How to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion: Release date, time and how to stream it for free

watch the fresh prince of bel-air reunion
(Image credit: Courtesy Will Smith)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion release date, start time

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion is now live on HBO Max, having debuted at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

This is a story all about how to watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion. What'd you think? I was gonna send you to your auntie and your uncle? Nah, it's time to see Will Smith and the rest of the gang reunite and reminisce. Of course, this HBO Max special is missing one major part of the cast, as James Avery (Uncle Phil himself) passed in 2013.

So, prepare for the cast to wax poetic about working with Avery, who was arguably the cast member who tied the show together. HBO Max is also free (for 7 days) to new subscribers, so you don't have to pay if you play your cards as well as Uncle Phil played pool.

Mr. Smith will be joined by Tatyana M. Ali (Ashley), Karyn Parsons (Hilary), Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey the Butler) Daphne Maxwell Reid (New Aunt Viv), Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jazz).

We've also learned some details about what the special will reveal. DJ Jazzy Jeff originally declined to participate in the show, and Daphne Maxwell Reid also wasn't interested at first either. 

Oh, and don't be surprised to see Janet Hubert — yes, the original Aunt Viv — appear as well. 

Unlike the recent The West Wing reunion, this special will only give us a conversation between the cast members. Check out a preview below:

How to The Fresh Prince reunion anywhere, with a VPN

Just because HBO Max isn't available everywhere doesn't mean you need to miss The Fresh Prince reunion if you're away from home. Watching along with the rest of the internet can be pretty easy. With the right VPN (virtual private network), you can stream the show from wherever you go.

We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more.)

ExpressVPN

Our favorite VPN service, ExpressVPN, really shines thanks to its safety, speed and simplicity-to-use. It's also compatible with loads of devices - from iOS and Android to Roku, Apple TV and PlayStations. You'll even get an extra 3 months free if you sign up for a year, or there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you just want to give it a try.

How to watch The Fresh Prince reunion in the US

In the U.S., The Fresh Prince reunion is now live on HBO Max. HBO Max has a 7-day free trial, so make sure to set a reminder to re-think the subscription so you can stream the special without paying (if the rest of HBO Max's offerings don't lure you to commit).

Of course, you're gonna need a device that supports HBO Max, which can be annoying since the app isn't available on Roku. HBO Max is on Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Fire TV, Android and Android TV, Chromecast, Playstation 4 and Xbox One, as well as Samsung TVs from 2016 and later.

HBO Max

HBO Max is one of the new kids on the streaming block but it's already got a ton to offer. First, it's got all of HBO, which means you can stream Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and the City and all of premium network's prestige series. Plus, HBO Max has its own originals like Raised By Wolves.

How to watch The Fresh Prince reunion in the UK

Unfortunately, a UK release date has yet to be announced for The Fresh Prince reunion. Americans abroad could use ExpressVPN to launch HBO Max if they're across the pond.

How to watch The Fresh Prince reunion in Canada

Similarly bad news for Canadians. We don't have a Fresh Prince reunion special release date for Canada yet. It may air on Crave, but that's TBA.

Anyone with an HBO Max subscription could jump on the service in Canada by accessing a VPN such as ExpressVPN.

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.