The reboot of the ’90s sitcom classic Bel-Air launched in February, and the season finale premiered on March 31st. While the release date for season 2 is unknown, Bustle speculates that the show could return in early 2023.
While fans wait for season 2, they can still relish in the nostalgic Fresh Prince nods sprinkled in every episode. Although this show isn’t a duplication of the original, the showrunners are intentional about the hidden references and messages only true Fresh Prince fans can catch.
Dice In The Mirror
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s theme song is a classic. Fans worldwide can be heard rapping, “I whistled for a cab, and when it came near, the license plate said fresh, and it had dice in the mirror.”
You might miss Bel-Air’s ode to the famous tune if you blink. The first episode of Bel-Air adds imagery to the line as fan-favorite Fresh Prince guest star Jazz picks Will up from the airport, with the popular dice hanging from the mirror.
School Uniform
Fresh Prince’s fashion always sticks out. The '90s sitcom was an accurate representation of its time. One of the most iconic fashion moments was when Will Smith turned his school uniform blazer inside out, showing the patterned lining. Bel-Air keeps this staple piece. In episode 3, Lisa Wilkes hits Will playfully and causes him to spill mustard on his blazer. As a result, Will flips his Bel-Air Academy jacket inside out.
The real Will Smith knows how much fans love the blazer. In 2019 Smith launched a clothing line inspired by Fresh Prince that included a navy tracksuit with the same paisley pattern adorned inside the school uniform blazer.
Yamacraw
Fans may recall that the original Philip Banks was raised on a farm in Yamacraw, North Carolina. Yamacraw is represented again through the likable Bel-Air character, Uncle Phil, in episode 3.
Co-showrunner and executive producer Rasheed Newson said they didn’t want to change Uncle Phil’s Yamacraw roots. “We liked it,” Newson told Star News. “If you look at the mansion he’s living in, and you look at LA and the community of Bel-Air, it just spoke to his arc. He started on a farm, and now he lives in a mansion.”
Original Cast
Bel-Air surprises fans with special guest-star appearances. Daphne Maxwell Reid, who played the second Aunt Viv after the original actor was fired, and Vernee Watson-Johnson, who played Will’s mom Viola “Vy” Smith, appear in episode 9.
The two actors play the Art Council Board of Trustee and interview Bel-Air’s new Aunt Viv for an art fellowship. They greet Aunt Viv by acknowledging her surprise at seeing them. The original Vy asks, “you didn’t expect us?” in a way that sounds like the question is tailored to viewers.
Boyz II Men
R&B group Boyz II Men appears in season 4 of Fresh Prince during Nicholas Bank’s christening. After Boyz II Men's performance of “Silent Night,” Uncle Phil reveals that Nicky is named after all the group .
One of the changes Bel-Air made was not including Nicky. Although the youngest sibling doesn't appear in the series, the show finds a way to show Boyz II Men love. Before Carlton gives a solo at church, Will asks him which member of Boyz II Men he would be if he was in the group.
A Visit From Lou
On one of the rare occasions Fresh Prince dropped the humor, Will confronts his dad about abandoning him when he was a child. In the last few moments of the episode, Will cries into Uncle Phil’s arms and asks him why his father doesn’t want him.
In a heart-wrenching moment with Jazz, Will shares the same sentiment during the season finale of Bel-Air. After a visit from his father, Will’s feelings of abandonment and betrayal leads him to believe that nobody wants him.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Legendary composer and producer Quincy Jones is one of the reasons why Fresh Prince is what it is today, so it’s only fitting that there’s a nod to him in the reboot.
Will’s mother, Vy, is flown to celebrate her son’s 17th birthday. Will takes her out on the town, where they take a picture with Quincy Jones’ star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jones was an executive producer for the original show and is an executive producer for Bel-Air.
Uncle Phil
As Aunt Viv dives back into the art world, we see some of her masterpieces. One of her paintings is of the late James Avery. Avery, who played the beloved original Uncle Phil, died in 2013 from complications from open-heart surgery.
Bel-Air also pays homage to Avery during the show’s opening scene by playing the lyrics “first things first” of J. Cole’s song “No Role Modelz.” The entire line of the song is “First things first rest in peace Uncle Phil/For Real you the only father that I ever knew.”
Banks Shot
When Will loses money and his family’s car to a pool hustler, Uncle Phil gets a chance to show off his secret talent. Uncle Phil and Geoffrey drive to the pool hall and break out “Lucille.” After pretending he didn’t know how to play, Phil pockets four balls on his first shot.
Bel-Air subtly highlights Uncle Phil’s skills in episode 3. Uncle Phil and Geoffrey shoot pool while talking about Uncle Phil’s gathering with his Alpha brothers.
The Fresh Prince
The Fresh Prince was inspired by a nickname from Will Smith’s high school days. People always called him Prince, but it was the '80s sound that motivated him to add Fresh to his name. He told ET, “The DJs in the streets started scratching, ‘fresh, fresh, this is fresh!” He carried the freshness onto his show.
In episode 1 of Bel-Air, Vy tells Will that he has all the makings of being a prince. He just needs to accept his crown. The advice is a nod to Will being “The Fresh Prince.”
