Tensions Run High In Bel-Air Episodes 6 and 7
Tension runs high in episodes 6 and 7 of Bel-Air. This season centers on healing and truthfulness—not just with themselves, but with each other.
Aunt Viv (Cassandra Freeman) and Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes) may have kissed and made up, but they’re still trying to navigate prioritizing their marriage while dealing with all the drama in their lives. In an effort to find their rhythm, they go on a couples’ weekend trip with their soon-to-be in-laws, where they reunite with old friends who claim they’ve found the key to a happy and successful marriage: letting go of monogamy. This trip allows Viv and Phil to explore the boundaries of their relationship and bring adventure back into their lives.
Will (Jabari Banks) and Carlton (Olly Sholotan), of course, took this opportunity to invite their girlfriends over for a night of fun. But these two bring drama wherever they go, so when Jackie shows up as a surprise, I was less shocked and more worried about the chaos that would unfold. And it’s no shocker that Amira (Alycia Pascual-Peña), Carlton’s new girlfriend, is the one stirring everything up. A game of “Heal and Reveal” was just the trick for Amira to chastise Will for avoiding conflicts and being so wrapped up in his own messy life that he doesn’t notice his girlfriend is drowning — which is ironic, considering she’s a swimmer.
The truth? Amira was right: Will often walks away from problems, but she has her own issues to deal with. Amira is so wrapped up in everyone else’s problems, trying to defend Lisa and breathe for Carlton, that she doesn’t see she’s on a slippery slope herself — only confirmed when Lisa finds codeine in her bag. Amira claims it’s the anniversary of her sister’s death, which is a trigger for her, but if we remember correctly, it was also the anniversary when she was late to dinner with the Banks. I’ll admit, as much as I’m loving Carlton being happy, it’s only a matter of time before Amira’s drama becomes his own.
As for Lisa (Simone Joy Jones) and Will, they work against each other more than they work together. It’s possible that it’s over for Jackie and Will, but that doesn’t mean Will and Lisa are endgame. Neither of them sees the other for who they really are and, when you’re young, love should be passionate and all-consuming. But with them, their relationship feels more like a job than a safe space.
Now, if you want passion, Geoffrey and Penelope (Lenora Crichlow), his son’s mother, are exactly the spark I’m looking for. Their chemistry is electric. They bounce off each other. She loves the aggressive protector in him, but she may have enough control to drag him back into the man he used to be. Their relationship has the potential to bring love and light into Geoffrey’s life beyond the Banks, but it also has the potential to pull him back down.
Meanwhile, Phil’s new and only client — after letting Erica go from his firm — is in hot water due to his new development plans in Black neighborhoods. Phil took on this client hoping to secure his business future, but he also wanted to ensure that the land could contribute to the community. The client, however, is more concerned with appeasing investors than preserving neighborhoods like the one he grew up in. He plans to remove valuable community businesses like Jazz’s (Jordan L. Jones) music store. The community, however, doesn’t plan to go down without a fight.
Unfortunately, Will was part of the group that set fire to the property in an attempt to stop the project, thinking he’d gotten too comfortable in the Bel-Air walls. But he meddled in something he didn’t fully understand. Carlton warned him, as he believed in his dad and saw both sides of the issue. The investors doubled down after the vandalism, now adding stipulations to the contract that would completely wipe out the community. With everyone on different sides of this issue, the Banks household is divided, and none of the decisions seem worth the risk. Phil eventually leaves the project, knowing he can’t be part of the complete destruction of Black neighborhoods. It’s clear Phil made the right decision, but once he finds out the truth about Will’s involvement, he may not be so forgiving. And Will may find himself in trouble with the law again now that Jazz has been identified as one of the vandals.
In more lighthearted news, our favorite teenager is back and we get to watch her journey of self-discovery. Ashley’s (Akira Akbar) new bestie Eli is a boy, which Phil and Viv are having a hard time with — especially Phil, who’s pointing out her choice of clothing. He’s definitely being a stereotypical father, but I think it’s time both he and Viv start educating themselves because there are blurred lines as Ashley explores her sexuality. This is a storyline we don’t often see on television, especially in the context of Black families. I believe Ashley’s journey is only going to get more interesting and possibly be educational, but the dialogue will be the most important part of getting this story right.
The relationships in Bel-Air are the most important part of the story, and as they evolve, so does the direction of the narrative. The final two episodes of Bel-Air hit Peacock on September 5.
