Debuting September 24, 1987, on NBC, the weekly, half-hour sitcom A Different World originated as a spin-off of the enormously popular The Cosby Show, which, during its first season, it followed on Thursday nights. Lisa Bonet reprised her familiar Cosby Show role as Denise Huxtable, 19-year-old daughter of Cleveland obstetrician Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby), who at the outset of A Different World was beginning her sophomore year at the largely black Hillman College, her dad's alma mater. Lisa lived in Gilbert Hall, a girl's dorm, with her two roommates and fellow students, naïve white girl Maggie Lawton (Marisa Tomei), and 26-year-old black divorcée Jaleesa Vinson (Dawnn Lewis). The girls' neighbor across the hall was spoiled, imperious Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), while the dorm director was first Stevie Rollins (Loretta Devine) and then Lettie Bostic (Mary Alice). Representing the male population of Hillman were self-styled Lothario Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and the likeable but irresponsible Ronald Johnson (Darryl M. Bell). Halfway through season one, Sinbad joined the cast as athletic coach Walter Oakes.
After Lisa Bonet became pregnant, she seriously curtailed her Different World appearances, dropping out of the show altogether in season two. At this point, Dawnn Lewis and Jasmine Guy became, for all intents and purposes, the stars of the series. Added to the cast during the second season were Charnele Brown as footloose but iron-willed pre-med student Kim Reese, Cree Summer as the fey, artistically inclined Freddie Brooks, and Glynn Turnan as super-tough calculus professor Col. Clayton "Dr. War" Taylor. Also this season, Lou Myers began making recurring appearances as Vernon Gaines, philosophical chef at local campus hangout The Pit. Starting with season three, Gilbert Hall became a coed dorm, allowing closer contact amongst the various male and female characters -- with the expected results. Walter Oakes became dorm director and resident advisor, while Dwayne Wayne gradually entered into a romance with Whitley Gilbert and Ron developed an attraction to Freddie. Upon graduating, Whitley found work at an art gallery, Kim was employed at a mortuary, and Jaleesa -- who had married Col. Taylor -- became a marketing executive and ran her own employment agency. Eventually, Whitley and Dwayne were married, Ron started his own band, and Freddie enrolled in law school. All the while, new regulars were added to the show: Jada Pinkett as streetwise freshman Lena James, Karen Malina White as the garrulous and overly aggressive Charmaine Brown, Patrick Malone as the punkish-looking but sensitive Terrell, Ajai Sanders as the hyper-judgmental Gina Devereaux, and Joe Morton as Hillman alumnus Senator Byron Douglas III, whom Whitley nearly married before finally deciding upon Wayne. Although A Different World did not shy away from the serious issues facing young African-Americans in the final decade of the 20th century, the series always maintained a positive, upbeat attitude, avoiding easy put-down and insult jokes in favor of sharp, well-defined characterizations with realistic goals and ideals. Lasting 144 episodes, the series ended on July 9, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Credit
Marcy Carsey - Executive Producer, Tom Werner - Executive Producer
Episodes
A Different World: Season 01 A Different World: Season 02 A Different World: Season 03 A Different World: Season 04 A Different World: Season 05 A Different World: Season 06 A Different World: 21 Candles A Different World: A Campfire Story A Different World: A Different World A Different World: A Rock, a River, a Lena A Different World: A Stepping Stone A Different World: A Word in Edgewise A Different World: A World Alike A Different World: Advise and Descent A Different World: All's Fair A Different World: Almost Working Girl A Different World: Answered Prayers A Different World: Baby, I'm a Star A Different World: Baby, It's Cold Outside A Different World: Bedroom at the Top A Different World: Blues for Nobody's Child A Different World: Breaking Up is Hard to Do A Different World: Cabin in the Sky A Different World: Citizen Wayne A Different World: Clair's Last Stand A Different World: College Kid A Different World: Come Back, Little Eggby A Different World: Conflict of Interest A Different World: Dancing Machines A Different World: Delusions of Daddyhood A Different World: Do the Write Thing A Different World: Do You Take This Woman? A Different World: Does He or Doesn't He? A Different World: Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Axed A Different World: Dr. Cupid A Different World: Dr. War is Hell A Different World: Dream Lover A Different World: Everything Must Change A Different World: Ex-Communication A Different World: Faith, Hope and Charity, Part 1 A Different World: Faith, Hope and Charity, Part 2 A Different World: For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage A Different World: For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls A Different World: Forever Hold Your Peace A Different World: Getaway, Part 1 A Different World: Getaway, Part 2 A Different World: Good Help is Hard to Fire A Different World: Great Expectations A Different World: Great X-Pectations A Different World: Happy Birthday to Moi A Different World: Here's to Old Friends A Different World: High Anxiety A Different World: Hillman Isn't Through with You Yet A Different World: Home is Where the Fire Is A Different World: Homey, Don't Ya Know Me? A Different World: Honeymoon in L.A., Part 1 A Different World: Honeymoon in L.A., Part 2 A Different World: How Bittersweet It Is A Different World: How Great Thou Art A Different World: I'm Dreaming of a Wayne Christmas A Different World: I've Got the Muse in Me A Different World: If Chosen, I May Not Run A Different World: If I Should Die Before I Wake A Different World: If Only for One Night A Different World: If You Like Pilgrim Coladas A Different World: In the Eye of the Storm A Different World: Interior Desecration A Different World: It Happened One Night A Different World: It's Greek to Me A Different World: It's Showtime at Hillman A Different World: Just Another Four-Letter Word A Different World: Kiss You Back A Different World: Lean on Me A Different World: Life with Father A Different World: Liza Who-Little A Different World: Love Taps A Different World: Love Thy Neighbor A Different World: Love, Hillman-Style A Different World: Mammy Dearest A Different World: May the Best Man Win A Different World: Mind Your Own Business A Different World: Monet Is the Root of All Evil A Different World: Mr. Hillman A Different World: Ms. Understanding A Different World: My Dinner with Theo A Different World: Never Can Say Goodbye A Different World: No Means No A Different World: Occupational Hazards A Different World: Original Teacher A Different World: Perhaps Love A Different World: Pilot A Different World: Porky de Bergerac A Different World: Pride and Prejudice A Different World: Prisoner of Love A Different World: Radio Free Hillman A Different World: Really Gross Anatomy A Different World: Reconcilable Differences A Different World: Risk Around the Dollar A Different World: Risky Business A Different World: Romancing Mr. Stone A Different World: Rudy and the Snow Queen A Different World: Rule Number One A Different World: Saving the Best for Last, Part 1 A Different World: Saving the Best for Last, Part 2 A Different World: Sellmates A Different World: Sister to Sister, Sister A Different World: Soldier Boy A Different World: Some Enchanted Late Afternoon A Different World: Somebody Say Ho! A Different World: Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You A Different World: Special Delivery A Different World: Speech Therapy A Different World: Strangers on a Plane A Different World: Success, Lies and Videotape A Different World: Sweet Charity A Different World: Take This Job and Love It A Different World: Tales From the Exam Zone A Different World: That's the Trouble with You All A Different World: The Apple Doesn't Fall A Different World: The Cash Isn't Always Greener A Different World: The Cat's in the Cradle A Different World: The Gift of the Magi A Different World: The Goodwill Games A Different World: The Hat Makes the Man A Different World: The Heat is On A Different World: The Little Mister A Different World: The Power of the Pen A Different World: The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic A Different World: The Show Must Go On A Different World: The Thing About Women A Different World: There's No Place Like Home A Different World: Those Who Can't... Tutor A Different World: Three Girls Three A Different World: Time Keeps on Slippin' A Different World: To Be Continued A Different World: To Have and Have Not A Different World: To Tell the Truth A Different World: To Whit, With Love A Different World: Twelve Steps of Christmas A Different World: Two Gentlemen of Hillman A Different World: Under One Roof A Different World: War and Peace A Different World: War of the Words A Different World: We've Only Just Begun A Different World: Wedding Bells from Hell A Different World: When One Door Closes..., Part 1 A Different World: When One Door Closes..., Part 2 A Different World: White Christmas A Different World: Whitley's Last Supper A Different World: Wild Child
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, 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.
In August 2006, Nick At Nite aired a weeklong marathon of A Different World episodes. Lisa Bonet, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer, and Sinbad reunited for short vignettes that provide a glimpse of the current state of their characters. Nick at Nite's Hillman College Reunion[2] website added details beyond those shown on television.
Season 2 changes
During the summer of 1988, Lisa Bonet announced that she and husband Lenny Kravitz were having a baby (the future Zoe Kravitz). It was felt that viewers would not accept Denise Huxtable as an unwed mother, having grown to know her as a "good girl" after four seasons of The Cosby Show and A Different World. 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. This led to Debbie Allen becoming the chief creative force behind A Different World, and to the revamp that placed Whitley and Dwayne at the center of a wider ensemble, dealing with more relevant issues of the day. Allen, an alumna of Howard University, made a conscious effort to make Hillman resemble an actual historically black college as much as possible. 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 was maintained until the series ended.
Marisa Tomei and Marie-Alise Recasner were replaced by Charnele Brown and Cree Summer. Darryl M. Bell and Sinbad were promoted to the principal cast, which (coupled with the addition of Glynn Turman and Lou Myers) allowed the show to provide a more equitable balance of male and female perspectives.
Dwayne's status as the campus nerd was gradually phased out, and Ron was transformed from devoted boyfriend to notorious womanizer. The replacement of the passive Millie with the more confident Kim as Whitley's roommate and confidante helped to make Whitley a more sympathetic character.[citation needed] The addition of Freddie preserved other elements of Season 1, as the character represented both the Bohemian aspects of Denise and the studious nature of Maggie.
The Hollywood Reporter is quoted as stating that when Debbie Allen became the producer-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."[3]
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 two of the nation's leading black colleges, Morehouse and Spelman. During these visits, ideas for several of the episodes emerged from meetings with students and faculty."[3]
Notable episodes
In Season 2, the episodes "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 rape of the other woman.
In January1991 (seven days before the beginning of Operation Desert Storm), Blair Underwood guest-starred in "War and Peace," an episode 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 4.[4]
In the fourth-season 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 [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. It should be noted that Ms. Ali’s beliefs stem from her fervent belief in Faradian Islam and her membership in the Nation of Islam.
The fifth-season 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.
The fifth-season episode "Love Taps" dealt with domestic violence. Gina has been dating an up-and-coming rapper named Dion, aka "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 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 sixth season 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.
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.
Opening credits
Like its parent series The Cosby Show, A Different World altered its opening credit sequence at least slightly almost every season. Kadeem Hardison is the only person featured in every variation of the opening credits.
Season 1 - Joint and individual scenes featuring Lisa Bonet (Denise), Marisa Tomei (Maggie), Dawnn Lewis (Jalessa), and Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne) frolicking on the campus of Hillman College. Jasmine Guy (Whitley) and Loretta Devine (Stevie) are named but not shown, nor is Mary Alice (Lettie) when she replaces Devine. Episode 22 removes the names of Hardison, Guy and Devine/Alice, replacing them with Ted Ross (Dr. Harris) and Vernee Watson-Johnson (Carla). The theme song is sung by Phoebe Snow.
Season 2 - Series of individualized scenes featuring Jasmine Guy, Dawnn Lewis, Kadeem Hardison, Mary Alice, Darryl M. Bell (Ron), Sinbad (Walter), Charnele Brown (Kim), Cree Summer (Freddie), and Glynn Turman (Col. Taylor). Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei are not present. The theme song has been slightly altered and is now sung by Aretha Franklin, because Cosby found out that Phoebe Snow was of Jewish heritage, and not an African American.
Season 3 - Same as Season 2, except Lou Myers (Mr. Gaines) replaces Mary Alice.
Season 4 - Same as Season 3.
Season 5 - Same as Season 4, except Sinbad is removed, and Darryl M. Bell's scene is re-shot to reflect this.
Season 6 - Completely new series of individualized scenes. Dawnn Lewis is removed. Many of Jasmine Guy's and Kadeem Hardison's scenes are together, reflecting Whitley & Dwayne's new marital status. Charnele Brown and Lou Myers share scenes. Ajai Sanders (Gina), Jada Pinkett (Lena), and Karen Malina White (Charmaine) are added. Dominic Hoffman (Julian), Gary Dourdan (Shazza), Patrick Malone (Terrell), Bumper Robinson (Dorian), and Jenifer Lewis (Dean Davenport) are not named but clearly shown. The ending sequence features the cast, directors,including Debbie Allen, and writers coming together in a circle. The theme song has again been slightly altered and is sung by Boyz II Men.
Cosby connections
As a show developed by Bill Cosby for a character from The Cosby Show, A Different World naturally 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 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 1, by Aretha Franklin in Seasons 2 through 5, and Boyz II Men in Season 6.
The spin-off program featured many appearances by characters from the parent program, especially in the initial season, in which Denise's father, mother, younger sisters Vanessa and Rudy, brother Theo, and grandfather Russell 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 Rashād's four appearances as Hillman alumna Clair Huxtable took place after Season 1, and in one of these, she brought her younger daughter Vanessa to tour the college.
Producer/director Debbie Allen is the sister of Phylicia Rashād. Allen made one guest appearance on The Cosby Show, playing an aggressive aerobics instructor who helps Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) slim down for a special occasion. Allen appeared in later seasons 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 also appears in The Cosby Show as one of Theo Huxtable's friends in the Gordon Gartrell shirt episode, though not playing Dwayne, of course.
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 5 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.
DVD releases
Urban Works released Season 1 of A Different World on DVD in Region 1 on November 8, 2005. Several release dates for Season 2 were announced (May 2006, July 2006 & September 2006) but it was never released. Urban Works was acquired by First Look Studios in early 2006. The rights for the remaining seasons of the show still belong to the production company, Carsey Warner.
DVD Name
Release Date
Ep #
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
The show's DVD release is rated PG for suggestive dialogue by MPAA.
