Bel-Air is a powerful series that explores the challenges a group of young Black Americans face in growing up around the wealthy and powerful, even when they are technically a part of that group. Bel-Air is a modern retelling of the popular Will Smith series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but the series has a much more authentic and intense tone. Where the original show often touched on deeper emotional beats, and serious storylines, it was first and foremost a comedy series intended for laughs and light-heartedness.

Bel-Air continues to have a strong and defined sense of humor, especially when it comes to young Will Smith, but the show is not afraid to dig into darker themes. And while this expands on the dramatic side of the story, it also allows more of the other characters to have their stories explored in greater detail. And unexpectedly, Carlton has grown to become the new beating heart of the series as his journey and character arc have provided incredible depth and meaning to the series in a modern era.

Carlton Has Had The Best Character Arc In Bel-Air In Three Seasons

Carlton Displays Tremendous Growth In Bel-Air

In Bel-Air, Will is sent to live with his distant family, the Banks', in Bel-Air, California. Coming from a community that was rife with crime, drug abuse, and gangs, Will is relieved to finally get away from the world he knows, and see how the other side lives, but it isn't long before he recognizes that, in many ways, home isn't so different from Bel-Air. This is explored through the eyes of his privileged cousin, Carlton, who studies hard, plays lacrosse for the high school, and his big plans for the future.

However, beneath that exterior of having his life in order, Carlton is struggling to fit in, live up to expectations, and achieve the things he believes he needs to do in order to be accepted in the place that he was born. Carlton's school is full of white upper-class individuals whose parents run in powerful circles, and while Carlton's dad ranks among these elites, Carlton stands out. This leads to intense anxiety, and a hardcore drug habit that effectively dominates his life. However, in just three seasons, Carlton is doing incredible things to shape up, and accept himself, rather than looking to others for acceptance.

Bel-Air’s Carlton Is Very Different From His Fresh Prince Counterpart

This Is Not The Fresh Prince's Carlton Banks

In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, there was no real nuance for Carlton. Carlton was a wealthy, spoiled brat, like his modern counterpart, but he was also seen as a goofball and comic relief. He may have been jealous about sharing his wealth and possessions with Will, but this was played for cheesy humor, rather than digging into deeper grievances and a feeling that what he worked so hard to earn was simply being handed out to another kid. The reality is that both characters shared these contradicting characters, but one was a parody, and one was an authentic portrayal of a young man being torn between two worlds.

Both are effective at delivering their intended messages, and making the audience engage, but they engage in very different ways. Carlton from The Fresh Prince quickly sees the value a friendship with his cousin, Will, can have, and he turns to Will as a guide for popularity and advice, while Carlton in Bel-Air remains headstrong and hesitant for longer, when he sees that he can use his cousin, he does so with less genuine interest in their developing relationship, and more of a business quid-pro-quo mindset. But the outcome is similar with both characters learning and growing by embracing the things outside their comfort zones.

Carlton Being A Controversial Character Means Bel-Air Did Something Right

Carlton Was Not Well Liked At First In Bel-Air

This considerable departure from the original was potentially one of the biggest changes in Bel-Air from the source material. While all the tones and themes being updated and adjusted, Carlton is one of the most noticeably altered characters. And, as a result, it made him one of the least liked characters in the first couple of seasons. Carlton was a corny and fun character who may have been annoying, but underneath everything, he was well liked. Early on in this version, his dark and aggressive tendencies made him far less likable, and he ended up being a source of irritation for viewers.

However, the actor behind the character, Olly Sholotan, recently spoke to The Hollywood Reporter to discuss how that relationship with the audience has changed. Thanks to this starting point, Carlton has grown from a universally despised character, to one that now garners empathy and comion from fans of Bel-Air. And this development is essential for characters appearing in a TV show. Otherwise, they stagnate, and the story feels like it goes nowhere whatsoever. However, Carlton's progress is undeniable, and that change is so much more rewarding for having come through the darker times that came before.

Carlton Proves That Bel-Air Is More Than Just A Fresh Prince Reboot

Bel-Air Has Its Own Unique Storytelling Style

Carlton Banks could have been a light-hearted, goofy eccentric, similar to his role in The Fresh Prince, but Bel-Air chose to do something bigger with the character. It's clear that these two figures have been developed from the same concept, and beyond a name, they share many aspects of their lives in common, but Bel-Air imagined how that lifestyle and these events could have impacted and altered the character's life. The result is a more authentic and realistic impression of a man struggling to live between two worlds, and failing to find connection in either one.

Bel-Air read between the lines of The Fresh Prince.

Had Bel-Air decided to be more faithful in its adaptation, it could have been a great series, with lots of humor and contemporary jokes, but these changes make it more than the sum of its parts. Bel-Air read between the lines of The Fresh Prince, and it delivers a representation that feels genuine, heartfelt, and meaningful. As a result, Bel-Air stands up as a show in its own right, without relying on the reputation, popularity, and nostalgia of the original. And ultimately, that makes it a better show in of character exploration and emotive storytelling, with characters whose lives have meaning and depth that exceeds the original, especially Carlton Banks.