[The Jewish Cunthead]

Prince was mildly entertaining whereas The Office is an instant classic. What say you?

(18)The Office (BBC)


vs.

(47)The Fresh Prince


Voting ends 10/30

[Courtney]

Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped, turned upside down
And I liked to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air

In west Philadelphia born and raised
On the playground was where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool
And all shootin some b-ball outside of the school
When a couple of guys
Who were up to no good
Startin makin trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one lil fight and my mom got scared
She said 'You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air'

I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror
If anything I can say this cab is rare
But I thought 'Now forget it. Yo homes to Bel Air'

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the cabbie 'Yo homes smell ya later'
I looked at my kingdom
I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air

[creepy]

The Fresh Prince was ok when I was 14 and thought that was good comedy.

I was a stupid, easily amused 14 year old.

[National Champion Chris Cole]

Tough decision. I really liked both shows. The Office gets a few bonus points for spawning the American version which is one of my favorite comedies of all time. Ricky Gervais and Mackenzie Crook crack me up. But so do Carlton and Will. I'll wait to hear a few more arguments and then make a decision.

[Krydor]

Never seen the Brit version of the Office. Fresh Prince had enough social commentary mixed with humour to keep me going. They never took themselves too seriously but understood that the show was influential. Loved the fake "go to your library" promo at the end of one episode.

[Lucky]

Yeah, they had a good humor about themselves but a social consciousness. It was like Family Ties in that regard. It was amusing. I may not vote for it against I show I'd seen more than once.

[Lori]

Sorry, I've still never seen the Office. Fresh Prince gets a nostalgia vote.

[DevSop]

Courtney basically explained why the Fresh Prince gets my vote. It may be the only theme song that I will ALWAYS remember every word to.

[Lucky]

You take the good, you take the bad you, you take them both and there you have...

No? I'm surprised given your choice of dramas.

[Jack Quinn]

One of the best episodes of Fresh Prince that I remember was when they got pulled by the police or something, and Carlton got a gun and Will had to talk him out of using it. Something along those lines. I remember it being a really good episode, even if the details are a little fuzzy.

[Lucky]

I don't recall that at all. I think you're mixing up 2 episodes.

Carlton and Will got pulled over one time by a clearly racist cop. And when they get home and tell the father Will kinda takes it in stride because he'd been through it before but Carlton is badly shaken and depressed. The dad gets sad and morose and says how he wished that the shit he'd been through and stuff he'd accomplished would change the world and keep his children from having to experience the same crap. But it doesn't. Then they hug and cry and the credits roll.

There's another episode where Carlton and Will get mugged. The mugger shoots at Carlton but Will takes the bullet. Again, Will takes it with good humor while Carlton's in bad shape, even flipping out on the family for making jokes. Carlton has a big fight with his dad about how the shooter will never be brought to justice and even if he is he'll get off. Because that's how the system works and as a judge he knows that. "You have to trust the system, Carlton. It works." "I'm grown up now, dad. Don't tell me fairy tales." After avoiding Will for awhile Carlton goes to see him in bad shape and Will tries to put it in perspective. Carlton then reveals a gun and says he won't be a victim anymore. Will flips out on him for his overreaction, selfishness, and ignorance. He got shot. He's been through more shit than Carlton ever will. Carlton's lucky and you don't throw that away. Carlton gives him the gun, they cry, they hug, the credits roll.

Personally I always enjoyed the episode (2 part?) when Will's dad rolls into town. He's a trucker and its clear Phil (the dad) hates him for abandoning Will and his mother. Vivian (the mom) feels the same way but is much more respectful and open because she sees how desperately Will wants to have his dad. After some guarded reservation Will opens up to his dad and they make plans to go on a road trip together. Will's clearly excited and buys a gift for his father, African folk art of a father holding his son. Phil's reservations remain and prove founded when Will's dad tells him and Vi that "something came up" and he'll have to do the trip another time. He asks Phil to tell Will for him but he refuses. So Will finds out and bids goodbye to his father, clearly shaken but not showing it. When his dad is gone Phil reaches out and Will tries to fight and goes on a rant. He's grown up now, its not the same as when he was a kid. He doesn't need his dad and he probably never needed him. He grew up just fine and became a man without him. "But why doesn't he love me?" They cry and hug and the credits roll on the statue.



The show was sweet and aware. Smith has always been personable and likable and a talented actor. Tatyana Ali was smoking. And Jazz was funny.

[Lucky]

And the true question to all of you is do you know the EXTENDED theme?



It explains how the hell he took a cab from Philly to LA.

[Jack Quinn]

yeah you are right Lucky, I was mixing the episodes, but both of those were VERY good I thought. Carlton gives Will the gun in the hospital in the one, I do remember that one.

Wasn't there one where they arrested for being in a vehicle that was reported stolen or something? Or is that the same episode that you were talking about?

[Lucky]

Yeah, that was the one. If I remember correctly they were on their way home from a road trip checking out colleges. The cop pulls them over because they're 2 young black men driving an expensive car. Never got arrested, I don't think. Just harassed and then went home.

But actually you might be right. They did get arrested at some time because I remember the big white guy singing in the cell and Phil coming to bail them out and tossing his weight and knowledge as a judge around to the cops who clearly didn't have reason to hold the kids. So that might have been the same episode after all. Makes sense.

[Lori]

Yes! Lucky, the white guy in the jail cell is singing "MacArthur Park" by Richard Harris. I love that episode.