The Best Episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   9.7/10(4803 votes)

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   #1 - Papa's Got a Brand-New Excuse

   S4:E245/9/1994

   Ben Vereen plays Will's long-lost father, who breezes into town and promises Will the moon, which angers an unforgiving Philip.

   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writers:David Zuckerman, Bill Boulware

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   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writers:David Zuckerman, Bill Boulware
2. 

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   9.0/10(1093 votes)

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   #2 - I, Done (2)

   S6:E245/20/1996

   The Banks move out. The Jeffersons are about to move in. And Will turns out the lights.

   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writer:Jeff Pollack

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   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writer:Jeff Pollack
3. 

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   8.8/10(1067 votes)

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   #3 - Just Say Yo

   S3:E192/15/1993

   Will learns a sobering lesson after Carlton pops the wrong pills from Will's locker, mistaking amphetamines for vitamins, and winds up in hospital.

   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writer:Efrem Seeger

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   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writer:Efrem Seeger
4. 

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   8.5/10(1490 votes)

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   #4 - Mistaken Identity

   S1:E610/15/1990

   Jailed, Will and Carlton stage a media stunt.

   Director:Jeff Melman

   Writers:Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz

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   Director:Jeff Melman

   Writers:Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz
5. 

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   8.5/10(870 votes)

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   #5 - Bullets Over Bel-Air

   S5:E152/6/1995

   A planned camping trip is cut short for Carlton and Will when a robber approaches them at an automated bank-teller machine - and fires a gun.

   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writers:Maiya Williams, Eddie Gorodetsky

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   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writers:Maiya Williams, Eddie Gorodetsky
6. 

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   8.2/10(1018 votes)

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   #6 - Banks Shot

   S1:E222/25/1991

   Will crawls to Philip for help after sneaking out on the town and getting hustled by sleazy pool sharks.

   Director:Jeff Melman

   Writer:Bennie R. Richburg Jr.

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   Director:Jeff Melman

   Writer:Bennie R. Richburg Jr.
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7. 

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   8.2/10(821 votes)

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   #7 - Strip-Tease for Two

   S2:E245/4/1992

   Will and Carlton lose their shirts investing on a tip - then take jobs as strippers to recoup their losses and get Vivian's bracelet out of hock.

   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writers:Leslie Ray, David Steven Simon

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   Director:Shelley Jensen

   Writers:Leslie Ray, David Steven Simon
8. 

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   8.1/10(1001 votes)

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   #8 - 72 Hours

   S1:E233/11/1991

   Will challenges Carlton to spend time in a tough neighborhood, trying to survive by masquerading as a financial consultant.

   Director:Rae Kraus

   Writer:Rob Edwards

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   Director:Rae Kraus

   Writer:Rob Edwards
9. 

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   8.1/10(758 votes)

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   #9 - Winner Takes Off

   S3:E141/4/1993

   Geoffrey humiliates himself by insulting the Banks family and quitting his job when Will and Carlton trick him into thinking he has won millions of dollars in the lottery.

   Director:Werner Walian

   Writer:Casey Maxwell Clair

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   Director:Werner Walian

   Writer:Casey Maxwell Clair
10. 

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    8.0/10(1047 votes)

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    #10 - Knowledge is Power

    S1:E1311/26/1990

    Hilary becomes Will's personal maid when he threatens to disclose she's dropped out of UCLA.

    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writer:Rob Edwards

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    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writer:Rob Edwards
11. 

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    8.0/10(753 votes)

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    #11 - Boyz in the Woods

    S3:E811/5/1992

    Philip takes Will and Carlton on a camping trip that turns out to be a disaster when snow traps the unhappy campers.

    Director:Chuck Vinson

    Writer:Samm-Art Williams

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    Director:Chuck Vinson

    Writer:Samm-Art Williams
12. 

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    8.0/10(726 votes)

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    #12 - Will Goes a-Courtin'

    S4:E610/18/1993

    When Phillip sues Will and Carlton for unpaid rent, two different versions of the dispute are aired - neither entirely truthful.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Bill Boulware

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Bill Boulware
13. 

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    8.0/10(693 votes)

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    #13 - I, Done (1)

    S6:E235/20/1996

    The mansion's for sale and everybody's in the fast lane... except Will, who's stuck on life's soft shoulder.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Jeff Pollack

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Jeff Pollack
14. 

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    7.9/10(1773 votes)

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    #14 - The Fresh Prince Project

    S1:E19/10/1990

    Aunt Vivian tries to mediate between her husband Philip and the newly arrived Will.

    Director:Debbie Allen

    Writers:Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz

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    Director:Debbie Allen

    Writers:Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz
15. 

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    7.9/10(708 votes)

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    #15 - The Alma Matter

    S3:E182/8/1993

    Depressed and suicidal over having ruined his chances of attending Princeton University, Carlton is visited by his Guardian Angel, who shows him how awful the Banks family would be if he weren't alive.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Bryan Winter

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Bryan Winter
16. 

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    7.9/10(678 votes)

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    #16 - Home is Where the Heart Attack Is

    S4:E1011/15/1993

    Will sneaks greasy, high-fat foods to Philip after he promises to diet and exercise, then blames himself when Philip has a heart attack.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Eddie Gorodetsky

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Eddie Gorodetsky
17. 

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    7.8/10(973 votes)

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    #17 - It Had to Be You

    S1:E192/4/1991

    Will has girl problems after a date with Jazz's domineering sister, who's ready to pick out a china pattern before the night is over.

    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writer:Cheryl Gard

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    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writer:Cheryl Gard
18. 

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    7.8/10(819 votes)

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    #18 - Will Gets a Job

    S2:E39/23/1991

    Will tries to juggle school and a new job in order to earn money for the homecoming party, at the same time Ashley's classmate Tina becomes interested in Carlton. Will starts becoming paranoid when he constantly is getting confused with Carlton.

    Director:Ellen Gittelsohn

    Writer:Efrem Seeger

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    Director:Ellen Gittelsohn

    Writer:Efrem Seeger
19. 

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    7.8/10(808 votes)

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    #19 - The Butler Did It

    S2:E1111/25/1991

    Bell Biv DeVoe shoots a video at the Bankses, courtesy of Carlton, who rents the house while his parents are away.

    Director:Ellen Gittelsohn

    Writer:Bryan Winter

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    Director:Ellen Gittelsohn

    Writer:Bryan Winter
20. 

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    7.8/10(653 votes)

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    #20 - The Philadelphia Story

    S4:E265/23/1994

    Will returns to the City of Brotherly Love and discovers he's the butt of old friends' jokes, prompting him to go into training to settle an old score and clear his reputation as a chicken.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writers:Maiya Williams, Eddie Gorodetsky

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writers:Maiya Williams, Eddie Gorodetsky
21. 

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    7.7/10(1236 votes)

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    #21 - Not with My Pig, You Don't

    S1:E410/1/1990

    Will tries to smooth things between Philip and his very rural parents when they visit to see him receive an award.

    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writer:Lisa Rosenthal

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    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writer:Lisa Rosenthal
22. 

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    7.7/10(1030 votes)

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    #22 - Courting Disaster

    S1:E1111/12/1990

    Carlton feels overshadowed by Will, who's become a basketball star at school.

    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writers:Sandy Frank, Lisa Rosenthal

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    Director:Jeff Melman

    Writers:Sandy Frank, Lisa Rosenthal
23. 

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    7.7/10(800 votes)

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    #23 - Cased Up

    S2:E911/11/1991

    A pompous lawyer who's dating Hilary is no fan of Will's after he's sideswiped by Will's roadster.

    Director:Ellen Gittelsohn

    Writer:Bennie R. Richburg Jr.

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    Director:Ellen Gittelsohn

    Writer:Bennie R. Richburg Jr.
24. 

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    7.7/10(728 votes)

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    #24 - Mama's Baby, Carlton's Maybe

    S3:E510/12/1992

    Carlton prepares for a dinner date with his former girlfriend, Cindy (Lark Voorhees), forgiving her for rejecting him several months earlier, but when she arrives with a newborn baby named Carlton Jr., the entire Banks family is stunned.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Michael Fry

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writer:Michael Fry
25. 

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    7.7/10(726 votes)

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    #25 - A Night at the Oprah

    S3:E911/9/1992

    The Bankses appear on Oprah's show and fail to invite Will on-stage, which may cause Philip to lose the election.

    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writers:Leslie Ray, David Steven Simon

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    Director:Shelley Jensen

    Writers:Leslie Ray, David Steven Simon