If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is available in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on Hulu right now. Every one of its 6 seasons holds up. 2,484 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Will Smith — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on HBO Max.

There is a reason The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air keeps coming up in conversation. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Will, a street-smart teenager, moves from the tough streets of West Philly to posh Bel-Air to live with his Uncle Philip, Aunt Vivian, his cousins — spoiled Hilary, preppy Carlton and young Ashley — and their sophisticated British butler, Geoffrey. Though Will’s antics and upbringing contrast greatly with the upper-class lifestyle of his extended relatives, he soon finds himself right at home as a loved part of the family. Between them, Will Smith and James Avery carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It ran for 6 seasons (1990–1996), and the writing holds up across every one of them. The timing in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. Fans of Clarissa Explains It All will recognise the sensibility here immediately. 6 seasons in, there is no shortage of material once you get started. Will Smith's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air wrapped up in 1996, created by Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz — and 6 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.