The show packs so much heart and manages to teach without feeling didactic. The show addresses a spectrum of issues that range from standard suburban teenager problems like bullying and peer pressure (“Not With My Cousin You Don’t” and “She Ain’t Heavy”) to much more nuanced societal problems like interracial marriage (see #5) and what it means to be a single mom (“Vying for Attention”). There are so many quality episodes that didn’t make the list that address serious subject matter: classism (“Geoffrey Cleans Up”), sex (“The Best Laid Plans”), bribery (“To Thine Own Self Be Blue…and Gold”), drugs (“Just Say Yo”). ![]() The beauty of the show is how it balances darkness with levity (did anyone actually think Trevor’s death was tragic?). The class commentary is sophisticated and brutally honest, especially for a comedy. Will’s antics brought to light issues like racial profiling and representation (“ Father Knows Best”) when they weren’t part of mainstream discussion. James Avery’s Uncle Phil was such a powerful father figure that he gave a young J. ![]() The show may be anchored by Will Smith’s once-in-a-generation charisma- but the rest of the cast are no slouches.
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