Bel-Air and HIMYF were two shows we were all eagerly waiting for this year. While one is a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the other is the reboot/spin-off of HIMYM.
Both these shows had garnered a lot of attention since the production began because of the massive following the original series has had.
Both these shows are out, and they’ve not been out of internet discussions for reasons good or bad. If you’re a fan of the OG sitcoms and are wondering which one to go for, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ll take you through the interesting and not-so-interesting aspects of both the reboots, and you can take a call after reading this post. Let’s dive right in.
Bel-Air and HIMYF are below-average reboots that ruin the original shows’ legacy.
While the former is a cliche family drama trying to tackle racial discrimination in a superficial manner, the latter is a sitcom that doesn’t find a balance between being funny and woke.
Why Bel-Air Doesn’t Work as a Reboot
Bel-Air shares the same core premise as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but quickly steers away towards a melodramatic narration style.
The show’s creators aimed to bring racism and other connected issues to the forefront through its storytelling and building more awareness about how certain traits are ingrained in us.
While this sounds like an ambitious move, the show fails to deliver for the following three reasons:
- The plot, narrative, and screenplay are cliched, predictable, and unoriginal. You’ll find all tropes of the family-drama genre packed into every single scene, and hence the show doesn’t hit where it should.
- The way it depicts racial discrimination and other such issues seems superficial. While there are a few insightful moments, the series is merely grazing the surface and isn’t giving us a new perspective or a deeper understanding of all these problems.
- Finally, the biggest reason for the show not working is its lack of connection with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Bel-Air is not connected with the original series in terms of tonality, narrative style, or anything else besides the premise. This means it could’ve very well been a different show altogether, and perhaps with a much tighter script, it would’ve even worked.
Why HIMYF Doesn’t Work as a Reboot
HIMYF is a reboot/spin-off series of HIMYM and essentially shares the same premise storyline, but with a female character taking the place of Ted Mosby as the protagonist.
The show attempts to create characters relevant to the current times while still drawing parallels to the original sitcom. However, this doesn’t work because:
- The writers are focused on making all the characters woke, and they seem to be doing it for the sake of it. It is almost like they’re trying to compensate for the problematic traits depicted in the original show but don’t quite understand how to do it right.
- All characters seem to feel the same. If two characters are swapped, they could fit into each other’s arc, and you’ll see no difference. This is because the characters haven’t been given unique personality traits. They behave in similar ways, say the same things, and seem to have nothing that sets them apart.
- The writers haven’t found the balance between being woke and funny. To them, being woke translates to bland characters, and that’s what is seen on our screens. What the writers fail to realize is that any person can be woke, flawed, funny, and thought-provoking, all at the same time depending upon the scenario. But the characters in HIMYF seem to be so uni-dimensional.
Conclusion
Both Bel-Air and HIMYF are equally bad and lack any quality that would make the viewers stick to them. The only reason viewers might be driven to watch both these shows is to feel nostalgic and try to live the original shows through them.
However, if you’re a fan, I suggest you watch neither since they would tarnish your memories of such impeccable shows. So, the best thing to do is skip these reboots and re-watch the original series.
About Bel-Air
Bel-Air is an American drama television series developed by Morgan Cooper, Malcolm Spellman, TJ Brady, and Rasheed Newson. It is a reimagined version of the 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air . In March 2023, it was renewed for a third season.
The series stars Jabari Banks as Will Smith, with Adrian Holmes, Cassandra Freeman, Coco Jones, Olly Sholotan, Jimmy Akingbola, Akira Akbar, Jordan L Jones, and Simone Joy Jones.
The story follows Will Smith’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. It dives deep into racial tension, culture shock, and black excellence.
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