5. The End of the First Episode: S1. Ep 1
After 17 minutes of airtime , all arrows pointed to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air being an enjoyable way to spend your Monday nights. You had a famous lead, strong character actors surrounding him, and a premise that could be milked for at least 3 seasons worth of material. Then the last 3 minutes happened. For most of the episode, we saw Will poke fun at his surroundings, making a joke of about everything (saying grace, etiquette, tuxedo cummerbunds) all to the embarrassment and dismay of his family. Most other shows would have rewarded or celebrated Will's actions; there wouldn't have been consequences. But then Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was not a regular show, so Uncle Phil (played by the great James Avery) calls his nephew out and makes him account for his actions. The great thing is, Will doesn't back down: we don't see the "Aw shucks, I'm sorry" routine, as Will challenges his uncle right back, saying that he is just as ashamed of how much of a sell-out how he has become. It was a surprising and electrifying scene as far as prime-time TV in the 90's went (when Uncle Phil says, "Look at me when I'm talking to you." I get chills). It announced that The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was going to add something different to the sitcom landscape. Plus the end scene, with Will sitting at the piano, is still one of the most poignant moments that I've ever seen on a TV show. http://youtu.be/avBGwcUKdho