Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

l3LoWnA · 12-12-2007 04:54PM

L31mr0d wrote: »

*checks threads post date*

WOW!!! this isn't a case of thread necromancy??? Why is this being brought up now? Oh and a TV show showing the difficulty a Son has to dealing with his father, wow, that's not clichéd at all. Next we'll have an episode of a mother trying to tame her rebellious daughter, only to realise, she once was like her and an understanding will be formed...

Why not bring it up now? I enjoyed watching it....it even made me cry, cliche or not, it actually happens. I probably saw it as a teenager, but the episode now means far more to me, than it did then, thanks to the OP (I'd never have thought to look up the Fresh Prince of Bel Air myself on Youtube)

Cliche?!?! What are you talking about?!?!?! Were any of us worried about topics being covered in the Fresh Prince being cliches when we were watching it?!? No we were not as we hadn't probably ever seen these topics covered before!! Nor did we know or care what a cliche was!! You fool!!!! So they should never cover topics that are a fact in day-to-day life and that many young people have to deal with just because this topic has once before been covered in another TV program or film.......... Why? Because it's been done before!! I think it's great that what is a light-hearted show that has a mainly "young" audience can touch on such subjects.....it's a fantastic way of getting messages about life and what it can throw at you (and how to deal with it) through to young people (or haven't you noticed the diminishing numbers of young church-goers of a Sunday morning???)

The son doesn't have the difficulty by the way, it's the father with the problem, or is this an issue that rubs you up the wrong way personally?!?

Lands Leaving · 12-12-2007 04:59PM

l3LoWnA wrote: »

Why not bring it up now? I enjoyed watching it....it even made me cry, cliche or not, it actually happens. I probably saw it as a teenager, but the episode now means far more to me, than it did then, thanks to the OP (I'd never have thought to look up the Fresh Prince of Bel Air myself on Youtube)

Cliche?!?! What are you talking about?!?!?! Were any of us worried about topics being covered in the Fresh Prince being cliches when we were watching it?!? No we were not as we hadn't probably ever seen these topics covered before!! Nor did we know or care what a cliche was!! You fool!!!! So they should never cover topics that are a fact in day-to-day life and that many young people have to deal with just because this topic has once before been covered in another TV program or film.......... Why? Because it's been done before!! I think it's great that what is a light-hearted show that has a mainly "young" audience can touch on such subjects.....it's a fantastic way of getting messages about life and what it can throw at you (and how to deal with it) through to young people (or haven't you noticed the diminishing numbers of young church-goers of a Sunday morning???)

The son doesn't have the difficulty by the way, it's the father with the problem, or is this an issue that rubs you up the wrong way personally?!?

Finally, a debate about an IMPORTANT issue.

Fresh Prince is the black happy days. Think about it, all the characters fit - fonzie/will, richie/carlton, Mr. Cunningham/Uncle Phil.

Its a cultural icon that exposed us to the important fact that african-americans living in an affluent LA neighbourhood (or 'hood' if you will) go through the same problems we all do. We could relate to that fact, and the programme was 'hip' to the trends. it was 'rad' one might say.

Yes, the fresh prince could be cheesy, but how do we confront these kind of issues in a family friendly way without being cheesy?

I ask you, has any one programme done more for a generation than the Fresh Prince.

I thought not.

Lockstep · 12-12-2007 04:59PM

l3LoWnA wrote: »

Why not bring it up now? I enjoyed watching it....it even made me cry, cliche or not, it actually happens. I probably saw it as a teenager, but the episode now means far more to me, than it did then, thanks to the OP (I'd never have thought to look up the Fresh Prince of Bel Air myself on Youtube)

Cliche?!?! What are you talking about?!?!?! Were any of us worried about topics being covered in the Fresh Prince being cliches when we were watching it?!? No we were not as we hadn't probably ever seen these topics covered before!! Nor did we know or care what a cliche was!! You fool!!!! So they should never cover topics that are a fact in day-to-day life and that many young people have to deal with just because this topic has once before been covered in another TV program or film.......... Why? Because it's been done before!! I think it's great that what is a light-hearted show that has a mainly "young" audience can touch on such subjects.....it's a fantastic way of getting messages about life and what it can throw at you (and how to deal with it) through to young people (or haven't you noticed the diminishing numbers of young church-goers of a Sunday morning???)

The son doesn't have the difficulty by the way, it's the father with the problem, or is this an issue that rubs you up the wrong way personally?!?

+1

phasers · 12-12-2007 06:49PM

you forget how good an actor uncle Phil really was

such an inspiration

thelordofcheese · 12-12-2007 06:52PM

Wasn't he also the voice of shredder from the turtles?

what a man.....

Pigman II · 12-12-2007 06:55PM

phasers wrote: »

you forget how good an actor uncle Phil really was

such an inspiration

Agreed. He was like a poor-mans James Earl Jones. No higher compliment really.

Dave! · 12-12-2007 08:37PM

I remember that episode. Very sad indeed.

Will Smith .o/

Running Bing · 12-12-2007 08:44PM

DaveMcG wrote: »

I remember that episode. Very sad indeed.

Will Smith .o/

Easy to make fun of it but it was a very good show and there was a lot of good talent in there.

Always funny and entertaining to watch and at least it tried to do something above and beyond the normal sitcom thing(even if it was'nt always successful).

The fact that it is still watched and talked about by many is testement to its quality.

aidan_dunne · 12-12-2007 09:20PM

I take it this is the scene the OP was talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu_UpcRBnF0

And what about this dancing scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF5ARN9-kDc

How gay did Carlton use to look when he danced, eh?

Lands Leaving · 12-12-2007 09:47PM

Pigman II wrote: »

Agreed. He was like a poor-mans James Earl Jones. No higher compliment really.

James Avery - legend.

DawnMc · 12-12-2007 10:08PM

Ahhh, I nearly shed a silent tear, very touching stuff

Jigsaw · 12-12-2007 10:12PM

I am genuinely amazed that people actually like this show. It is not in any way funny so is therefore very annoying because of its attempts to be funny. The canned laughter is so bloody annoying. I hope that the building in which the archives of this programme are kept is absolutely ravaged by fire so I am never again subjected to the unreserved sh1te. Simple comedy for simple people. Watch stuff like Brasseye or Flight of the Conchords and cop on y'all.

Dave! · 12-12-2007 10:49PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb-ThDQUCP8

Jesus Wept · 12-12-2007 11:27PM

Jigsaw wrote: »

I am genuinely amazed that people actually like this show. It is not in any way funny so is therefore very annoying because of its attempts to be funny. The canned laughter is so bloody annoying. I hope that the building in which the archives of this programme are kept is absolutely ravaged by fire so I am never again subjected to the unreserved sh1te. Simple comedy for simple people. Watch stuff like Brasseye or Flight of the Conchords and cop on y'all.

Lots of good shows used canned laugher. Father Ted did, right? Maybe you don't like it but most people do.

Canned laughter doesn't equal a crap show.

Lands Leaving wrote: »

No, the dance to apache by the sugarhill gang is the pinnacle of human achievement, that or jazz getting the boot from the house

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvJeATp31dw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8iHcJwiJys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df-DWAF2hN8

Lands Leaving · 12-12-2007 11:37PM

Jigsaw wrote: »

I am genuinely amazed that people actually like this show. It is not in any way funny so is therefore very annoying because of its attempts to be funny. The canned laughter is so bloody annoying. I hope that the building in which the archives of this programme are kept is absolutely ravaged by fire so I am never again subjected to the unreserved sh1te. Simple comedy for simple people. Watch stuff like Brasseye or Flight of the Conchords and cop on y'all.

Stop insulting my childhood memories. or I'll tell.

l3LoWnA · 13-12-2007 01:40AM

How can you say the following isn't even a teency weeny bit funny?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3pXIFQ5wOM

Or this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwPVSvTATOY

kowloon · 13-12-2007 03:16AM

Jigsaw wrote: »

Watch stuff like Brasseye or Flight of the Conchords and cop on y'all.

Brasseye only lasted one series, ahead of its time IMO

Jigsaw · 13-12-2007 03:29AM

I can understand people talking about this series as being something that reminds them of childhood but surely upon "growing up" it is quite clear that it is utter sh1te. I remember Saved by the bell growing up (grew up in NI so it was UK tv - don't know if it was on RTE etc). I remember it fondly in a sense but am well aware that it is ****e.

To the Rigger - Father Ted is one of the funniest programmes Ive ever watched but it would be ridiculous to compare that show to that Bel Air crap. So it might have had canned laughter but hoe damn good was it? Might good It was deadly.

The humour was local to us and struck a chord.

To Lands Leaving - sorry if I insulted your memories. Twas not my intention. I simply want to point out that that programme was possibly the purest sh1te that was ever filmed.

Thinking of there days, Scrubs is good. etc. I've been drinking so I ask mods to turn a blind eye to anything I say until 3am.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Comments