Network: NBC
Episodes: 144 (half-hour)
Seasons: Six
TV show dates: September 24, 1987 — July 9, 1993
Series status: Cancelled/ended
Performers include: Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, Dawnn Lewis, Cree Summer, Lou Myers, Glynn Turman, Sinbad, Jada Pinkett Smith, Cory Tyler, Ajai Sanders, Lisa Bonet, Patrick Malone, Marisa Tomei, Bumper Robinson, Michael Ralph, Mary Alice, Karen Malina White, Bee-Be Smith, Rueben Grundy, Gary Dourdan, Marie-Alise Recasner, Andrew Lowery, and Kim Wayans.
TV show description:
A spin-off of the popular Cosby Show sitcom, the series follows Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) as she begins her life as a college sophomore at the fictional Hillman College.
Denise’s roommates in Gilbert Hall are naive chatterbox Maggie Lauten (Marisa Tomei) and Jaleesa Vinson (Dawnn Lewis), a 26-year-old freshman who’s already been married and divorced. Other characters include dorm director Stevie Rallen (Loretta Devine), Coach Walter Oakes (Sinbad), wealthy Southern belle Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), dorky math major Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison), and ladies man Ron Johnson, Jr. (Darryl M. Bell).
Denise left the school after a year (Bonet was pregnant) so the show began focusing on topical issues and following Dwayne and Whitley.
Later characters include new dorm director Leticia “Lettie” Bostic (Mary Alice); law student Winifred “Freddie” Brooks (Cree Summer); Whitley’s roommate, Kimberly Reese (Charnele Brown); mathematics Professor Bradford Taylor (Glynn Turman); Martinique immigrant Gina Deveaux (Ajai Sanders); owner of The Pit restaurant, Vernon Gaines (Lou Myers); students and part-time Pit employees Lena James (Jada Pinkett) and Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White).
I feel like they changed everything so jurastically at the end (season 6) I LOVED Whitley, she was genius, and I remember falling in love with Freddy mostly in season 5, and season 6 she became a whole new person, and that was disappointing. And if they were going to make it all about the freshmen that came, I feel like they should have had another show for them, because they ruined the family vibe I got SO comfortable with. And the theme song was hard to warm up to. The original one was classic, and I felt that they… Read more »
Woo woo woo woo because of a different world I wanted some dawyne wayne flip up glasses and still have them
I LOVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEE this show sooo much i watch the re-runs everyday on tv one and its one of my favorites shows that i cant wait to see when i get home from work. i def believe it ended to quickly and i think it still has a story to tell….i would love for them to bring it back, or do a reunion show….ITS A DIFFERENT WORLD…FROM WHERE YOU COME FROM….LOL
They should finish the rest of the seasons on dvd…
Like so many sitcoms, this one couldn’t just leave well enough alone. There just had to be an episode about sexual harrassment, war protests, homelessness, and so on. Even Jesse Jackson appeared in one episode (“Put hope in your brains, not dope in your veins!”…oh, brother…and to think people laughed at Nancy Reagan for “Just say no.”)
This could have been a great show. It simply jumped the shark (I hope I can use that term on this site) when Denise left. I have spoken.
@Eoic Swoleness–What you’re missing is that this show taught it’s viewers how to handle those things. The importance of voting, not to be ashamed of and how to recognize sexual harassment, planning for life after college, appreciating one’s heritage and so many other things that help us all become better citizens. Most importantly, its audience included a generation of viewers (mostly African-American) who realized that college was not out of reach for them. This show was all about exposure after Lisa Bonet left, and Bilk Cosby asked Debbie Allen to give the show a makeover and weave in socially conscious… Read more »
the show did not get funny until after denise left
I loved this show when it first came out and I still watch reruns on tv One and still love it. I agree with everyone here they should bring this show back or atleast do a reunion show.
If 90210 can make a comeback, then A Different World can do the same. Just do a modern version. Going to college will never go out of style. This type of show may spark interest in the generation of today. We need more shows like this. Our kids watch too many videos, and play too many video games. We need quality TV shows, that we can watch as a family.
they should do a reunion show
please bring it back.