Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Comedy
    Comedy TV Shows - 1980s TV Shows - 1990s 3 Mins Read

    Different World, A

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 8 7 – 1 9 9 3 (USA)
    142 x 30 minute episodes
    1 x 60 minute episode

    A spin-off from The Cosby Show in which Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) left the Cosby home to attend the predominantly black Hillman College in Georgia – her parents’ alma mater. Her attempts to adjust to life away from her family’s New York upper-East Side nest, and her relationship with her roommates, fuelled the plot of each episode.

    Initially, the series seemed distinctly unhappy with itself, going through several crew changes early on and drawing considerable critical flak – the American listings magazine TV Guide considered it ”the worst sitcom in recent memory to do so well in the ratings”.

    The high figures were due to scheduling: NBC sandwiched the programme right between parent The Cosby Show and Cheers.

    differentworld3

    One of Denise’s original co-ed pals at the college was none other than Marisa Tomei, who played Maggie Lawton in the first season (1987-88). Interestingly enough, the series star Bonet – the reason for the show’s existence in the first place – left at the same time as Tomei.

    Bonet left the show to have a baby. Her character, it was said, was unable to consistently make the grades required for her presence at college.

    Rather than crumble without its star or its direct connection to The Cosby Show, the series immediately prospered, a fact not coincidental to the arrival – at Bill Cosby’s suggestion – of Debbie Allen, the former star/dancer/choreographer of Fame, who took over as director/producer.

    A Different World thrust former supporting players Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison and Darryl Bell into the limelight and stayed on NBC’s schedule for five years.

    A cafeteria cook, Mr Gaines, was added to give the series a flavour of southern culture. A hardworking, pre-medical student, Kim Reese, was also introduced as a foil for Whitley. She worked for Mr Gaines in the cafeteria and eventually found herself caught in an on-again, off-again romantic relationship with Ron.

    Dwayne became entangled in a love-hate relationship with Whitley, and their eventual marriage became a major event in the storyline.

    Other new characters included: Col. Taylor, the campus ROTC commander; Freddie Brooks, an environmental activist with metaphysical leanings; Terrence Taylor, the son of Col. Taylor; and Lena James, a feisty freshman from the Baltimore projects. Each new season brought an incoming class of freshman and new featured characters.

    One special episode, guest-starring Whoopi Goldberg and personally introduced by Bill Cosby (he urged parents to watch it with their children), looked closely at AIDS. For a long time, NBC considered this too hot a potato to handle, and some advertisers withdrew, but Cosby et al forced it through and the audience rating remained as high as usual.

    Bill Cosby served throughout as executive consultant to the series and co-wrote the music for the theme song, sung first by Phoebe Snow then Aretha Franklin and finally by Boyz II Men.

    Denise Huxtable
    Lisa Bonet 
    Whitley Gilbert

    Jasmine Guy 
    Jaleesa Vinson 

    Dawnn Lewis
    Dwayne Wayne 

    Kadeem Hardison
    Ron Johnson 

    Darryl Bell 
    Maggie Lawton 

    Marisa Tomei 
    Millie 

    Marie-Alise Recasner 
    Stevie Rallen 

    Loretta Devine 
    J.T. Rallen 

    Amir Williams 
    Gloria 

    Bee-be Smith 
    Allison 

    Kim Wayane 
    Walter Oakes 

    Sinbad Lettie
    Bostic

    Mary Alice 
    Col. “Dr War” Clayton Taylor 

    Glynn Turman 
    Terrence Johann Taylor

    Cory Tyler
    Winifred “Freddie” Brooks

    Cree Summer 
    Kim Reese 

    Charnele Brown
    Vernon Gaines

    Lou Myers
    Ernest

    Reuben Grundy
    Julian

    Dominio Hoffman
    Lena James

    Jada Pinkett 
    Charmaine Brown 

    Karen Malina White 
    Gina Devereaux

    Ajai Sanders
    Byron Douglas III

    Joe Morton 
    Shazza Zulu
    Gary Dourdon
    Clint 

    Michael Ralph

    Related Posts

    • Three's A Crowd
      Three's A Crowd
      1 9 8 4 - 1 9 8 5 (USA) 22 x 30 minute episodes A spin-off from Three's Company, Three's A Crowd was…
    • Where I Live
      Where I Live
      1 9 9 3 (USA) 21 x 30 minute episodes This easygoing, low-key sitcom from ABC featured three black teenage buddies…
    • Royle Family, The
      Royle Family, The
      1 9 9 8 - 2 0 0 0 (UK) 18 x 30 minute episodes, 2 x specials 2 0 0…
    • Tabitha
      Tabitha
      1 9 7 7 - 1 9 7 8 (USA) 12 x 30 minute episodes A belated sequel to Bewitched with Samantha and…
    • Mad About You
      Mad About You
      1 9 9 2 - 1 9 9 9 (USA) 162 x 30 minute episodes 2 0 1 9 (USA) 12…
    • End of Part One
      End of Part One
      1 9 7 9 - 1 9 8 0 (UK) 14 x 30 minute episodes Vera (Denise Coffey) and Norman (Tony…
    • Bloomin' Marvellous
      Bloomin' Marvellous
      1 9 9 7 (UK) 8 x 30 minute episodes York-based thirty-something couple Jack (Clive Mantle) and Liz (Sarah Lancashire)…
    • Desmond's
      Desmond's
      1 9 8 9 - 1 9 9 4 (UK) 71 x 30 minute episodes Set in a barber's shop situated…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleAcropolis Now
    Next Article Archie Bunker’s Place

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Purple Gang, The
      A jug band put together by a bunch of Stockport art students and […]
    • Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
      Constructed in short chapters, with a rainbow spectrum of […]
    • Broadway Open House
      1 9 5 0 – 1 9 5 1 (USA) Broadway Open House was an […]
    • Plainclothesman, The
      1 9 4 9 – 1 9 5 4 (USA) 209 x 30 minute episodes A […]
    • Spread of the Eagle, The
      1 9 6 3 (UK) 9 x 50 minute episodes Following the surprisingly […]
    • Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos
      1 9 9 2 (Australia) 1 x 34 minute episode (!) Aussie clip show […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.