Will Smith stars as a teenager from inner city Philadelphia who's sent to California to live in with his wealthy relatives in the hopes that they will "straighten him out and teach him some good old-fashioned values," b... more »ut Will soon takes his rightful place as The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.« less
Al R. (iskandor) from PHILADELPHIA, PA Reviewed on 1/20/2010...
excellent! Will Smith slone would make it worth watching, but it also has a great cast and storyline!
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
It's a Classic!
Stormrider | 03/04/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I grew up watching Fresh Prince on tv and even after its finale I would continue watching reruns of it. After buying the first season, I can't wait for the next to come out as well. With this DVD set not only can you see young Will Smith and his on screen charisma and humour, but the rest of the cast ain't shabby either. The character of "Carlton" is your stereotypical geek, famous for his love for Tom Jones and his "dance". Sadly, Carlton's dance wasn't brought in the first season. "Jazz", Will Smith's friend, is also one of a kind, and coins the infamous scenes of "being thrown out of the Banks residence". "Geofrey", the butler, is amazingly amusing with his dry humour and authentic British accent. Also included in the DVD set is a collection of interviews with a few of the actors/actresses that were arranged specifically for the release of Season 1. For those who loved Fresh Prince in the 90's, those who love Will Smith, or just like good ol'comedies - Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is for you. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."
Hilarity at its finest!
Trevor R. Raichura | Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan | 09/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This marks the first season in an impressive run for a show that debuted Will Smith the actor. After years of success in the music industry, Will Smith diversifies by starring in his own sitcom. The result: episode after episode of hilarity.
For those unfamiliar with the premise of the show, allow me to fill you in. Will Smith is a high schooler from West Philly, whose mother sends him out to Bel Air to live with his uncle and aunt. Being from a rough background, Will's new posh surroundings don't always allow for a smooth transition period. Therein lies the hilarity.
The jokes about Uncle Phil's weight, Carlton's "lack of blackness" and Geoffrey's dead-pan dry humour remains "fresh" (pardon the pun) after all these years. Will Smith is a natural right from episode one, and through the first season we see growth in his acting skills.
Besides being unbelievably funny, the show often has strong statements to make about racism, honesty, social class struggles, and more. But don't worry, not an episode will go by where you don't find yourself laughing out loud.
Extra features are limited to one short featurette about the show's birth. While it is definitely an interesting bonus, it would have been nice if there had been a little more "stuff". No interviews with Will, in fact, the only three main characters from whom we hear are Uncle Phil, Ashley, and Geoffrey.
Still this season is so awesome that I can't help but give it a full 5-star rating!"
Even after 15 years, I still find this show to be hilarious!
M. Rogers | Lehi, UT USA | 07/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was well worth the $22. There are some TV box sets that get a little boring in spots. This set had me laughing the whole time. Even after 15 years, this show is among my all-time favorites. Will Smith's one-liners still crack me up after 15 years!"
A classic in the making
Michael Phillips | Parkersburg, WV | 06/03/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I own the first season and have watched it several times. I have a feeling this show will be on for a very long time. No matter how many times one watches it, it is funny every time. I can't wait till the other sessions are available."
Excellent, excellent series, THANK YOU WB!
James | USA | 05/27/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am SO GLAD I received Fresh Prince of Bel Air for a present! For some reason I was holding back on buying this dvd set, even though it is a GREAT price for such a fun show!
This dvd is basically no frills however, if you are looking for background commentary or Will Smith on this dvd (besides on the show) he isn't, but there is a cool retrospective starring "Uncle Phil" "Hilary" and "Geoffery" the butler..and a few more extras...
These shows get better with age! Fresh Prince came out in 1990..some of us were fairly young back then, and some jokes may have gone over our heads at the time, but watching these episodes again, after being a teen and doing things, well it is even more entertaining!
This dvd is great, because sometimes the first seasons of shows aren't as entertaining as following seasons, but Fresh Prince's first season is HILARIOUS and has a full set of episodes!