A Different World is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show and originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional mixed but historically black college in the state of Virginia. After Bonet's departure in the first season, the remainder of the series primarily focused more on Southern belle Whitley Gilbert and mathematics whiz Dwayne Wayne. The series frequently depicted members of the major historically black fraternities and sororities.
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The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 7.50.
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Jasmine Guy
Whitley Gilbert
Kadeem Hardison
Dwayne Wayne
Darryl M. Bell
Ron Johnson
Cree Summer
Freddie Brooks
Charnele Brown
Kim Reese
Lou Myers
Vernon Gaines
Glynn Turman
Colonel Brad Taylor
Ajai Sanders
Gina Devereaux
Karen Malina White
Charmaine Brown
Jada Pinkett Smith
Lena James
All 8 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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This may take a moment for shows with many seasons.
22 episodes • 1987Avg: 7.5Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reconcilable Differences | Sep 24, 1987 | 7.0 |
| 2 | Pilot | Oct 1, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Porky de Bergerac | Oct 15, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Those Who Can't... Tutor | Oct 22, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 5 | War of the Words | Oct 29, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Rudy and the Snow Queen | Nov 5, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You | Nov 19, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 8 | If Chosen, I May Not Run | Dec 3, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Romancing Mr. Stone | Dec 10, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 10 | The Gift of the Magi | Dec 17, 1987 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Does He or Doesn't He? | Jan 7, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Advise and Descent | Jan 14, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 13 | The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic | Jan 21, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Wild Child | Feb 4, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Dr. Cupid | Feb 11, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 16 | The Show Must Go On | Feb 18, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Mr. Hillman | Feb 25, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 18 | Speech Therapy | Mar 10, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Clair's Last Stand | Mar 24, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 20 | If Only for One Night | Apr 28, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Come Back, Little Eggby | May 5, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 22 | My Dinner With Theo | Jul 7, 1988 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1988
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. War is Hell | Oct 6, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Two Gentlemen of Hillman | Oct 13, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Some Enchanted Late Afternoon | Oct 27, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Dream Lover | Nov 3, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Three Girls Three | Nov 10, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 6 | If You Like Pilgrim Coladas | Nov 17, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 7 | A Stepping Stone | Dec 1, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Life With Father | Dec 8, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 9 | All's Fair | Dec 15, 1988 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Radio Free Hillman | Jan 5, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 11 | It Happened One Night | Jan 12, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 12 | I've Got the Muse in Me | Jan 26, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Risky Business | Feb 2, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Breaking Up Is Hard to Do | Feb 9, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 15 | For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage | Feb 23, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 16 | It's Greek to Me | Mar 2, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 17 | The Thing About Women | Mar 9, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 18 | High Anxiety | Mar 16, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Take This Job and Love It | Mar 23, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 20 | No Means No | Mar 30, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Citizen Wayne | Apr 27, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 22 | There's No Place Like Home | May 4, 1989 | 0.0 |
25 episodes • 1989
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strangers on a Plane | Sep 21, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 2 | The Heat Is On | Oct 12, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 3 | The Hat Makes the Man | Oct 19, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 4 | To Have and Have Not | Oct 26, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Forever Hold Your Peace | Nov 2, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Delusions of Daddyhood | Nov 9, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Wedding Bells From Hell | Nov 16, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Great Expectations | Nov 30, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Answered Prayers | Dec 7, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 10 | For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls | Dec 21, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Under One Roof | Jan 4, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Here's to Old Friends | Jan 11, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 13 | The Power of the Pen | Jan 18, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Pride and Prejudice | Jan 25, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Success, Lies and Videotape | Feb 8, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 16 | A World Alike | Feb 15, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 17 | That's the Trouble With You All | Feb 22, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 18 | A Campfire Story | Mar 1, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Hillman Isn't Through With You Yet | Mar 8, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 20 | 21 Candles | Mar 15, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Sweet Charity | Mar 29, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Soldier Boy | Apr 5, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 23 | Getaway (1) | Apr 19, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 24 | Getaway (2) | Apr 26, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 25 | Perhaps Love | May 3, 1990 | 0.0 |
25 episodes • 1990Avg: 7.3
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everything Must Change | Sep 20, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 2 | How Bittersweet It Is | Sep 27, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Blues for Nobody's Child | Oct 4, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Whitley's Last Supper | Oct 11, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 5 | The Goodwill Games | Oct 18, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Tales From the Exam Zone | Oct 25, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Good Help Is Hard to Fire | Nov 8, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Love Thy Neighbor | Nov 15, 1990 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Time Keeps on Slippin' | Nov 29, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 10 | The Apple Doesn't Fall | Dec 6, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 11 | I'm Dreaming of a Wayne Christmas | Dec 13, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 12 | War and Peace | Jan 10, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Ex-Communication | Jan 31, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Risk Around the Dollar | Feb 7, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Love, Hillman-Style | Feb 14, 1991 | 4.0 |
| 16 | A Word in Edgewise | Feb 21, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Ms. Understanding | Feb 28, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 18 | The Cash Isn't Always Greener | Mar 7, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 19 | How Great Thou Art | Mar 14, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 20 | It's Showtime at Hillman | Mar 21, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Sister to Sister, Sister | Mar 28, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Monet Is the Root of All Evil | Apr 4, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 23 | If I Should Die Before I Wake | Apr 11, 1991 | 10.0 |
| 24 | Never Can Say Goodbye | Apr 25, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 25 | To Be Continued | May 2, 1991 | 0.0 |
25 episodes • 1991Avg: 6.0Valley of Despair
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | We've Only Just Begun | Sep 19, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 2 | The Dwayne Mutiny | Sep 26, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Home Is Where the Fire Is | Oct 3, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Almost Working Girl | Oct 10, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 5 | In the Eye of the Storm | Oct 17, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Rule Number One | Oct 24, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Baby, I'm a Star | Oct 31, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Liza Who-Little | Nov 7, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 9 | To Tell the Truth | Nov 14, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Do You Take This Woman? | Nov 21, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Mammy Dearest | Dec 5, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Twelve Steps of Christmas | Dec 19, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Just Another Four-Letter Word | Jan 2, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Cats in the Cradle | Jan 16, 1992 | 6.0 |
| 15 | Prisoner of Love | Jan 23, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Bedroom at the Top | Jan 30, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 17 | May the Best Man Win | Feb 13, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 18 | Kiss You Back | Feb 20, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Conflict of Interest | Feb 27, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Sellmates | Mar 12, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Do the Write Thing | Apr 2, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Love Taps | Apr 23, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 23 | Special Delivery | May 7, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 24 | Save the Best for Last (1) | May 14, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 25 | Save the Best for Last (2) | May 14, 1992 | 0.0 |
25 episodes • 1992Avg: 5.5Valley of Despair
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honeymoon in L.A. (1) | Sep 24, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Honeymoon in L.A. (2) | Oct 1, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Interior Desecration | Oct 8, 1992 | 1.0 |
| 4 | Somebody Say Ho! | Oct 15, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Really Gross Anatomy | Oct 22, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Axed | Oct 29, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 7 | The Little Mister | Oct 29, 1992 | 10.0 |
| 8 | Baby, It's Cold Outside | Nov 5, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Faith, Hope and Charity (1) | Nov 12, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Faith, Hope and Charity (2) | Nov 12, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Original Teacher | Nov 19, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Occupational Hazards | Dec 3, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 13 | White Christmas | Dec 17, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 14 | To Whit, With Love | Jan 7, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Happy Birthday to Moi | Jan 14, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Mind Your Own Business | Jan 21, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 17 | When One Door Closes... (1) | May 8, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 18 | When One Door Closes... (2) | May 8, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Lean on Me | May 27, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Dancing Machines | Jun 3, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Cabin in the Sky | Jun 10, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Homie, Don't Ya Know Me? | Jun 17, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 23 | College Kid | Jul 1, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 24 | A Rock, a River, a Lena | Jul 8, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 25 | Great X-Pectations | Jul 9, 1993 | 0.0 |
