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Saturday 10 August 2013

Is Benson The Fresh Prince?

Is Benson the Fresh Prince. Upon reading an interesting essay on the subtext within sitcoms (Hidden themes and narratives within popular culture) i found a series of similarities between 80's sitcom Benson and mid nineties sitcom TFPOBA. But a reversal has occurred. In Benson a black American fleeing the effects of crime gets a job as a butler in a mansion through artifice. In Fresh Prince a young man flees the effects of crime and uses street smarts to get ahead. The difference is the black family now owns the mansion. Work in progress . Most of the main characters in Benson are the same, now replaced by economically successful black characters. I think the very specific character, location and environment replication is deliberate.
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4 comments:

  1. Pat Hatt10 August 2013 at 17:00

    Hmmm never really thought of that, but yeah there does seem to be a ton of similarities.

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    1. sundersartwork11 August 2013 at 14:15

      Thanks Patt, i shall put more research in to it, might email the producers and writers with something cohesive and see if they reply.

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  2. The Angry Lurker11 August 2013 at 06:44

    I'm with Pat as I never thought of them that way but you're right.

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    1. Anonymous13 August 2013 at 11:19

      Thanks Francis, i'll make it more cogent this week.

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