A Different World (1987–1993)

A group of students at a historically Black university struggle to make it through college.

Creator:

Bill Cosby

Stars:

Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 16 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Jasmine Guy	...	Whitley Gilbert (136 episodes, 1987-1993)
Kadeem Hardison	...	Dwayne Cleophus Wayne (132 episodes, 1987-1993)
Darryl M. Bell	...	Ronald 'Ron' Johnson (103 episodes, 1987-1993)
Charnele Brown	...	Kimberly 'Kim' Reese (90 episodes, 1988-1993)
Dawnn Lewis	...	Jaleesa Vinson Taylor (89 episodes, 1987-1992)
Cree Summer	...	Winifred 'Freddie' Brooks (87 episodes, 1988-1993)
Lou Myers	...	Vernon Gaines (65 episodes, 1988-1993)

Storyline

A group of students at a historically Black university struggle to make it through college.

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Plot Keywords:

university | college | african american | teenage girl | historically black college | 

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Taglines:

Big laughs on campus.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 September 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Campus show

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bill Cosby, Carsey-Werner Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 30 min (142 episodes) 60 min (1 episode)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Diahann Carroll received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of the glamorous socialite Marion Gilbert on the show.

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Quotes

[after returning from the Island Police station dressed as women because they're hiding from drug dealers]
Ron Johnson: You got my butt pinched by some dock worker.
Dwayne Cleophus Wayne: A butt pinch hurts a lot less then a bullet wound.
Ron Johnson: [snatching off his wig and slamming it angryly on the couch] At least a bullet is something you can take like a man.

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Connections

Referenced in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect: Part 2 (1990)

User Reviews

Got Better As It Went Along

The early episodes of this sitcom were bland, as they focused on Denise Huxtable's (Lisa Bonet) experiences at Hillman College. The show only took off after Denise dropped out of school. The show then focused on the more interesting cast members, most notably, brainy student Dwayne (Kadeem Hardison) and snooty Southern belle Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy). I liked that they also had Jalessa, a divorced adult student trying to rebuild her life.

NBC made a mistake during the last season of the show by confusing the audience. They ran a highly touted "series finale" showing the now-married and expectant parents Dwayne and Whitley going off to Japan, where Dwayne had gotten a high-tech job. The network then turned around and aired several more new episodes that focused on newer cast members including Charmaine (Karen Malinka White). They brought in Billy Dee Williams and Leslie Uggams as a landlord, and a college professor, respectively. It appeared that NBC cancelled the show, then made a last-minute effort to revive it.

Jada Pinkett Smith ("Set It Off"), comedian Sinbad and Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei ("My Cousin Vinny"), were three cast members who went on to bigger success.