The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the ‘90s even led to a reboot being made a shocking 26 years after the original sitcom ended.

However, while The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was known for its comedic tone the sitcom had some surprisingly emotional moments too. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an incredibly important show due to the predominantly Black cast and the way it handled a series of topics, from personal struggles Will's character was going through to larger themes about identity, belonging, fatherhood, and more. From character deaths to one of the most famous monologs on television, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air had quite a few sad episodes that were difficult to get through.

5 "Home Is Where the Heart Attack Is"

Season 4, Episode 10

Despite The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s usual comedy, season 4, episode 10 is a perfect example of how the sitcom manages to tackle an emotional topic with its usual grace and humor. After bribing Will to get him a cheeseburger, Uncle Phil has a serious heart attack. Carlton struggles to deal with seeing his father in such a vulnerable state and elects not to visit Uncle Phil while he is in the hospital.

While the majority of the episode is full of jokes, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air tackles a serious theme near the end. When Will confronts Carlton for not seeing his father, Will calls Carlton selfish, as Will doesn’t even know where his father is. The moment is rather difficult, and the episode forces the audience to compare Will and Carlton’s relationships with their fathers, making it a particularly profound moment.

4 "Bullets Over Bel-Air"

Season 5, Episode 15

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has been regarded as one of the best sitcoms of all time, despite its rather short, 6-season run. However, Will Smith itted in his self-titled memoir that he noticed the sitcom was declining in quality after "Season 5, Episode 15, 'Bullets Over Bel-Air,' the one in which I got shot and Carlton started carrying a gun." Nevertheless, “Bullets Over Bel-Air” is felt by many to be one of the most heartbreaking episodes of the show.

As Carlton leaves, Will opens the chamber to see if the gun is loaded; bullets fall out and Will breaks down.

After Will is shot defending Carlton in an armed robbery, Carlton loses faith in the legal system and begins carrying a gun. Discovering this, Will convinces Carlton to hand it over. As Carlton leaves, Will opens the chamber to see if the gun is loaded; bullets fall out and Will breaks down. This episode is memorable for touching on such a serious topic, and seeing Will realize how disillusioned the usually optimistic Carlton has become makes “Bullets Over Bel-Air” stand out as one of the saddest storylines.

3 “Just Say Yo”

Season 3, Episode 19

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s “Just Say Yo” is a good example of how a light-hearted comedy show can tackle serious issues, as Will nearly kills Carlton when the latter accidentally takes Will’s drugs. Feeling the effects of a busy schedule, a classmate offers Will some speed to keep him awake, but Will stores them in his locker. When Carlton mistakes the pills for vitamins and ends up overdosing at prom, Will realizes what has happened and rushes Carlton to the hospital.

"Just Say Yo" is a reference to the "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign which ran throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

Will feels increasingly guilty as Carlton lies about where he found the drugs, and he is praised for his actions. After itting to Uncle Phil that he caused Carlton’s overdose, a furious Phil forces Will to tell the rest of the family, but Will breaks down as he explains the pressure he is under. Although the Banks family forgives him, “Just Say Yo” highlights how much Will cares about his family and how close he came to losing Carlton.

2 "I, Done"

Season 6, Episode 24

The show’s finale, “I, Done” was an emotional ride from start to finish. With the entire Banks family moving to the East Coast, Will chooses to remain in California to finish his studies and prove himself. However, when the house is sold, Will realizes he’s run out of time to find an apartment. The episode has plenty of funny moments and cameos, but it’s Will’s concluding character arc that stands out, especially in the sitcom’s final scene.

There is a sense of foreboding throughout the episode, and as the Banks family says goodbye one by one, Will takes a moment to himself in the unusually silent house to turn out the lights. While this scene has Carlton comedically interject with “Hey, who turned out the lights?” befitting of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s usual comedic tone, the final shot of the quiet and empty house makes “I, Done” one of the saddest episodes.

1 "Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse"

Season 4, Episode 24

When Will suddenly reunites with his father, Lou, who abandoned him 14 years ago, Will forgives him and the two begin to bond. However, Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv still dislike Lou for abandoning his family. The situation comes to a head after Lou promises to take him on a trip, as Will realizes that Lou is trying to secretly leave without him. As he says goodbye, Will calls him “Lou” instead of “Dad,” effectively disowning him, but the saddest moment in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is the speech that follows.

After his father leaves, Will rants to Uncle Phil about how well he did without a father growing up and how he aims to be better than he ever was. Yet Will’s argument quickly falls apart, ending with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's famous heartbreaking line, “How come he don’t want me, man…” showing that Will still has a lot of feelings for his father, as the audience falls eerily silent with the heaviness of the final moment.