WhileThe Fresh Prince of Bel-AirrebootBel-Airmight be ending with its upcoming season 4, this is all the more reason for the series to finally pull off a cameo from original series starWill Smith. Peacock’sThe Fresh Prince of Bel-AirreimaginingBel-Airbegan in 2022 and has since gone on to become one of the streaming service’s longest-running shows.Bel-Airearned praise for its risky departure from the original show’s light-hearted comedic tone, turning a family sitcom into a dark, grounded drama.Bel-Airseason 4will be its final outing.
Bel-Air’s Fresh Prince Cameos Accomplished What A Lot Of Other Reboots Failed To And Made The Show Even Better
Bel-Air is a TV revival that doesn’t rely on the existing nostalgia of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but it still utilizes its cameos impressively.
Somewhat surprisingly,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s original starWill Smith hasn’t appeared inBel-Airyet. This arguably makes sense since, although both shows tell similar stories,Bel-Airis a grittier and more intense affair. Will’s move from his hometown to Bel-Air is the inciting incident in both shows, butBel-Airtreats the problems of its well-off Banks family more seriously.Bel-Air’s version of Carltonis no longer a spoiled nerd, but rather a drug-addicted overachiever whose drive to succeed threatens to derail his life. As such, a campy, winking Smith cameo may not fit.
Bel-Air Ending With Season 4 Means It Can Have The Perfect Will Smith Cameo
Bel-Air’s Planned Ending Makes A Will Smith Cameo More Viable
In the years since the star first received mainstream acclaim for his central role inThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith has gone on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars. As such,it would be tricky to justify a Will Smith cameo in the grounded world ofBel-Air. Fortunately, this is where the show announcing its final season in advance comes in handy. If Smith were to appear inBel-Air, saving his role for the final season would be the best approach. Not many shows get to know why they will end beforehand, butBel-Airdoes.
It would make sense for an older Smith to appear in season 4, perhaps playing a character who advises Jabari Banks’ protagonist Will on his future.
The bestcallbacks to Will Smith’s original show inBel-Airprove that the reboot does have a lot of fidelity to the original series, despite how surprising this may seem.Bel-Airborrows everything from Will’s breakdown over his father to the name of Hilary’s fiancé from the earlier series, proving thatBel-Air’s creative debt to the ‘80s hit extends beyond its premise. As such, it would make sense for an older Smith to appear in season 4, perhaps playing a character who advises Jabari Banks’ protagonist Will on his future before the series ends.
Bel-Air Season 4 Doesn’t Need A Will Smith Cameo, But It Would Be A Great Inclusion
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reboot Could Be Elevated By An Appearance From Smith
It would have been silly for Smith to play one of the main characters inBel-Airand, even if the actor were willing to take on a major role in the reboot, his presence would have been distracting.Will Smith playingBel-Air’s Uncle Philsounds fun, but his fame would have eclipsed the young, largely unknown cast members. As such, saving Smith’s potential cameo until the final season was a perfect way for the show to avoid Smith inadvertently stealing the spotlight. Now,The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s rebootBel-Aircan bring backWIll Smithwithout this issue.
Deadlinereports that Bel-Air season 4 will include only 8 episodes, instead of the show’s usual 10.
