It’s no secret that we at The Root love Bel-Air.
Apparently, we’re not the only ones, because Peacock touted the freshman drama’s success at its upfront presentation to advertisers. According to Deadline, Bel-Air has reached eight million accounts, making it the network’s most-streamed original series.
Based on the classic sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the show retells the story of Will’s (Jabari Banks) move from Philadelphia to Bel-Air, Calif. Season 1 saw familiar characters like Carlton, Geoffrey and Ashley taken in completely new and fascinating directions. The spectacular first season tackled issues like Will’s PTSD after being arrested, Carlton’s addiction and mental health issues, Ashley’s sexual identity journey and the struggle of being Black in predominently white spaces. An unapologetic celebration of Blackness, Bel-Air is already one of the best shows of 2022.
“We’re elated at the positive response to Bel-Air and that this passionate audience quickly solidified the series into the cultural zeitgeist,” Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming said. “Week after week, Bel-Air captivated audiences with buzzy cliffhangers and stunning ensemble performances, led by the unmatched Jabari Banks. We can’t wait for what’s in store for season two.”
In the season finale, Will finally learned the truth about his father Lou, played by Marlon Wayans. Turns out Lou was in prison and didn’t want Will to see him that way, so he made Vy and Phil promise to keep Will away. However, the reunion wasn’t the happy moment everyone hoped for, and things ended with Will walking out on Lou. Bel-Air has already been renewed for Season 2, so it will be interesting to see which direction the series goes and what familiar stories the show picks up.
NBC and Peacock put all their weight behind the show by premiering it on Super Bowl Sunday. The commercials were inescapable during the Winter Olympics–a marketing push Black series don’t usually get.
“The incredible performance of Bel-Air really demonstrates the power of culture-defining content,” Peacock president Kelly Campbell said. “Bel-Air is our most-streamed Peacock Original series and the third biggest title on the platform, breaking records for customer acquisition, viewership, and upgrades. We couldn’t be more excited to dive deeper into this story next season.”
The first season of Bel-Air is available to stream on Peacock.