The '90s Sitcom You Had No Idea Crossed Over With The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

Between its primetime premiere in the fall of 1990 and the airing of its series finale in the spring of '96, there were few television programs quite as well-loved as NBC's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." And you'd be even more hard-pressed to find a star that was burning as brightly as Will Smith. It's worth remembering, however, that "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" was essentially Smith's first acting gig, having first made his name in the rap game. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" would prove a star-making springboard for Smith, of course, who quickly followed up his TV stint by starring in blockbusters like "Independence Day" and "Men in Black." 

But "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" wasn't the only series on NBC during that time, nor even the only NBC sitcom that was set in Los Angeles. And in 1991, a crossover episode saw the Fresh Prince himself making an appearance on the series of one of his network colleagues. 

The show that earned a coveted guest spot from Will Smith was "Blossom," which you'd likely only know if you were a "Blossom" fan. In any case, that series was almost certainly tabbed for the crossover treatment because it aired directly after "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." "Blossom" also followed an unconventional family unit, though this story was largely centered on the titular teen (future "The Big Bang Theory" star Mayim Bailik) as she came of age amid all the dramas and humor inherent to teen-dom.

As for Smith's crossover, it came in the season 2 episode titled  "I'm With the Band," which found Blossom and her bestie Six (Jenna von Oÿ) hotel bound on a school band trip. In a chance encounter, Blossom finds herself riding the elevator with The Fresh Prince, and the pair share an unabashedly sweet encounter as the star-struck teen fully geeks out. Smith's cameo was brief as far as crossovers go, but for fans of '90s television, it was still a major moment.

Smith also wasn't the only star of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" to appear on "Blossom." His co-star Karyn Parsons (who played Hilary Banks on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air") had a much bigger role in her own season 2 crossover. Parson's appearance came in the episode titled "Wake Up Little Suzy," and found her Hilary on a ride-a-long for charity with Blossom's paramedic big brother Anthony (Michael Stoyanov). And if you ask us, Parsons' delightful cameo was a lot more fun.