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A Different World
1987 · TV Series · TV-PG · 22 min · ★ 7.0
ComedyFamily
Set at a fictional historically Black college in Virginia, this sitcom follows a group of students as they juggle classes, friendships, campus life, and big questions about identity and ambition. Over time, the focus shifts to a lively ensemble and the relationships and growing pains that come with finding your place at school.
Based on The Cosby Show
Where to watch
Streaming on Netflix.
72 hours to watch · 144 episodes.
Stream (included)
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Details
- Years
- 1987–1993
- Release date
- 1987-09-24
- Network
- NBC
- Language
- English
- Rated
- TV-PG
- Runtime
- 22 min
- Max quality
- HD
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (74 votes)
About
If you enjoy warm, character-driven college sitcoms that mix laughs with timely issues, this spin-off may click, especially if you like The Cosby Show; Not for you if you want pure escapist comedy without heavier themes.
Pros: funny campus ensemble; relatable college struggles; thoughtful social topics | Cons: can feel preachy; uneven early season; romance sometimes dominates
Themes
- college
- racism
- sitcom
- social issues
- playful
- inspirational
- romantic
- approving
- enthusiastic
- familiar
Awards & recognition
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1994
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1993
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1992
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1990
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1990
Show all 27 awards →
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Comedy Series · 1989
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1989
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1989
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1988
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1994 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Comedy Series · 1993 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special · 1993 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1993 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Drama Series · 1993 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1993 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1992 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Comedy Series · 1992 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1992 · nominated
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series · 1991 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1990 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1990 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1989 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1989 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Comedy Series · 1989 · nominated
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series · 1989 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series · 1988 · nominated
- NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series · 1988 · nominated
Cast & crew
Jasmine Guy
as Whitley Gilbert
Kadeem Hardison
as Dwayne Wayne
Darryl M. Bell
as Ron Johnson
Cree Summer
as Freddie Brooks
Lisa Bonet
as Denise Huxtable
Charnele Brown
as Kim Reese
Lou Myers
as Vernon Gaines
Dawnn Lewis
as Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor
Glynn Turman
as Colonel Brad Taylor
Ajai Sanders
as Gina Devereaux
Directed by Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Glynn Turman +11 more
Created by Bill Cosby
Episodes6 seasons · 144 episodes
Season 122 episodes
- S1E1Reconcilable Differences30mNetflix
- S1E2Pilot30mNetflix
- S1E3Porky de Bergerac30mNetflix
- S1E4Those Who Can't... Tutor30mNetflix
- S1E5War of the Words30mNetflix
- S1E6Rudy and the Snow Queen30mNetflix
- S1E7Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You30mNetflix
- S1E8If Chosen, I May Not Run30mNetflix
- S1E9Romancing Mr. Stone30mNetflix
- S1E10The Gift of the Magi30mNetflix
- S1E11Does He or Doesn't He?30mNetflix
- S1E12Advise and Descent30mNetflix
- S1E13The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic30mNetflix
- S1E14Wild Child30mNetflix
- S1E15Dr. Cupid30mNetflix
- S1E16The Show Must Go On30mNetflix
- S1E17Mr. Hillman30mNetflix
- S1E18Speech Therapy30mNetflix
- S1E19Clair's Last Stand30mNetflix
- S1E20If Only for One Night30mNetflix
- S1E21Come Back, Little Eggby30mNetflix
- S1E22My Dinner With Theo30mNetflix
Season 222 episodes
- S2E1Dr. War is Hell30mNetflix
- S2E2Two Gentlemen of Hillman30mNetflix
- S2E3Some Enchanted Late Afternoon30mNetflix
- S2E4Dream Lover30mNetflix
- S2E5Three Girls Three30mNetflix
- S2E6If You Like Pilgrim Coladas30mNetflix
- S2E7A Stepping Stone30mNetflix
- S2E8Life With Father30mNetflix
- S2E9All's Fair30mNetflix
- S2E10Radio Free Hillman30mNetflix
- S2E11It Happened One Night30mNetflix
- S2E12I've Got the Muse in Me30mNetflix
- S2E13Risky Business30mNetflix
- S2E14Breaking Up Is Hard to Do30mNetflix
- S2E15For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage30mNetflix
- S2E16It's Greek to Me30mNetflix
- S2E17The Thing About Women30mNetflix
- S2E18High Anxiety30mNetflix
- S2E19Take This Job and Love It30mNetflix
- S2E20No Means No30mNetflix
- S2E21Citizen Wayne30mNetflix
- S2E22There's No Place Like Home30mNetflix
Season 325 episodes
- S3E1Strangers on a Plane30mNetflix
- S3E2The Heat Is On30mNetflix
- S3E3The Hat Makes the Man30mNetflix
- S3E4To Have and Have Not30mNetflix
- S3E5Forever Hold Your Peace30mNetflix
- S3E6Delusions of Daddyhood30mNetflix
- S3E7Wedding Bells From Hell30mNetflix
- S3E8Great Expectations30mNetflix
- S3E9Answered Prayers30mNetflix
- S3E10For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls30mNetflix
- S3E11Under One Roof30mNetflix
- S3E12Here's to Old Friends30mNetflix
- S3E13The Power of the Pen30mNetflix
- S3E14Pride and Prejudice30mNetflix
- S3E15Success, Lies and Videotape30mNetflix
- S3E16A World Alike30mNetflix
- S3E17That's the Trouble With You All30mNetflix
- S3E18A Campfire Story30mNetflix
- S3E19Hillman Isn't Through With You Yet30mNetflix
- S3E2021 Candles30mNetflix
- S3E21Sweet Charity30mNetflix
- S3E22Soldier Boy30mNetflix
- S3E23Getaway (1)30mNetflix
- S3E24Getaway (2)30mNetflix
- S3E25Perhaps Love30mNetflix
Season 425 episodes
- S4E1Everything Must Change30mNetflix
- S4E2How Bittersweet It Is30mNetflix
- S4E3Blues for Nobody's Child30mNetflix
- S4E4Whitley's Last Supper30mNetflix
- S4E5The Goodwill Games30mNetflix
- S4E6Tales From the Exam Zone30mNetflix
- S4E7Good Help Is Hard to Fire30mNetflix
- S4E8Love Thy Neighbor30mNetflix
- S4E9Time Keeps on Slippin'30mNetflix
- S4E10The Apple Doesn't Fall30mNetflix
- S4E11I'm Dreaming of a Wayne Christmas30mNetflix
- S4E12War and Peace30mNetflix
- S4E13Ex-Communication30mNetflix
- S4E14Risk Around the Dollar30mNetflix
- S4E15Love, Hillman-Style30mNetflix
- S4E16A Word in Edgewise30mNetflix
- S4E17Ms. Understanding30mNetflix
- S4E18The Cash Isn't Always Greener30mNetflix
- S4E19How Great Thou Art30mNetflix
- S4E20It's Showtime at Hillman30mNetflix
- S4E21Sister to Sister, Sister30mNetflix
- S4E22Monet Is the Root of All Evil30mNetflix
- S4E23If I Should Die Before I Wake30mNetflix
- S4E24Never Can Say Goodbye30mNetflix
- S4E25To Be Continued30mNetflix
Season 525 episodes
- S5E1We've Only Just Begun30mNetflix
- S5E2The Dwayne Mutiny30mNetflix
- S5E3Home Is Where the Fire Is30mNetflix
- S5E4Almost Working Girl30mNetflix
- S5E5In the Eye of the Storm30mNetflix
- S5E6Rule Number One30mNetflix
- S5E7Baby, I'm a Star30mNetflix
- S5E8Liza Who-Little30mNetflix
- S5E9To Tell the Truth30mNetflix
- S5E10Do You Take This Woman?30mNetflix
- S5E11Mammy Dearest30mNetflix
- S5E12Twelve Steps of Christmas30mNetflix
- S5E13Just Another Four-Letter Word30mNetflix
- S5E14Cats in the Cradle30mNetflix
- S5E15Prisoner of Love30mNetflix
- S5E16Bedroom at the Top30mNetflix
- S5E17May the Best Man Win30mNetflix
- S5E18Kiss You Back30mNetflix
- S5E19Conflict of Interest30mNetflix
- S5E20Sellmates30mNetflix
- S5E21Do the Write Thing30mNetflix
- S5E22Love Taps30mNetflix
- S5E23Special Delivery30mNetflix
- S5E24Save the Best for Last (1)30mNetflix
- S5E25Save the Best for Last (2)30mNetflix
Season 625 episodes
- S6E1Honeymoon in L.A. (1)30mNetflix
- S6E2Honeymoon in L.A. (2)30mNetflix
- S6E3Interior Desecration30mNetflix
- S6E4Somebody Say Ho!30mNetflix
- S6E5Really Gross Anatomy30mNetflix
- S6E6Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Axed30mNetflix
- S6E7The Little Mister30mNetflix
- S6E8Baby, It's Cold Outside30mNetflix
- S6E9Faith, Hope and Charity (1)30mNetflix
- S6E10Faith, Hope and Charity (2)30mNetflix
- S6E11Original Teacher30mNetflix
- S6E12Occupational Hazards30mNetflix
- S6E13White Christmas30mNetflix
- S6E14To Whit, With Love30mNetflix
- S6E15Happy Birthday to Moi30mNetflix
- S6E16Mind Your Own Business30mNetflix
- S6E17When One Door Closes... (1)30mNetflix
- S6E18When One Door Closes... (2)30mNetflix
- S6E19Lean on Me30mNetflix
- S6E20Dancing Machines30mNetflix
- S6E21Cabin in the Sky30mNetflix
- S6E22Homie, Don't Ya Know Me?30mNetflix
- S6E23College Kid30mNetflix
- S6E24A Rock, a River, a Lena30mNetflix
- S6E25Great X-Pectations30mNetflix