When you talk with people about all-time great '90s sitcoms, there is no doubt that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will be mentioned. The show successfully grabbed the baton from the Huxtables in an effort to show white America the black experience under different economic circumstances. Uncle Phil (the civil rights activist, turned Judge) and wife Vivian (an accomplished Doctor) are devoted illustrations of such. Their children, Hilary, Carlton and Ashley, were afforded an abundant of resources, which is why Will’s role was so vital to be the representative from the other side of the tracks, merging two black worlds into one. He constantly flashed the light on the harsh reality, whether it be police misconduct or discrimination.
For all that Will accomplished in those six seasons, very few compare to that heart-wrenching scene in the “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” episode, involving himself, his biological father, Lou and Uncle Phil.
The episode began with Will not being able to recognize his father at the campus eatery before Lou introduced himself. Surprisingly, Will invites him to the house to meet the rest of the family, despite a 14-year disappearance. The family may have been passive aggressive or just downright cold, particularly Phil, but the self-assured prince still yearned to fill that deep-rooted void. So determined and eager for his father’s acceptance, he even denounced the parental efforts of Uncle Phil over the past four years.
Will wanted only to be with his father for the rest of that summer and beyond. All of this for nothing, as Lou took the first opportunity to skip out on this responsibility, yet again. The final conversation between the two felt inevitable, seeing how uncomfortable Lou appeared that entire episode. At the end of the day, he was too shameful and cowardly to overcome the regretful feelings.
Uncle Phil stood there as it all took place and offered up words of encouragement, but in the process, triggered an outburst held deep inside Will for over a decade. Chills were sent through each and every viewer as they watched one of the most, compelling scenes in television history. Relatability draws audiences to shows. A portion of the live audience cried during the taping of this scene if you listen closely.
This sequence highlighted the effects of a deserted, mistreated child in their adulthood. Lou abandoned Will for selfish reasons and never wanted to correct those mistakes. As he put it: “Just wasn’t ready to be a father. Started feeling trapped one day. I just panicked and ran.” Too many times the focus is on what can’t be done and attempting to change the past, than being a key factor in the healing process.
Ultimately, the onus is left on the victim, in this case Will, to right the wrongs of the absentee. That amount of weight is what draws so many emotions from us as viewers. We all have burdens. Despite doing all he could to mask the pain by way of humor or optimism, there was no hiding it any longer.
The importance of this scene can’t be stressed enough. Acting takes comfortability with vulnerability, but even more important, Smith was insightful. The country was given a taste of the emotional trauma black children carry in a world that praises their courage and strength without regard for overall well-being. Black male masculinity, in particular, comes with great restraint and judgment. Passion, tears and the sorts are encouraged to a degree until that imaginary leash eventually yanks — causing suppression. Those bottled up emotions result into what Will displayed, and what Cuba Gooding Jr. unleashed in Boyz in the Hood, as he cried in Nia Long’s lap after facing police harassment.
Now an icon, Will Smith may be known more notably as Robert Neville from I am Legend, Agent J from Men in Black or his portrayal of Muhammad Ali. Each one captivating in their own regard, containing a lasting profound moment.
For Fresh Prince and sitcoms of its decade, this scene is just that.
