Peacock renewedBel-Airfor a fourth and final season,two fewer seasons (and many less episodes) thanThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.The series reboots the 1990s sitcom starring Will Smith and premiered in 2022. In a world where reboots, revivals, and sequels seemingly exceed the number of original shows,Bel-Airtakes a different route and “reimagines"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s tone, turning its story into a modern drama.Bel-Air’s risk semi-paid off as it received mixed-to-positive reviews, with some critics applauding the series for its fresh take on the popular sitcom, while others found it too melodramatic.
Peacock has not confirmed a release date forBel-Airseason 4 yet, but filming will reportedly begin in late spring of 2025, meaning the episodes likely won’t premiere until the beginning of 2026 at the earliest.
Although it’s disappointing that season 4 will be the show’s last, Peacock renewingBel-Airfor one final season instead of simply canceling it is great news. Given what happened atthe end ofBel-Airseason 3, the series needs time to close out its story. The finale concluded on many cliffhangers, including Lamarcus' unknown fate, the reveal that Viv is pregnant, and Will’s kidnapping. So, at the very least,Bel-Airfans will get answers and (hopefully) a satisfying ending for every character and overarching story.
Bel-Air Has Been Renewed For Its Fourth And Final Season
Budget Issues Reportedly Played A Role In Bel-Air’s Cancelation
In December 2024 (a few months after the reboot’s season 3 finale), Peacock announced that it was cancelingBel-Air, but not before it could properly finish its story with a fourth season. According toDeadline, sources claimthat conversations about budgetary concerns preceded the cancelation.So, the decision reportedly took so long because of these monetary discussions.
Bel-Air Season 4 Can Finally Recreate One Of Will Smith’s Saddest Fresh Prince Scenes
The fourth season of Bel-Air has an opportunity to create one of Will Smith’s saddest scenes from the 1990 sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
While Peacock has not confirmed or denied the reasoning behindBel-Air’s cancelation, the show’s budget likely played a role in the streaming service’s decision to end it. Nevertheless, the writers now have the time and space needed to thoughtfully wrap up the reboot’s story. The good news is thatBel-Airwon’t end on a cliffhanger.However, the bad news is that the drama series will fall short of the sitcom’s run in the 1990s.
Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Concluded After 148 Episodes
Bel-Air Won’t Even Make It To 40 Episodes
WhereasBel-Airis ending with season 4,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airran for six seasons on NBC. Additionally, the above report fromDeadlinestates that the reboot’s final outing will only consist of eight episodes, two short of the episode counts in every other season. In total,Bel-Airwill only release 38 episodes, 110 fewer than how many episodes the 1990s sitcom produced.
6
148
83%
7.9
4
38
85%
6.4
It was alwaysgoing to be difficult forBel-Airto compete with its predecessor.As a result, it’s not surprising it’s ending before reachingThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s season and episode count.The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airwas a major successas it was nominated for and won many awards. It also remains one of the most popular sitcoms (some might even sayThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airranks among the greatest sitcoms ever) to this day.
Ultimately,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airhad an undeniable and irreplicable impact on TV and pop culture, meaningBel-Aircould never surpass its success.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airwas beloved when it was airing,and more than three decades later, it’s become a cult classic. It also propelled Will Smith, one ofthe most successful actors in Hollywood, to stardom. Ultimately,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Airhad an undeniable and irreplicable impact on TV and pop culture, meaningBel-Aircould never surpass its success. However, that doesn’t mean that the Peacock drama can’t carve out its own legacy.
How Much Of Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’s Story Bel-Air Has Covered
The Reboot Won’t Be Able To Cover Everything From The Original Show
AlthoughBel-Airis so different from Will Smith’sFresh Prince of Bel-Air, the newer series has still adapted many of the sitcom’s plotlines. For example,the Peacock drama covered Will and his father’s complex dynamic,Hilary and Jazz’s relationship, Aunt Viv’s pregnancy, Carlton’s addiction, Hilary’s marriage’s traumatic end, and more. However, while the reboot pulls inspiration fromThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, it typically gives a different take on each storyline. At this point inBel-Air, following the season 3 finale, both shows' plots have diverged significantly, making it unclear which stories season 4 will adapt or if the reboot will carve its own ending.
