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The Best Episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Every episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air!

Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to live with his Uncle Philip, Aunt Vivian, his cousins...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:NBC

Best Episodes Summary

"Papa's Got a Brand-New Excuse" is the best rated episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". It scored 9.7/10 based on 3441 votes. Directed by Shelley Jensen and written by David Zuckerman, Bill Boulware, it aired on 5/9/1994. This episode scored 0.8 points higher than the second highest rated, "I, Done (2)".

  • Papa's Got a Brand-New Excuse
    9.7/103,441 votes
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    #1 - Papa's Got a Brand-New Excuse

    Season 4 Episode 24 - Aired 5/9/1994

    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

    Writer: David Zuckerman, Bill Boulware

  • I, Done (2)
    8.9/101,079 votes
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    #2 - I, Done (2)

    Season 6 Episode 24 - Aired 5/20/1996

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

    Director: Shelley Jensen

    Writer: Jeff Pollack

  • Just Say Yo
    8.8/101,046 votes
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    #3 - Just Say Yo

    Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 2/15/1993

    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

  • Mistaken Identity
    8.5/101,437 votes
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    #4 - Mistaken Identity

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/15/1990

    Jailed, Will and Carlton stage a media stunt.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz

  • Bullets Over Bel-Air
    8.5/10867 votes
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    #5 - Bullets Over Bel-Air

    Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 2/6/1995

    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

    Writer: Eddie Gorodetsky, Maiya Williams

  • Strip-Tease for Two
    8.2/10822 votes
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    #6 - Strip-Tease for Two

    Season 2 Episode 24 - Aired 5/4/1992

    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

    Writer: Leslie Ray, David Steven Simon

  • Banks Shot
    8.1/10997 votes
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    #7 - Banks Shot

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 2/25/1991

    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.

  • 72 Hours
    8.1/10982 votes
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    #8 - 72 Hours

    Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 3/11/1991

    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

  • Winner Takes Off
    8.1/10756 votes
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    #9 - Winner Takes Off

    Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 1/4/1993

    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

  • Knowledge is Power
    8.0/101,010 votes
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    #10 - Knowledge is Power

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 11/26/1990

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

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Rob Edwards

  • Boyz in the Woods
    8.0/10757 votes
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    #11 - Boyz in the Woods

    Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/5/1992

    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

  • Will Goes a-Courtin'
    8.0/10735 votes
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    #12 - Will Goes a-Courtin'

    Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 10/18/1993

    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

  • I, Done (1)
    8.0/10707 votes
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    #13 - I, Done (1)

    Season 6 Episode 23 - Aired 5/20/1996

    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

  • The Fresh Prince Project
    7.9/101,687 votes
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    #14 - The Fresh Prince Project

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/10/1990

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

    Director: Debbie Allen

    Writer: Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz

  • The Alma Matter
    7.9/10715 votes
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    #15 - The Alma Matter

    Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 2/8/1993

    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

  • Home is Where the Heart Attack Is
    7.9/10688 votes
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    #16 - Home is Where the Heart Attack Is

    Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 11/15/1993

    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

  • It Had to Be You
    7.8/10936 votes
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    #17 - It Had to Be You

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/4/1991

    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

  • Will Gets a Job
    7.8/10821 votes
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    #18 - Will Gets a Job

    Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 9/23/1991

    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

  • The Butler Did It
    7.8/10809 votes
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    #19 - The Butler Did It

    Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 11/25/1991

    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

  • The Philadelphia Story
    7.8/10663 votes
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    #20 - The Philadelphia Story

    Season 4 Episode 26 - Aired 5/23/1994

    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

    Writer: Eddie Gorodetsky, Maiya Williams

  • Not with My Pig, You Don't
    7.7/101,191 votes
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    #21 - Not with My Pig, You Don't

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/1/1990

    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

  • Courting Disaster
    7.7/101,002 votes
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    #22 - Courting Disaster

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 11/12/1990

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

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Sandy Frank, Lisa Rosenthal

  • Cased Up
    7.7/10804 votes
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    #23 - Cased Up

    Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 11/11/1991

    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.

  • A Night at the Oprah
    7.7/10733 votes
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    #24 - A Night at the Oprah

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/9/1992

    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

    Writer: Leslie Ray, David Steven Simon

  • Robbing the Banks
    7.7/10695 votes
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    #25 - Robbing the Banks

    Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 1/18/1993

    Philip is quick to judge an ex-con Will urged him to hire as a handyman and temporary assistant after the house is robbed.

    Director: Shelley Jensen

    Writer: Winifred Hervey