Will Smith hasn't done a Fresh Prince spin-off or revival. He loves to force his children into everything and he could have his whole family on the show. The only person that can't come back is the late James Avery but he could have sitcom focusing on Will as an adult.
if I remember right, he's not a huge fan of it, but mainly I think because he thought he was a horrible actor during that period. But he's also always been a good sport with it, popping up to sing the theme here and there.
way more risk than reward. Would be really difficult to put out something that is modern to keep audiences, while keeping the old charm that got people originally. Odds are it would have massive ratings for a few episodes and then has a chance to turn real ugly.
(01-25-2016 11:35 PM)_C2_ Wrote: [ -> ]Will Smith hasn't done a Fresh Prince spin-off or revival. He loves to force his children into everything and he could have his whole family on the show. The only person that can't come back is the late James Avery but he could have sitcom focusing on Will as an adult.
The was good for the time it was on, no need to live on past glory like that.
However, him and Jazzy Jeff need to back in the studio and start kicking out jams again.
Here's something interesting: Last year Will Smith was older than James Avery was in the opening season of the show. Hard to believe.
I agree with others though, a new spin-off/reboot would not work today and the show would likely get canned after a year. If they wanted to entertain something they should consider a one time special reunion episode like shows used to do in the past (sitcoms like The Brady Bunch and Saved By the Bell have done these). A good premise of the show could be they all return to Bel Air to attend Uncle Phil's funeral and Will agrees to take in Ashley's troubled teen-aged son.
(01-26-2016 04:52 PM)MemTigerFan Wrote: [ -> ]way more risk than reward. Would be really difficult to put out something that is modern to keep audiences, while keeping the old charm that got people originally. Odds are it would have massive ratings for a few episodes and then has a chance to turn real ugly.
I'm sure it could find a niche on one of those random cable channels like all of those random sitcoms on random networks, like a Comedy Central. They don't have to be on a major network in primetime.
(01-26-2016 05:05 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote: [ -> ]The was good for the time it was on, no need to live on past glory like that.
However, him and Jazzy Jeff need to back in the studio and start kicking out jams again.
You have it in reverse. The biggest criticisms of Will's raps over the years was that they weren't gangsta enough, that they didn't "keep it real," whatever that means. He even bragged about it at the MTV Awards one year (Eminem joked about it on "the Real Slim Shady)." They really wouldn't translate today.
Meanwhile, tFPBA has been off the air for two full decades and it would be fresh to get an update. A reunion, as suggested above, would only leave people asking for more, especially if it was really good.
I don't think this would work today, as a spin off, is because the show is about the fish out of water aspect, AND the dynamic between the grumpy uncle forced to be a father to his wife's nephew, who also reminded him of himself as a kid, and the smart assed kid moving in. Any retooling would have to basically be an entire different premise, with just the updated versions of the kid characters as adults.
It would not work today, as a reboot, because none of the children characters could play the type of role that Avery did, which made the show work, without being completely unfaithful to their old characters.
I think a similar show could work today, but it would be hard to have it in the same TV universe, be believable, AND retain the original fanbase. Similar to how the Brady Bunch reunions never worked, but the exact same show, with a different cast (Step by Step) did.
That's why I said spin-off, not reboot. They pick up most of the same characters but create a new premise, as you argued above. It wouldn't even have to center around Will, he could just be a supporting or background character.
Seems to be the consensus is a no on this but it could work as a TBS or Freeform (ABC Family) type show that runs for a few years in syndication imo. We're not talking about NBC's next biggest thing for the next (half of a) decade.
I liked the original a lot.... but I don't see someone out there in the landscape that could be the young, energetic, clean cut, hip hop star looking to make it in acting as well and pull off the "essence" of TFPoBA.
(01-26-2016 04:52 PM)MemTigerFan Wrote: [ -> ]way more risk than reward. Would be really difficult to put out something that is modern to keep audiences, while keeping the old charm that got people originally. Odds are it would have massive ratings for a few episodes and then has a chance to turn real ugly.