"A Different World" Welcomes Us Back To Hillman College

A Different World was the groundbreaking spin-off of the Cosby Show. It raised Black consciousness in the late 80s to early 90s by encouraging young, Black men and women to pursue higher education. It challenged America’s perception of Black youth and frankly how we saw ourselves. With an accentuation of African-American music, fashion and art, it ushered in a “silver age” of Black culture.

Now, seeking to continue the Different World legacy, Netflix and creator Felicia Pride just dropped a cognomial sequel to the original, once again exploring life at an HBCU. It stars Maleah Joi Moon as Deborah(duh-BOR-uh), Dwayne Wayne and Whitley’s (Kadeem Hardison/Jasmine Guy) youngest daughter. She’s a free-spirit following in her parents’ footsteps at the fictional Hillman College.

Dwayne Wayne’s best bud Ron(Darryl M. Bell) also makes an appearance with his star-athlete son(Cornell Young IV). There’s some tension there so we’ll wait and see how it plays out in the coming episodes.

It’s billed as a comedy but for my sensibilities, there’s very little jocularity. With no laugh track it’s hard to know where the jokes are. Also, it’s not filmed on a set but on location making it feel more like a movie than a series. 

Episode one ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger emulating the recent scandal at Howard University. During something called “convocation” (a welcoming ceremony for incoming freshmen) Wayne gives a poignant speech referencing the erasure of Black history across the US. His speech is interrupted by a chorus of mobile phone notifications emanating from the audience regarding some students’ grants being rescinded. It ends with everyone in attendance looking confused and left in disbelief. All of this signals to the viewers that the series will be as poignant and relevant as its predecessor. 

Some viewers may be tired of reboots, remakes and sequels but this may be one of the more welcomed offerings. With so much angst surrounding African-American life right now, the writers will have no problem gleaning subject matter to create a believable HBCU experience.

A potential love interest, an eclectic supporting cast and a healthy dose of nastalgia has laid a foundation for a successful series.