Bel-Air, the dramatic reimagining of the Will Smith series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is returning this year for its second season. Joining the new series run is Tatyana Ali, who previously starred in the original 90s sitcom as Ashley, Will’s cousin, but this time around, will be taking on a different role in the series. The Peacock series made its debut last year and was a surprise hit considering the dedicated fan base the old sitcom still has; now, the story of Will (Jabari Banks) is heading into its new season, looking to continue that success.

The new trailer for Bel-Air season 2 revealed Ali’s inclusion in the series as Mrs. Hughes, the English teacher of Ashley, who is set to develop a strong relationship with Will’s cousin throughout the second season. While the return of Ali to the show will be a little bit of nostalgia for fans of the sitcom, her addition to the show as a new character also allows her to play a very different role this time around, especially given the new dramatic take on the characters.

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The new season will pick up directly from the end of season 1 and finds Will in the middle of a hard decision of whether to stay in Bel-Air or return to his more independent life in Philadelphia. As he contemplates the complex situation he finds himself in, there is a lot more drama to come from retelling the story of Will.

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When it was first announced that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was being rebooted, fans were instantly outraged at the thought. The subsequent details and trailer revealed that this would not be the same sitcom as Will Smith’s popular series but would instead be a straight-up drama based on the characters, raising many eyebrows. Since then, the first season completely changed the narrative of public opinion. After delivering not only a highly-rated drama series for Peacock, it also brought a record-breaking debut on the platform.

The show debuted in February 2022 and became the most-streamed original series on Peacock, gaining over 8 million viewers over the following months. Therefore, the second season renewal was not a decision that took too much time to make, and now fans are more than ready to welcome Will and his family back again for more Bel-Air drama. Showrunner Carla Banks Waddles teased the new season:

“In season 2, the show will continue to find ways to push the envelope and feel refreshing and unique while also honoring the heart of the legacy series. Last season was very much about the introduction to the Banks family world, and this season we get to go deeper with some of the themes we touched on — What it truly means to be a family even when it’s challenging. How do you rebuild trust within a family? How do you find your own way, your individualism within a family?"