Withseason 4 ofBel-Airset to be its last one, the Peacock drama will potentially miss out on re-creating one of the biggest changes to take place in the classic 1990s sitcom.Bel-Airpremiered on Peacock in 2022 as a modern remake of the iconic sitcom,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, depicting Will Smith, a street-smart teenager facing trouble on the streets of West Philadelphia. After a frightening incident following a basketball game, his mother, Vy, sends Will to live in the prestigious town of Bel-Air with his aunt and her family, including his cousins, Carlton, Hilary, and Ashley.
The drama series was introduced on Peacock as a modern retelling ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,and whileBel-Airinitially met a mixed response from critics, it received praise for its darker take on the iconic sitcom. While the series proved to be popular, in 2025, it was announced thatBel-Airwas cancelled by Peacock. Although the upcoming fourth season is set to provide the answers to many unresolved questions fromBel-Air’s season 3 finale, the decision to end the series means viewers won’t see a big change that took place in the original show.
Bel-Air Ending With Season 4 Means The Remake Won’t Get To Feature Will & Carlton’s College Years
Bel-Air Is Ending With Only Four Seasons, While The Original Ended With Six
ConsideringThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’soriginal run of six seasons, it’sdisappointing that Peacock chose to cancelBel-Airafter season 4. The final two seasons ofthe original sitcom depicted both Will and Carlton beginning their college careersand figuring out what they want to do with their future. Seasons 5 and 6 also depict Will and his cousins dealing with the expansion of theBanks family tree inThe Fresh Prince, after the birth of the youngest child, Nicky, while his Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian deal with the reality that the children are growing up.
Meanwhile,season 3 ofBel-Airended with Vivian discovering that she was pregnant with her fourth child, at a time when Will is unexpectedly kidnapped by Geoffrey’s former gang teammate, and Hilary is struggling with her new husband Lamarcus' health problems. Given how season 3 ended with the discovery of Vivian’s pregnancy, it is more than likely that the upcoming fourth season will conclude with theintroduction of the last Banks family member, Nicky, rather than continue into Will’s college years. While nothing has been confirmed yet,Bel-Airwill certainly have a different ending fromTheFresh Prince.
Why Will’s College Experience In Fresh Prince Was Such A Great Change
It Allowed New Storylines & The Chance For Will To Grow In Independence
The first four seasons ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airfollowed Will as he tried to find his place in the Banks family and adjust to their rich and pampered lifestyle. As the series progressed, Will was able to move away from the tough streets of Philadelphia and develop a close bond with his family, particularly with Carlton, Ashley, and Uncle Phil. In what is arguablyThe Fresh Prince’smost heartbreaking scene, Will acknowledges his Uncle Phil as his true father figure.
The final two seasons gave Will a chance to grow in independenceas he moved out of the Banks' house and began his college degree. Seasons 5 and 6 ofThe Fresh Princealso allowed the sitcom to explore darker and more adult storylines, as seen through Ashley making decisions about her education and relationship with her boyfriend, Derek, and Will’s relationship and engagement to Lisa.
These mature storylines helped Will mature as a character and provided great changes toThe Fresh Princethat will be missed inBel-Air.
The later seasons also tackled serious issues, including violence in society and racism; in what is consideredone of the best episodes ofThe Fresh Prince, Will and Carlton must deal with the aftermath of Will being shot after a robbery. These mature storylines helped Will mature as a character and provided great changes toThe Fresh Princethat will be missed inBel-Air.
Bel-Air Ending Before Will’s College Years Still Makes Sense
It Can Provide A Realistic Ending With The Family Coming Together
WhileBel-Air’sfinale may not be the same asThe Fresh Prince,that doesn’t mean that the Peacock drama can’t provide an appropriate ending to Will’s story. Both series follow Will’s transition from a troubled youth to a level-headed young man with a promising future.Bel-Air’supcoming season 4 will see Will enter his final year of high school and making decisions about his future. EndingBel-Airwith Will graduating from high school, rather than continuing into his college life,offers a realistic end to his story and brings a natural conclusion to the Peacock drama.
Bel-Airseason four is expected to be released on Peacock in 2025.
One importantFreshPrinceaspect kept byBel-Airwas its focus on family connections and bonding together through difficult times. The impending birth of Nicky Banks in season 4 would serve as the moment that brings the family together once more and would bring an end to Will’s journey of finding his place in the Banks family, and see him begin the next stage of his life. If the series were to continue into Will’s college years, it carries the risk of overcomplicating the plot, so it makes more sense to endBel-Airon its original narrative.
Bel-Air
Cast
A gritty and more grounded reimagining of the ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Bel-Air stars Jabari Banks as Will Smith. After falling afoul of a drug lord and his gang in his native West Philadelphia, Will Smith moves to a gated community in Bel-Air with his wealthy Aunt Vivian (Cassandra Freeman) and Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes). Not only must Will adjust to his new environment, but he’s also forced to deal with his past in order to embrace his future.
