Support NeoGAF

[Aaron Strife]

Agree with whoever said earlier, doesn't matter how great of an actor/actress you are, if you're shitty to your co-stars you gotta go.

That being said I barely remember the new Vivian. I wonder if the writers sidelined her character as a way of making the transition less obvious.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

My SO and I started binging through FP on Netflix and quit the season New Vivian showed up, so yeah.

When did they put Fresh Prince on Netflix?

 

[Gunblade47]

I liked the original character more. Listening to all the drama behind the scenes which 7yo me didnt follow makes me think she had to be replaced but the writers then dropped the ball completely.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

New Vivian was fiiiiiinnee.

But old Vivian was a wayyy better actress.

Old Vivian was way sexier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgcvwWFWoEM

She is painted into the dress she is wearing in this scene. Her body was something.

 

[Fried Food]

gotta go with old

 

[TheBowen]

Dont like the old actress but her acting and character were way better

New one has no memorable moments or lines for me

 

[bud]

og vivian. no contest.

 

[Baraka Obama]

Reading up on it:







Yes she is talking about herself in the 3rd person, which doesn't exactly come off as level-headed.

Geez she’s crazy

 

[Strike]

Old Viv despite the actress who played her becoming bitter.

 

[jett]

New Viv is a non-entity.

The original is the real one.

 

[LeleSocho]

Janet Hubert as Vivian.

Daphne Reid as a person.

yepyep

 

[Redd]

Original, and it's not even close.

There it is.

 

[Kyuur]

When did they put Fresh Prince on Netflix?

A couple of years ago here in Canada.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Oh wow, I didn't know about lightskin Viv's legacy

 

[howdyjacker]

O.G Vivian easily.


She had sass, presence and a while lotta attitude.


I've never forgotten her.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I don't think people hate on her as a person, but her character on Fresh Prince was bland and one dimensional, especially compared to the previous actress. That was probably no fault of her own, It seemed like as Will and Carlton got older there was a concerted effort to make the show more about them than the family, and everyone outside of Phil took more of a backseat.

 

[itwasTuesday]

When is lifetime gonna give us The Unauthorized Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Story TV movie.

 

[PaulKersey]

Anyone who says New Vivienne is factually wrong

First post and it is over. I loved OG Viv. New Viv was trash and I hated her.

 

[Haribokart]

The OG Viv actress played Franklyn’s Aunt Denise in GTAV, so she wins by default.

 

[Plinko]

OG Aunt Viv slays the other, BUT New Aunt Viv is alright. The difference in quality isn't as severe as the Old Harriette Winslow vs New Harriette Winslow, though.



Truth. I love that actress.

I had no idea Harriet ever changed.

 

[SeanC]

Old Vivian brought more to the character, felt more of her presence.

Too bad the actress kind of ruined it in the bigger picture, but as just that character she was a million times better and more memorable.

 

[zeemumu]

Agree with whoever said earlier, doesn't matter how great of an actor/actress you are, if you're shitty to your co-stars you gotta go.

.

Katherine Heigl's career in a nutshell

 

[Ninja Scooter]

LOL what? That was the same woman!

They switched actresses (and networks, it aired on CBS) for the final season.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Oh wow, I didn't know about lightskin Viv's legacy

This is cool.

 

[Plinko]

They switched actresses (and networks, it aired on CBS) for the final season.

Thanks—just caught it. Didn’t realize it ever happened because I never knew about the switch to CBS.

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

og viv was just great, i appreciate her even more now that im older

didnt know they had a feud so that's why they canned her

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Thanks—just caught it. Didn’t realize it ever happened because I never knew about the switch to CBS.

Yeah it was weird. I remember even thinking at the time that Family Matters had sort of run out of steam yet CBS picked it up and tried to recreate their own TGIF block.

 

[BibiMaghoo]

Anyone who says New Vivienne is factually wrong

100% this.

 

[night814]

Come on, now

GOD DAMN that is tight

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

New aunt Viv and by far. She was amazing when she was younger too.

 

[bionic77]

OG Viv was better, but honestly neither character was really that interesting.

Maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt like the OG Viv mostly served as a joke about how horny and cheap Unc Phil was.

They somehow made the character even more lame with New Viv.

She was not really a big part of the show. They never figured out how to incorporate Viv and Phil properly. Uncle Phil stole most of the attention.

 

[Two Words]

How about a less one-sided question?

Early Carlton vs late Carlton

I think Carlton earlier on was a much more moral and straight-laced character. Later on into the show, Carlton became a bigger jerk. He started to become more and more of this greedy character that showed less and less actual love for his family and viewed them more like a giant investment that would pay off one day. I liked earlier Carlton a lot more. His later version was a very unethical person.

 

[Two Words]

OG Viv was better, but honestly neither character was really that interesting.

Maybe I am remembering it wrong but I felt like the OG Viv mostly served as a joke about how horny and cheap Unc Phil was.

They somehow made the character even more lame with New Viv.

She was not really a big part of the show. They never figured out how to incorporate Viv and Phil properly. Uncle Phil stole most of the attention.

Bel Air failed to have a female character at an equivalent significance as Will, Carlton and Uncle Phil. All of the women in the show were much smaller roles. I would have prefered for original Vivian to have a role similar to Uncle Phil. There are a few episodes where she is a major part of the story, but they are few and far between. The issue is that the show often revolves around Will getting into trouble and it’s Uncle Phil who acts as the upset adult. They really should have had Vivian in that spot more often. I would bet that they don’t because sadly many people will see a man being angry but see a woman as being “bitchy.”

 

[Shaanyboi]

Original, but it's a damn shame the original actress was such a nightmare to work with.

 

[OmniGamer]

Oh wow, I didn't know about lightskin Viv's legacy

*snip*

Thanks for this, didn't know a lot of that...also sad how Tim's "Endangered species " shirt still resonates even today.

 

[Ecotic]

The best art is made from adversity. The crew should have stuck with the original Aunt Viv and they would have had a cool story to tell.

"Janet Hubert was unbelievably crazy, but we sure made a good show didn't we?"

 

[killatopak]

OG

 

[Escape Goat]

Original is best if only for her awesome dance moves.

 

[Salty Rice]

Janet Hubert is the only Vivian to me.

 

[excelsiorlef]

The best art is made from adversity. The crew should have stuck with the original Aunt Viv and they would have had a cool story to tell.

"Janet Hubert was unbelievably crazy, but we sure made a good show didn't we?"

No because she was making their lives hell.

Fuck that suffer for your art shit.

 

[Beerman462]

Don't really remember Reid, but cool to see her legacy outside of Fresh Prince in this thread.

 

[Oemenia]

Just saw the black history episode, was expecting something preachy but damn did the writers handle it well.

 

[baddvision]

og

 

[GuessMyUserName]

OG Viv actually had writing behind her so yeah, better character. Nonetheless the show was still incredible with New Viv, albeit not due to her.

 

[Two Words]

Here’s a good example of the show failing to make new Vivian more than just a part of the background. Skip ahead to when Carlton and Will get back home. Uncle Phil gets to talk about how he worked very hard to provide for his family and his kid is being punished for it. He doesn’t say he and Vivian worked hard. And Vivian does nothing but stare at them.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5D2RvIQwQE

 

[Fancyarcher]

Original, as she had more to do, but I can't fault the replacement as she only came in, because Janet started to become a bit of a diva and very difficult to work with.

 

[Big Green Anus]

OG Vivian all the way. I did not laugh ONE time with the new Vivian.

 

[Starfish Hero]

The didn't really give New Viv anything to work with, and I feel bad holding it against her because had they kept old Viv on her role would have been reduced anyway. Later season of Fresh Prince was the Will and Carlton show.

 

[TheOGB]

OG Viv was def a better character, but New Viv didn't get much to do. Dapne Maxwell Reid is cool tho

 

[Derwind]

OG Aunt Viv's performance was top-notch, regardless of the backstage fued.

New Aunt Viv just felt like a step-down. But she seemed like she was a better person to be around backstage and her resume & body of work is impeccable.