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A Different World is an American sitcom (and a spin-off of The Cosby Show) that aired for six seasons on NBC from September 24, 1987 to July 9, 1993. The series originally centered on Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically black college in Virginia. It was inspired by student life at historically black colleges and universities.[1][2][3] After Bonet's departure in the first season, the remainder of the series primarily focused more on Southern belle Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and maths whiz Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison).

Concept[]

While it was a spin-off from The Cosby Show, A Different World typically addressed issues that were avoided by The Cosby Show writers (race and class relations, or the Equal Rights Amendment). One episode that aired in 1990 was one of the first American network television episodes to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.[4] The original premise was to have a white student there and have Lena Horne as an acting teacher, but in production, the premise changed from being a story about a white girl in a black college to a black girl (Denise Huxtable) in a black college with a white friend.[5][6] It was ultimately decided that Denise, who was of college age, would be spun off and have a white roommate in order to show the dynamic of a white girl in predominantly black surroundings.[7] Meg Ryan was originally cast for this role, but she decided to pursue a film career, so Marisa Tomei was cast. The first season of Hillman's student body consisted of both black and white students, but this was changed at the beginning of the second season and a very predominantly black student body maintained until the series ended.

Season two changes[]

After the first season, it came to Cosby's and the producers' attention that the series was not accurately portraying a historically black college and life on campus, so Debbie Allen, an alumna of Howard University, was hired as the chief creative force to revamp the show. During the summer of 1988, Lisa Bonet announced that she and husband Lenny Kravitz were having a baby. Allen was in favor of having a young pregnant student in the show, but Cosby said that Lisa Bonet may be pregnant but not Denise Huxtable.[8] It was felt that viewers would not accept Denise as an unwed mother, having grown to know her as a "good girl" after four seasons of The Cosby Show. Thus it was decided that Denise would drop out of Hillman, return home to her family, and eventually travel to Africa throughout the fifth season of The Cosby Show, ensuring that viewers would not see a pregnant Denise. Allen was also in favor of keeping Tomei, as she herself recalls a white student at Howard and wanted to relate that in the show and even had possible premises for her character, such as meeting Dwayne's parents and seeing the other side of racism.[8] However, Tomei left the show, and she and Marie-Alise Recasner were replaced by Cree Summer and Charnele Brown, respectively. Darryl M. Bell and Sinbad were promoted to the principal cast, and Glynn Turman and Lou Myers were added as supporting cast members. These changes led to the placement of Whitley and Dwayne at the center of a wider ensemble, dealing with more relevant issues of the day.

Cast and characters[]

Main article: List of A Different World characters

Main cast[]

Actor Character Seasons
1 2 3 4 5 6
Lisa Bonet Denise Huxtable Main Guest
Marisa Tomei Maggie Lauten Main
Dawnn Lewis Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor Main
Jasmine Guy Whitley Marion Gilbert Main
Loretta Devine Stevie Rallen Main
Kadeem Hardison Dwayne Cleophus Wayne Main
Mary Alice Leticia "Lettie" Bostic Main
Darryl M. Bell Ronald "Ron" Marlon Johnson Recurring Main
Sinbad Coach Walter Oakes Recurring Main
Charnele Brown Kimberly Reese Main
Cree Summer Winifred "Freddie" Brooks Main
Glynn Turman Colonel Bradford Taylor Main
Lou Myers Vernon Gaines Recurring Main
Ajai Sanders Gina Deveaux Recurring Main
Jada Pinkett Lena James Recurring Main
Karen Malina White Charmaine Tyesha Brown Guest Main
*After leaving the series, Lisa Bonet returned for a guest appearance as Denise in season three (episode: "Forever Hold Your Peace").
Prior to joining the cast as a regular, Karen Malina White appears as Charmaine in season five (episode: "Conflict of Interest").

Recurring[]

  • Cory Tyler as Terrence Taylor (seasons 4 and 5)
  • Patrick Malone as Terrell Walker (season 6)
  • Bumper Robinson as Dorian Heywood (season 6)
  • Michael Ralph as Spencer Boyer (season 6), various characters (seasons 4 and 5)
  • Gary Dourdan as Shazza Zulu (seasons 5 and 6, guest starring in episode 86)
  • Marie-Alise Recasner as Millie (season 1)
  • Andrew Lowery as Matthew Brooks (Freddie's cousin/Kim's boyfriend; season 4)
  • Kim Wayans as Allison (season 1)
  • Alisa Gyse Dickens as Kinu Owens (Dwayne's girlfriend; 9 episodes)
  • Jenifer Lewis as Dean Dorothy Dandridge Davenport (9 episodes)
  • Diahann Carroll as Marion Gilbert (Whitley's mother; 7 episodes)
  • Patti LaBelle as Adele Wayne (Dwayne's mother; 7 episodes)
  • Roger Guenveur Smith as Professor Howard Randolph (season 4)
  • Rosalind Cash as Dean Hughes (4 episodes)
  • Ron O'Neal as Mercer Gilbert (Whitley's father; 4 episodes)
  • Phylicia Rashad as Clair Huxtable (4 episodes)
  • Jonell Green as Dashawn Curtis (4 episodes)
  • Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable (3 episodes)
  • Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable (3 episodes)
  • Robert Guillaume as Dean Winston and Professor Murphy (history professor/Kim's medical professor; 3 episodes)
  • Harold Sylvester as Woodson Wayne (Dwayne's father; 3 episodes)
  • Malcolm Jamal Warner as Theo Huxtable (2 episodes)

Guest stars[]

  • Vanessa Bell Calloway as Lily Connors (season 3, episode 18) & Jaleesa's sister (Danielle; season 4, episode 18)
  • Tisha Campbell-Martin as Josie Webb (2 episodes)
  • Nestor Carbonell as Malik Velasquez (Whitley's mother's hired "boyfriend"; 2 episodes)
  • Art Evans as Ron Johnson, Sr. (Ron's father; 2 episodes)
  • IMx as Whitley's students (2 episodes)
  • Richard Roundtree as Clinton Reese (Kim's father; Season 3 episodes 8 & 9)
  • Halle Berry as Jaclyn (Ron's girlfriend; season 4, episode 15)
  • The Boys as Mice 2 Men (singing group; season 5, episode 13)
  • Dean Cain as Brian (A&M University student; season 5, episode 14)
  • Wayne Federman as A&M Wolf (season 5, episode 14)
  • Ernie Sabella as Campus Security (season 5, episode 14)
  • En Vogue as Faith, Hope, Charity, and Henrietta (Mr. Gaines' nieces; season 6, episode 16)
  • Whoopi Goldberg as Dr. Jordan (professor; season 4, episode 24)
  • David Alan Grier as Professor Byron Walcott (season 1, episode 9)
  • James Avery as bowler (season 3, episode 4)
  • Alfonso Ribeiro as Zach Duncan (prospective freshman; season 3, episode 19)
  • Heavy D as himself (season 3, episode 6)
  • Lena Horne as herself (season 6, episode 25)
  • Jesse Jackson as himself (season 2, episode 21)
  • Trina McGee as Gennifer (season 5, episode 18)
  • Khandi Alexander as Theressa Stone (season 2, episode 21)
  • Gladys Knight as herself (season 2, episode 5)
  • Kris Kross as Dwayne's juvenile mentees (season 6, episode 11)
  • Tupac Shakur as Piccolo (season 6, episode 21)
  • Obba Babatundé as Frank (season 3, episode 22)
  • Blair Underwood as Zelmer Collier (season 4, episode 14)
  • Billy Dee Williams as Langston Paige (landlord; season 6, episode 23)
  • Thomas Mikal Ford as Lamar Vinson (Jaleesa's ex-husband, season 2, episode 17)
  • Raven-Symoné as Olivia Kendall (Denise's step-daughter, season 3, episode 5)

Notable episodes[]

Main article: List of "A Different World" episodes
A different world

This page lists all of the episodes of the NBC-TV sitcom series A Different World, which ran on the network from September 24, 1987 to July 9, 1993.

Episodes[]

Season 1 (1987-88)[]

Season 1 episodes
# in Series # in Season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production code
1 1 "Reconcilable Differences" Ellen Falcon Lissa Levin and Thad Mumford September 24, 1987 11105
2 2 "Pilot" Jay Sandrich John Markus, Carmen Finestra and Matt Williams October 1, 1987 00000
3 3 "Porky de Bergerac" Ellen Falcon Susan Fales October 15, 1987 11306
4 4 "Those Who Can't...Tutor" Kim Friedman Susan Fales October 22, 1987 12008
5 5 "War of the Words" Ellen Falcon Joe Gammon October 29, 1987 12211
6 6 "Rudy and the Snow Queen" Ellen Falcon Cheryl Gard November 5, 1987 12412
7 7 "Sometimes You Get the Bear...Sometimes the Bear Gets You" Ellen Falcon Thad Mumford November 12, 1987 11700
8 8 "If Chosen I May Not Run" Ellen Falcon Thad Mumford December 3, 1987 10101
9 9 "Romancing Mr. Stone" Ellen Falcon Scott Spencer Gordon & David Felton December 10, 1987 11207
10 10 "Gift of the Magi" Ellen Falcon Susan Fales December 17, 1987 12513
12 12 "Advise and Descent" Ellen Falcon Cheryl Gard January 14, 1988 12715
13 13 "The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic" Ellen Falcon Susan Fales & Thad Mumford January 14, 1988 13117
14 14 "Wild Child" Ellen Falcon David Felton February 4, 1988 13016
15 15 "Dr. Cupid" Reggie Life Deanne Stilman February 11, 1988 13218
16 16 "The Show Must Go On" Kim Friedman Gary Dontzig & Steven Peterman February 18, 1988 12219
17 17 "Mr. Hillman" Matthew Diamond Margo Kaufman February 25, 1988 13520
18 18 "Speech Therapy" Ellen Falcon Cheryl Gard March 10, 1988 10504
19 19 "Clair's Last Stand" Tony Singletary Thad Mumford March 24, 1988 12722
20 20 "If Only for One Night" Tony Singletary Susan Fales April 28, 1988 13421
21 21 "Come Back, Little Eggby" Ellen Falcon Scott Spencer Gordon May 5, 1988 12110
22 22 "My Dinner with Theo" Ellen Falcon Scott Spencer Gordon July 7, 1988 10303

Season 2 (1987-88)[]

Season 2 episodes
# in Series # in Season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production code
23 1 "Dr. War is Hell" Debbie Allen Thad Mumford October 6, 1988 201
24 2 "Two Gentlemen of Hillman" Debbie Allen Susan Fales October 13, 1988 202
25 3 "Some Enchanted Late Afternoon" Debbie Allen Ron Edwards October 27, 1988 203
26 4 "Dream Lover" Debbie Allen Alicia Marie Schudt November 3, 1988 205
27 5 "Three Girls Three" Debbie Allen Margie Peters November 17, 1988 206
28 6 "If You Like Pilgrim Coladas" Debbie Allen Margie Peters November 17, 1988 207
29 7 "A Stepping Stone" Debbie Allen Cheryl Gard December 1, 1988 204
30 8 "Life With Father" Debbie Allen Cheryl Gard December 8, 1988 209
31 9 "All's Fair" Debbie Allen Rob Edwards December 15, 1988 208
32 10 "Radio Free Hillman" Debbie Allen Jeffrey Duteil January 5, 1989 211
33 11 "It Happened One Night" Debbie Allen Margie Peters & Susan Fales January 12, 1989 210
34 12 "I've Got the Muse in Me" Debbie Allen Bud Wiser January 26, 1989 212
35 13 "Risky Business" Debbie Allen Cheryl Gard Feburary 2, 1989 213
36 14 "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" Debbie Allen Darryl G. Mickens & Mike Scott February 9, 1989 216
37 15 "For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage" Debbie Allen Susan Fales February 23, 1989 217
38 16 "It's Greek to Me" Debbie Allen Jeffrey Duteil March 2, 1989 215
39 17 "The Thing About Women" Debbie Allen Rob Edwards March 9, 1989 214
40 18 "High Anxiety" Debbie Allen Thad Mumford March 16, 1989 218
41 19 "Take This Job and Love It" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser March 23, 1989 219
42 20 "No Means No" Debbie Allen Margie Peters March 30, 1989 220
43 21 "Citizen Wayne" Debbie Allen Darryl G. Mickens & Mike Scott April 27, 1989 221
44 22 "There's No Place Like Home" Debbie Allen Lenore G. Bunt & Lynn Bunt May 4, 1989 222

Season 3 (1989-1990)[]

Season 3 episodes
# in series # in Season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production code
45 1 "Strangers on a Plane" Debbie Allen Thad Mumford September 28, 1989 301
46 2 "The Heat Is On" Debbie Allen Susan Fales October 12, 1989 302
47 3 "The Hat Makes the Man" Debbie Allen Cheryl Gard October 19, 1989 303
48 4 "To Have and Have Not" Debbie Allen Kevin Kelton October 26, 1989 304
49 5 "Forever Hold Your Peace" Debbie Allen Susan Fales November 2, 1989 307
50 6 "Delusions of Daddyhood" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser November 9, 1989 309
51 7 "Wedding Bells From Hell" Debbie Allen Adriana Trigiani November 18, 1989 310
52 8 "Great Expectations" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser November 30, 1989 305
53 9 "Answered Prayers" Debbie Allen Margie Peters December 7, 1989 306
54 10 "For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls" Debbie Allen Cheryl Gard December 21, 1989 312
55 11 "Under One Roof" Debbie Allen Kevin Kelton January 4, 1990 308
56 12 "Here's to Old Friends" Neema Barnette Thad Mumford January 11, 1990 311
57 13 "The Power of the Pen" Debbie Allen Jasmine Guy & Dominic Hoffman January 18, 1990 313
58 14 "Pride and Prejudice" John Whitesell Yvette Lee Bowser January 25, 1990 314
59 15 "Success, Lies and Videotape" Debbie Allen Adriana Trigiani February 8, 1990 317
60 16 "A World Alike" Debbie Allen Susan Fales February 15, 1990 315
61 17 "That's the Trouble With You All" Neema Barnette Thad Mumford February 22, 1990 318
62 18 "A Campfire Story" Debbie Allen Kevin Kelton March 1, 1990 316
63 19 "Hillman Isn't Through With You Yet" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser March 8, 1990 319
64 20 "21 Candles" Debbie Allen Adriana Trigiani March 15, 1990 320
65 21 "Sweet Charity" Neema Barnette Margie Peters March 29, 1990 321
66 22 "Soldier Boy" Neema Barnette Leilani Downer April 5, 1990 322
67
68
23
24
"Getaway: Part 1"
"Getaway: Part 2"
Debbie Allen Cheryl Gard April 19, 1990
April 26, 1990
324
325
69 25 "Perhaps Love" Debbie Allen Susan Fales May 3, 1990 323

Season 4 (1990-91)[]

Season 4 episodes
# in series # in Season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production code
70 1 "Everything Must Change" Debbie Allen Susan Fales September 20, 1990 401
71 2 "How Bittersweet It Is" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser September 27, 1990 402
72 3 "Blues for Nobody's Child" Debbie Allen Judi Ann Mason October 4, 1990 404
73 4 "Whitley's Last Supper" Debbie Allen Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman October 11, 1990 406
74 5 "The Goodwill Games" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser October 18, 1990 407
75 6 "Tales From the Exam Zone" Debbie Allen Alonzo B. Lamont October 25, 1990 405
76 7 "Good Help is Hard to Fire" Debbie Allen Glen Berenbeim November 8, 1990 408
77 8 "Love Thy Neighbor" Rob Schiller Yvette Lee Bowser November 15, 1990 410
78 9 "Time Keeps on Slippin'" Michael Peters Glenn Berenbeim November 29, 1990 411
79 10 "The Apple Doesn't Fall" Art Dielhenn Gary H. Miller December 6, 1990 412
80 11 "I'm Dreaming of a Wayne Christmas" Debbie Allen Judi Ann Mason December 13, 1990 409
81 12 "War and Peace" Peter Werner Jasmine Guy & Dominic Hoffman January 10, 1991 414
82 13 "Ex-Communication" Debbie Allen Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman January 31, 1991 416
83 14 "Risk Around the Dollar" Art Dielhenn Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman February 7, 1991 413
84 15 "Love, Hillman-Style" Neema Barnette Gary H. Miller February 14, 1991 418
85 16 "A Word in Edgewise" Debbie Allen Glenn Berenbeim February 21, 1991 417
86 17 "Ms. Understanding" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser & Judi Ann Mason February 28, 1991 416
87 18 "The Cash Isn't Always Greener" Neema Barnette Yvette Lee Bowser March 7, 1991 419
88 19 "How Great Thou Art" Neema Barnette Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman March 14, 1991 420
89 20 "It's Showtime at Hillman" Debbie Allen Joe Fisch March 21, 1991 403
90 21 "Sister to Sister, Sister" Glynn Turman & John Rago Judi Ann Mason March 28, 1991 422
91 22 "Monet Is the Root of All Evil" John Rago Ilunga Adell April 4, 1991 423
92 23 "If I Should Die Before I Wake" Debbie Allen Susan Fales April 11, 1991 421
93 24 '"Never Can Say Goodbye" Henry Chan Orlando Jones April 25, 1991 424
94 25 "To Be Continued" Michael Peters Glenn Berenbeim May 2, 1991 425

Season 5 (1991-1992)[]

Season 5 episodes
# in series # in Season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production code
95 1 "We've Only Just Begun" Debbie Allen Susan Fales September 19, 1991 501
96 2 "The Dwayne Mutiny" Debbie Allen Gary H. Miller September 26, 1991 502
97 3 "Home is Where the Fire Is" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser October 3, 1991 503
98 4 "Almost Working Girl" Debbie Allen Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman October 10, 1991 505
99 5 "In the Eye of the Storm" Debbie Allen Susan Fales, Gary H. Miller & Yvette Lee Bowser October 17, 1991 506
100 6 "Rule Number One" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser October 24, 1991 507
101 7 "Baby, I'm a Star" Debbie Allen Orlando Jones October 31, 1991 507
102 8 "Liza Who-Little" Debbie Allen Dominic Hoffman November 7, 1991 509
103 9 "To Tell the Truth" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser November 14, 1991 510
104 10 "Do You Take This Woman?" Debbie Allen Susan Fales November 21, 1991 504
105 11 "Mammy Dearest" Debbie Allen Glenn Berenbeim December 5, 1991 511
106 12 "Twelve Steps of Christmas" Bruce Kerner Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman December 19, 1991 512
107 13 "Just Another Four-letter Word" Henry Chan James E. West January 2, 1992 514
108 14 "Cats in the Cradle" Peter Werner Gary H. Miller January 9, 1992 513
109 15 "Prisoner of Love" Glynn Turman Glenn Berenbeim January 23, 1992 515
110 16 "Bedroom at the Top" John Rago Susan Fales January 30, 1992 516
111 17 "May the Best Man Win" David Blackwell Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman February 13, 1992 517
112 18 "Kiss You Back" Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser February 20, 1992 518
113 19 "Conflict of Interest" John Rago Glenn Berenbeim February 27, 1992 519
114 20 "Sellmates" Henry Chan Gary H. Miller March 12, 1992 520
115 21 "Do the Write Thing" Otis Sallid James E. West April 2, 1992 522
116 22 "Love Taps" Kadeem Hardison Teleplay by: Reggie Rock Bythewood
Story by: Kadeem Hardison, Ron Moseley & Reggie Rock Bythewood
April 23, 1992 521
117 23 "Special Delivery" Kadeem Hardison Dara Marks May 7, 1992 523
118
119
24
25
"Save the Best for Last (Part 1)"
"Save the Best for Last (Part 2)"
Debbie Allen Yvette Lee Bowser May 14, 1992 524
525

Season 6 (1992-1993)[]

Season 6 episodes
# in series # in Season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Production code
120 1 "Honeymoon in L.A. (Part 1)" Debbie Allen Susan Fales September 24, 1992 601
121 2 "Honeymoon in L.A. (Part 2)" Debbie Allen Glenn Berenbeim October 1, 1992 602
122 3 "Interior Desecration" Debbie Allen Jeannette Collins and Mimi Friedman October 8, 1992 603
123 4 "Somebody Say Ho!" Debbie Allen Reggie Rock Blythewood October 15, 1992 604
124 5 "Really Gross Anatomy" Jasmine Guy Scott Sanders October 22, 1992 605
125 6 "Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Axed" Debbie Allen Gina Prince-Blythewood October 29, 1992 606
126 7 "The Little Mister" Debbie Allen Glenn Berenbeim October 29, 1992 607
127 8 "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Glynn Turman Jasmine Guy November 5, 1992 610
128
129
9
10
"Faith, Hope and Charity (Part 1)"
"Faith, Hope and Charity (Part 2)"
Debbie Allen Susan Fales November 12, 1992 608
609
130 11 "Original Teacher" Debbie Allen Reggie Rock Blythewood November 19, 1992 611
131 12 "Occupational Hazards" Kadeem Hardison Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman December 3, 1992 612
132 13 "White Christmas" Debbie Allen Glenn Berenbeim December 13, 1992 613
133 14 "To Whit, with Love" Debbie Allen Gina Prince-Blythewood January 7, 1993 614
134 15 "Happy Birthday to Moi" Debbie Allen Thomas Perry Dance January 14, 1993 615
135 16 "Mind Your Own Business" Debbie Allen Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman January 21, 1993 616
136
137
17
18
"When One Door Closes... (Part 1)"
"When One Door Closes... (Part 2)"
David Blackwell
Debbie Allen
Karen Kennedy
Susan Fales
May 8, 1993 624
625
138 19 "Lean on Me" Henry Chan Gina Prince-Blythewood May 27, 1993 618
139 20 "Dancing Machines" Bruce Kerner Scott Sanders June 3, 1993 619
140 21 "Cabin in the Sky" Henry Chan Reggie Rock Blythewood June 10, 1993 617
141 22 "Great X-Pectations" Glynn Turman Jeanette Collins & Mimi Friedman July 9, 1993 620
142 23 "Homie, Don't Ya Know Me?" Kadeem Hardison Teleplay by: Ron Massey
Story by: Kadeem Hardison & Ron Massey
June 24, 1993
(Aired in syndication)
621
143 24 "A Rock, a River, a Lena" David Blackwell Glenn Berenbeim

July 2, 1993 (Aired in syndication)

622
144 25 "College Kid" Debbie Allen Reggie Rock Blythewood & Gina-Prince Blythewood July 10, 1993 (Aired in syndication) 623

In season one, the episode "Rudy and the Snow Queen" marks the beginning of the softening of Whitley's image as a spoiled troublemaker at Hillman. Denise's kid sister Rudy (Keshia Knight-Pulliam) visits Hillman and becomes smitten with Whitley. Flattered at the attention, Whitley befriends the little girl, but when it becomes clear that she's trumping Denise as a role model, Whitley has a change of heart, steps back and gently persuades Rudy to return to her sister.

In Season 2, the episode titled "No Means No" deals with date rape. Freddie has a crush on Hillman's new top-notch baseball star Garth Parks (played by Taimak). Dwayne hears Garth discuss a disturbing incident involving another woman. Dwayne goes to Walter (Sinbad) for advice, and Walter tells him about date rape. Dwayne tries to warn Freddie, but she does not believe Garth would do such a thing. Later at a dance, Garth goes off alone with Freddie and attempts to rape her, but Dwayne finds them and fights Garth. At the end of the episode, Walter takes Garth to the police station for his assault on Freddie and the rape of the other woman.

In January 1991 (seven days before the beginning of Operation Desert Storm), Blair Underwood guest-starred in the episode "War and Peace" (written by Jasmine Guy and Dominic Hoffman) about the impending Persian Gulf War. A Different World became the first situation comedy to address this topic, and "War and Peace" was one of the highest-rated episodes of season four.[9]


In the Season 4 episode "Ms. Understanding", Hillman student Shazza Zulu (Gary Dourdan) peddles a book he has written and self-published that is highly critical of African-American men and their allegedly sexist behavior. The episode is based on the controversy surrounding the book The Blackman's Guide to Understanding the Blackwoman Template:Sic. This book, written by controversial African American author Shahrazad Ali, blamed many of the problems within the black family and the black community on African American women. Although many black women found the book highly offensive and intellectually deficient, African American men purchased hundreds of thousands of copies in 1989 and 1990, leading to a temporary rift between many African American men and women. Ali's book is mentioned specifically in the 1990 episode "Time Keeps on Slippin'" where Ron suggests putting it in the time capsule to represent a female point of view, but is shouted down by the women in the group.

The season five episode "Mammy Dearest" addresses two subjects almost never discussed on prime time television: the "mammy" image and its negative effect upon African Americans' sense of beauty and self-worth, and the little-known fact that some well-to-do African-Americans actually owned slaves themselves. Kim is disheartened with the display of several "mammy" dolls in a cultural exhibit, while Whitley learns that some of her African-American ancestors were slave owners. In some regions of the U.S., blacks owning black slaves (or relatives) would ensure that they would not be sold to leave the town.

The season five episode "Cat's in the Cradle" deals with racism, from both sides of the proverbial fence. While attending a Hillman football game on a predominantly white campus, Ron and Dwayne are involved in a bias incident with three white students, which culminates with Ron and Dwayne fighting the white students as they attempt to spraypaint the word "Nigger" on Ron's car, stopping them before they could complete the slur. They are all arrested by the campus police. They share with the campus police chief (Ernie Sabella) the perspectives of the incident, shown from each side. Predictably, it shows drastically different takes. The racist act by the white students is not alone, however, as Dwayne is guilty of the same prejudice by assuming the white campus chief is racist. Poignantly, the ending scene find both parties returning to the parking lot where the altercation started, only to find that some unknown other person or persons finished spray-painting the "Nigger" slur on the car. This episode features one of actor Dean Cain's earliest television appearances.

The season five episode "Love Taps" dealt with domestic violence. Gina has been dating an up-and-coming rapper named Dion, a.k.a. "I'm Down" (played by Edafe Blackmon), who many of the students admire, including Terrance. When Lena suspects that Dion has been beating up on Gina (who is sporting a black eye), she confronts her about it, but Gina makes excuses for Dion's rages and tells Lena to back off. Lena confides in Kim about Gina's situation; Kim informs Lena that some things should not be kept secret. Eventually, Dion's reputation is spread all over campus. After having a heart-to-heart talk with Whitley and engaging in a confrontation with Dion (in front of Terrance who has called the police), Gina finally decides to press assault charges against him.

Various episodes in the last two seasons of the series referenced contemporary high-profile cases of sexual harassment, such as the Mitsubishi scandal [10] and the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings. In the episode "Bedroom at the Top," Whitley is sexually harassed at her new job by an executive. The Anita Hill hearings also are mentioned in the episode "The Little Mister", in which Dwayne dreams about the 1992 elections imagining himself as Hillary Clinton, while Whitley is Bill.

The season six premiere includes Whitley and Dwayne's recounting of their honeymoon in Los Angeles, during which four white police officers who were on trial for the videotaped beating of African American motorist Rodney King were acquitted of state criminal charges, sparking the 1992 Los Angeles riots. (Actors Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold, comedian Gilbert Gottfried and rapper Sister Soulja made cameo appearances in this two-part episode.)[11]

In "Homie, Don't You Know Me?" (one of the "lost episodes" from season 6), rapper Tupac Shakur portrays Lena's (Jada Pinkett) old boyfriend from back home. The two bump heads over Lena's new college "attitude", not to mention her new boyfriend Dorian (Bumper Robinson). This is one of the few television sitcom appearances made by Tupac, though his appearance was more serious than the show's tone itself.

The season four episode "If I Should Die Before I Wake" dealt with the AIDS epidemic. It featured actress Tisha Campbell-Martin as Hillman student Josie, who reveals during a class project that she has contracted the disease from a former boyfriend and would probably die shortly after graduating college. Because of the reveal, some of the students (including Gina and Terrance) start to treat Josie as an outcast by either covering their face around her, or refusing to have her serve food at the Pit. Their attitudes towards Josie change after being chastised by Kim and Mr. Gaines. The dialogue also causes Whitley (who was still a virgin) to put off a sexual relationship with Dwayne. Whoopi Goldberg stars as the professor who conducts the class.

Connections to The Cosby Show[]

As a show developed by Bill Cosby for a character from The Cosby Show, A Different World had many connections to its parent program, even before the latter program was created. The third season finale of The Cosby Show, entitled "Hillman", was essentially a pilot episode for the new show.

The theme song was co-written by Stu Gardner, Bill Cosby, and Dawnn Lewis – who was also a cast member. In the online interviews related to the 2006 "Hillman College Reunion," Lewis revealed that her being approached to write the song and to audition were two separate events that occurred within a short time of each other, such that she thought it was a practical joke by her friends. The song was performed by Phoebe Snow in season one, then by Aretha Franklin in seasons two through five, and Boyz II Men in season six.

The spin-off program featured many appearances by characters from the parent program, especially in the initial season, in which Denise's father Cliff (Bill Cosby), mother Clair (Phylicia Rashad), younger sisters Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe) and Rudy, brother Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), and grandfather Russell (Earle Hyman) all appeared on the show, either at Hillman or at the other end of a phone call. Denise's departure from Hillman after Season 1 did not stop her mother from reappearing on the show. Three of Phylicia Rashad's four appearances as Hillman alumna Clair Huxtable took place after season one, and in one of these, she brought her younger daughter Vanessa to tour the college. Sondra was the only Huxtable child not to appear on the show. Martin (Joseph C. Phillips) and Olivia (Raven Symone) appear in season 3 episode "Forever Hold Your Peace" along with Phylicia Rashad and Lisa Bonet. Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) and Pam (Erika Alexander) also never appeared on the show.

Producer/director Debbie Allen is the real-life sister of Phylicia Rashad. Allen made one guest appearance on The Cosby Show, playing an aggressive aerobics instructor who helps Clair slim down for a special occasion. Allen appeared in later seasons in a recurring role as Whitley's psychiatrist. Dwayne and Whitley also visited the Huxtable home in an episode featuring the revelation that Denise had married and would not return to Hillman.

A young Kadeem Hardison appeared on The Cosby Show as one of Theo Huxtable's friends in the first-season episode "A Shirt Story", though not playing Dwayne.

Sinbad also appeared on The Cosby Show as a car salesman in third-season episode "Say Hello to a Good Buy."

A Hillman alumna by the name of "Louise Sujay" was mentioned on both Cosby and A Different World by Clair Huxtable, Whitley Gilbert and her mother Marion.

Like Lisa Bonet, Karen Malina White brought her Cosby Show character to Hillman. Charmaine was the best friend of Clair Huxtable's cousin Pam Tucker. White's Cosby Show costar Allen Payne turned down an offer to bring his role as Charmaine's boyfriend Lance Rodman to A Different World as a regular during Season 6, preferring instead to pursue a movie career; he and Jada Pinkett starred in the 1994 film Jason's Lyric, which is considered to be a milestone in both their careers. Payne did appear in one episode during season five in which Charmaine visits Hillman as a prospective student, bringing Lance along to see if he can gain admission as well. When Charmaine arrives at Hillman, she and Lance are maintaining a long-distance relationship and he is mentioned in multiple episodes. Lance and Charmaine later break up over the phone.

Years later, Tempestt Bledsoe (who played Vanessa on Cosby) and Darryl M. Bell (who played Ron on A Different World) became a real-life couple and co-starred on the 2009 Fox Reality Channel series Househusbands of Hollywood.

Hillman College[]

Hillman College is a fictional, historically Black college, founded in 1881 and located in the commonwealth of Virginia. The exact locality of the school is never revealed, but several geographic references are made which allude to the campus either being located somewhere in the Hampton Roads area or in the Roanoke Metropolitan Area. The school's motto is Deus Nondum Te Confecit, which literally translates from Latin to: God has not yet finished. The school colors are maroon and gray. Visual shots of the Hillman campus that were used in the series were actually filmed at two real-life Black colleges, Clark Atlanta University and Spelman College, both in Atlanta, Georgia.

The first references to Hillman on The Cosby Show were made during season one, when it is mentioned as the place where Cliff Huxtable and Clair Hanks went to school while they were engaged. Cliff's father Russell is also a Hillman alumnus. The school made its first on-screen appearance in the third-season finale of The Cosby Show, titled "Hillman", when Cliff and Clair and their family attend a Hillman commencement ceremony which also honored a retiring professor.

Hillman College Reunion[]

In August 2006, Nick at Nite aired a week-long marathon showing episodes of A Different World. Lisa Bonet, Dawnn Lewis, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer, and Sinbad reunited for short vignettes that provided a glimpse of the current state of their characters. Nick at Nite's "Hillman College Reunion"[12] website added details beyond those shown on television.

Reception[]

Ratings[]

Critics say that A Different World benefited from airing between The Cosby Show and Cheers on Thursday night; however, the show consistently ranked first or second among African American viewers during most of its run.[13]

Media reaction[]

The Hollywood Reporter is quoted as stating that when Debbie Allen became the producer (and usually director) of A Different World after the first season, she transformed it "from a bland Cosby spin-off into a lively, socially responsible, ensemble situation comedy."[13]

The Museum of Broadcast Communications states that Debbie Allen:

a graduate of historically black Howard University – drew from her college experiences in an effort to accurately reflect in the show the social and political life on black campuses. Moreover, Allen instituted a yearly spring trip to Atlanta where series writers visited three of the nation's leading black colleges, Clark Atlanta, Morehouse and Spelman. During these visits, ideas for several of the episodes emerged from meetings with students and faculty."[13]

On August 23 & 24, 2012, Debbie Allen, the former chief creative force of A Different World from 1988 to 1993, wrote on Twitter that she wants to reboot A Different World. Over a million people on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs reacted to the tweet and approve the potential reboot.[14]

Impact on African-American culture[]

Because of Debbie Allen's influence as the producer (and usually director) of A Different World after the first season, African-American youth who watched the show often cite it as a defining reason why many of them decided to attend a historically Black college or university.[15][16]

DVD releases[]

Urban Works released Season 1 of A Different World on DVD in Region 1 on November 8, 2005. Several release dates for a Season 2 DVD were announced (May 2006,[17] July 2006,[18] and September 2006[19]), but the DVD was never released. Urban Works was acquired by First Look Studios in early 2006. The distribution rights for the series have since reverted to the production company, Carsey-Werner Productions.

DVD Title Release Date Template:Abbr of
Episodes
Additional Information
Season 1 November 8, 2005 22
  • cast interviews
  • out-takes
  • a retrospective overview of the series with cast members
  • an un-aired, "lost" episode featuring Tupac Shakur and Jada Pinkett-Smith

See also[]

  • Historically black colleges and universities
  • List of Highest-Rated Television Pilots Template:Ndash On September 24, 1987, the pilot episode of A Different World became the highest-rated television pilot in history.

References[]

  1. Hampton U the Real Hillman: Bledsoe and Bell Share with HU Students. Hampton University. Retrieved on 6 February 2017.
  2. Haithman, Diane. "Different Touch to 'Different World'", October 6, 1988. Retrieved on October 2, 2010. 
  3. DIFFERENT WORLD, A. Archive of American Television. Retrieved on 14 December 2016.
  4. La Deane, Alice. "'Different World' Goes Beyond Realm of 'Sitcom'", January 13, 1992. Retrieved on October 2, 2010. 
  5. Jay Sandrich. Archive of American Television. Retrieved on March 9, 2014.
  6. Anne Beatts. Archive of American Television. Retrieved on March 9, 2014.
  7. Marcy Carsey. Archive of American Television. Retrieved on March 9, 2014.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Debbie Allen. Archive of American Television. Retrieved on March 9, 2014.
  9. As 'A Different World' Turns. EW.com. Retrieved on November 11, 2013.
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/29/us/mitsubishi-settles-with-women-in-sexual-harassment-lawsuit.html
  11. Braxton, Greg. "A 'Different' Take on the L.A. Riots : Television: Industry and Civic Leaders are Both Impressed and Nervous as 'A Different World' Opens a New Season by Dealing with the Unrest", August 13, 1992. Retrieved on October 2, 2010. 
  12. Hillman College Reunion. tvland.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2006. Retrieved on August 30, 2006.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 The Museum of Broadcast Communications – Encyclopedia of Television. Museum.tv. Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved on November 11, 2013.
  14. Aziz, Naeesa. Where Are All the Black TV Shows? | News. BET. Retrieved on November 11, 2013.
  15. Moodie-Mills, Danielle (December 1, 2012). Lessons From 'A Different World'. Huffington Post. Retrieved on November 11, 2013.
  16. Will The Days of "A Different World" Ever Return?. Madamenoire.com (May 24, 2011). Retrieved on November 11, 2013.
  17. A Different World DVD news: Release Date & Too-Good-To-Be-True Price For A Different World - Season 2 | TVShowsOnDVD.com (31 December 2005). Retrieved on 19 January 2018.
  18. A Different World DVD news: A Different DVD Delay | TVShowsOnDVD.com (29 April 2006). Retrieved on 19 January 2018.
  19. A Different World DVD news: What's going on with season 2? | TVShowsOnDVD.com (27 July 2006). Retrieved on 19 January 2018.

External links[]

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