Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The-Season 3 (1992)

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General		Extras
Category	Comedy	Main Menu Audio Featurette-Best Bits Of Bel-Air Featurette-Bel-Air Bloopers
Rating
Year Of Production	1992
Running Time	555:36 (Case: 552)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Multi Disc Set (4)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Language Select Then Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	2,4,5	Directed By	Debbie Allen Madeline Cripe Ellen Falcon Eddie Gorodetsky
Studio Distributor	NBC Productions Warner Home Video	Starring	Will Smith James Avery Janet Hubert-Whitten Daphne Reid Alfonso Ribeiro Karyn Parsons Tatyana Ali Joseph Marcell Ross Bagley Jeffrey A. Townes Nia Long Vernee Watson-Johnson Jenifer Lewis
Case	?
RPI	$39.95	Music	Quincy Jones III Tom Jones Marco Marinangeli

The third season of 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' marked several changes to the sitcom on-screen and off-screen, some for better, some for worse. The third series would be the last for actress Janet Hubert-Whitten who embodied the no-nonsense character of Will Smith's Aunt Vivian Smith-Banks. Off-screen Whitten was pregnant and as such her pregnancy was written into the series. It has since been reported Whitten left the show at the end of this series over contract issues and creative differences with Will Smith and her role within the series is much smaller than in previous seasons. Her departure marked a great loss to the series and has been noted by fans as the moment when the show 'jumped the shark'. Nevertheless, her character's pregnancy in the show is the centrepiece to the drama of the Banks' household.

For Smith the show continued its successful run on television in 1992/1993 and Smith was also seen in very different roles in Where the Day Takes You (1992), Made in America (1993) and Six Degrees of Separation (1993) all the while his fifth and last album with DJ Jazzy Jeff titled 'Code Red' spawned the hit hip-hop single "Boom! Shake the Room" which reached #13 on the US Charts and #1 in both the United Kingdom and Australia. His on-screen alter-ego is also given more adult issues to deal with including drug use, African American stereotypes and premarital intimacy.

Other characters onscreen also received successful makeovers; Philip "Zeke" Banks aka Uncle Phil through the season is appointed a judge all the while dealing with the issues of Hilary in a serious relationship, Will and Carlton in the process of College applications, Ashley attending High School and the fact he is going to be a father again. Hilary is now working fulltime as a weather girl on a local television station and in a serious relationship with Trevor Newsworthy, a newsman, both living in the pool house. Will and Carlton graduate in the final episode of the season and Ashley attends the same school as Will and Carlton as the school has become co-educational. Geoffrey the butler is also given much more character development as he is noted as a member of the family.

The writing of the show seems slightly more satirical then other seasons as there are many allusions to the social and political affairs of the era, including Bill Clinton and drug use, the Amy Fisher story and pop culture references to other sitcoms The Cosby Show and Family Matters. Overall the series is perhaps the best yet as it is centered on developing character arcs and the series also includes 'Just Say Yo' which is a rare dramatic episode. Also the narratives in some episodes are left open ended which works quite well. If there are any criticisms it is that Ashley is greatly underused and appears in scenes where it is convenient, but this is the consequence of the show's new-found orientation towards adult issues. Yet despite this change the humour is still very much present and the rapport between Will and Uncle Phil and Will and Carlton is excellent. Even more unbelievable is how the characterisation of Hilary is much like the Paris Hiltons of today.

DISC ONE

50. How I Spent My Summer Vacation (14 Sep 92)

Will, Carlton and Ashley return home from summer vacation in Philadelphia. Will's new look and attitude defies what Uncle Phil has taught him over the past three years and this causes Will to confront Uncle Phil about self- expression and freedom of choice.

51. Will Gets Committed (21 Sep 92)

The whole family return to their old home in L.A to help clean up after riots. Phillip and Vivian are confronted with what their lives were like and how they are able to make a difference now that they are wealthy. Vivian also reveals she is pregnant to the family.

52. That's No Lady, That's My Cousin (28 Sep 92)

Ashley begins high school at Will and Carlton's prep school which has become co-ed. After Ashley sees how Will and Carlton behave and objectify women she begins to act in a way which is similar to Will's preferences in women in an attempt to become popular at school.

53. Hilary Gets a Job (5 Oct 92)

Hilary is offered a job as a weather girl at a local television station.

54. Mama's Baby, Carlton's Maybe (12 Oct 92)

Carlton's ex girlfriend Cindy unexpectedly visits Carlton with a child and tells him he is the father. Phillip wants a blood test while Will can't help but point out that he for once is not in trouble.

55. P.S. I Love You (24 Oct 92)

Will is offered an endless amount of gifts in return for his company by a female student. Despite not being attracted to the student he accepts the gifts and questions whether or not he is taking advantage of her.

DISC TWO

56. Here Comes the Judge (26 Oct 92)

Will is arrested for unpaid parking tickets during Phillip's press conference where he announces he is running for superior Judge.

57. Boyz in the Woods (5 Nov 92)

Phillip takes Will and Carlton on a camping trip which sees them stumble from one disaster to another until they find a treasure trove of money.

58. A Night at the Oprah (9 Nov 92)

The Banks family is invited to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show and they gladly accept. The downside is that only immediate family are allowed to appear and no one wants to tell Will he won't be able to be a guest.

59. Asses to Ashes (16 Nov 92)

Will's decision to defend his Uncle after he loses the election to become a Judge sees Uncle Phil's opponent dead. Did Will have anything to do with his death?

60. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (23 Nov 92)

Will attends a Lamaze class to support Vivian. When he arrives he takes a shine to the pregnant Danny (Vanessa Williams) and discovers she is a sportswriter. She later takes Will to a game and on the way home delivers her baby much to Will's trepidation.

61. The Cold War (7 Dec 92)

Vivian and Phillip try to decide whether or not they want to know the sex of their child. Carlton is dumped by his latest girlfriend and in the midst of his depression Will decides to see Carlton's ex behind his back.

DISC THREE

62. Mommy Nearest (14 Dec 92)

Will's mother Vy arrives for a family reunion and tells Will she is looking forward to having him back in Philadelphia after he graduates. Will tries to break the news to his mother that he does not want to go to Philadelphia after graduation but wants to go to a college in California.

63. Winner Takes Off (4 Jan 93)

Will and Carton try to swindle Geoffrey and stage an elaborate con which convinces Geoffrey he has won 26 million dollars in the national lottery. Geoffrey's reaction and instant decision to quit his job leave Will and Carlton feeling guilty.

64. Robbing the Banks (18 Jan 93)

The Bank's home is robbed and the family is quick to accuse an ex-con handyman.

65. Bundle of Joy (25 Jan 93)

As the date of the birth of the baby approaches, each character fantasies about what the child would mean to them. Ashley feels she will be ignored, Hilary thinks she will have a servant, Geoffrey feels overwhelmed by the new addition and Vivian feels like she is having triplets.

66.The Best Laid Plans (1 Feb 93)

Will goes to extreme lengths to trick a girl into intimacy.

67. The Alma Matter (8 Feb 93)

Princeton surprisingly accepts Will as a candidate despite the fact that he doesn't want to go there. Following Will's example Carlton tries to act like Will during his interview and is turned down. Unable to tell his family he had been rejected he becomes depressed. Carlton's guardian angel - Tom Jones - then appears to him helping him see the light.

DISC FOUR

68. Just Say Yo (15 Feb 93)
Will is having difficulty trying to keep up with school, basketball practice, work and his girlfriend and he is offered amphetamines (speed) by a school friend. Unsure whether or not he will take them he places the drugs in his locker. Later that week Carlton accidentally takes the drugs thinking they are vitamins and collapses. Will takes him to the hospital and Carlton and Will make a pact that they will not tell Phillip and Vivian the truth but Will cannot live in denial.

69.The Baby Comes Out (22 Feb 93)

It is a week past the due date of the baby and everyone is tiring of Vivian's false alarms and leave her at home. When the baby is just about to be born, Phillip and Will are stuck in a lift, Carlton, Hilary and her aunts are at a beauty saloon and Geoffrey is injured. The only person who can help Vivian to get to the hospital is Ashley.

70. You Bet Your Life (1 Mar 93)

Will, Jazz and Carlton find themselves stuck in a bar-casino in Nevada during their road trip to look at Colleges. Carlton is found out to be a gambler after he is unable to restrain himself from a pokies machine and Will is forced to fight Riddick Brown, a Heavyweight boxing champ in the parking lot.

71. Ain't No Business Like Show Business (12 Apr 93)

D.L Hughley guest stars as Will's friend Keith, a comedian from Philadelphia who has come to L.A to feature in some comedy clubs. Will claims he too can be a comedian because he is funny while Keith claims there is much more than jokes to a comedy routine. Later that day Will attends an audition to support Keith and after the casting director sees Will perform a routine on a young woman, he is instantly hired. Will later tells Keith that he can learn a thing or two from him. Will is later given a nasty experience at the comedy club and Keith tries to rectify the situation.

72. The Way We Were (3 May 93)

A flashback episode in which Hilary, Carlton, Ashley and Will reminisce about the past as they put a scrapbook together to celebrate Phillip and Vivian renewing their vows on their anniversary. This episode marks Janet Hubert Whitten's final appearance.

73. Six Degrees of Graduation (10 May 93)

Carlton is named Valedictorian and is nervous about his speech at graduation and Will is forced to join a junior class in order to pass music. To further embarrassment Will has to perform at graduation with the junior class in a rendition of "You are my Sunshine" dressed as a sunflower.

Video

The show is presented in full frame in the aspect ratio of 1.29:1 and the quality of the transfer continues to become better with each released box set. Originally broadcast in 1992/1993, the show is over a decade old and the image quality is quite good. There is a lack of sharpness and minor incidents of colour bleeding but on the whole the picture quality is pleasant to look at as there is very minimal grain and excellent colour definition. The picture is perhaps overtly bright but remains clear and subtitles are true to the onscreen action and dialogue.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

The 2.0 English Dolby Digital soundtrack is also commendable. There are no defects in the soundtrack, dialogue is clear and audible and sound effects are well balanced. For those who know the show well sound effects play a major part in the humour as does the music. There are no major musical cues in the series despite the variations of the theme tune except for Tom Jones’ and Carlton’s rendition of ‘It’s Not Unusual’ in 67. The Alma Matter (8 Feb 93). Overall a satisfactory soundtrack for the sitcom.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Main Menu Audio

A still image of a family portrait with the first few bars of the theme looped

Best of the Upper Bel-Air Crust: Season 3 Highlights

A montage of select highlights with text indicating facts about cast and crew. One example notes James Avery (Phillip Banks) is also the voice of Shredder in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated show. (8:27)

Bel-Air Bloopers

The gaffes and misread cues all shown together and unedited. Many featured in the end credit sequences of the show. The last few are gems.(7:09)

The NTSC R1 version of this DVD set misses out on:

• German Dolby Digital 1.0 (192Kb/s) audio
• Hungarian Dolby Digital 1.0 (192Kb/s) audio
• Spanish Dolby Digital 1.0 (192Kb/s) audio
• English for the Hearing Impaired subtitles
• German subtitles
• German for the Hearing Impaired subtitles
• Greek subtitles
• Hebrew subtitles
• Portuguese subtitles

The PAL R4 version of this DVD set misses out on:

• French subtitles

The third season of 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' marked several changes to the sitcom on-screen and off-screen, some for better, some for worse. With a new-found orientation towards adult issues the show embodied both drama and humour and sadly saw the loss of a major cast member. The transfer and soundtrack is satisfactory and the extras are relevant to the main feature.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall