Bel-Air: Season 3 Episode 5 – Review/ Recap (Written)
As the mystery of who Frederick was talking to gets resolved, Carlton continues to veer towards a slip up and Vivian and Phil’s fights get more intense.
Storyline Recap
Not The First Nor The Last Anniversary – Phil, Vivian, Carlton, Ashley, Will, Shareef
Between Erika’s kiss and now Shareef’s interest in Vivian, it becomes clear that Phil and Vivian have issues. In fact, it has gotten to the point Ashley, Will, and Carlton are all well aware of it. Ashley, who often would prefer the truth over a fantasy, even finds herself backing away from that as she finds herself confronted with the idea her parents may divorce.
Luckily, however, Phil and Vivian, during their anniversary dinner, have a real conversation about not feeling seen, heard, or getting the kind of affection they need from the other, especially as they both hold demanding jobs. But, with airing out their grievances and feeling closer than ever, it seems the healing has begun. However, don’t think this journey will be easy just because the hard conversation is over. Even if Phil has dumped Erika’s law firm.
You Can’t Just Be Good To People When Convenient – Jackie, Will, Carlton, Ms. Tina
Will and Carlton have too much inventory, especially to move out within a week. So, with a famous rapper due to come to the country club (for reasons not fleshed out), they need to get time with him. However, as established, employees aren’t supposed to fraternize with guests. Luckily, Will and Carlton are able to impress Ms. Tina, who handles special events, and Will is able to seal the deal not only with her, but the famous rapper.
It should be noted though, this is only after him and Jackie make up after him dissing her for Lisa, and not taking the initiative to apologize.
Boys And Their Fathers – Will, Geoffrey, Frederick, Penelope, Zaire
For most of the men on “Bel-Air,” their relationships with their fathers are complex. We’re well aware of Carlton and Phil’s relationship, especially when Will showed up, but that isn’t of focus in this episode. Rather, it is Geoffrey learning Frederick reconnected with his mom, Penelope, and how that has left him lagging behind as a parent. For with Penelope having years to heal their relationship, now Geoffrey has to do the same and with Geoffrey holding a grudge over Penelope due to her giving up Frederick, it makes Frederick’s loyalty to his mom and forcing Geoffrey to heal two relationships a challenge.
He isn’t alone though. Will speaks with Zaire, his team lead, about their shared complicated relationships with their dad. Zaire lost his dad when he was younger, and pushes Will to seek reconciliation. This is not something he thinks he can do on his own and with this also being the first summer without his mom, he asks her to come to LA to support him.
Find Your People – Ashley, Olivia, Carlton, Eli, Spencer
Ashley’s pursuit of making a band goes nowhere and Olivia contributes that to her wanting to do something serious over something fun. Saying that, combined with trying to soften the potential blow of her parents maybe divorcing, leads Ashley to ask Olivia to leave. The next day Eli shows up, a day late for the auditions, and it seems Ashley, naïve as she is, decides to let a total stranger into her house to hang out and listen to records, seemingly with no one aware of who he is.
But, one a positive note, with Eli more in line with where Ashley is at, musically anyway, maybe she has found her people? The same might be said for Carlton who seemingly has adopted Spencer as a sponsor and talks to him about a incident at the country club after hearing his parents fight in the morning and being surrounded by alcohol. Spencer helps calm him down and ease the experience of processing everything, and could very well become one of Carlton’s first friends that aren’t family or someone he has a romantic interest in – post-Connor.
It Was Destiny – Vivian, Destiny
Destiny, the person who raised red flags previously, is not only met by Vivian, face-to-face, but wins the Neeman Fellowship. Destiny is excited, since Vivian inspired her to start expressing herself, and despite Destiny’s methods, it seems she was just excited, not dangerous.
Collected Quote(s)
- You either try to make it better, or you live with it the way it is. — Carlton
New Character Descriptions
Lisa Vidal As Ms. Tina
Ms. Tina is a vivacious, and flirty, staff member of the Beverly Hills Country Club who handles VIP events. But, don’t get it twisted, as playful as she likes to be, she takes her check seriously.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The Ms. Pat Show: Season 3.”
Mikayla Lashae Bartholomew As Destiny
Destiny is a fan of Vivian’s work who began what would be her career after seeing Vivian’s, “Sunday Best” at a museum. She is the Neeman Fellowship recipient in season 3.
Lenora Crichlow As Penelope
Penelope is Geoffrey’s ex, and Frederick’s mom.
Michael Govan Hackett As Eli
Eli is someone who responded to Ashley’s advertisement to start a band, who is into the idea of making more serious music, over something to dance and distract yourself from life.
Review
Highlights
Intimacy Beyond Romantic Relationships
Sometimes it can feel that people, especially men, Black men in the case of “Bel-Air” only really open up to their significant others. However, from Phil and Geoffrey, Will and Carlton at times, and now Will with Zaire, and Carlton with Spencer, we’re seeing that’s not true. I’d even add Jackie maybe seeking intimacy with Will, but without it being romantic or sexual regarding working at the country club. As she notes, he was foreign to her world, and she helped him out, and she expected the same. There was an expectation of shielding their vulnerability in a unfamiliar environment that wasn’t there, until Will finally stepped up when a member got aggressive.
But, refocusing on male relationships, I appreciate Zaire and Will since I think Will needs a friend who isn’t born and raised in a affluent lifestyle. Since things ended with Tray, Will has pretty much latched onto Carlton and while cousins, and close, they also live together and have notably different perspectives on life that aren’t easily settled. So, having someone from a more urban area who gets it, should do wonders for Will. I just hope that Zaire gets as much out of it, since right now, Will benefits the most.
Switching to Carlton, I love Spencer’s role in all this. On top of him (assumption) being Carlton’s unofficial sponsor, he is also someone who has effeminate qualities but that isn’t brought up at all. Carlton just sees a person who can give him guidance, a sense of peace, and while who Spencer is beyond Carlton’s needs matter, who he seemingly is, isn’t important when it comes to two people trying to get through life the best way they can.
For me, seeing someone who has mostly read as straight like Carlton not having to get over himself to be vulnerable with someone like Spencer is beyond the word of progress. This is especially true for a show which speaks to the Black experience. Albeit more so the upper middle, or upper class Black experience, but nonetheless is representative of Black American culture which hasn’t been too kind, or has outright ostracized, people who present like Spencer.
Ms. Tina
I could watch a show about Ms. Tina. There is just something about her that feels notable on “Bel-Air” and I don’t know if it is because she is one of the few, beyond Ashley, whose storyline isn’t dependent on the feelings or actions of some man in her life, or because she simply has main character energy? Now, it is acknowledged that we likely won’t see her again, like we having seen the manager of the country club. But, one could hope she makes appearances for with being named “Ms. Tina,” I have a feeling when it comes to those like Zaire and others, she is the woman who, like Quentin, will look out for those who are Black and Brown and about something, and make sure they are looked after or taken care of.
I mean, prime example, she didn’t fire Will or dig into him after the incident between him, a club member, and Jackie. She handled that as any young Black or Brown kid may have experienced when someone who looked like you was in a position of authority, trying to balance protecting you but not putting their job on the line.
Will Sticking Up For Jackie
You’d think with how much I stan Jackie’s character that I was Jazlin Martin’s biggest fan but the truth is, I just want more characters like Jackie. In my viewing experience, you can easily find Vivian, Hillary, and even Ashley types as lead characters. Finding a Jackie type is rare, especially outside of some reality tv show where her buttons are pushed and she is forced into weird situations.
This isn’t to downplay what we’ve seen on “The Chi,” but like most Black focused shows, “The Chi” does a disservice to its female characters, more often than not. So with Jackie, being that she hasn’t just been written off as an ex, my hope is continually for her to be the bridge between what is delivered in “The Ms. Pat Show” and programs like “The Chi” in giving us someone from a more urban environment, in a respectable drama, who isn’t locked into being someone’s boo.
After all, from her pursuit of dance, even Julliard, to her backstory, there is so much there and I’d submit, her story is far more interesting than anything Lisa has ever presented.
A Pause On Phil and Vivian’s Relationship Drama
A part of me wants to appreciate showing Black couples not just in love, but fighting in such a way that shows what real couples go through. Yes, it nice to see them cute, affectionate, heads of the family, and stable. However, television isn’t just about the ideal but also about people’s realities as well.
With that said, the drama would have been fine if it was just about the power dynamic shift, or even responsibility shift, as Vivian’s job became more demanding. Our issue has always been the tease of infidelity for that is a storyline that is overdone in entertainment – especially with couples who have been together for quite some time.
On The Fence
Geoffrey, Penelope, and Frederick
I think the overall issue with Geoffrey’s storyline is that it is an adjustment. Geoffrey didn’t really have much of his own storyline in the original series, so while it was cool to make him a big more gangster, now having it where he has a family and there being drama, it feels like a stretch to the imagination. Granted, how could Geoffrey be so cool and not have an ex, and potentially a child could be submitted. But, one of the issues, if not the main issue is that, while Will and others have friends and people outside the family, a good amount of the time they are either people we know from the original show or have such strong characters, they seem like they could be.
Frederick, and his mom, to me, aren’t written to be notable roles. It isn’t like a Jackie or Spencer where, you have to take note of not only who they are relation to someone, but because of everything the actor themselves brings to the table. But, while Frederick has been a bit of a disappointment, Penelope could do, say, or perform in such a way to be more than give Geoffrey something to do beyond being Phil’s right hand man.
General Information
Additional Information
- Previous Episode: Season 3/ Episode 4
- Series Page
Where To Buy, Rent or Subscribe To Watch This:
Episode Title
Getting Personal
Release Date
August 22, 2024
Network
Peacock
Director(s)
Keesha Sharp
Writer(s)
Andy Reaser, Ephraim Salaam
