The cast of A Different World
A Different World is a sitcom spinoff of The Cosby Show. It follows the second eldest daughter of the Huxtable family, Denise, as she goes to Hillman College, a fictional historically black college. However, after the first season Denise departs from the show but leaves behind a lot of memorable characters, so naturally the show continued for five more seasons.
For the second season, Debbie Allen came on as the show runner/creative director of the show which made an great impact on the feel and stories that occurred on screen. From 
season two onward, A Different World became a show that depicted diverse characters navigating the world in a way that was daring for a show during it’s time. The show tackled issues that weren’t dare touched on it’s wholesome parent show (The Cosby Show is surely revolutionary for other reasons) and issues that were considered touchy in real life. This why A Different World is so important to pay attention to now.
I have been a fan of this show since the summer of 2006 when I discovered it’s reunion celebration on Nick @ Nite. The channel aired re-runs of the whole season for a week and my 10-year-old self stayed up way past my bed time just to watch these characters come alive. Of course I was too young to understand the depth and history behind many of issues and concepts addressed on the show which leads me to the present. Ever since Netflix added the whole series to their website in March, I have been itching to see the faces of my favorite Hillman students.
And now I’m heading back to Hillman with a maturity and interest in the show that differs from the enthusiasm I had nine years ago. While I’m only on season 1, I’m looking forward to the episode that addressed HIV/AIDS in the midst of the epidemic, the episode that comments on the impending Persian Gulf War, the episode that examines the black woman’s image through the lens of the Mammy stereotype, the episodes that chronicle the reaction to the beating of Rodney King and the Los Angeles riots that followed; I’m looking forward to all these episodes and more. 
As I come to think of it, the topics that were addressed on this show are important and remain relevant in today. I have lived through similar events that have occurred since A Different World’s run from 1987 to 1993. A Different World was revolutionary; could you imagine a network show today addressing all of these issues (and in any case, network show with characters that look like this)? A Different World is an important show to pay attention to now to really get a feel for what television was and how television can influence and comment on real world issues. It might serve all fans of television and those who aspire to be a part of the television industry to look back on A Different World and delve into how the show was able to portray stories and characters respectably and realistically; with these observations there could be hope that television in the future could snag a few tips from ADW.
While Debbie Allen always seems enthusiastic to reboot A Different World, nothing has recently materialized. 2015 would be a great time to continue the legacy of television with social and entertainment purposes. The events of today are missing the fresh, honest and often hilarious voice of a narrative television show like ADW and there would be no complaints from me if one day soon, a reboot were to get the green light. But until then, remember that there are so many reasons to spend the time to acquaint yourself with this show, and I will be right along with you with many a fantasy of being a student at Hillman College.
Nikki Knows It All 