Bel-Air Season 2 Early Renewal Made It Easier To Write Show
When Bel-Air was picked up by Peacock for two seasons, co-showrunner Morgan Cooper felt that the writing process became much easier. The dramatic reboot of the '90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has received mostly positive feedback from critics and audiences. As the show nears its season 1 finale, Cooper discussed feeling confident in having more room for the storytelling he has planned for the second season.
The idea for the Bel-Air reboot came about when, in 2019, Cooper uploaded a fan trailer he made that reimagined The Fresh Prince of Bel Air as a dramatic series. The trailer went viral and ended up grabbing the attention of Will Smith himself, who approved the concept. Smith was made an executive producer along with TJ Brady, Rasheed Newson, and Cooper, who also directed the pilot. Peacock gave the reboot a two-season order, allowing an easier writing process for the creative team, according to Cooper.
In an interview with Collider, Cooper spoke at length about the inception of the original Bel-Air trailer, the development of the series with Smith's Westbrook Inc. and Peacock, and filming the pilot. He also discussed the casting and arcs of Will (Jabari Banks) and Carlton (Olly Sholotan) and how they compare to the original series. When asked about how he senses season 2 will look like, Cooper responded:
"That’s a great question. It was really amazing, the fact that Peacock believed enough in this vision to grant us a two-season order. That’s really helpful because we know that we have two seasons to write to. If it’s just one season, then that can and shape the way that you approach some of the storytelling. Knowing that we have that runway has just been super beneficial in allowing us to really open our minds to the possibilities, knowing that we’re writing two seasons instead of one. We see so much potential in these characters."
While the idea for a Fresh Prince reboot was initially met with much hesitation online, elements such as the style and character updates have made audiences soften up on Bel-Air. The tension between Will and Carlton has become particularly noteworthy and with a second season happening, it will be interesting to see where Cooper and company will take their relationship. The first season has already adapted several storylines from the original series and has made significant changes for the better. If this adds to the potential that Cooper is hoping for in Bel-Air season 2, then it could go in directions that the sitcom never went before.
Television reboots can be a slippery slope. Any reimagining of a series can be destined for failure. Since its premiere in 1990, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has had a strong following among sitcom viewers and '90s fans, considered to be one of the very best. Dramatic reboots are still a common trend in the year 2022, but Cooper had a clear vision in mind as a creator, a filmmaker, and a fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Part of the reason why Bel-Air has so far worked as a series is because it's being made by people who care about the legacy of the original show. It was clearly a strong enough vision for Peacock to be confident in it and give it two seasons. The potential is still there and it'll only be telling where the season finale will take the show.
Related: Collider