It's hard to think of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and not have a smile on your face. The recent HBO Max reunion on Nov. 18 reminded us just how much we love the show and the cast that made it happen. Over the course of six seasons and 148 episodes, Will Smith and the Banks family got into several ridiculous yet quotable situations that had us doubling over with laughter. Trying to choose our favourite moments was like trying to choose a favourite member of the family — no Jazz, not you. From Geoffrey "winning" the lottery and Uncle Phil hustling a pool hall to Will's dancing and Carlton running amok in the studio, ahead are the 10 moments that never fail to make us laugh.
If we're being honest, Geoffrey's reaction to winning the lottery in season three, episode 14, is all of us. During "Winner Takes Off," Will and Carlton decide to play a prank on Geoffrey as revenge for an earlier prank. The pair make Geoffrey believe he's become a multimillionaire, and as he's quitting, he insults Vivian's cooking, opens an expensive bottle of Champagne, breaks a vase, and jumps on the couch. The joy is short-lived, but Geoffrey's reaction gets a laugh out of us every time.
Will and Ashley have one of the most adorable relationships on the show, but our favourite moment of theirs happens during the pilot episode, "The Fresh Prince Project." Ashley is in her own world when Will knocks on the door. Rather than interrupting her, he joins in on the dancing, and it isn't until she turns around that she realises he's there.
Over six seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Hilary Banks says some pretty outlandish things. As the shallow and snobby eldest daughter, it only makes sense that some of her best lines would be a little out of touch. While we could recount quite a few funny moments including Hilary, one of our favourites is when she "totals" a Mastercard during season four, episode 24.
Nothing is worse than accidentally walking in on one of your parents doing the deed. That's exactly what happens to Will in the season five finale, "For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll." If getting cold feet about marrying Lisa wasn't enough, he happens upon his mother and Lisa's father in bed together, causing him to yell, "Mama no!"
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6. When Uncle Phill Throws Jazz Out of the House
You know that as soon as Jazz enters a scene wearing THAT shirt, Uncle Phil will be throwing him out of the house. It doesn't matter what the reason, we laugh every time. Maybe it's because of the effort they've given to keeping up with continuity. Maybe it's the glee that seems to fill James Avery as he does the "throwing." Either way, it rightfully earns a place on our list.
When Will and Carlton are mistaken for car jackers in season one, episode six, they're sent to prison. To make light of their situation, they sing a rendition of "Let My People Go." Suddenly, their cellmate chimes in with his own operatic version, and everyone is stunned. The episode is a great example of how Fresh Prince covers important topics while injecting just the right amount of humour into the circumstances.
This list wouldn't be a complete without the creation of "The Carlton." The dance first appears in season two, episode 13, but isn't put to Tom Jones's "It's Not Unusual" until the season three episode, "Asses to Ashes." Regardless of why it's done, we're always down for more of "The Carlton."
We certainly love Uncle Phil and love him even more when he comes to Will's aid throughout the show. While we know Phil is smart, we didn't realise just how slick he is, too. After Will gets into a bit of a pickle at a pool hall in season one, episode 22, Phil comes in to bail him out. At first, it seems Phil can't do anything right, even calling a pool cue a "sticky thing." Then, as soon as Phil says "Break out Lucille" to Geoffrey, you knew it was all over.
2. When Will and Carlton Enter a Dance Competition
Will and Carlton dancing to "Apache" by The Sugarhill Gang was always going to be high up on this list. From their outfits to having to join the competition because of gambling debt to their moves, you just can't stop laughing. Episode eight in season six is iconic, and hearing "Apache" instantly puts us in the Fresh Prince state of mind.
We love when The Fresh Prince breaks the fourth wall. While it's usually Will who gives the camera a knowing look, one of the most unique ways they accomplished it happened during episode six, season five, courtesy of Carlton. In order to get revenge on Carlton, Will pranks him into thinking he's killed Lisa. Carlton then runs around the entire Fresh Prince set, including the cabin, the school, and the audience.
Alfonso Ribeiro previously told Digital Spy that the cast often did ridiculous things to entertain the live studio audience but this bit was so good it was included. "I was like, 'Yo, you all used it?' and they were like, 'Yeah, it was funny!' I'm like, 'We do funny stuff all the time and you never use it, but alright, cool!"