story. However, there’s a very thin line the show has to toe. It will always be compared to the original. No matter how good or bad it is, it needs to feel like viewers connect with the characters. If they can’t capture that same connection it’ll be hard. We need to see no matter how much Will clowns Carlton that he has his back just the same. That’s what family is. We need to see the tough love from Uncle Phil that’s just the right balance of tough and love.

So much of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was full of wholesome heart that highlighted the strengths and relatability of the average family. When it comes to reboots, you don’t just have to survive modern audiences, you have to survive the loyal fans. Finding the balance will be the key to the success of this reboot. You might pick up viewers from a modern audience, but if you alienate your long-time fans it’ll be a hard road to come back from.

Audiences shouldn’t judge the show before it airs. It’s not as if the show was slapped together by any studio head. Will Smith is executive producing. Through the years he’s worked on just about every genre an actor can as well as his obvious work on the original show. I’m sure he’s spent some time working with the cast and crew perfecting the intricacies of the character.

With that being said, reboots are a tough sell. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it might need to be close.