Third Season of 'Bel-Air' Impresses the Critics

  
       On August 15, 2024, the third season of 'Bel-Air' was released on Peacock to predominantly positive reviews from critics. For anyone unfamiliar with the series, it is a dramatic adaptation of 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' and picks up after a doozy of a finale in season 2 as Carlton admitted that he was on drugs, Hillary going to Paris with her ex...despite reconnecting with Jazz, Uncle Phil's not so secret admirer, Geoffrey's stalker, and Will's ever dramatic love life. The ensemble cast includes Jabari Banks, Jimmy Akingbola, Cassandra Freeman, Coco Jones, Olly Sholotan, Simone Joy Jones, Akira Akbar, Adrian Holmes, and Jordan L. Jones. But what did the critics say? 

Photo by Gustavo Zambelli on Unsplash

       Ronda Racha Penrice of The Wrap notes, "Even as the plots threaten to get in the way, Will, Carlton, Hillary and company seem so real that you can’t help but care about their journeys, even when they’re wonky." Adding, "Season 3 takes over the summer, placing Will (Jabari Banks) and Carlton (Olly Sholotan) in a country club setting that television has typically reserved for young white kids. In this space, Will is even further away from the life he’s known in Philly. His admiration for Quentin (portrayed by rapper Vic Mensa, who cut his teeth as Jamal on “The Chi” set in his hometown), an unconventional entrepreneur who’s managed to strike it rich without selling out his culture or his people, inspires Will to contemplate, for the first time ever, a life where basketball is not his everything. While Will seems to have unlimited possibilities, Carlton’s prospects appear to be dwindling. Publicly revealing his addiction may cost him the Ivy League future for which he’s worked for years. On top of that, his past lies have made both his mother Viv (Cassandra Freeman) and sister Ashley (Akira Akbar) distrust him. His potential romance with Amira (Alycia Pascual-Peña), a beautiful young lady with a love of danger, is a bright spot despite its own complications."

        Amari Apple of Rolling Out writes, "This season promises to showcase a positive representation of Black love and the strength required to overcome obstacles in both personal and professional lives. The show’s growing popularity stems from promoting a positive family dynamic that resonates with viewers from all walks of life."

       Abe Friedtanzer of Awards Buzz says, "Three seasons in, the show has proven itself capable of taking things to an entirely new level, almost entirely abandoning its initial premise to tell an original story based only loosely on preexisting comedy characters." Continuing, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air lasted for six seasons, each running around twenty-five half-hour episodes, and this show has now produced just thirty hourlong installments in three seasons. There’s surely plenty of material for this show to cover in its future, and in the capable hands of showrunner Carla Banks Waddles and executive producer Morgan Cooper, there’s so much more to draw on based on how much the show has evolved so far. It’s very deep within its own narrative that any first-time viewers will need to catch up on what they’ve missed, but it’s an absolutely worthwhile investment that continues to pay off."

       Adding to the fun is that the series welcomes back an OG from the mothership series as Joseph Marcell enters the fray. The once Geoffrey's role as “mysterious member of the Banks’ family’s past." looks to shake things up even further. "Showrunner Carla Banks-Waddles told TheWrap getting Marcell was a "feat" given the actor's schedule and location (Marcell lives in London). "We weren’t even sure that was going to work out," Banks-Waddles said. "We had a couple of ideas for ways to get some O.G. cast in, and he was at the top of that list."