Bel-Air was a pleasant surprise when it debuted in 2022. The Peacock series had big shoes to fill, as it was trying to put a gritty spin on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, and it managed to pull it off. The first season earned positive reviews from critics, and the second season even earned three NAACP Image nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.
Fans were undoubtedly thrilled when Bel-Air was renewed, becoming Peacock’s most viewed original series and the first to reach three seasons. The celebration was short-lived, however, as Variety has confirmed that Bel-Air will be delayed indefinitely due to the ongoing writers and actors strike.
It was only a matter of time. Bel-Air joins the countless other shows that have had to be pushed back due to the lack of talent working on them. Hollywood has, up to this point, refused to meet the demands of writers and actors, and as such, studios have had to rely on reality competitions and game shows to fill the void left by scripted dramas.
Those keeping up with the strike shouldn’t be surprised. Carla Banks Waddles, the showrunner and executive producer of Bel-Air season 2, has posted Instagram photos of herself on the picket line, with the caption: “Writers supporting writers.” She has not publicly spoken on the show’s delay, but one of the stars, Coco Jones, shed light on the situation during an interview with RNB Philly.
Jones, who plays Hillary Banks, told the host that the episodes for the upcoming season have yet to be written. “We haven’t started filming it yet,” she revealed. “As soon as everybody meets, and everyone gets happy with the situation, then I’m sure that they’ll start the process of writing season three. I don’t know what that timeline looks like, though.”
While the exact timing of the release is currently unknown, it’s looking like Bel-Air will return some time next year. Pushing it back will give the writers and actors time to work on the show without feeling rushed, or relying on filler to boost the episode count. Once their demands are met by the studios, of course.
Olly Sholotan, who plays Carlton, told Daily Beast that he felt season two managed to improve on season one, and is eager to explore more of his character in the future. “At the end of the day, it’s about telling the story,” he reasoned. “And I know that no matter what decision the writers make, I trust them to tell an incredible story. So I’m willing to put myself and my character’s life in their hands.”
Waddles also teased more screen time for Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola), the Banks family butler. “In season three, I think we hope to fulfill the wishes of learning a little bit more about Geoffrey by giving the fans a little more information about his East London life and what that life was like before he came to Bel-Air,” the showrunner told TheWrap. “Probably seeing a little bit of that East London life come to Bel-Air a little bit and just see how he’s going to deal with it.”
We can’t wait to see it all come together in 2024.