Well, that was quick! Just after Peacock released the trailer for its gritty reboot Bel-Air, a dramatic take on the classic ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, SNL fired back with another grim modern updated trailer for Urkel, based on Family Matters. But unlike the Bel-Air trailer, this one balances the darkness with laughs.
Though it’s not LOL-funny, this trailer even lists the original Steve Urkel actor, Jaleel White, as an executive producer, just as Will Smith is EPing Bel-Air. Chris Redd portrays the nerdy Urkel, who now has a tragic past with a dead father and drunk mother. Mainstay Keenan Thompson portrays Carl Winslow, Steve’s cop neighbor, and Ego Nwodim plays Carl’s “Bougie” daughter, Laura, the object of Steve’s affections. The prerecorded skit also features Mikey Day and the episode’s host, Ariana DeBose, who just won a Golden Globe for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.
As the narrator says:
“The goofy characters you loved in the ’90s with absolutely none of the fun or the charm.”
And rest assured, Redd delivers Steve’s signature line “Did I do that?” a few times, but it’s a lot scarier this time!
Check out the clip below:
This episode aired on Saturday night, January 15. The Bel-Air trailer just dropped on Monday, the 10th. It has logged more than 1.7 million views, although not all of the buzz is positive as some ’90s kids are taken aback by the beloved Fresh Prince of Bel-Air being turned into a dark topical drama that kind of resembles the old FOX hit The O.C. The SNL parody encapsulates a lot of their complaints.
The entire episode of SNL can be watched on Hulu. Joining DeBose was musical guest Bleachers, who stepped in at the last minute after rapper Roddy Ricch, who had to drop out due to COVID-19. Bel-Air will debut on Peacock on February 13.
Who delivered the better trailer? Bel-Air or Urkel? Which would you rather watch?
