The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air is a classic show. It might be one of the three greatest black sitcoms of all time, and to me, it is. Over the years, the show has aged gracefully, as the classic episodes and the moments that made the show what it is shaped every season.
The sixth and final season of the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on September 18, 1995, and aired its final episodes on May 20, 1996. Peacock has ordered two seasons of the series adaptation of cinematographer Morgan Cooper's 2019 fan trailer titled Bel-Air — which is a dramatic reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | |
|---|---|
| Season 6 | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | September 18, 1995 – May 20, 1996 |
| Season chronology | |
← Previous Season 5 | |
| List of episodes | |
The sixth and final season of the NBCsitcomThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on September 18, 1995, and aired its final episodes on May 20, 1996.
Plot[edit]
Episodes Of Fresh Prince Of Bel-air
In the series finale, the main characters all move out of the Banks Mansion to move on with their lives. Hilary's talk show moves to New York City; Ashley moves to New York with Hilary; Carlton transfers to Princeton University; Geoffrey moves back to England to be with his son; Philip, Vivian and Nicky move to New York to be closer to the rest of the family; and Will remains in California to finish his college studies. Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali, and Joseph Marcell appear in all episodes. Karyn Parsons was absent for one episode (ep. 4). Daphne Maxwell Reid was absent for five episodes and Ross Bagley was absent for eight episodes. DJ Jazzy Jeff appears in five episodes this season.[not verified in body]
Episodes[edit]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 | 1 | 'Burnin' Down the House' | Madeline Cripe | Joel Madison & Adam Markowitz | September 18, 1995 | 60101 |
| Philip becomes nervous when he invites his boss to dinner. He informs the family that everything should be perfect, if he has a chance of earning a promotion. However, his plans go out of the window when Will burns down the kitchen, attempting to cook Flambe. Will enlists the help of Geoffrey to disguise the accident so that Philip and his boss do not find out. | ||||||
| 126 | 2 | 'Get a Job' | Shelley Jensen | Mort Scrivner | September 25, 1995 | 60102 |
| Hilary's talk show is looking for an assistant talent coordinator. Will and Carlton fight over who gets the job but Will ends up getting it. He gets excited when a famous comedian, Maurice Perry (Chris Rock) visits their mansion to discuss doing Hilary's show. He gets more excited when he is told to take Maurice's sister out. If the sister is happy, Maurice would do the show. Will rubs the good news in Carlton's face and jumps for joy. But Will ends up getting the bad bone when he sees what Maurice's sister really looks like. Ashley got punished for sneaking out in a party that she wasn't supposed to. | ||||||
| 127 | 3 | 'Stress Related' | Shelley Jensen | Larry Wilmore | October 2, 1995 | 60103 |
| Hilary becomes excited when she receives interest from a new sponsor for her prime-time talk show. However, on his date of arrival, Hilary is struck down with a serious case of the flu. When Will gives her medicine, Hilary overdoses and becomes loopy and crazy. It's up to Will to get Hilary back to normal and succeed with the sponsor, Mr. Stimple. Meanwhile, Carlton awaits a phone call from the bank, who he believes will hire him and Philip interviews jurors for a trial. | ||||||
| 128 | 4 | 'Bourgie Sings the Blues' | Shelley Jensen | Tom Devanney | October 9, 1995 | 60104 |
| Carlton is worried about his interview with a Princeton University representative. In an attempt to clear his mind, Carlton flees to a blues bar, where Pappy (B.B. King) is playing, and confesses to Will that he no longer wants to attend Princeton and instead wants to live out in the bar. Will is convinced he is talking nonsense, so to secure Carlton his place at Princeton, he poses as him for the interview. Milo Ventimiglia, who later became known for his role as Jack Pearson in This Is Us, has a role as a guest at Ashley's party. | ||||||
| 129 | 5 | 'The Script Formerly Known As…' | Shelley Jensen | Felicia D. Henderson | October 16, 1995 | 60105 |
| Philip hits the headlines when two jurors from his 'Showbiz Madam' trial are dismissed, with no reasons given. Upon his search for new guests on Hilary's show, Will encounters one of the jurors George Howlings (George Wallace) – and invites him on as the next guest.[1] When he reveals his opinions about Philip and the court case live on air, Will and Hilary are left to face the consequences. | ||||||
| 130 | 6 | 'Not, I Barbecue' | Madeline Cripe | Kandace Yvette Williams & Matt Tarses | October 23, 1995 | 60106 |
| Will and Carlton believe they have struck gold when they encounter two beautiful women Sandra (Garcelle Beauvais) and Tiffany (Tamala Jones). When the women invite the pair back to their apartment, Will and Carlton get more than they bargained for when Mad Dog (Jaime Cardriche) – the boyfriend of one of the women – arrives. In an attempt to save themselves, the pair hide in the closet – but are soon discovered when they attempt to leave. | ||||||
| 131 | 7 | 'Not with My Cousin You Don't' | Shelley Jensen | Adam Markowitz | November 6, 1995 | 60107 |
| In a process of testing out the new intercom in their mansion, Will and Carlton accidentally overhear Ashley talking about having sex with her boyfriend Derek (Jaleel White), who is going to be leaving soon. After Ashley finds out that Will and Carlton overheard her, she becomes furious and storms out of the house and leaves with her boyfriend. Ashley then asks her boyfriend if they are rushing because he is leaving, and they both agree that they are not ready. Will apologizes to Ashley saying he still has trouble seeing her beyond the little girl he first saw when he moved to Bel-Air. Ashley accepts his apology and says that it is not the worst thing to have a cousin who cares too much. | ||||||
| 132 | 8 | 'Viva Lost Wages' | Shelley Jensen | Robert Bruce | November 13, 1995 | 60108 |
| Will and Carlton become excited after Philip gives them two tickets to Las Vegas for Carlton's 21st birthday. As soon as they arrive, the pair hit the Casinos, but it soon goes to Carlton's head, and he becomes a gambling addict. When Will discovers that Carlton has spent all of their money – and pawned their airline tickets home – he enters the pair into a talent contest by the casino manager (Wayne Newton) in an attempt to win money to fly home. | ||||||
| 133134 | 910 | 'There's the Rub' | Shelley Jensen | Joel Madison | November 20, 1995 | 6010960110 |
| Part 1: Hilary and Carlton volunteer to help out at a homeless shelter. Hilary is there so the media gives her a good image on how she likes to 'help out' and Carlton wants a signature to help him get accepted into Princeton. Will's cure for Phil's back pain gets them in big trouble when they get arrested along with two prostitutes when they go to a massage parlor that is set up by a sting operation. Vivian, Helen, Vy, ask Will whose stuffing is better. Uncle Phil warned Will about arguments with women, but when Will did not take it, it lands him in some hot water with Vy, Helen, and Vivian.Part 2: Once at the shelter, Hilary hates the work she must do and her manager (a homeless lady who lives there) tells her that what she is doing is not the point of Thanksgiving. Carlton's experience is no better: A pre-teen boy Steve (Zachery Ty Bryan) bosses him around so much he can't take it anymore. They both decide to leave but in the car, they realize that they were misbehaving and decide to return to a huge feast for the homeless people, having learned the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Phillip defends himself and Will while proving their innocence in jail and they get released on Thanksgiving Day. The Banks family enjoys Thanksgiving dinner. | ||||||
| 135 | 11 | 'I, Ooh, Baby Baby' | Alfonso Ribeiro | Tom Devanney & Adam Markowitz | December 11, 1995 | 60111 |
| When the Christmas season arrives, the family are delighted when Hilary announces that her show is going to be broadcast nationally. Hilary believes that this is the event that is finally going to make her life complete – but after reaching this milestone she still feels empty. She then makes the erratic decision to have a baby–much to the family's surprise. | ||||||
| 136 | 12 | 'Boxing Helena' | Shelley Jensen | Michael Soccio | January 8, 1996 | 60112 |
| When the family signs up for sessions at a health club, Will sees it as his opportunity to meet new women. Nicky expresses an interest in boxing, prompting Will to sign him up for boxing lessons. Will soon encounters the instructor Helena (Galyn Görg) – who teaches him a thing or two about female boxers. Meanwhile, Carlton feels threatened by his personal trainer, Stan (Daniel Riordan). | ||||||
| 137 | 13 | 'I, Clownius' | Shelley Jensen | Story by : David Wyatt Teleplay by : George Tricker | January 15, 1996 | 60115 |
| When Phillip starts getting threatening messages over a high-profile trial he is presiding over (based on Heidi Fleiss), The Banks do whatever they can to keep him safe. When Will, Phillip and Carlton make a trip to the gas station, they get more than they bargained for when Carlton confronts a suspicious looking clown named Juggles (Dorien Wilson) – who reveals that he is wearing a bomb, and if Phillip does not cooperate (help him get a big break on TV), he will detonate it. After a huge scene at the courthouse (where Juggles forced them to take him for a show) it is revealed it was a gag bomb and he is arrested for everything he caused. | ||||||
| 138 | 14 | 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Part 1' | Shelley Jensen | Lisa Rosenthal | February 12, 1996 | 60113 |
| Ashley gets a great modeling opportunity by Jewel Pemberton (Joan Van Ark) if Will and Carlton stay out of the way. Phil's burgeoning political career has an unexpected effect on Vivian. He promises to tell her about it, but when his associates let it slip that he decided to follow through without telling Vivian, Viv leaves him until he can straighten out his act. | ||||||
| 139 | 15 | 'Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Part 2' | Shelley Jensen | Lisa Rosenthal | February 19, 1996 | 60114 |
| Will, Carlton, Ashley and Hilary take drastic measures to get Phil and Vivian to reconcile. | ||||||
| 140 | 16 | 'I, Bowl Buster' | Shelley Jensen | Michael Soccio | February 26, 1996 | 60117 |
| Carlton is anxious when he receives a letter from Princeton University - but soon begins celebrations after it is revealed he has secured a place. His excitement soon turns to worry after he realizes that he will never be able to live up to the kind of achievements that Philip made when he attended Princeton. When Will introduces Carlton to the world of bowling, he makes a decision that leaves the whole family in shock. He wants to ditch the Princeton idea to become a professional bowler. | ||||||
| 141 | 17 | 'The Butler's Son Did It' | Madeline Cripe | Lisa Rosenthal | March 18, 1996 | 60116 |
| Geoffrey is delighted when his son, Fredrick (Craig Kirkwood), comes to stay at the Banks'. He soon becomes a popular figure with Geoffrey and Philip, leaving Carlton and Will feeling neglected. However, when Will finds out that Fredrick stole his stash of money as well as a few other things, he finds out that Fredrick only wants money from his father and nothing more. Geoffrey gives Fredrick a lot of money to go to Butler School as he thought Fredrick 'wanted to follow in my father's footsteps'. He accepts only to go back to England with the pocketed money. Will tells him that even though he is taking a lot of money from his father, he will lose something even more valuable. Fredrick comes back to tell his father and they make amends. | ||||||
| 142 | 18 | 'Hare Today…' | Shelley Jensen | Robert Bruce | April 8, 1996 | 60119 |
| Reverend Gordon Sims (Richard Roundtree) misinterprets Vivian's devotion to the church, and in a moment of passion, he declares his feelings for her. Meanwhile, Carlton and Ashley find themselves in competition when a position arises to sing solo at the Easter service. Philip accidentally sits on Nicky's pet rabbit, Harry. Eventually, Nicky finds out the truth about his rabbit from Phillip, but is untraumatized, accepting that it is a part of life, but comically notes, 'What a way to go.' | ||||||
| 143 | 19 | 'Whoops, There It Is' | Shelley Jensen | Mary Beth Pemberton & Tanya Ward | April 15, 1996 | 60124 |
| The actor Will Smith decides to organize a clip show featuring outtakes and bloopers from the past six seasons of the series. He also records a series of interviews with the cast backstage and sends the footage to Dick Clark, which he hopes will air it on his popular primetime series. | ||||||
| 144 | 20 | 'I, Stank Horse' | Shelley Jensen | Tom Devanney | April 22, 1996 | 60120 |
| When Ashley receives a letter from the modeling agency asking her to appear in one of their sexy lingerie commercials, Phil immediately takes a dislike to the request and decides to enlist the help of an older, arrogant model to teach Ashley a lesson. Meanwhile, Carlton and Hilary decide to adopt an aged racehorse that is being offered for sale by a local businessman. | ||||||
| 145 | 21 | 'I, Stank Hole in One' | Werner Walian | Michael Soccio & Matt Tarses | May 6, 1996 | 60121 |
| When Philip appeals for a partner for a golf tournament, Carlton reluctantly agrees to give Will the position – but later regrets his decision, after Philip gives Will the position permanently. Meanwhile, Hilary becomes excited when she is offered the job to co-host Live with Regis Philbin, however their diva personalities soon clash. | ||||||
| 146 | 22 | 'Eye, Tooth' | Shelley Jensen | Adam Markowitz | May 13, 1996 | 60118 |
| In an attempt to secure a popular guest for her show, Hilary manages to persuade actor William Shatner to appear to promote his new book. However, actions caused by Will and Carlton soon leave Shatner regretting his decision. Meanwhile, Ashley pleads to her father's better side when she announces that she would like to move to New York with Hilary when Hilary's talk show begins broadcasting there. | ||||||
| 147148 | 2324 | 'I, Done' | Shelley Jensen | Jeff Pollack | May 20, 1996 | 6012260123 |
| Part 1: As the Banks kids prepare to leave home, Will realizes that he has no plans for his future. Will looks for an apartment, but to no avail. Philip tells the family that they are planning to sell the house to move closer to Hilary and Ashley. This comes as a huge shock to everyone.Part 2: The Banks family prepares to move away from California, and Will confronts his lack of achievements since he moved in with them. Potential buyers (Philip Drummond and Arnold Jackson from Diff'rent Strokes as well as George and Louise Jefferson from The Jeffersons) check out the mansion. Hilary moves to New York as her show has been moved there; Ashley will be living with her and will attend a performing arts school. Carlton transfers to Princeton University to continue his education while Geoffrey moves back to London to be with his son. Phillip, Vivian, and Nicky move to New York to be near their children. Phillip helps Will get an apartment and Will remains in California with Jazz to complete his bachelor's degree. | ||||||
References[edit]
- ^'Watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 6 Episode 5: Script Formerly Known As...' TVGuide.com. 1995-10-16. Archived from the original on 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
External links[edit]
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – list of episodes at IMDb
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air at epguides.com
Calling all '90s kids!
'The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air' is arguably one of the most iconic and era-defining TV sitcoms of the 1990s.
Will Smith's breakout role saw him star as everyone's favourite street-smart teenager, banished by his mother from West Philadelphia to learn a lesson or two at his Aunt and Uncle's mansion in Bel Air.
And while most people have probably seen at least one episode of the Fresh Prince, only true fans will be able to recognise these hidden facts and bloopers.
Get ready for a huge hit of nostalgia...
1. Will had a seriously bad lip-syncing problem.
During the early seasons of the show, Will can frequently be seen miming the lines of the other actors while they were speaking.
'I would memorize the entire script, then I'd be lipping everybody's lines while they were talking,' Smith previously admitted in an interview.
'When I watch those episodes, it's disgusting. My performances were horrible.'
2. Geoffrey's full name is exposed.
Midway into the sixth season, it is revealed that the beloved family butler's middle name is 'Barbara', meaning his full name is Geoffrey Barbara Butler.
Geoffrey later explains it is a 'family name'.
3. Queen Latifah played two different characters.
Guest star Queen Latifah portrayed Hilary's horrific boss, Marissa Redmon in the first season.
However, she later reappeared as a completely different character - Will's love interest, 'Dee-Dee' - in the second.
4. The 'Smith' name mystery.
Throughout the show, Aunt Viv, Will's mum and the other sisters are frequently referred to as the 'Smith' sisters.
Interestingly, in later episodes Will's father refers to himself as 'Lou Smith'. Assuming Will took his father's name, it wouldn't make a lot of sense for all of the sisters to take that name too.
5. The show was cancelled and brought back.
NBC actually cancelled 'The Fresh Prince' during it's fourth season, with it's finale seeing Will heading back to Philadelphia.
After fan outcry, however, producers decided to bring the show back; its fifth season opens with an NBC executive driving Will back to Bel Air.
The show lasted for six full seasons in total.
6. The house in the intro isn't actually in Bel Air.
All Fresh Prince fans will recognise the stunning white mansion in the show's iconic title sequence.
However, despite being set in Bel Air on TV, that's not actually where the intro house is located.
Nope, the pictured house is actually situated in the nearby - and equally affluent - Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
7. Speaking of the house...
Did anyone notice the drastic set change between the first and second season?
Stairs appeared in the living room, a new kitchen could be seen, and the entire set seemed to have been enlarged and remodelled.
8. The show endorsed it's own Nike Air Jordans.
New Season Of Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
As many fans will have spotted, Will Smith hosted a vast collections of trainers during the shows six season run.
So, of course, Nike commissioned the Prince with his own Air Jordan 5's, aptly named the 'Bel Air Basketball Shoe.'
Unfortunately, the trainers are now so rare that a pair will set you back about £600.
9. And the Aunt Viv saga continues...
Okay, so it's pretty common knowledge that the actress playing Aunt Viv changed after the third season.
Daphne Maxwell Reid took over from Janet Hubert reportedly due to a long standing feud between Hubert and Will Smith.
What a lot of people don't know is quite how much Hubert has lashed out since the show wrapped in 1996...