Top 5 Most Dramatic Moments In The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

4. Uncle Phil Lays Down the Law: S1. Ep 6

Don't Mess With Uncle Phil! Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was hardly the kind of show that appealed to Emmy voters backin the 90's. Black shows in the 90's (that didn't have Bill Cosby as their lead) typically went unnoticed by Emmy voters. A pitiful oversight, but even more egregious when you consider all the great dramatic performances given by black performers during that time. When looking for an example of such work, look no further than Uncle Phil, played magnificently by character actor James Avery. Whenever I see lists complied of the greatest television actors of all time and I don't see James Avery's name on that list, I'm appalled. The man was a treasure - a commanding presence with a deep, resonating voice and imposing persona that made him a naturally powerful dramatic actor (with a surprising capacity for comedy too). Fresh Prince was primarily a comedy, so it didn't allow James Avery room for many dramatic moments, but the ones he did get he made the most of, and made sure we would never forget those particular moments either. One of his finest moments came early in the first season, in an episode that found Will and his cousin Carlton in jail, on a bogus charge for car theft. The officers who booked them were obviously racists seeing as the only crime Will and Carlton were guilty of was DWB (Driving While Black). Of course, they would have to deal with the wrath of Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv (the good Aunt Viv, played by Janet Hubert) but it just so happens that Uncle Phil is a judge (talk about upwardly mobile... top that Dr. Huxtable!). The officers, of course, don't know this at first and pay him no respect which Uncle Phil makes them pay back, with interest. The way Avery plays the scene, mixing righteous anger with legal expertise to brow beat the officers into submission is a marvel to watch (not to mention satisfying). Laughter and applause, canned or otherwise, is often said to take away from a performance, or distract from the narrative, but you'll be hard pressed to stifle a tiny ovation when Uncle Phil finishes laying into the two dirty cops. A fine moment for James Avery that should have netted a bevy of Emmy's. http://youtu.be/AW9pklBXqk4