Bel-Air’s Aunt Viv’s Love Triangle Could Destroy Her Family
Bel-Air introduces a love triangle between Aunt Viv, Uncle Phil, and a new suitor that might be worse than the Will, Lisa, and Carlton rivalry.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for the first eight episodes of Bel-Air, now airing on Peacock.
It seemed like there would be a love triangle in the first season of Bel-Air. The Peacock series reintroduced the character of Lisa Wilkes and she became Will’s girlfriend, much to the chagrin of her ex-boyfriend Carlton Banks. Will and Lisa’s relationship drove a wedge between the cousins, causing Carlton to sabotage Will and become more of a villain instead of the best friend he was portrayed in the original series.
But it all seems odd compared to the town’s new love triangle – which is more dramatic and could have far longer lasting repercussions than a high school relationship. Will’s Aunt Viv started entertaining someone else in her life as a result of Uncle Phil’s bad decisions. And given his scathing indictment of their marriage, this romantic rivalry could ultimately destroy the Banks family if left unresolved.
In “The Strength to Smile”, Viv hosted an art party to raise money for a charity that Lisa’s mother had supported before her death. Reid – an art dealer and a stunning playboy – had previously tried to get him to exhibit some of his work in his gallery, but after he refused, he showed up at the party and kept trying to get her. to convince. Viv hadn’t realized the handsome dealer would be so resilient and persuasive, and she was clearly taken by his attention.
Phil took umbrage when he saw them flirting at home, realizing Reid inspired Viv and could be a future muse. He used his mysterious relationship with Geoffrey to investigate Reid, and as expected, Reid had slept with plenty of up-and-coming artists in the past. Phil was convinced he now wanted to sleep with Viv, who is something of a legend for quitting the business to teach art history, unaware of the talent she had and the star many thought she was. she should have been.
Growing tension between Phil and Viv culminated in an argument at an artist retreat a few days later after Viv snuck out, not wanting to alarm Phil after his work was sold – just as Reid predicted. . Phil had put a tracker on his phone, however, and the two had a public confrontation. He berated Reid and embarrassed Viv, who let it be known that she could take care of herself and that she and Reid were just friends. However, Bel-Air left an opening for this to change in the future.
After their argument, Viv privately berated Phil for not supporting her artistic career. He was perplexed by her accusation, as he had created a safety net so she didn’t have to worry about work or money when she unexpectedly became pregnant with their daughter Hilary (whose relationship with Viv has improved significantly). But Viv didn’t see that as a positive; she wanted it because it took her away from her passion. Her misfortune has also caused her to disconnect from Hilary’s own romantic journey.
Viv thought Phil had become inconsiderate over the years as they grew the family and focused on his legal and political career, while ignoring how hungry she was to paint again. Since Phil’s prosecutor’s campaign is all about the family, the timing of their disagreement couldn’t be worse. Viv sent Phil home and eventually went out for drinks with Reid, making it clear that she trusted him. He believed in her and her work, and while Phil did to some extent, he didn’t push Viv enough to dream bigger and maybe that’s something she can’t forgive. .
Bel-Air is available to stream now on Peacock, with new episodes dropping weekly.
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