This was and still is my favorite sitcom of all the live sitcoms that aired on television in the 90s because it brought that new spice and witty humor and I'm pointing this out because although Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse, which was the most emotional showing of the series, was my favorite episode, I do appreciate and treasure all other episodes that were just plain hilarious and also the other few tear-jerkers of the series were favorites as well.
*Spoilers* In this episode we first see Will working at his job at the college peacock where a mysterious man is watching Will's every move, this mysterious and nosy man turns out to be his long-lost father who had left him and his mother when he was five and is now back into his life seemingly wanting to get to know his son and to make up for lost times. Things go pretty smoothly even when his aunt and cousins get wind of this but his Uncle Phil had a big say in the matter who was very distrusting and wasn't as forgiving of Lou as the others because he knows he's not making up with Will for Will, but for himself and this causes a rift between Will and his uncle and it leads to Will shouting back at his strict but lovable uncle Phil for the first time in the series. Shortly after the heated argument Phil apologizes as things were said but assures he was only trying to save him from more hurt he knows Lou is capable of causing. Towards the climax of the episode, Lou has a big way to start off this father-son bonding as he plans to take Will on a business trip with him which would mean he would spend more time with him during the summer but Lou comes in at the last minute to call off the whole thing because his business was more important and to make things more heart-wrenching, he asks Phil to deliver the news so as to not have to face his son. Finally, Phil has had enough of Lou's selfishness and this leads to Phil hitting Lou with the hard truth about what a father should be and also says "I will not do your dirty work for you" and "Will is not a coat that you put in a closet and try it on when you're ready to wear it, his life goes on!" During the midst of this argument between Phil and Lou, Will comes in and catches his father just before he heads out the door, Lou delivers the news, and Will fights very hard the anger and hurt he is feeling at that moment combined with the hurt of Lou leaving in the past and it only shows when Will refuses to call him "dad" but instead refers to him as Lou. After Lou carelessly walks out, Will Smith gives the performance of a lifetime as he confides in his uncle Phil and first tries to play off the hurt he is feeling but the anger and hurt he is feeling in the current moment and also from the past finally catch up with him as he understandably expresses his feelings in anger as uncle Phil listens which then lead to sadness with Will ultimately breaking down in tears and uttering the words softly "how come he don't want me man" to which Phil responds by grabbing Wills head and he burying it into his shoulder which make for one of the most touching and beautiful scenes in the entire series.
This episode was so full of emotion and you just couldn't help but cry at the end for poor Will who's father had basically abandoned him all over again and then of course we had that big hug between him and his uncle Phil who had been his father figure for the past four years and it's in that moment when they hug that kind of lets us know he will be alright because Uncle Phil is basically his father as he has evidently straightened Will out, sent him to a nice school, jokes with him, spends time with him, laughs with him, and teaches him about life and it's hardships. The character of Uncle Phil was tremendous in this episode as well as he is the voice of reason and is the only one who shows great emotion and anger when he sees Lou again while everyone else was funny about it trying to kill the tension, this ep really shows that Phil cares deeply for his often-troublesome nephew who he considers another son. Great episode, well-written and every Fresh Prince fan should see it if you hadn't done so already.
*Spoilers* In this episode we first see Will working at his job at the college peacock where a mysterious man is watching Will's every move, this mysterious and nosy man turns out to be his long-lost father who had left him and his mother when he was five and is now back into his life seemingly wanting to get to know his son and to make up for lost times. Things go pretty smoothly even when his aunt and cousins get wind of this but his Uncle Phil had a big say in the matter who was very distrusting and wasn't as forgiving of Lou as the others because he knows he's not making up with Will for Will, but for himself and this causes a rift between Will and his uncle and it leads to Will shouting back at his strict but lovable uncle Phil for the first time in the series. Shortly after the heated argument Phil apologizes as things were said but assures he was only trying to save him from more hurt he knows Lou is capable of causing. Towards the climax of the episode, Lou has a big way to start off this father-son bonding as he plans to take Will on a business trip with him which would mean he would spend more time with him during the summer but Lou comes in at the last minute to call off the whole thing because his business was more important and to make things more heart-wrenching, he asks Phil to deliver the news so as to not have to face his son. Finally, Phil has had enough of Lou's selfishness and this leads to Phil hitting Lou with the hard truth about what a father should be and also says "I will not do your dirty work for you" and "Will is not a coat that you put in a closet and try it on when you're ready to wear it, his life goes on!" During the midst of this argument between Phil and Lou, Will comes in and catches his father just before he heads out the door, Lou delivers the news, and Will fights very hard the anger and hurt he is feeling at that moment combined with the hurt of Lou leaving in the past and it only shows when Will refuses to call him "dad" but instead refers to him as Lou. After Lou carelessly walks out, Will Smith gives the performance of a lifetime as he confides in his uncle Phil and first tries to play off the hurt he is feeling but the anger and hurt he is feeling in the current moment and also from the past finally catch up with him as he understandably expresses his feelings in anger as uncle Phil listens which then lead to sadness with Will ultimately breaking down in tears and uttering the words softly "how come he don't want me man" to which Phil responds by grabbing Wills head and he burying it into his shoulder which make for one of the most touching and beautiful scenes in the entire series.
This episode was so full of emotion and you just couldn't help but cry at the end for poor Will who's father had basically abandoned him all over again and then of course we had that big hug between him and his uncle Phil who had been his father figure for the past four years and it's in that moment when they hug that kind of lets us know he will be alright because Uncle Phil is basically his father as he has evidently straightened Will out, sent him to a nice school, jokes with him, spends time with him, laughs with him, and teaches him about life and it's hardships. The character of Uncle Phil was tremendous in this episode as well as he is the voice of reason and is the only one who shows great emotion and anger when he sees Lou again while everyone else was funny about it trying to kill the tension, this ep really shows that Phil cares deeply for his often-troublesome nephew who he considers another son. Great episode, well-written and every Fresh Prince fan should see it if you hadn't done so already.