Interview with Abe: Olly Sholotan

I spoke again with two performers from an underrated drama now in its second season, “Bel-Air,” for Awards Radar. Watch my conversation with Olly Sholotan below!

Interview with Abe: Jimmy Akingbola

I spoke again with two performers from an underrated drama now in its second season, “Bel-Air,” for Awards Radar. Watch my conversation with Jimmy Akingbola below!

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 8 “Pursuit of Happiness” (B+)

This episode featured a truly dark turn for Carlton, who blacked out and lost his car but fortunately chose to call his mother to come pick him up rather than making the situation worse by attempting to hide what happened. Geoffrey is aware of the extent to which Carlton is in trouble, and hopefully this will be enough to scare Carlton straight and encourage him to seek the help he needs. Things are tense among the men in the Banks household, with Phil not happy that Will kept walking out of every room he entered and Will also not putting much stock into Carlton’s “for what it’s worth” apology. Will is also making some typically questionable decisions, standing up Jackie so that he can be there for Lisa while her new stepmother gives birth. Doc is officially out of the picture in a major way now that his taking bribes has been exposed, and that’s not going to be a positive development for Will and his career. It’s not clear what’s going on with Phil and his business loyalties after a heartfelt tribute to his deceased former partner. Viv confronted Erica quite directly about their past issues, but that may be a moot point if Phil isn’t going anywhere. Viv, on the other hand, has apparently done quite well for herself, by standing by her principles and now potentially taking the job of the person who she felt was holding her back, which is certainly something she did not expect.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 7 “Under Pressure” (B+)

I find it much less stressful when Will and Carlton are getting along, and the notion of friendly competition is never a good way to keep things cool. The reason that Will is a wild card choice is that he’s not the typical Bel-Air kid, and he doesn’t care about the history of the award because that’s not relevant to what he can do with his life. Things didn’t look good for Carlton when that video of him and his teammates came out, and he’s headed down an unfortunate road, recording yet another vulnerable confession and then indulging in drugs after that. Drew is easily the most detestable new focus of this season, just eager to get with Lisa and to do whatever he can to cut Will and Carlton down in the process. Doc at least seems to have some interest in shaping Will into a successful athlete, even if he knows that he’ll benefit as a result. Phil’s outrageously appealing job offer certainly seems great, but his history with Erika will likely be a problem. I was excited to recognize Joivan Wade from “Doom Patrol” as Frederick, who was relatively open to meeting his father but understandably hurt by the fact that everyone raved about how he was like family when he hadn’t gotten to experience that with him. Phil talking to him was an important moment that showed just how much he likes to reward loyalty with that very same loyalty to those closest and dearest to him.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 6 “Let the Best Man Win” (B+)

It’s both fun and informative to see the extended Banks family in action and how much the relationships are shaped by previous generations. Phil pushing Hilary to make the best pie and Carlton to play his best game showed how he so desperately wanted to beat his brother, and fortunately they were able to connect on a deeper level when he revealed how his father told him he wasn’t going to college like Phil, which in turn led him to his strong belief in the value of grit and hard work. Before they came to that important moment, Carlton realized his cousin could use a win and threw the game, making his father proud of him in the process for that act of self-sacrifice. Viv getting a sign of approval from her mother-in-law was a nice win considering how much she had to do that shouldn’t have fallen on her, and Ashley even managed to connect with the older uncle she was tasked with watching over at the party. Phil inviting Lamarcus was a forgivable transgression, but his professed plan to win Hilary back is going to make it so that she and Jazz break up even if they’re not headed towards renewed romance, unless Will can encourage Jazz to make his case. It’s a good thing that Carlton got past his initially harsh reaction to Will’s expressed desire to remain in consideration for the scholarship, and Will showed plenty of maturity in encouraging Geoffrey to try to reunite with his son rather than letting him exist merely as an imagined invention in his son’s mind.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 5 “Excellence is Everywhere” (B+)

Will hasn’t caught wind of how Jackie manipulated him on behalf of her uncle, but he’s also hardly the most self-aware person. He had no clue that Lisa was still into him and that she might have mistaken his swim lesson flirtation for something that would make it quite surprising to learn that he was dating someone else. It didn’t help that she met and really liked Jackie before realizing who she was, and now she’s going to try to take some time away from Will since she’s not in an emotional place to be just his best friend. Will is also about to alienate another person who is close to him, egged on by Doc’s encouragement not to dismiss the scholarship to turn it into a real thing. That’s sure to devastate Carlton, who’s already hanging on by a thread and is just waiting for something else to disappoint him. Getting those drugs as a supposed peace offering is going to send him down a dangerous road. I’m curious why it is that Phil and Viv are so set on making sure that Geoffrey doesn’t find his son, but Phil is also hiding something from Viv which he should have told her about right away following his hijacked client meeting. Things are looking up for Hilary at the moment work-wise, but it did get quite awkward when her big get turned out to be her ex, another troublesome development in her relationship with Jazz. While Daphne Maxwell Reid was back as the overbearing Helen, it looks like this might be the last we’ll see of another original cast member, Tatyana Ali, since Ms. Hughes has apparently found a great job in Chicago.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 4 “Don’t Kill My Vibe” (B+)

It’s good to see that Carlton was able to get the truth out there about his panic attack and start a movement at school for people to talk about mental health, but unfortunately he seems to think that Yazmin not knowing any of that means that she doesn’t actually support him. We’ve seen from the look on her face when he was yelling at Drew that she does, but the choice to delete her number is one that will serve to isolate him when he could most use someone in his life. I did enjoy that he had his own bowling ball, something that bothered Will when it turned out that he wasn’t nearly as skilled. Getting suspended and kicked off the team was a poor start, and Phil was not at all happy when Viv went in to ask Doc to call. Phil was able to change the contract to Will’s advantage and make it so that they could start working together, but unfortunately we also found out that Will’s new girlfriend Jackie was playing Will at the behest of her uncle, which is sure to eventually come out and crush him. Hilary did her best to impress Jazz’s parents by learning everything she could about Islam, but she would have been better to work on her rollout of that information rather than trying way too hard and making them question her Wikipedia regurgitation in the process. Fortunately, that’s one relationship that seems like it might be able to last even if it’s an unlikely coupling.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 3 “Compromised” (B+)

I feel most bad for Carlton in all of this because he’s legitimately trying to push himself outside his comfort zone and experiencing the unfortunately-timed resurgence of crippling anxiety while his meds are being recalibrated. Negotiating with the administration to have a walkout that was only symbolic and not intended to actually procure action was never going to be effective, and Yasmin, Drew, and Will all seemed to know that. Will hanging that “Black Teachers Matter” banner was very emphatic and will be sure to both get him into trouble and ensure that this won’t be swept under the rug. Phil and Viv seemed shocked and a bit perturbed when Mrs. Hughes showed up at the house to advocate for her own reinstatement, and I think everyone is trying to follow the rules just enough to be able to reshape them. It’s a good thing also that Will was able to pivot from being the showy one-man star of his team to someone who brought them together enough to protest with him for a cause that mattered to him. This may inadvertently jeopardize Will’s basketball prospects, but hopefully knowing that he’s doing the right thing and making a difference will help him see the big picture. While Hilary is having some serious trouble with Ivy that will likely soon lead to an uncrossable bridge in their relationship, she did help Viv come to a much better decision than partnering with Hilary, which was to hire a very willing and competent Lisa to be her assistant.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 2 “Speaking Truth” (B+)

Just as soon as we met Mrs. Hughes, she found herself fired, and apparently for something that really isn’t right, not teaching to a curriculum that may not be as inclusive or modern as the school’s administrators would like to think. Making her into a beloved teacher that all the Banks kids had helps turn it into a much more global issue, one that may end up getting Carlton into a good deal of trouble if Will goes through with the planned walkout that will be put firmly on Carlton’s shoulders as the one who initially suggested it. It’s a good thing that Phil stepped in to talk to Doc when he emphasized the importance of winning, and even better that Doc was smart enough to be cooperative and involve Will’s family members rather than go around them. Jackie being Doc’s niece is an interesting development, one that’s likely to get Will into trouble if he opts to pursue that romantic avenue. Geoffrey is back in the house, which is great, though he obviously has a lot of baggage to deal with regarding his own son, which I’m sure will come up eventually. Phil and Viv were even more blindsided than Jazz when Hilary had them over and introduced him as her boyfriend, and I hope there’s not too much awkwardness there. I do appreciate that nothing bad happened with the car and instead the mere fact of Ivy driving it threatened to undo their newly-formed and only semi-public relationship.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air (Season Premiere)

Bel-Air: Season 2, Episode 1 “A Fresh Start” (B+)

It’s good to see this show back for a second outing, and things are definitely in a different place than they were when the show started. Living away from home with his reluctant extended roommate Jazz, Will is flashing lots of cash and making his own way, and fortunately it didn’t take much for him to be invited back into the fold and, more importantly, the Bel-Air family home. Getting that call from Doc at the end of the episode filled him with joy, but obviously there are ulterior motives that will eventually come to light and likely prove quite crushing. Telling Lisa that he loved her but that they needed to take a break was respectful but also difficult, and things are sure to be awkward if Will ends up pursuing something with his new dog owner friend Jackie. Both Phil and Viv are experiencing their own challenges getting back into their respective workplaces, and while their work-life balance situations have improved, particularly for Phil, it’s demoralizing for them both to feel like they’re essentially starting over. I don’t think that making out with Jazz seconds after Ivy tried to kiss him will strengthen Hilary’s professional partnership, but it should at least give her less to worry about on one level since she’s no longer keeping that romantic relationship secret. I’m intrigued to see a new focus on Ashley this season and her teacher played by none other than Tatyana Ali, who portrayed Ashley in the original series. Carlton also seems to be headed in a good direction with the Black Student Union, which is a nice change for someone who wasn’t doing all that well socially last season.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air (Season Finale)

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 10 “Where To?” (B+)

It was good to know from the start that this show had been commissioned for a second season, which means that there will be plenty more to explore, and potentially even an opportunity to extend beyond that if the show continues to be successful. Geoffrey’s absence from this finale was very much felt, especially since he was the one who put events in motion so that Will’s father could fly in to see him. Marlon Wayans was a strong choice to play Lou, who was upset about having been kept from his family but then got even angrier when Will called him out for not being the father he needed. That act of physical violence was enough to strip Will of any desire to want to have a relationship with him, but being lied to by both his mother and his aunt and uncle also meant that he no longer felt at home in Bel-Air. That Carlton was the one to tell him all this should mean that, when he eventually returns, their relationship should be in much better shape, provided Carlton doesn’t spiral too much in his cousin’s absence. It’s good to see Hilary building a healthy relationship with Jazz, one that Will was very aware was happening, and hatching a very smart plan to get Kylo out of her professional and personal life. This first season has been very watchable and worthwhile, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of all these characters in season two, whenever that may arrive.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Cassandra Freeman as Viv

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 9 “Can’t Knock the Hustle” (B+)

I like that this show travels to expected places but doesn’t go in the exact direction that it might seem. One example is Phil and Fred planning to use dirt on each other and Phil instead opting to drop out of the race both in support of his family’s privacy and Viv’s desire to put her career first rather than having to focus on her family as she has so much in the past. That was a productive development given the potential implications of staying in the race. It also meant that Lisa finding out about Will getting arrested wasn’t something that tore them apart as a couple but instead rallied her to try to protect him. Phil and Geoffrey did almost come to blows, and there’s clearly something very strong at the root of their friendship that Geoffrey was willing to walk away without making a big thing of it regardless of how angry he was with what Phil was doing. I’m sure that won’t be the last we’ll see of him, and I’d especially like to see him again given my very positive interaction with actor Jimmy Akingbola on the red carpet for another show, “WeCrashed.” It was fun to see two familiar faces in Viv’s meeting with the people who were perfectly ready to offer her the fellowship, and that would be Daphne Maxwell Reid and Vernee Watson, who played Aunt Viv and Will’s mom on the original series. I’m all for that kind of casting, since the surprise factor was meant to mirror Viv’s own shock at getting to pitch to two Black women and not distract from the rest of the plotline. I’m curious if there will be consequences to Hilary going to get her stuff back, and her budding relationship with Jazz is interesting since they’re connecting but don’t always appear to see eye to eye.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 8 “No One Wins When the Family Feuds” (B+)

It’s good to see that Carlton and Will may be willing to bury the hatchet and try to get along, since seeing their mothers feuding and talking to each other so crassly after decades of not having been together in this place showed them a future they didn’t want. The problem is that, even if the two cousins are okay, there’s evidently something important about Will’s father that everyone doesn’t want him to know, and even if Phil, Viv, and Vy all decided not to tell him just yet, Will asked Geoffrey to look into him, which he seems ready to do in a creative manner that won’t go around what Phil specifically requested of him. His messy family situation is blowing back on Phil as a candidate, and agreeing with Fred to drop out of the race if he wins the primary debate is a bold gamble. Vy’s social media support for Hilary threatened to drive another wedge between her and Viv, but Hilary ultimately listened to her mom to do what she needed and pay the predatory Kylo his rather extravagant kill fee. What she’ll do next is unknown, but Jazz will likely be a part of her life and she’s at least back on good terms with her mom, which should make her theoretical return home less awkward. I doubt Vy will be back for another visit anytime soon, but I have a feeling that she’ll make a return at least to the show via video call when Will’s father does eventually materialize.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 7 “Payback's A B*tch” (B+)

It’s good at least to see that Lisa and Will are on equal footing with their politician father figures, with each of them getting talks warning them not to have anything to do with the other. They didn’t listen at all, and instead, Will decided that was the time to throw an epic party in Carlton’s honor after he unleashed some of his anger on Connor. Getting told by Aisha that he was a sellout didn’t help his mood, but then Carlton responded in exactly the right way to Connor by calling him out on his racist comments. He was flying high at that point, and the sudden arrival of the police ruined all that. Seeing how easily Lisa made a phone call and got the police to leave was impressive, and having her and Will come down the stairs together was almost worse than Carlton walking in on them. Hopefully this won’t lead to all-out war between the cousins. I was glad to see some romance kick off between Hilary and Jazz, but her decision to consider keeping the sexy chef video up because of its possible future networking opportunities may mean that he doesn’t want to be with her. Phil showing up in San Diego because he was worried about Viv being associated with Reed was not a good look, but I was glad to see the two of them process their relationship and their dynamics in a way that was far more thought-through and productive, even if it leads to hard choices in the future.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 6 “The Strength to Smile” (B+)

It seemed like the impact of Tre’s visit was going to continue to be felt, both in Will’s mood and Carlton’s hatred for him, but things actually ended up turning out better. Carlton’s jealousy did him in, sending him into his bedroom to do drugs and then miss the opportunity to be by Lisa’s side when she needed him most, though Will was good to step in and then give Carlton the credit. Phil was there when he woke up but wrote off his problems as anxiety, and hopefully Will can eventually convince Carlton that he might need more help than he thinks. I had seen Scottie Thompson’s name in the cast and liked her from back when I watched “NCIS,” and we finally saw her here as Angela, who couldn’t take a hint that no one wanted her to be part of the tribute to her new husband’s late wife. She made things even worse when she accidentally revealed to Viv that her relationship with Fred had started before Gail died, and Viv wasn’t going to stand for any of her forum-shopping when they had already had the conversation. Things took a particularly vicious turn when Fred confirmed to Phil that he was running against him, which should make for a very interesting and likely unpleasant race. Phil was not happy to meet Reed, and his new working relationship with Viv is sure to present some problems, especially since Geoffrey already has him under surveillance. While Hilary managed to come through for her mom in a moment of need, she was vehemently opposed to the idea of moving back in, leading her to a questionable choice for how to remain relevant and keep her followers. Ashley was so excited to have Lucia at the house, and learning that she has a crush on Will might send her in the same direction as Carlton, but Hilary might be able to help her redirect that anger into something productive.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 5 “PA to LA” (B+)

It seemed like there would have to be something that went wrong during Tre’s visit, and his discomfort with Will have adjusted so quickly to it was just the beginning. Finding out that Will wanted to stay felt like the most unforgivable act of abandonment, and Will went right to Aunt Viv to express how unhappy and concerned he was that they weren’t going to be able to get past it. Tre did also manage to tell Carlton about Will’s gun charges, which undid any of the progress the two cousins had made at getting along and sent Carlton on the warpath. Having Lisa come over was an aggressive move, one that ultimately led to him trying to kiss her only to be told that she still felt that they couldn’t be together. Hilary’s big dinner party for her new housemates actually went pretty well, even with that worrisome prank, and Ashley got her own dose of affirmation from one of them that led her to confide in her big sister about a crush she had, which earned nothing but support from Hilary. That wasn’t the only instance of positive family interaction, with Viv telling Hilary she was proud of her, a simple sentence that seemed to heal a lot of the friction between them. Phil going viral for what he said to one of Hilary’s housemates was a good thing, and presumably it might be enough to allow him to win despite his defund-the-police stance, something that has already invited attack ads. I was pleased to see Michael Ealy as a new man in Viv’s life, someone who isn’t going to lure her away from her husband romantically but is definitely going to encourage her to get back into her passion.

What I’m Watching: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 4 “Canvass” (B+)

It’s funny to see how behaving well and fulfilling basic expectations of decency always have to be rewarded with a big prize for the members of this family, something Will jumped on board with as soon as he found out that Carlton had made such a deal with Phil. What could have been an easy collaboration between the cousins didn’t turn out too well when Will found a way to relate to the constituents and Carlton took offense at how he was speaking about conservatives, but Will’s initiative and approach ultimately ended up working quite well. It was a big deal for Phil to say that he was supportive of defunding the police, a position that obviously didn’t sit well with Lisa’s father, who Will was horrified to learn was the chief of police. Geoffrey confirming that he knew who was after Will led to a surprising end to this episode, one that was chilling to Will because he thinks he now knows just what kind of reach his wealthy relatives have to deal with their problems. Viv should really get back into painting soon since her not doing that anymore is going to have a serious effect on her marriage, and she’s encountering enough stress with Hilary following her own path, one that Viv doesn’t support because she imagines there have to be strings attached. I did like seeing Hilary and Jazz meet, and I hope we’ll get to see the two of them together in some form in the future. I’m also happy Ashley got to do something for the first time, revealing her own craftiness, an apparent crush, and an endearing relationship with Geoffrey.

Take Three: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 3 “Yamacraw” (B+)

What could have been a devastating event for Will turned into nothing thanks to the intervention of his intimidating aunt and uncle and ultimately Carlton pinning the blame on someone from another school so that any charges would be dropped. But Carlton helping him out, even if it also meant protecting his friend Connor, is only going to serve to further drive a wedge between the two of them. That the mentor he was courting wasn’t actually in charge of the internship he so desperately wanted and instead the one who heard him grumble about having to help set up the tables and chairs. And it was Will who got Phil to break out his dance moves and show all the other fraternity members, including his coveted reverend endorser, that he was still able to relate to his community. We did also get Will flipping his jacket, a reference to a memorable moment from the original show that didn’t lead to any consequences but continues his trend of standing out. Unfortunately, his visibility on the basketball court has also made its way back to those who want to settle a score with him back in Philly, something that could prove problematic for Will since they can easily get on a plane to come find him in a way that never felt possible on the sitcom. Kendra may have gotten support from Viv’s friends at her party, but her willful desire not to be appreciative of her mother’s help may have just forced her to face what real independent adulthood looks like.

Round Two: Bel-Air

Bel-Air: Season 1, Episode 2 “Keep Ya Head Up” (B+)

This was a strong and effective follow-up to the first episode, showing why it is that Will has to stay in Los Angeles and how tough an adjustment that will be. Hearing everyone’s perspective on the fight is particularly enlightening, with Carlton trying to make it seem like Will started it when he very clearly pushed him in the pool and Vy suggesting that Carlton had somehow been the one who beat Will up. Not driving Will to school was an immature move on Carlton’s part but painting him as a charity case during the assembly was much more calculated. Will did put in the effort to try out for the team and prove to the coach that he was willing to start from the bottom, and I sincerely hope that Carlton opts to defend him since he knows Connor set him up, and this could be really problematic for him. Phil’s radio appearance was almost entirely focused on his wealth, which could be an asset but seems to be more of a distraction for him. Hilary’s big meeting did go well but it was clear that they didn’t want her to retain so much of what defines who she is. I’m sure that Viv is not going to be happy when she finds out that Hilary sought retaliation from her followers against the company, and that could seriously fracture their relationship and affect her future. It’s so interesting to see Phil and Geoffrey decompressing and drinking together, a stark difference from the judge-butler relationship in the original series.

Pilot Review: Bel-Air

Check out my one-minute take on every new pilot, which is embedded below and you can also watch by subscribing to movieswithabe on YouTube.