The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Season 1

1990 · 25 episodes · ★ 7.5

What Season 1 of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The series begins when Will, a teenager from the streets of Philadelphia, gets into trouble after a fight with a dangerous gang in his neighborhood. His mother decides to send him to Bel-Air, an upscale area of Los Angeles, to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle, attorney Philip Banks and Vivian, though he doesn't want to go. There he lives with his four cousins, and his way of being clashes head-on with a wealthy family's lifestyle. The episodes focus on these frictions: business dinners, manners Phil wants to correct, and friendships that worry everyone. Will tries to adjust to a life he didn't choose, while the Banks learn to live with him. Behind it all is the first-class education his mother can't afford to pay for.

25episodes

Sep 10, 1990premiered

May 6, 1991latest episode

10 hrtotal runtime

Season 1 Episodes

1x01 The Fresh Prince Project
Sep 10, 1990 · 23 min · ★ 7.8
Aunt Vivian tries to mediate between her husband Philip and the newly arrived Will.
Directed by: Debbie Allen · Written by: Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz · Starring: Helen Page Camp, John Petlock
1x02 Bang the Drum, Ashley
Sep 17, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.6
Will persuades Ashley to pawn her violin for a drum set.
Directing: Debbie Allen · Writing: Shannon Gaughan · Starring: Bette Ford, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Emma Nasedra
1x03 Clubba Hubba
Sep 24, 1990 · 22 min · ★ 7.6
Will wants to go out with a beautiful girl he meets at the country club, but first he must figure out how to impress her extremely snobbish and very protective father so he seeks tips from cousin Carlton on becoming preppie.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Rob Edwards · Starring: John Towey, Victoria Rowell, Tatiana Thumbtzen, Richard Roundtree
1x04 Not with My Pig, You Don't
Oct 1, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.7
Will tries to smooth things between Philip and his very rural parents when they visit to see him receive an award.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Lisa Rosenthal · Starring: Virginia Capers, Helen Page Camp, Jeff Hayenga, Gilbert Lewis
1x05 Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy
Oct 8, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.7
Will gets a visit from an old pal named Ice Tray, who, to Vivian and Philip's dismay, warms up to Hilary.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Samm-Art Williams · Starring: Don Cheadle
1x06 Mistaken Identity
Oct 15, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 8.2
Jailed, Will and Carlton stage a media stunt.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz · Starring: Helen Page Camp, Dan Desmond, Hank Azaria, John Petlock
1x07 Def Poet's Society
Oct 22, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.6
Will joins his prep school's poetry club.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: John Bowman · Starring: DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lisa Fuller, Jonathan Emerson, A.J. Johnson
1x08 Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect (1)
Oct 29, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 6.6
Carlton and Will, babe magnets. Who will be first to get a date for Hilary's Halloween party?
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Cheryl Gard, Shannon Gaughan · Starring: Tim Russ, Tyler Collins, Asha Siewkumar, Kymberly Newberry
1x09 Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect (2)
Oct 29, 1990 · 25 min · ★ 6.7
Carlton and Will, babe magnets. Who will be first to get a date for Hilary's Halloween party?
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Cheryl Gard, Shannon Gaughan, Bennie R. Richburg Jr. · Starring: Bo Jackson, Gina Ravera, Tim Russ, Malcolm-Jamal Warner
1x10 Kiss My Butler
Nov 5, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.6
Happy birthday Geoffrey! For a gift, Will tries matchmaking, then falls for Geoffrey's date himself.
Directing: Rita Rogers Blye · Writing: Sandy Frank · Starring: Naomi Campbell, DJ Jazzy Jeff
1x11 Courting Disaster
Nov 12, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.7
Carlton feels overshadowed by Will, who's become a basketball star at school.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Sandy Frank, Lisa Rosenthal · Starring: Isiah Thomas, William Cort, Michael Weiner, DJ Jazzy Jeff
1x12 Talking Turkey
Nov 19, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.5
A holiday visit from Will's taskmaster mother puts the kibosh on conspicuous consumption and puts the kids to work preparing Thanksgiving dinner.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Cheryl Gard · Starring: Vernee Watson, Jonathan Emerson, Israel Juarbe
1x13 Knowledge is Power
Nov 26, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.8
Hilary becomes Will's personal maid when he threatens to disclose she's dropped out of UCLA.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Rob Edwards · Starring: Sarah Buxton, Lisa Fuller, Beverly Jackson
1x14 Day Damn One
Dec 3, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.4
Will tells Ashley's slumber party guests a scary tale about his first day at Bel-Air Academy.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Cheryl Gard · Starring: James Tolkan, William Cort, Michael Weiner, Michael Landes
1x15 Deck the Halls Mid-Season Finale
Dec 10, 1990 · 24 min · ★ 7.4
Will inimitably dresses the mansion for the holidays, to the dismay of the neighbors, including heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Shannon Gaughan · Starring: Justin Shenkarow, Taylor Negron, Michael Weiner, Michael Landes
1x16 The Lucky Charm
Jan 7, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.7
Philip may lose a superstitious client whom he advises not to make decisions based on Will's spontaneous remarks.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Samm-Art Williams · Starring: Sandy Frank, John Petlock, Tom O'Rourke, Diane Racine
1x17 The Ethnic Tip
Jan 14, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.7
Will proposes a black history class be instituted at Bel-Air Academy, and gets a surprise when Aunt Viv arrives to teach it.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Benny Medina, Jeff Pollack · Starring: Michael Weiner, Michael Landes, Dave Florek, Keith Bogart
1x18 The Young and the Restless
Jan 21, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.6
Will sneaks Philip's elderly mother out of the house for a night on the town.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Lisa Rosenthal · Starring: Virginia Capers, Shaun Baker, Gregory Alan Williams, Tom Holiday
1x19 It Had to Be You
Feb 4, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.8
Will has girl problems after a date with Jazz's domineering sister, who's ready to pick out a china pattern before the night is over.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Cheryl Gard · Starring: Vivica A. Fox, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lisa Fuller, Carol-Ann Jeffers
1x20 Nice Lady
Feb 11, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.2
Fresh Prince Will is on his best behavior for visiting royalty - the seemingly demure Lady Penelope, who Will hopes to persuade to let herself have a good time at a party.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Sandy Frank · Starring: Sherrié Austin, Tony Longo, William Glover, Melvin Jones
1x21 Love at First Fight
Feb 18, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.4
Jasmine Guy plays a scholarship student whose introduction to Will opens up a different world of fun and games - and romance - to divert her from her studies.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Samm-Art Williams, Lisa Rosenthal · Starring: Jasmine Guy, Carol Barbee, Dell Yount
1x22 Banks Shot
Feb 25, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 8.1
Will crawls to Philip for help after sneaking out on the town and getting hustled by sleazy pool sharks.
Directed by: Jeff Melman · Written by: Bennie R. Richburg Jr. · Starring: J.D. Hall, Angela Gordon, Jeff Chayette, Hugh Dane
1x23 72 Hours
Mar 11, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.6
Will challenges Carlton to spend time in a tough neighborhood, trying to survive by masquerading as a financial consultant.
Directed by: Rae Kraus · Written by: Rob Edwards · Starring: Tommy Lister Jr., Miguel A. Núñez Jr., DJ Jazzy Jeff, J'Vonne Pearson
1x24 Just Infatuation
Apr 29, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.5
R&B singer Tevin Campbell plays teen idol Little T, who surprises Ashley on her birthday with a special song and an invitation for a date.
Directing: Jeff Melman · Writing: Benny Medina, Jeff Pollack · Starring: Ron Fassler, Jaclyn Bernstein, Tevin Campbell, Dax Biagas
1x25 Working It Out Season Finale
May 6, 1991 · 24 min · ★ 7.3
Rap's Queen Latifah plays Hilary's new actress boss, who wants Will as her boy toy - or Hilary's glamorous job is over.
Directing: Rita Rogers Blye · Writing: Shannon Gaughan · Starring: DJ Jazzy Jeff, Queen Latifah