The Nerds of Color has steadily followed the hype and news around Peacock’s upcoming series Bel-Air, a reimagined take on the classic ’90s sitcom that starred Will Smith, James Avery, and Janet Hubert, and today they dropped an official teaser for the show.
The series doesn’t have an official release date for 2022, but the teaser seems to capture the essence of what the original sitcom brought to the culture. T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson serve as Bel-Air’s Co-Showrunners and Executive Producers, and they spoke on the impact of getting to bring director Morgan Cooper’s homage to the classic, to life.
When asked about what fans can expect from this new series, the co-showrunners had the following to say:
“At its heart, Bel-Air is a coming-of-age story that celebrates the strength and love of the Black family. We have stayed true to the original premise of the legacy series – Will’s life is turned upside down after he is forced to leave West Philly and lands in Bel-Air with its gated mansions and wealth, however, our new series brings Will and the Banks family into the world as we know it now. It’s been incredible to bring these iconic characters to life when you tap them into the cultural pulse of our time. The series was the fabric of so many of our upbringings, tied to memories and the joy of seeing ourselves represented on TV so it is important to us to pay respect to its legacy.
Cooper, the series’ director, co-writer, and executive producer talked about his approach to the show after putting together the viral fan short film in 2019:
“My approach to the series started with a deep focus on tone and really being intentional with my creative choices. I’m inspired by a lot of things as a director; it could be a random conversation, memories from my past, it could be art, music, fashion. Everything can be inspiration, and having a two-season order gives us the opportunity to go infinitely deeper narratively, visually, and aesthetically. I think that with Bel-Air we have created something unique and honest.
Bel-Air is set to arrive some time in 2022 streaming on Peacock.
