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DVD The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - The Complete Second Season
Before he became one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black) spent six seasons as a poor kid from Philadelphia who gets sent to his wealthy aunt and uncle in California to learn some class--leading to a classic sitcom collision of street smarts and pampered privilege. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - The Complete Second Season finds the show in a happy groove. Will and the Banks family snipe and bicker cheerfully while grappling with problems ranging from true-to-life to truly preposterous. The more realistic side of life is found in episodes such as when Will's mother Vy (Vernee Watson-Johnson) has a new boyfriend and Will gets jealous, or when Will finds himself attracted to a girl (Queen Latifah, Bringing Down the House), but won't take her to the prom because she's overweight. The ridiculous side bursts out when Will and his pompous cousin Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) decide to make money by becoming strippers.
But whether realistic or silly, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air stays a crisp, clean sitcom, with snappy writing and brisk, capable interplay among the cast, which also included James Avery and Janet Hubert-Whitten as Mr. and Mrs. Banks, the tolerant and usually sensible parents; Karyn Parsons as the spoiled, narcissistic Hilary; Tatyana M. Ali as the cute, sassy Ashley; and Joseph Marcell as the droll British butler Geoffrey. Despite living in a fantasyland of wealth, the show regularly touched on racial and class issues--lightly, but not turning a blind eye to the complexities of American life. When Will's aunt Janice (Charlayne Woodard, The Crucible) wants to marry a white man, Vy refuses to accept the match; Geoffrey falls in love with a neighbor, but rejects her when he learns that she's an heiress and not a housekeeper. The writers are clever enough to subvert expectations, such as when Will loses a basketball game so another player can catch the eye of a pro scout--only to learn that the other player thinks professional sports are an absurd gamble and doesn't want that kind of career. Through it all, Will Smith kept the show from being just a showcase for himself; he's secure enough to let the other actors take the spotlight, but carries episodes easily when they're built around him. No longer a rookie in this season, his comic chops start to equal his cocky charm, making the second season particularly strong. --Bret Fetzer
Review(s): DVD The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - The Complete Second Season
The magic continues
This series picks up right where the show left off in season 1 with a whole lot more hilarity! The actors really seem to embrace their roles even more in this season, resulting in more realistic conversations and exchanges of insults. Of course, Will gets the upper hand, as he should! This DVD set is packaged in just a slightly different manner than the first, although its contents are similar. The menus are exactly the same (aside from the dance sequences shown beside the menu options). The "special features" (and I use that term reluctantly) are still found on the 4th disk. Unfortunately, one of the special features re-caps the highlights of the season and gives us "pop-up video"-style trivia about some of the actors, some of the jokes, and more. The other one shows bloopers from season 2. This would be awesome if they were different from the ones that run during the credits at the end of the show! But for the most part, they are not.
As far as the episodes themselves, they are high quality! Most of the jokes are clean but hilarious, although you may have your kids asking you questions about some of the "adult" content. Here are some of the episodes that highlight this wonderful season:
DID THE EARTH MOVE FOR YOU?: Will and his girlfriend get trapped in a room during an earthquake.
THE MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES: Will and Carlton try to help Ashley out with her bully problems at school.
GUESS WHO'S COMING TO MARRY?: One of Will's aunts causes a controversy in the family when she plans to marry a white guy.
SHE AIN'T HEAVY: Will finds the perfect woman - only problem: she's overweight.
CASED UP: Will finds himself in court when Hillary's boyfriend, an aspiring lawyer played by Malcolm Jamal Warner, sues him for damages to his car.
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING: Will wins $1,000 at a country club fundraiser but lands himself in trouble when he does not donate the money back to them.
CHRISTMAS SHOW: The Smith family ski trip ends up being not-so-merry when the family is robbed of all their possessions.
MY BROTHER'S KEEPER: Will learns a valuable lesson when his biggest basketball rival lives in the hood and struggles just to stay alive.
ILL WILL: Will winds up in the hospital with tonsilitis, and the Banks family worries that Geoffrey is writing down all their dirty secrets.
EYES ON THE PRIZE: Will has to choose between Jazz and Tyriq to be his partner on a TV game show.
BE MY BABY TONIGHT: Ashley asks Will about sex, which throws the entire family into a panic about her new boyfriend.
STRIP TEASE FOR TWO: Will and Carlton become male strippers to earn enough money to buy back Vivian's bracelet that they pawned off.
This season is filled with moments guaranteed to have you laughing out loud and quoting the lines to friends and family members. I highly recommend it!
One of the best shows ever.
I used to watch this all the time when I was a kid, and I still love it today. Will Smith was hilarious on this show, and it really helped to catapult him to super-stardom. I loved how he was always making fun of Carlton, who was always just so goofy, and kind of full of himself. And it was also hilarious how Will used to dress back then, with the weird, multi-colored shirts, and that crazy high flat-top hairdo that all the black guys had 15 years ago. Nostalgic in a fun way. Anyway, great show, and a beloved part of my childhood.
Oh, and the theme song was the first song I ever learned how to play on the drums.
My view on the best season of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Season 1 was ok,but season 2 was great.The producers fixed up the set,their were new cast members added like ;Vy(Wills mother played by Vernee Watson-Johnson),Helen(the loudmouthed sister played by Jennifer Lewis),and Janice Smith(played by Charlayne Woodward who eventually marries a white man on the show.Here are all the 24 episodes from Season 2;
1.Did the Earth Move For You?
Original Airdate 9/9/91
Whole lotta shaking going on.Will and his girlfriend hold on tight when a quake hits Los Angeles.
2.The Mother of All Battles
Original Airdate 9/16/91
It's Will and Carlton to the rescue when a bully bugs Ashley.Then her parents get involved.Uh-oh.
3.Will Gets a Job
Original Airdate 9/23/91
With an eye patch an parrot on his shoulder,Cap'n Will waits tables to pay for Homecoming expenses.
4.PSAT Pstory
Original Airdate 9/30/91
Hip is to hop as gluconeogenesis is to-The PSAT has Will chillin and Carlton crammin'.
5.Granny Get's Busy
Original Airdate 10/7/91
Red-hot Mama.When his widowed mother shares a smooch with the handyman,Phillip freaks out.
6.Guess Who's coming to Marry?
Original Airdate 10/14/91
"Do you take this man...? "Will's aunt plan's to marry a white man... and Will mother objects.
7.The Big Four-Oh
Original Airdate 10/21/91
Gotta dance.Unerved at turning 40,Vivian dons leg warmers and a leotard and heads to dance class.
8.She Ain't Heavy
Original Airdate 11/4/91
She Aint Heavy
Will Will's cool quotient take a hit if he dates a girl who's phat...and large?
9.Cased Up
Original Airdate 11/11/91
Will's underage and uninsured.So when he's involved in an fender bender, it's Phillip who gets sued.
10.Hi-Ho Silver
Original Airdate 11/18/91
The Case of the Missing Silverware.Will and Carlton suspect a film star copped the cutlery during a party.
11.The Butler Did It
Original Airdate 11/25/91
With Phillip and Vivian away.Carlton tries a little risky business.He rents the house for a music video.
12.Something for Nothing
Original Airdate 12/9/91
Bad luck.Will wins $1000 at at country club fundraiser, then learns he's expected to donate it to charity.
13.Christmas Show
Original Airdate 12/16/91
Noel.. and no presents.On a Yuletide ski trip, the Banks lose their gifts to a thief but soon find the true meaning of Christmas.
14.Hilary Gets a Life
Original Airdate 1/6/92
Will uses his creative-writing skills on Hilary's resum'e.When she gets the jod, disaster is sure to follow.
15.My Brother's Keeper
Original Airdate 1/13/92
Hoop dreams.Will is determined to impress a college basketball scout,until he meets his main competitor.
16.Geoffrey Cleans Up
Original Airdate 1/20/92
Geoffrey fears love and money dont mix when the housekeeper he falls for turns out to be an heiress.
17.Community Action
Original Airdate 2/3/92
Lovesick Hilary's tempature rises when she meets a hunky doctor.
18.Ill Will
original Airdate 2/10/92
Facing a tonsillectomy.Will is a tower of jelly.But a wisecracking fellow patient cheers him up.
19.Eyes on the Prize
Original Airdate 2/17/92
He's got game.Will needs a partner to compete on a game show,he hears a chorus of "Choose me!
20.Those were the Days
Original Airdate 2/24/92
We will not be moved.A '60s radical inspires Will to protest when a free- thinking teacher is fired.
21.Vying for Attention
Original Airdate 3/2/92
Will goes a couple of rounds with the green-eyed monster when his mother meets a great new guy.
22.The Aunt Who Came to Dinner
Original Airdate 3/23/92
Will and Carlton have dates with two French cuties but Aunt Helen's surprise visit torpes the ooh-la-la.
23.Be My Baby Tonight
Original Airdate 4/27/92
The birds and the bees. Will is stunned when Ashley turns to him with questions about the birds and the bees.(sex).
24.Striptease for Two
Original Airdate 5/4/92
Will and Carlton need money.They could mow the lawns,wash cars or-here's and idea-become strippers!
Cast
Will Smith as Will Smith
James Avery as Phillip Banks
Janet Hubert Whitten as Vivian Banks
Karyn Parsons as Hilary Banks
Alfonso Riberio as Carlton Banks
Tatyana M. Ali as Ashley Banks
Joseph Marcell as Geoffrey the Butler
Notable guest star appearences by;Queen Latifah,Malcolm Jamal Warner,Raven Symone and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
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