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The Best Episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 1

Every episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Season 1!

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

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"The Fresh Prince Project" is the best rated episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" season 1. It scored 7.9/10 based on 1686 votes. Directed by Debbie Allen and written by Andy Borowitz, Susan Borowitz, it aired on 9/10/1990. This episode is rated 0.4 points higher than the second-best, "Bang the Drum, Ashley".

  • The Fresh Prince Project
    7.9/101,686 votes

    #1 - 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

  • Bang the Drum, Ashley
    7.5/101,338 votes

    #2 - Bang the Drum, Ashley

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/17/1990

    Will persuades Ashley to pawn her violin for a drum set.

    Director: Debbie Allen

    Writer: Shannon Gaughan

  • Clubba Hubba
    7.3/101,214 votes

    #3 - Clubba Hubba

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/24/1990

    Will wants to go out with a beautiful girl he meets at the country club, but first he must figure out how to impress her extremely snobbish and very protective father so he seeks tips from cousin Carlton on becoming preppie.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Rob Edwards

  • Not with My Pig, You Don't
    7.7/101,190 votes

    #4 - 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

  • Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy
    7.5/101,162 votes

    #5 - Homeboy, Sweet Homeboy

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/8/1990

    Will gets a visit from an old pal named Ice Tray, who, to Vivian and Philip's dismay, warms up to Hilary.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Samm-Art Williams

  • Mistaken Identity
    8.5/101,433 votes

    #6 - 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

  • Def Poet's Society
    7.5/101,075 votes

    #7 - Def Poet's Society

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/22/1990

    Will joins his prep school's poetry club.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: John Bowman

  • Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect (1)
    6.3/101,076 votes

    #8 - Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect (1)

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 10/29/1990

    Carlton and Will, babe magnets. Who will be first to get a date for Hilary's Halloween party?

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: N/A

  • Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect (2)
    6.6/101,024 votes

    #9 - Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect (2)

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 10/29/1990

    Carlton and Will, babe magnets. Who will be first to get a date for Hilary's Halloween party?

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Bennie R. Richburg Jr.

  • Kiss My Butler
    7.3/10993 votes

    #10 - Kiss My Butler

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/5/1990

    Happy birthday Geoffrey! For a gift, Will tries matchmaking, then falls for Geoffrey's date himself.

    Director: Rita Rogers Blye

    Writer: Sandy Frank

  • Courting Disaster
    7.7/101,000 votes

    #11 - 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

  • Talking Turkey
    7.3/10931 votes

    #12 - Talking Turkey

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 11/19/1990

    A holiday visit from Will's taskmaster mother puts the kibosh on conspicuous consumption and puts the kids to work preparing Thanksgiving dinner.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Cheryl Gard

  • Knowledge is Power
    8.0/101,007 votes

    #13 - 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

  • Day Damn One
    7.1/10914 votes

    #14 - Day Damn One

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/3/1990

    Will tells Ashley's slumber party guests a scary tale about his first day at Bel-Air Academy.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Cheryl Gard

  • Deck the Halls
    7.4/10924 votes

    #15 - Deck the Halls

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 12/10/1990

    Will inimitably dresses the mansion for the holidays, to the dismay of the neighbors, including heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Shannon Gaughan

  • The Lucky Charm
    7.5/10895 votes

    #16 - The Lucky Charm

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/7/1991

    Philip may lose a superstitious client whom he advises not to make decisions based on Will's spontaneous remarks.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Samm-Art Williams

  • The Ethnic Tip
    7.4/10907 votes

    #17 - The Ethnic Tip

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/14/1991

    Will proposes a black history class be instituted at Bel-Air Academy, and gets a surprise when Aunt Viv arrives to teach it.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Jeff Pollack, Benny Medina

  • The Young and the Restless
    7.4/10892 votes

    #18 - The Young and the Restless

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1/21/1991

    Will sneaks Philip's elderly mother out of the house for a night on the town.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Lisa Rosenthal

  • It Had to Be You
    7.8/10935 votes

    #19 - 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

  • Nice Lady
    7.3/10883 votes

    #20 - Nice Lady

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/11/1991

    Fresh Prince Will is on his best behavior for visiting royalty - the seemingly demure Lady Penelope, who Will hopes to persuade to let herself have a good time at a party.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Sandy Frank

  • Love at First Fight
    7.3/10875 votes

    #21 - Love at First Fight

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/18/1991

    Jasmine Guy plays a scholarship student whose introduction to Will opens up a different world of fun and games - and romance - to divert her from her studies.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Lisa Rosenthal, Samm-Art Williams

  • Banks Shot
    8.1/10996 votes

    #22 - 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
    8.1/10979 votes

    #23 - 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

  • Just Infatuation
    7.3/10867 votes

    #24 - Just Infatuation

    Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 4/29/1991

    R&B singer Tevin Campbell plays teen idol Little T, who surprises Ashley on her birthday with a special song and an invitation for a date.

    Director: Jeff Melman

    Writer: Jeff Pollack, Benny Medina

  • Working It Out
    7.2/10859 votes

    #25 - Working It Out

    Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 5/6/1991

    Rap's Queen Latifah plays Hilary's new actress boss, who wants Will as her boy toy - or Hilary's glamorous job is over.

    Director: Rita Rogers Blye

    Writer: Shannon Gaughan