Top 10 Will & Carlton Moments on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Carlton’s love for Tom Jones reaches legendary levels, to the point where he can’t resist jamming to the music even if it means doing it in secret. Will isn’t too keen on this side of his cousin, finding it too embarrassing to even mock Carlton for it. In the finale, just before Carlton’s departure from Bel-Air, the two have a final heart-to-heart, promising that they’ll always be there for each other. To commemorate this bond, Will does the unthinkable and indulges Carlton in a last dance. As he embraces his cousin’s love for Tom Jones, it becomes clear that Will has accepted Carlton for all his quirks. Not only does it make for their final funny exchange, the dance also signifies their character development.

After having underestimated Carlton for so long, it's ironic that the one time Will does have him as his first choice, it ends up backfiring. As a straight-A student, Carlton is among the smartest characters on the show. He's too smart for his own good on this occasion, as he ruins Will's chances to win. On a show called "Double Trouble", the cousins compete against Will's two best friends. With the game designed to encourage silly behaviour, Carlton's extra detailed answers are no good. The pair manage to even the odds by going along with the rules of the game, although at the expense of their pride.

Carlton’s overly enthusiastic nature doesn’t make him the ideal person to meet a celebrity. Despite Will’s attempts to keep him away from William Shatner, who was the latest guest on the Hilary Show, Carlton tracks them down. As one would expect, this eventually spirals out of control when Will, Carlton, and William Shatner head to the dentist to fix the actor’s tooth problems. After filling the room with laughing gas, each one of the men instantly begins feeling the effects. Now out of their minds, Will and Carlton act like a couple of children who find anything funny. With William Shatner in the same situation, the cousins drag him into their crazy antics, which spills into the actual interview.

With their original hostility long gone, Carlton and Will become as close as brothers. Carlton in particular seeks Will's attention and feels left out due to Will's engagement to Lisa. After Will invites Lisa along on their skiing trip, it’s the last straw - and Will has to chase after an angry Carlton. Unfortunately, this leaves them trapped on a snowy mountainside. It's here when Carlton lays his heart out, admitting how much Will means to him. Appreciating Carlton's vulnerable moment, Will assures him he feels the same way. The hilarity then continues as the cousins have no choice but to brave the steep cliff in extremely silly fashion.

As they enter their college lives, Will and Carlton are tempted by the prospect of joining the fraternity Phi Beta Gamma. In order to prove themselves, the cousins are forced to go through one embarrassing task after another. However, Carlton is hazed in particular by Top Dog, the fraternity’s president. Despite Carlton proving himself up to the task, Top Dog only agrees to let Will join. After realizing his cousin is being denied purely out of prejudice for his wealthy background, Will refuses to be part of the fraternity. With Will by his side, Carlton finds the courage to defend his family against Top Dog, as the cousins leave in triumph.

Although he gives Carlton a hard time in general, Will proves his love for his cousin when things are at their worst. When the two head off to the ATM late at night, they’re held up at gunpoint. Despite Will’s attempts at calming Carlton down, the latter’s extreme fear causes the gunman to take a shot at him - but hits Will instead. This incident makes Carlton decide to get a gun himself. Knowing his cousin might go down a dark path, a bedridden Will forces Carlton to see sense. They do have some tension in this moment, but it highlights how Carlton ultimately appreciates the lengths Will takes to keep him safe.

This pair’s get-rich-quick schemes always gets them into trouble. Swayed by Carlton's promise of easy money through insider trading, the duo is left penniless after losing all their earnings. Things get worse when they pawn off Aunt Viv's expensive jewellery, leaving the boys with no choice but to resort to other means. While Will seems more positive about strip-dancing to earn their money back, he ends up getting cold feet. The otherwise modest Carlton, on the other hand, enthusiastically goes through with it when he finds many admirers in the audience. It's not all good news though, as Aunt Viv happens to be part of the group and makes sure Uncle Phil puts the boys back in their place.

Will and Carlton think they’ve hit the jackpot by setting themselves up with two beautiful girls. It gets better when the cousins are invited over to the girls’ place, making them believe their double date has been a success. Unfortunately, one of the girls’ boyfriend, the appropriately-named Mad Dog turns up. With their attempts to escape a complete failure, and Mad Dog in no forgiving mood, Will and Carlton are left running for their lives. Although in the worst situation imaginable, they're at least by each other’s side when backed in a literal corner. Hilariously, Will and Carlton are then saved by someone who turns out to be even weirder than Mad Dog.

Will and Carlton’s drive in a Mercedes belonging to Uncle Phil’s partner is ruined as the pair get lost. Things take a turn for the worse when an officer pulls them over, with the naive Carlton giving answers that puts them into more trouble. Thrown into jail for stealing a car they didn’t actually steal, Will and Carlton’s fortunes don’t get any better after meeting a crazy fellow inmate. In a great display of their different charactersCarlton cries for his father while Will puts on a phony confession to get the press’s attention. Doubling as a funny incident and a stern reality check, their successful acquittal leads to Will making Carlton realize the injustice he’ll need to learn to face.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Pranking Each Other, “Will’s Misery”
Because This Escalated Right Through the Fourth Wall

Will Scolding Carlton for Not Visiting Uncle Phil at the Hospital, "Home Is Where the Heart Attack Is"
Because the Best Cousins Tell You When You’re Wrong

Taking Uncle Phil to Court, "Will Goes a Courtin"
Because There’s Always Strength in Numbers

The Party without Uncle Phil's Permission, "Will Goes a Courtin"
Because These Fantasies Are Way Too Hilarious

Getting Geoffrey Back, “Winner Takes Off”
Because Saying Sorry Is a Two-Person Job

Will and Carlton’s dance antics are usually played for laughs. After years of living under the close supervision of Uncle Phil, Will and Carlton are delighted to celebrate becoming legal adults. Their Vegas trip doesn't go as planned, though, as Carlton is bitten by the gambling bug. Left without any money, the two turn to the only recourse left: a dance contest. The scene initially sets up Will and Carlton to be humiliated, but the audience in attendance are treated to a truly unforgettable performance. The cousins are completely in sync, combining elements of comedy and genuine dance moves. This moment has become so iconic, that the actors reprised it once again nearly two decades later.