LogFAQs > #941997363

One more for tonight and its a big one.

24. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Player_0
https://youtu.be/Cy3PIwczyB0

Unique: 6.5
Story: 7.5
Music: 7.75
Animation: N/A
Personal: 5.5
Average: 6.8125

From the moment I decided to do this topic, I knew this one would be nominated. It would be a ridiculous omission if it wasnt. And I like it, but I confess Im not quite as big a fan as many people.

Perhaps one reason this intro is so fondly remembered is its novelty, particularly for a sitcom, which is hardly known as an inventive genre. Rather than giving us clips from the show or each of the characters posing for the camera, we get a backstory with comically exaggerated moments from the main characters perspective. And Will doesnt even arrive at the actual setting of the show until the final moments of the intro. This effectively conveys that Philly is just as important to Wills character, if not more so, as Bel-Air.

The intro also manages to avoid the cliche of using narration to tell a story by turning it into a rap song, which also happens to be genuinely catchy. In fact, its really hard to get in West Philadelphia, born and raised out of your head after hearing it. The music reinforces the importance of Wills upbringing on the streets as a contrast to the setting of the show, and obviously goes really well with the visuals.

And I cant wrap this up without mentioning the throne in the beginning, which is such a memorable image that nicely puts a visual to the lyric about Wills life being turned upside down. In my view, this is far and away the most interesting and effective portion of the intro, and I would have preferred to see more stuff like that, and less about Wills interactions with the inconsequential (and possibly smelly) cab driver. But yeah, its rightfully considered a classic intro.