A Different World

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A Different World ranks 1,021 out of the 18,229 shows on TV.com.

The 397 users who count themselves as A Different World fans have written a total of 38 reviews.

Status

Premiered

Ended

Genre

Theme

Related Shows

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• Cosby
• The Cosby Show

In this spin-off from the popular sitcom The Cosby Show, Denise Huxtable enters her sophomore year at Hillman, alma mater of her parents and grandfather, where she moves into Gilbert Hall and shares a dorm room with 26-year-old Jaleesa Vinson and talkative new roommate Maggie Lauten. Also included in the first... more »

In this spin-off from the popular sitcom The Cosby Show, Denise Huxtable enters her sophomore year at Hillman, alma mater of her parents and grandfather, where she moves into Gilbert Hall and shares a dorm room with 26-year-old Jaleesa Vinson and talkative new roommate Maggie Lauten. Also included in the first season cast were obnoxious and extremely wealthy dormmate Whitley Gilbert, ladies' man Dwayne Wayne and dorm director Stevie Rallen. Lettie Bostic later replaced Stevie as the new dorm director. At the end of the first season, Denise would return home (and to The Cosby Show) after dropping out of college.

In the fall of 1988, new students Freddie Brooks and Kim Reese entered Hillman College. Freddie was a "hippie-child" who developed a crush on Dwayne; and Kim, an aspiring med student, became Whitley's new roommate. Giving Dwayne a hard time was his math professor, Col. Bradford Taylor. Also, Ron Johnson and Walter Oakes became regulars in the second season after appearing occasionally during the first season. Vernon Gaines, chef at the campus hangout, The Pit, became a regular in the third season. Whitley and Dwayne began an on-again off-again relationship before they became married at the end of the fifth season.

Stories dealt mainly with college-themed issues such as racism, fraternity pledging and on-campus romances.


NBC Broadcast History

September 1987 - May 1992 - Thursdays 8:30 PM
September 1992 - November 1992 - Thursdays 8:00 PM
December 1992 - January 1993 - Thursdays 8:30 PM
May 1993 - June 1993 - Thursdays 8:00 PM
July 1993 - Fridays 8:00 PM


A Different World airs on BET, weekdays at 11 & 11:30 PM EST.

Theme Song:
I know my parents love me.
Stand behind me come what may.
I know now that I'm ready.
Because I finally heard them say!
It's a different world from where you come from.

Here's a chance to make it.
If we focus on our goals.
If you dish it we can take it.
Just remember you've been told...
It's a different world from where you come from.
It's a different world from where you come from.less «

• Location of Hillman College

    Hi, this is my first time at this guide.  My husband and I were watching this last night and while we know that Hillman i...more »

    Hi, this is my first time at this guide.  My husband and I were watching this last night and while we know that Hillman is based on Spelman in Atlanta we were wondering where Hillman is supposed to be located.   We think it's got to be far enough north to get cold weather and some snow but still in the south because with Whitley being the good southern girl that she is she won't be attending a school too far north.  Thanks for the help. less «

  mjmitch Last online Dec 28, 2008
  4 comments, last one Feb 21, 2009 + Add Comment

• Episode Of Impact

  Was there any episodes that had an impact on you? Emotionally or otherwise. I would say Lena's speech in Do The Write Thing to her father. And also when Lena has a go at her friend in the Tupac episode.

  Was there any episodes that had an impact on you? Emotionally or otherwise. I would say Lena's speech in Do The Write Thing to her father. And also when Lena has a go at her friend in the Tupac episode.less «

  LisaToddFan
  4 comments, last one Oct 6, 2008 + Add Comment

• Submission Rules

  Actor's appearances: TV.com prefers that we do not count appearances in the notes, because it's already listed on ...more »

  Actor's appearances: TV.com prefers that we do not count appearances in the notes, because it's already listed on the actor's page. Actor's Trivia: TV.com does not allow an actor's trivia for the other shows or movies that they appear on, unless it has something directly to do with that episode. Links: Hyperlinks will be approved on a limited basis and will only be approved to link within the"ADifferent World"guide. Nitpicks: Nitpicks will not be accepted in the guide. Episode recaps: Recaps must be grammatically correct and spell checked.The details of the storyline must be correctand the recap should not be difficult for a reader to follow. I will correct minor mistakes. Do not cut and paste information from other websites. This is plagiarism. TV.com could be sued for copyright infringement. If you submit something for TV.com and then submit the same thing to another website you are breaking your own copyright to TV.com which causes problems for both sites, because the information will need to be removed since there is no way to determine who received the original submission. If you flood my queue with submissions your submissions will be moderated at a slower pace. less «

  TrickMeNot Last online 4 hrs, 3 mins ago
  1 comments, last one Feb 5, 2008 + Add Comment

•  

  8.9 Great

  Who knew college life could be so serious, yet funny! hide « show »

  Dewayne-Wayne, Ron, Jalisa, Freddy, Whitley, Kim, the Deans , Colonel Taylor, Walter, Jada, The pit, Gilbert Hall, Terrance,and the rest of the Hillman Crew. So many reasons why A Different World captured the attention of so many viewers.This show was one of the best shows for young adults during the time, and rising children of adolescence. After season one it took off, becoming one of the funniest show's of the 1990's. Not too many shows were able to touch on real life's issues such as racism, Aids, alcohol and drug abuse, rape, jealousy, financial issues, etc. and still remain entertaining, light-hearted and down right comical. Every time I view it, it makes me feel a part of a "Different World" all over again.

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  Fmg14 Added Jul 15, 2008 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  I wish this show would come back, but all they did was repeat the same episodes. This show was a classic but it got even better when Jada Pinkett became a regular cast member. So underrated yet not trying to be funny like some of these false comedies. hide « show »

  I wish this show would fully come back too, but all they did was repeat the same episodes of the first two seasons. This show was a classic but it got even better when Jada Pinkett (now Smith) became a regular cast member. So underrated yet not trying to be funny like some of these false comedies.
  Please bring it back to our screens or release them all on DVD.
  My fave episodes are the one with Tupac Shakur, the one where Lena meets up with her father (& enters a writing competition), the one based on the book Waiting To Exhale & many more.

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  LisaToddFan Added Sep 10, 2007 All my reviews
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  9.8 Superb

  A Different World...
  
  Was a very good show and funny without trying to be...I wish they would of had like 4 more shows that way we can see all the way how they ended off! And it being part of the Cosby Show always helped a little!
  MNM hide « show »

  It was a very nice show!
  They did just about everything! Different Holidays different meanings and lessons/...
  A Different World!
  MNM12
  
  There where a few parts when they had girls with problems:
  
  AIDS
  Abuse from Boyfriends
  In love with best friends boyfriend
  ETC.
  
  Boy Problems:
  
  Teacher Work
  Marriage
  Will I eva get Kim to love me??/
  I did not cheat on you wit her!
  etc.
  
  The show always made me laugh and it was a good fix!
  i think it still comes on Oxygen Tv.
  So if u don't like it let me know that way I can truly UNDERSTAND WHY!!!!!
  Watch the show and love it... you don't have a choice!
  lol
  MNM12
  P.S. I Hope you like the Show!

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  mnm12 Added Jun 20, 2007 All my reviews
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  8.7 Great

  So this is what college life is like at an all black college? hide « show »

  This show is a favorite of mine from the 1990's. It was a great way to show how life in an all black college was.
  I loved it even more when Denise (Lisa Bonet) left the show. It was well written and it didn't get too political until it's last season. When it started to get preachy I left it.
  This did wonders for people to see how dorm life was and how you can interact with people and it also touched on social issues. I liked the fact that they had the unbelivable pairings which made it even more awesome. I really wish it hadn't ended, but all good things must come to an end.

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  telvisnostic Added Apr 28, 2007 All my reviews
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  7.6 Good

  It was a little cheesy and not quite as good as the cosby show, but it was worth watching. hide « show »

  I did like this show, and even watched it later on in re-runs. It was better later because I was older and appreciated it a litle more. This show was kind of cheesy, but not Saved by the Bell cheesy. It was entertaining for the half hour it was on. The end of the show when they kept adding characters it wasnt as smooth as it was on the Cosby show, and that might have hurt the show a little. They had to add people because it was college and people did have to graduate. They seemed to struggle with writing at times, but overall it was a pretty good show.

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  kevinb4444 Added Feb 19, 2007 All my reviews