Bel-Air: Who is Reid Broderick and what’s his motive?

The drama never stops with Bel-Air! One, in particular, is ongoing with Phil and Viv.

While they’re supposed to be pillars of strength and love to the kids, they’ve been facing tensions of their own, due to Phil’s campaign and Viv’s unrequited admirer, Reid Broderick.

Remember Reid? The guy from Viv’s past who was brought in, in Ep 5? Yup, he’s still here.

Reid is a big player in the art gallery world who was introduced in Bel-Air Episode 5. He has a history with Vivian and reconnects with her for her art pieces. He seems romantically interested in her but backs off when Phil broaches the subject.

Are you still on the fence about whether Reid is flirting with Viv? I am not. I’m not denying that he may be genuinely interested in her work and wants to nurture her artistic capabilities but he was definitely making moves on her.

Reid Will Confess His Feelings for Viv

You don’t need to be an expert to spot Reid’s blatant flirting at Viv. I say “at” because in all the episodes so far, Viv doesn’t seem to reciprocate the feeling and takes this interest as a booster to continue her art.

Reid gauges that words can only do so much, so in Episode 6, he goes in for what I call a grand gesture.

He places a bet with Viv, saying he’ll only display her piece at his gallery if her artwork gets a bidding of $15,000 or more. He himself bids on it for the same amount but is beaten by Phil who bids for $20,000.

It is clear that Reid wanted to be the knight who swoops in and shows Viv how much he values her art and that her spot in his gallery was always guaranteed. But thanks to the silent auction, Phil ended up getting the upper hand.

It seems like he was trying to test the waters with Viv, hoping to confess his feelings in future.

Phil Tries to Thwart Reid’s Moves

In Ep 7, we find out that Phil has been aware of Reid’s advances and has even done a background check on him, unearthing that he’s prone to having romantic relations with his artists. Viv could easily be Reid’s latest muse.

Now, Phil and Viv haven’t been on been on the same page—especially since he used their joint account money for his campaign without first informing her.

This angers Viv, because she doesn’t think it’s wise to waste any of their personal capital on the campaign.

So when she goes to the San Diego Modern Art Fair alone and fails to mention Reid might be there, Phil begins to get anxious. He does just exactly what every insecure person does: shows up unannounced to the Art Fair to “check up” on his lady.

What first comes across as a sweet gesture then begins to shock Viv as she hears Phil accuse Reid of wooing his artists and implying to do with same with Viv. Reid replies that his relationship with Viv is strictly professional (debatable!)

While Viv leaves the party in fumes, she does have a heart to heart with Phil once back at the hotel. They dig into why over the years she began to resent Phil: Phil got to go on with his career, while she had to take the back seat and look after the kids.

She doesn’t regret this, but she is upset that now that she wants to kickstart her career, Phil tries to question it or make it worse as he did with his encounter with Reid. The conversation was a great scene that cleared the air but it brought the couple no closure.

Reid lets her know she’s free to decline if she feels uncomfortable due to Phil’s comments. But Viv in the spirit of “saving herself” continues to pursue her career route with Reid. 

While Reid has backed off for now (and no one can convince me he wasn’t flirting with Viv), Viv and Phil’s relationship is in a stalemate and there’s no telling how it will turn out in the future.

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.