Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

‘Bel-Air’ trailer has the internet torn over the new, svelte Uncle Phil

The fan reactions to this reimagining was noticeably mixed when the teaser trailer for the Peacock series was dropped on social media Monday.

Yo …Uncle Phil? Not everyone is getting behind the reimagining of a beloved character from the ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched Will Smith to superstardom.

Recommended Videos

Bel-Air is the gritty reboot of the original show, trading in the multiple-camera and live studio audience set-up for a single-camera drama. It follows the same plot of the beloved sitcom – a down-and-out Philadelphia kid relocates to a ritzy L.A. neighborhood with wealthy relatives after getting into some trouble with the wrong dudes on a basketball court back home.

In the original show, Will Smith played the titular Will, a goofy but endearing mischievous teen who must be looked after by his stern-but-loving uncle, James Avery’s Philip Banks. The paternal figure in Will’s life, Uncle Phil had as large of a presence in his stature as with his booming voice, things which were often mocked by his nephew.

The reboot has young actor Jabari Banks take up the mantle of Will, while Adrian Holmes portrays Philip Banks this time around. However, Holmes doesn’t quite boast the larger-than-life persona as Avery had, instead appearing as a noticeably more svelte and understatedly commanding character in the remake.

The fan reactions to this reimagining were noticeably mixed when the teaser trailer for the Peacock series was dropped on social media Monday.

Many fans were put off by Uncle Phil now being “skinny.”

Another fan was more middle-of-the-road with his reaction, saying he might possibly give it a chance, but still misses the original Uncle Phil.

Another fan noted while James Avery was inarguably “hard to replace,” he insisted, “let’s see how this new Uncle Phil turns out.”

https://twitter.com/TheSAGShow/status/1480697486562021378?s=20

There is reason to think Bel-Air might have more going for it than it seems as it is being executive produced by Will Smith himself, who also just won his first Golden Globe, while being developed by Morgan Cooper. It’s based on a viral short fan film of the same name which reimagines the story of the sitcom as a Ryan Coogler-style drama.

Bel-Air comes to Peacock Feb. 13.


We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Danny Peterson
Danny Peterson
Danny Peterson covers entertainment news for WGTC and has previously enjoyed writing about housing, homelessness, the coronavirus pandemic, historic 2020 Oregon wildfires, and racial justice protests. Originally from Juneau, Alaska, Danny received his Bachelor's degree in English Literature from the University of Alaska Southeast and a Master's in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Oregon. He has written for The Portland Observer, worked as a digital enterprise reporter at KOIN 6 News, and is the co-producer of the award-winning documentary 'Escape from Eagle Creek.'