List of A Different World episodes
Encyclopedia
This is a complete list of episodes for the American sitcom A Different World. The episode number reflects the order aired, which often differed from the order of filming, especially in the final season.
Season 1: 1987–1988
| Series # | Season # | Original air date !! Title !! Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | September 24, 1987 | Reconcilable Differences | Denise struggles to get along with Whitley and Jaleesa, and first meets Dwayne. (This episode was taped after the pilot to add additional characters and provide background for those in the pilot episode.) |
| 2 | 2 | October 1, 1987 | Pilot | Denise and Jaleesa get a new roommate, Maggie, and Denise struggles to manage her finances without help from home. Guest appearances by Bill Cosby Bill Cosby William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the... and Keshia Knight Pulliam Keshia Knight Pulliam Keshia Knight Pulliam is an American actress. She is most recognized for her childhood role as Rudy Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Currently, she appears as reformed con artist Miranda Lucas-Payne on the TBS comedy-drama Tyler Perry's House of Payne.-Personal life:Keshia... . |
| 3 | 3 | October 15, 1987 | Porky de Bergerac | New dorm rules to reduce littering in shared areas embarrass Denise when she is forced to wear a fake pig nose on a first date. |
| 4 | 4 | October 22, 1987 | Those Who Can't... Tutor | Dwayne embroils Whitley in scandal when he is seen climbing out of her window after missing curfew to tutor Denise. |
| 5 | 5 | October 29, 1987 | War of the Words | Denise and Whitley debate over whether women can balance a career and family life. Maggie's boyfriend asks her to move to Washington, D.C. with him. Recurring cast member Kim Wayans Kim Wayans Kim Wayans is an American actress, comedian, producer, writer and director. She is also a member of the Wayans family.-Early life:... is joined by two of her brothers, guest stars Keenan Ivory Wayans and Damon Wayans Damon Wayans Damon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, one of the Wayans brothers.-Early life:Wayans was born in New York City, New York, the son of Elvira, a homemaker and social worker, and Howell Wayans, a supermarket manager... . |
| 6 | 6 | November 5, 1987 | Rudy and the Snow Queen | Denise's visiting sister Rudy is entranced by Whitley's glamour and charm, neglecting Denise in the process. Guest appearance by Keshia Knight Pulliam. |
| 7 | 7 | November 19, 1987 | Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You | Denise concocts a plot with her roommates to be the first women to participate in the Homecoming Homecoming Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America... tradition of stealing the head of the opposing team's mascot Mascot The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name... , not knowing that her visiting grandfather intends to carry out a similar plan. Guest appearance by Earle Hyman Earle Hyman Earle Hyman is an American stage, television, and film actor. Hyman is known for his recurring role on The Cosby Show as Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable.-Career:... . |
| 8 | 8 | December 3, 1987 | If Chosen, I May Not Run | The Hillman track coach asks Denise to try out for the team. Guest appearance by Bill Cosby Bill Cosby William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the... . |
| 9 | 9 | December 10, 1987 | Romancing Mr. Stone | A number of female students develop crushes on a new geology professor. Guest star: David Alan Grier David Alan Grier David Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color.-Early life:... |
| 10 | 10 | December 17, 1987 | The Gift of the Magi | A Secret Santa Secret Santa Secret Santa is a Western Christmas tradition, in which members of a group or community are randomly assigned a person to whom they anonymously give a gift. Often practiced in workplaces, or amongst large families, participation in it is usually voluntary... program has Jaleesa and Maggie unwittingly each assigned to give to the other as Whitley wrestles with the news that her divorced father has a new, much younger girlfriend and wants her to spend Christmas with them. |
| 11 | 11 | January 7, 1988 | Does He or Doesn't He? | A graduate student predicts that Dwayne couldn't handle it if a woman actually responded to his cheesy pick-up lines. |
| 12 | 12 | January 14, 1988 | Advise and Descent | Denise works as a peer counselor during finals week, and while she is good at helping other students with their problems, she neglects her own work. |
| 13 | 13 | January 21, 1988 | The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic | Gilbert Hall gets a new resident director with a colorful past, and tensions run high. First appearance of Mary Alice Mary Alice Mary Alice is an American actress.Alice was born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, the daughter of Ozelar and Sam Smith. In 1987 she received a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Fences... as Lettie. Ron O'Neal Ron O'Neal Ron O'Neal was an American actor, director and screenwriter... also appeared in this episode as a Hillman faculty member; he would return for three guest spots as Whitley's father. |
| 14 | 14 | February 4, 1988 | Wild Child | Denise befriends a student from her philosophy class, not realizing that the student is hiding something. |
| 15 | 15 | February 11, 1988 | Dr. Cupid | Dwayne attempts to play Cupid Cupid In Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of desire, affection and erotic love. He is the son of the goddess Venus and the god Mars. His Greek counterpart is Eros... for himself and others via his campus radio show, with unexpected results; Ron meets and falls in love with Whitley's devoted friend Millie, while Lettie receives a visit from a former suitor. |
| 16 | 16 | February 18, 1988 | The Show Must Go On | Denise and Whitley earn roles in Maggie's adaptation of the story of Adam and Eve Adam and Eve Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews... and become real-life rivals for the actor playing Adam. |
| 17 | 17 | February 25, 1988 | Mr. Hillman | Whitley enters the Miss Hillman pageant, but Denise — infuriated at the sexism Sexism Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas... of the pageant — convinces Dwayne to enter as well. |
| 18 | 18 | March 10, 1988 | Speech Therapy | Jaleesa panics at the prospect of making a speech in front of her poetry class, Maggie obsesses over the money Denise borrowed from her more than a month ago, and Whitley gets Dwayne and Ron to fix her illegal humidifier. |
| 19 | 19 | March 24, 1988 | Clair's Last Stand | Denise's mother Clair Huxtable visits and lectures Denise about her grades. Meanwhile, Whitley feels depressed and left out when everyone is too busy to remember her birthday. Guest appearance by Phylicia Rashād Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.... . |
| 20 | 20 | April 28, 1988 | If Only for One Night | Denise at long last accepts a date with Dwayne, but their evening out is interrupted by Whitley's desperate search for an alternative to going home for the summer. (This episode was to be the season finale and was the last one filmed before Lisa Bonet left the show.) |
| 21 | 21 | May 5, 1988 | Come Back, Little Eggby | Maggie loses the egg-baby she was assigned as a psychology project. |
| 22 | 22 | July 7, 1988 | My Dinner With Theo | Denise's brother Theo visits Hillman and gets the wrong impression about how much fun college life could be. Guest star Malcolm-Jamal Warner Malcolm-Jamal Warner Malcolm-Jamal Warner is an American television actor, film director, and musician. He is best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Additionally, he appeared as Malcolm McGee on the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie. He is currently starring as Dr... . |
Season 2: 1988–1989
| Series # | Season # | Original air date !! Title !! Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | October 6, 1988 | Dr. War is Hell | Dwayne tries to avoid taking a class with Colonel Taylor, nicknamed "Dr. War". Charnele Brown Charnele Brown Charnele Brown is an American actress, producer, and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Kimberly Reese on the NBC sitcom A Different World. In later years, she guest starred on sitcoms such as Living Single, Martin, and Girlfriends... , Cree Summer Cree Summer Cree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World... , and Glynn Turman Glynn Turman Glynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford... make their first appearances as Kim, Freddie, and Col. Taylor. |
| 24 | 2 | October 13, 1988 | Two Gentlemen of Hillman | Dwayne and Ron try to do a paper together, but Ron is too lazy for Dwayne. |
| 25 | 3 | October 27, 1988 | Some Enchanted Late Afternoon | Walter persuades Jaleesa to go out with him although she is involved with someone. |
| 26 | 4 | November 3, 1988 | Dream Lover | Whitley dreams about Dwayne after getting fresh at a party. Dwayne realizes he has feelings for Whitley. |
| 27 | 5 | November 10, 1988 | Three Girls Three | In order to win a competition to sing backup for Gladys Knight Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author... , Jaleesa and Whitley join forces. Gladys Knight, Dawnn Lewis Dawnn Lewis Dawnn Lewis is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her roles on sitcoms such as A Different World and in the first season of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.-Career:... and Jasmine Guy Jasmine Guy Jasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:... perform the song "Love Overboard Love Overboard "Love Overboard" is a 1987 single by Gladys Knight and the Pips. The single was significant because it was the first Top 40 hit in eleven years, and their final top 40 release as well. "Love Overboard" was the group's last of ten, number one hits on the Hot Black Singles chart, where it stayed... ". |
| 28 | 6 | November 17, 1988 | If You Like Pilgrim Coladas | Whitley and Kim devise a plan to have a nice Thanksgiving when they find themselves homesick after staying on campus. |
| 29 | 7 | December 1, 1988 | A Stepping Stone | A 92-year-old alumna comes to Hillman for Homecoming, showing Whitley she is not living college life to the fullest; the women of Gilbert Hall prepare for the Homecoming Step Show Stepping (African-American) Stepping or step-dancing is a form of percussive dance in which the participant's entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and hand claps... . |
| 30 | 8 | December 8, 1988 | Life With Father | Dwayne discovers his girlfriend's father is his own calculus professor, "Dr. War." Freddie, upset over not attracting Dwayne's interest, turns to Whitley for an image makeover. |
| 31 | 9 | December 15, 1988 | All's Fair | Whitley objects to Kim spending so much time with her new boyfriend, especially as they start monopolizing the girls' shared room. Freddie alienates her fellow writers when she "improves" upon their work as the new editor of the literary magazine. |
| 32 | 10 | January 5, 1989 | Radio Free Hillman | When Dwayne plays an explicit rap song on his radio show, the dean cancels it. Furious, the other students stage a sit-in Sit-in A sit-in or sit-down is a form of protest that involves occupying seats or sitting down on the floor of an establishment.-Process:In a sit-in, protesters remain until they are evicted, usually by force, or arrested, or until their requests have been met... at the administration building, where Whitley gets trapped in the building with the protesters. |
| 33 | 11 | January 12, 1989 | It Happened One Night | Kim learns she might be pregnant with Robert's baby. |
| 34 | 12 | January 26, 1989 | I've Got the Muse in Me | Freddie gets drunk trying to write a paper; Walter takes cooking lessons from Lettie and Mr. Gaines. |
| 35 | 13 | February 2, 1989 | Risky Business | Clair Huxtable returns to Hillman for a business seminar, bringing two teens, daughter Vanessa and her friend Kara, who proceed to get interested in campus men Dwayne and Ron. Appearances by Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.... , Tempestt Bledsoe Tempestt Bledsoe Tempestt Bledsoe is an American actress. She is best known for her childhood role as Vanessa Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.... , and Malcolm-Jamal Warner Malcolm-Jamal Warner Malcolm-Jamal Warner is an American television actor, film director, and musician. He is best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. Additionally, he appeared as Malcolm McGee on the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie. He is currently starring as Dr... . |
| 36 | 14 | February 6, 1989 | Breaking Up Is Hard to Do | Dwayne and Suzanne break up when she decides she's not ready to get serious so soon. Jaleesa tests Walter's loyalty with a phone call as "Jamaican exchange student" Sheila, who finds him apparently eager to date around, while Kim learns her boyfriend truly is being unfaithful. |
| 37 | 15 | February 23, 1989 | For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage | Whitley's mother (played by Diahann Carroll) visits to find Whitley a husband, despite Whitley's pleas to study. |
| 38 | 16 | March 2, 1989 | It's Greek to Me | Ron and Dwayne pledge a fraternity. Ron enjoys the process, but Dwayne bristles at taking orders from the older brothers. |
| 39 | 17 | March 9, 1989 | The Thing About Women | Walter and Jaleesa examine their relationship as Jaleesa goes on a date with her ex-husband Lamar (Thomas Mikal Ford Thomas Mikal Ford Thomas Mikal Ford , known and credited also as Tommy Ford, is an American actor who is best known for his character Tommy Strawn in the sitcom Martin... ). |
| 40 | 18 | March 16, 1989 | High Anxiety | Overscheduled Kim begins dreaming of "Killer B's", while the Gaineses argue over the return of their seemingly shiftless son, Darnell. |
| 41 | 19 | March 23, 1989 | Take This Job and Love It | Whitley's ambitious nature finds a new channel when she takes a job at The Pit in order to pay for repairs to Mr. Gaines' car, but Kim finds Whitley's endless ideas a threat to her status as the favorite employee. |
| 42 | 20 | March 30, 1989 | No Means No | Freddie goes on a date with Garth Parks (Taimak Taimak Taimak Guarriello is a martial arts actor and stuntman, best known as Leroy Green in the 1985 martial arts film The Last Dragon... ), a handsome new player for Hillman's baseball team. However, Dwayne discovers that Garth is hiding a sinister side. |
| 43 | 21 | April 27, 1989 | Citizen Wayne | Dwayne runs for student council president, but can't seem to get anyone else to care about serious issues. Political activist and former U.S. presidential candidate Jesse Jackson Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to... guest stars as himself, inspiring Jaleesa and Kim in their search for the perfect gift for Freddie's 18th birthday. |
| 44 | 22 | May 4, 1989 | There's No Place Like Home | Students' summer plans take unexpected turns: Dwayne and Ron's beautiful new apartment becomes an impossible dream, and Walter and Jaleesa decide to grant each other the freedom to date others over the vacation. Whitley battles to work rather than holiday with her mother, until Dwayne convinces her that she'll have a long life in which to contribute to society; the two nearly share a kiss but are interrupted by the party. Mary Alice Mary Alice Mary Alice is an American actress.Alice was born Mary Alice Smith in Indianola, Mississippi, the daughter of Ozelar and Sam Smith. In 1987 she received a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in Fences... 's last appearance as Lettie. |
Season 3: 1989–1990
| Series # | Season # | Original air date !! Title !! Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 1 | September 21, 1989 | Strangers on a Plane | Dwayne and Whitley run into each other when flying back to Hillman for the fall term and their feelings for each other ignite. Meanwhile, Gilbert Hall becomes co-ed, with Walter as the resident director and Jaleesa as assistant. |
| 46 | 2 | October 12, 1989 | The Heat Is On | Col. Taylor forces Whitley to take the math class she has studiously avoided and tries to show her the value in facing one's fears; roommates Ron and Dwayne fight over opposing philosophies of personal spending. |
| 47 | 3 | October 19, 1989 | The Hat Makes the Man | Walter is torn between his roles of boyfriend and dorm director when he overrules Jaleesa on student discipline on the day of their anniversary dinner. |
| 48 | 4 | October 26, 1989 | To Have and Have Not | Walter convinces various students to teach leisure classes to youth at the local community center, where Whitley's wallet is stolen and she accuses a child. |
| 49 | 5 | November 2, 1989 | Forever Hold Your Peace | Dwayne takes Whitley to New York for her father's wedding and visits the Huxtables; he is devastated by the news that Denise is now married and will not be returning to Hillman. Guest appearances by Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.... , Joseph C. Phillips Joseph C. Phillips Joseph Connor Phillips is an American actor and conservative Christian commentator and writer. He is best known for his role as Martin Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.-Personal life:... , Raven-Symoné Raven-Symoné Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman , known professionally as Raven-Symoné , or simply Raven, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, comedian, dancer, television producer and model. Symoné launched her successful career in 1989 after appearing in The Cosby Show as Olivia... , and Lisa Bonet Lisa Bonet Lisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California... (in her final appearance on A Different World). |
| 50 | 6 | November 9, 1989 | Delusions of Daddyhood | Ron tries to become a father figure to his study partner's son. Dwayne invites Heavy D and the Boyz to perform on campus, and he and Whitley argue over the artistic merits of rap music. Heavy D and the Boyz perform the song "Somebody for Me". |
| 51 | 7 | November 16, 1989 | Wedding Bells From Hell | Walter and Jaleesa plan a rushed wedding when he wins a honeymoon trip and is inspired to propose; Whitley convinces Dwayne to join her as wedding coordinator. |
| 52 | 8 | November 30, 1989 | Great Expectations | Kim rebels against her father's restrictions by traveling to Washington, D.C. for a festival, unaware that he is dropping in for a visit. Guest appearance by Richard Roundtree Richard Roundtree Richard Roundtree is an American actor and former fashion model. He is best known for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft and in its two sequels, Shaft's Big Score and Shaft in Africa .-Personal life:Born in New Rochelle, New York, Richard Roundtree graduated from... . |
| 53 | 9 | December 7, 1989 | Answered Prayers | Kim's father is shot in the line of duty, causing a crisis of faith for Freddie after she prays for him and receives mixed results. |
| 54 | 10 | December 21, 1989 | For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls | Whitley is feeling like the campus Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge Ebenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness... over her mother's plans to visit the French Riviera French Riviera The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco... for Christmas and receives visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Guest appearance by Diahann Carroll. |
| 55 | 11 | January 4, 1990 | Under One Roof | Dean Hughes invites Freddie and Whitley for a weekend visit to co-host a tea, kindling Whitley's aspirations of becoming a student recruiter; Ron invites a classmate to stay in the apartment without knowing the young man's con-artist reputation. |
| 56 | 12 | January 11, 1990 | Here's to Old Friends | An old friend of Dwayne's comes for a visit and tries to convince him to dump Ron and Hillman; Col. Taylor and Mr. Gaines attend an Army reunion. |
| 57 | 13 | January 18, 1990 | The Power of the Pen | Dwayne is stumped over a poetry-writing assignment until he is visited in a dream by the spirit of William Shakespeare William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"... . Freddie cannot decide between cute environmentalist Livingston and handsome business-student Ernest. |
| 58 | 14 | January 25, 1990 | Pride and Prejudice | Whitley is treated disdainfully by a white White American White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa... sales clerk; when she tries to impress the woman with several expensive purchases, her friends question the wisdom of this response. Also, Dwayne and Walter participate in an ROTC retreat for civilians. Guest appearance by Peggy Walton-Walker Peggy Walton-Walker -Career:Most of Walton-Walker's film and television roles have been small, often playing an unnamed character such as a bookkeeper, receptionist, or nurse... . |
| 59 | 15 | February 8, 1990 | Success, Lies and Videotape | Clair Huxtable videotapes the prospective futures of students while non-participant Freddie investigates the possibility the school was a stop on the Underground Railroad Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,... . Guest appearances by Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashad Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.... and her real-life husband Ahmad Rashad Ahmad Rashad Ahmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals... . |
| 60 | 16 | February 15, 1990 | A World Alike | Campus protests over divestment Divestment In finance and economics, divestment or divestiture is the reduction of some kind of asset for either financial or ethical objectives or sale of an existing business by a firm... in South Africa affect all the group when Whitley's budding romance with Julian is threatened by his belief that Kim should give up a scholarship from a company that will not divest; two South African exchange students offer differing perspectives on the conflict. |
| 61 | 17 | February 22, 1990 | That's the Trouble With You All | Dwayne accepts Whitley's recommendation to date her friend, then is amused when a jealous Whitley shows up with Julian to sabotage the date. Also, Jaleesa and Walter argue over whether women or men are better at poker and agree to settle the bet by each teaching a novice to play. |
| 62 | 18 | March 1, 1990 | A Campfire Story | Walter tells of his ill-fated trip to North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... to recruit a star high-school basketball player: Walter ends up in jail over unpaid tickets, Dwayne sees Whitley's face everywhere he looks, and rival coach Cap Connors dangles temptations in front of the young man but shows little interest in his education. During the story, there is a battle of the sexes as Jaleesa and Col. Taylor each try to repair the dorm's broken heater. |
| 63 | 19 | March 8, 1990 | Hillman Isn't Through With You Yet | As graduation nears, Whitley and Jaleesa search for jobs and Ron's sister visits as a prospective art-history student. |
| 64 | 20 | March 15, 1990 | 21 Candles | Kim plans a surprise party for Whitley's birthday. Whitley becomes angry with Julian for forgetting her birthday, though she never told him. After finding out Whitley's birthday party is for women only, Dwayne and Ron make hasty and ill-conceived plans to kidnap her as a joke. |
| 65 | 21 | March 29, 1990 | Sweet Charity | Kim experiences financial problems and the other students try to help her without being caught and offending her pride. |
| 66 | 22 | April 5, 1990 | Soldier Boy | A dinner celebrating Col. Taylor's military career is made difficult for him by the presence of a soldier whose injury has haunted the colonel; Ron strives to be ROTC Cadet of the Year; Whitley is challenged by Dwayne to go a full day without flirting Flirting Flirting is a playful, romantic, or sexual overture by one person to another subtly indicating an interest in a deeper relationship with the other person, and can involve verbal communication as well as body language... . |
| 67 | 23 | April 19, 1990 | Getaway (1) | Dwayne, Ron, Freddie, Kim, Whitley, and Ernest go to Devil's Island, South Carolina, for spring break. Their bag gets switched with that of a pair of drug dealers. After hearing that the drug dealers want to kill them, Dwayne and Ron try to escape. A Different World writer/producer Susan Fales appears as Mandy. |
| 68 | 24 | April 26, 1990 | Getaway (2) | Dwayne and Ron dress in drag Drag (clothing) Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early... to get off the island. Unable to leave due to a storm, they return to the beach house where they — and the newly arrived Julian — get into a confrontation with the drug dealers. Susan Fales appears as Mandy. |
| 69 | 25 | May 5, 1990 | Perhaps Love | Dwayne is inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, prompting a visit from his proud mother. Whitley believes that Julian will propose to her, but instead he invites her to live together for the summer rather than do the career internship she has planned. Guest appearance by Patti LaBelle Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry... . |
Season 4: 1990–1991
| Series # | Season # | Original air date !! Title !! Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 1 | September 20, 1990 | Everything Must Change | Whitley returns from her travels determined to begin a relationship with Dwayne; however, after years of waiting, he has moved on to a romance with newcomer Kinu (Alisa Gyse Dickens), a Japanese/African-American student at nearby Avery University whom he met while waiting for Whitley to answer his letters from Japan. Col. Taylor's son Terrence (Cory Tyler Cory Tyler Cory Tyler is an American actor and dancer. He is best known for his role as Terrence Taylor, the son of Col. Taylor on the sitcom A Different World. In 1989, he co-hosted the pilot episode of the former Nickelodeon series Wild & Crazy Kids with Matt Brown and Leslie Hibbard... ) arrives from Germany, quickly earning the nickname "Pee-Wee Hormone" for his clueless pursuit of women. |
| 71 | 2 | September 27, 1990 | How Bittersweet It Is | Whitley tries to make Dwayne jealous by accepting a date with Ron, who knows but hopes to change her feelings; students compete to win places in Professor Randolph's (Roger Guenveur Smith Roger Guenveur Smith Roger Guenveur Smith is an American actor, director, and writer.-Early life:Smith was born in Berkeley, California, the son of Helen Guenveur, a dentist, and Sherman Smith, a judge... ) African-American History class, including Freddie and her cousin Matthew (Andrew Lowery), a White White people White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin... student visiting from Avery. |
| 72 | 3 | October 4, 1990 | Blues for Nobody's Child | Freddie is moved by the difficulty of finding adoptive parents for older African-American children in the foster care Foster care Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent".... system and makes it her mission to convince Prof. Randolph to adopt a child she has met through the community center. |
| 73 | 4 | October 11, 1990 | Whitley's Last Supper | Whitley looks forward to a visit from her father until she learns he has come to cut up her credit cards and force her to live on a budget; Matthew and Freddie conspire to convince Kim to balance her MCAT studies with a social life. Ron O'Neal Ron O'Neal Ron O'Neal was an American actor, director and screenwriter... makes the first of three guest appearances as Whitley's father Mercer Gilbert. |
| 74 | 5 | October 18, 1990 | The Goodwill Games | Dwayne, Whitley, and Kinu participate in a College Bowl College Bowl College Bowl was a format of college-level quizbowl run and operated by College Bowl Company, Incorporated. It had a format similar to the current NAQT format. College Bowl first aired on US radio stations in 1953, and aired on US television from 1959 to 1970... -type competition, exacerbating the romantic competition the two women already are in. Kim is encouraged by Freddie to make way for a romance of her own, with Matthew. |
| 75 | 6 | October 25, 1990 | Tales From the Exam Zone | Walter narrates a trio of tales, á la The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series) The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising... , about strange occurrences among the studying students. |
| 76 | 7 | November 8, 1990 | Good Help Is Hard to Fire | Ron and Whitley concoct a plan for her to earn money by cleaning Dwayne's apartment and further driving a wedge between him and Kinu. Guest star Patti LaBelle returns as Dwayne's mother. The song prominently played during the anniversary party is Jasmine Guy Jasmine Guy Jasmine Guy is an American actress, singer and dancer. She is best known for her starring role as Whitley Gilbert in the television sitcom A Different World.-Biography:... 's debut single "Try Me"; the video also aired during the final commercial break. |
| 77 | 8 | November 15, 1990 | Love Thy Neighbor | Now that Kinu and Dwayne have broken up, Whitley hopes her time has come. However, Dwayne is less eager to start a relationship than she had expected. |
| 78 | 9 | November 29, 1990 | Time Keeps on Slippin' | Freddie and Ron are made the chairs of a committee to decide the contents of Hillman's 1990 time capsule Time capsule A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians... ; Dwayne must find a way to be a good boyfriend while remaining a good student. (The episode includes an early mention of a condom Condom A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner... , although the network did not allow one to be shown.) |
| 79 | 10 | December 6, 1990 | The Apple Doesn't Fall | In a fathers-and-sons themed episode, Ron wrestles with telling his father (Art Evans Art Evans Arthur James "Art" Evans is an American actor who has made multiple film and television program appearances over the span of three decades.... ) that he'd rather be a professional musician than a car salesman, and Terrence argues with Col. Taylor over the colonel's interest in joining a previously racially restricted Racial segregation Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home... golf club. |
| 80 | 11 | December 13, 1990 | I'm Dreaming of a Wayne Christmas | During a Christmas visit to New York with Dwayne and Ron, Whitley is anxious to change the negative impression that Dwayne's mother has of her. But her efforts progress from bad to worse. Guest appearances by Patti LaBelle and Harold Sylvester Harold Sylvester Harold Sylvester is an American film and television actor.Sylvester was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A graduate of New Orleans' St. Augustine High School and Tulane University, Sylvester is best known for his role on the TV series Married... with Children as Griff, the co-worker and friend of... (in his debut as Dwayne's father Woodson Wayne). |
| 81 | 12 | January 10, 1991 | War and Peace | Hillman alumnus Zelmer Collier (Blair Underwood Blair Underwood Blair Underwood is an American television and film actor. He is perhaps best known as headstrong attorney Jonathan Rollins from the NBC legal drama L.A. Law, a role he portrayed for seven years. He has gained critical acclaim throughout his career, receiving numerous Golden Globe Award... ) visits his childhood friend Dwayne to break the news that his Army Reserve unit is being sent to the Persian Gulf Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers... ; Dwayne, Freddie, and Col. Taylor each have distinctly different responses to the news. (This was one of the few television episodes to address the implications of the impending Persian Gulf War Gulf War The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf... . It originally aired less than a week before combat started). |
| 82 | 13 | January 31, 1991 | Ex-Communication (a.k.a. Fiancée What?) | When Whitley's ex-boyfriend Julian arrives for a visit, she is hounded by the news that he is engaged to another girl who doesn't seem that much different from herself. Director Debbie Allen Debbie Allen Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities... is introduced as Whitley's therapist. |
| 83 | 14 | February 7, 1991 | Risk Around the Dollar | After dipping into her tuition money to pay rent, Whitley looks for a job. She and Ron throw a party to raise money, but their plans go awry. Meanwhile, Terrence converts to Islam Islam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... . |
| 84 | 15 | February 14, 1991 | Love, Hillman-Style | Whitley organizes a "Men of Hillman" calendar and Dwayne is upset that it doesn't include him. Ron juggles three Valentine's Day Valentine's Day Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496... dates while Jaleesa spends the holiday with Col. Taylor. Guest appearance by a young Halle Berry Halle Berry Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming... . |
| 85 | 16 | February 21, 1991 | A Word in Edgewise | Kim does not see the value in Matthew's drama studies until he invites a troupe of deaf actors — and one deaf rapper — to stage a local performance. |
| 86 | 17 | February 28, 1991 | Ms. Understanding | Sixth-year Hillman undergraduate student Shazza Zulu divides the campus along gender lines with his self-published book about the alleged shortcomings of Black men. First appearance of Ajai Sanders Ajai Sanders Ajai Sanders, , is an American actress and stand-up comedian best known for her supporting role as Gina Devereaux in The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World... as Gina. In his acting debut, Gary Dourdan Gary Dourdan Gary Robert Dourdan is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Warrick Brown on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Early years:... makes his first appearance as Shazza. The episode is a thinly-veiled commentary on the controversy surrounding Shahrazad Ali Shahrazad Ali Shahrazad Ali is an African-American author, responsible for books such as The Blackman’s Guide to Understanding the Blackwoman, Are You Still a Slave? and How Not to Eat Pork .-Selected bibliography:* How Not to Eat Pork , 1985 * The Blackman’s Guide... 's book The Blackman's Guide to Understanding the Blackwoman. |
| 87 | 18 | March 7, 1991 | The Cash Isn't Always Greener | Dwayne tries to decide between a job at Kinishewa or graduate school at Hillman. Jaleesa's sister (Vanessa Bell Calloway Vanessa Bell Calloway Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress who has appeared in a number of films, including Biker Boyz, Love Don't Cost a Thing, What's Love Got to Do with It, Coming to America, and Cheaper by the Dozen.... ), impressed by Jaleesa's independence, contemplates some major decisions of her own. |
| 88 | 19 | March 14, 1991 | How Great Thou Art | Whitley takes a job as an art buyer for E.H. Wright. Freddie starts a radio call-in show, with little success until she invents an advice-giving Caribbean persona. Tisha Campbell makes her first of two appearances as Josie. |
| 89 | 20 | March 21, 1991 | It's Showtime at Hillman | In a nod to Sinbad's role as the host of It's Showtime at the Apollo Showtime at the Apollo Showtime at the Apollo is a syndicated music television show, first broadcast on September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008 with 1093 episodes, and is produced by the Apollo Theater... , Walter hosts a local telethon in a last ditch effort to save a nearby community center. Showtime co-host Kiki Sheppard also appears. |
| 90 | 21 | March 28, 1991 | Sister to Sister, Sister | When Kim becomes a sorority pledge under Whitley's command, the women's friendship is tested; Ron must teach fraternity pledge Terrence a sense of humility and brotherhood toward his fellow pledges. |
| 91 | 22 | April 4, 1991 | Monet Is the Root of All Evil | Whitley organizes an exhibit of art by Hillman students, including a starving artist named Novian Winters. However, the sponsor of the exhibit considers Novian's painting to be blasphemous Blasphemy Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy... and demands its removal. |
| 92 | 23 | April 11, 1991 | If I Should Die Before I Wake | Challenged by a speech-class assignment, classmate Josie (Tisha Campbell) reveals that she is HIV-positive, prompting her fellow students to re-examine everything they thought they knew about AIDS AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus... . Special appearance by Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won... . |
| 93 | 24 | April 25, 1991 | Never Can Say Goodbye | As Dwayne and Whitley prepare to graduate, Ron finds out he can't join them unless he passes the European history final. Meanwhile, Walter leaves Hillman to take a job at a community center in Philadelphia. This is Sinbad's final appearance on the series. Robert Guillaume Robert Guillaume Robert "Bob" Guillaume is an American stage and television actor, best known for his role as Benson Du Bois on the TV-series Soap and the spin-off Benson, voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and as Isaac Jaffe on Sports Night... guest stars. |
| 94 | 25 | May 2, 1991 | To Be Continued | Dwayne and Whitley evaluate their relationship in the face of a summer of separation in which she will work in New York while he remains at Hillman to teach; Kim and Matthew also are to be separated by her overseas study opportunity. |
Season 5: 1991–1992
| Series # | Season # | Original air date !! Title !! Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 1 | September 19, 1991 | We've Only Just Begun | As the fall term starts, Col. Taylor and Jaleesa reveal that they eloped over the summer. Dwayne asks Ron to pick up Whitley's engagement ring from the jeweler, but he gets the wrong one. First appearance of Jada Pinkett Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith is an American actress, producer, director, author, singer-songwriter, and businesswoman. She began her career in 1990, when she made a guest appearance in the short-lived sitcom True Colors. She starred in A Different World, produced by Bill Cosby, and she featured... as Lena. |
| 96 | 2 | September 26, 1991 | The Dwayne Mutiny | Dwayne's students, led by Lena, rebel against his hard-nosed teaching style. |
| 97 | 3 | October 3, 1991 | Home Is Where the Fire Is | Lena finally gets her own dorm room, but she tries cooking and starts a fire. |
| 98 | 4 | October 10, 1991 | Almost Working Girl | Freddie and Jaleesa deal with an employer that does not believe in affirmative action Affirmative action Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term... . |
| 99 | 5 | October 17, 1991 | In the Eye of the Storm | A hurricane threatens Hillman, stranding students in the Pit before they can evacuate the campus. |
| 100 | 6 | October 24, 1991 | Rule Number One | Dwayne tutors Lena, oblivious to her crush on him. Ron tries to market a line of beauty products for African-American women. |
| 101 | 7 | October 31, 1991 | Baby, I'm a Star | As a favor, Kim becomes the lead singer for Ron's band, but quickly becomes conceited and hard to manage. |
| 102 | 8 | November 7, 1991 | Liza Who-Little | Whitley's man-hungry and materialistic cousin Liza (Jasmine Guy in a dual role Dual role Dual role refers to one actor playing two or more roles, which may be deliberately scripted in a play or film, or merely be a by-product of a low budget. In a theatrical production where more than one actor plays multiple characters, it is sometimes referred to as an "Ironman" cast... ) comes to visit and quickly stirs up trouble when she latches on to Ron. |
| 103 | 9 | November 14, 1991 | To Tell the Truth (1) | Anxious about the wedding plans, but unable to get Whitley to sit down and talk, Dwayne is attracted to a female graduate student (Debbi Morgan Debbi Morgan Deborah "Debbi" Morgan is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Dr. Angie Hubbard on the ABC soap opera All My Children, and for her role as The Seer in the fourth and fifth seasons of Charmed.Morgan joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as... ) he meets at a faculty mixer. |
| 104 | 10 | November 21, 1991 | Do You Take This Woman? (2) | Dwayne's and Whitley's parents arrive for the engagement party, but the feuding of two mothers (Patti Labelle Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry... , Diahann Carroll) only adds to his growing doubts about the wisdom of the marriage. Harold Sylvester Harold Sylvester Harold Sylvester is an American film and television actor.Sylvester was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A graduate of New Orleans' St. Augustine High School and Tulane University, Sylvester is best known for his role on the TV series Married... with Children as Griff, the co-worker and friend of... and Ron O'Neal Ron O'Neal Ron O'Neal was an American actor, director and screenwriter... reprise their roles as the respective fathers. |
| 105 | 11 | December 5, 1991 | Mammy Dearest | In the wake of her breakup with Dwayne, Whitley organizes an exhibit on images of black women through history, but Kim is troubled by the inclusion of "Mammy Mammy archetype The mammy archetype is perhaps one of the best-known archetypes of African American women. She is often portrayed within a narrative framework or other imagery as a domestic servant of African descent, generally good-natured, often overweight, very dark skinned, middle aged, and loud... " artifacts. Lena discovers that one of Whitley's black antebellum ancestors owned slaves. The episode also addresses the origins of "the dozens The dozens The Dozens is a game that has its origins in African American slavery. The game originates from the devaluing and bargaining off of deformed or defective slaves in auction houses. This element of the African American oral tradition in which two competitors, usually males, go head-to-head in a... ." |
| 106 | 12 | December 19, 1991 | Twelve Steps of Christmas | As the newly married Taylors and Terrence prepare for their first holiday together as a family, they cannot decide how to combine traditions in a harmonious celebration. Meanwhile, Dwayne, Whitley, and Whitley's therapist are each invited and must learn to get past their differences. |
| 107 | 13 | January 2, 1992 | Just Another Four-Letter Word | Ron decides to devote all of his time to his music, leaving him unable to pay bills. Notable guests: The Boys The Boys (band) The Boys is an American R&B quartet composed of the four Abdulsamad brothers, Khiry , Hakeem , Tajh , and Bilal . The group started out singing in Carson, California. The group had three #1 singles on the R&B charts but never had a mainstream pop #1.-Early years:The Boys were encouraged by their... |
| 108 | 14 | January 16, 1992 | Cat's in the Cradle | While attending a Hillman football game on a predominantly White campus, Ron and Dwayne are involved in a bias incident with three White students. The episode airs just prior to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and features one of Dean Cain Dean Cain Dean Cain is an American actor. He is most widely known for his role as Clark Kent/Superman in the popular American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.-Early life:... 's earliest television appearances. |
| 109 | 15 | January 23, 1992 | Prisoner of Love | Freddie's ex-convict pen pal Pen pal Pen pals are people who regularly write to each other, particularly via postal mail.-Purposes:A penpal relationship is often used to practice reading and writing in a foreign language, to improve literacy, to learn more about other countries and life-styles, and to make friendships... shows up at Hillman to pay a visit — evoking a variety of reactions from friends.. |
| 110 | 16 | January 30, 1992 | Bedroom at the Top | Whitley is subjected to sexual harassment by her immediate supervisor (Tom Wright Tom Wright (actor) Tom Wright is a television and theatre actor. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey and attended West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania.... ); when she complains to upper management, however, he claims she was the aggressor. |
| 111 | 17 | February 13, 1992 | May the Best Man Win | Whitley and Dwayne meet one of Mr. Gaines' former employees: Hillman alumnus and Virginia state senatorial Senate of Virginia The Senate of Virginia is the upper house of the Virginia General Assembly. The Senate is composed of 40 Senators representing an equal number of single-member constituent districts. The Senate is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia... candidate Byron Douglas III (Joe Morton Joe Morton Joseph Thomas "Joe" Morton, Jr. is an American stage, television, and film actor.-Early life:Morton was born in The Bronx, a borough of New York City, New York. He is the son of Evelyn, a secretary, and Joseph Thomas Morton, Sr., a U.S. army intelligence officer. Because of his father's... ). |
| 112 | 18 | February 20, 1992 | Kiss You Back (1) | Whitley and Byron have quickly become an item. While Byron is on a weekend business trip in Washington, D.C., Whitley tries to clear the air between herself and Dwayne. However, the night doesn't go as planned; the next morning, Dwayne is still at Whitley's place... and Byron is knocking on the door. |
| 113 | 19 | February 27, 1992 | Conflict of Interest (2) | Both Whitley and Dwayne tell Byron what happened, but Whitley insists that she no longer has feelings for Dwayne. Meanwhile, Freddie and Shazza start being brutally honest all the time, which is brutally annoying to everyone else. Prospective freshmen Charmaine Brown and Lance Rodman (The Cosby Show The Cosby Show The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992... s Karen Malina White Karen Malina White Karen Malina White is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Charmaine Brown on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and its spin-off series A Different World... and Allen Payne) visit Hillman. |
| 114 | 20 | March 12, 1992 | Sellmates | Ron meets his match in a female con artist who makes trouble for him in his new auto-sales position. |
| 115 | 21 | April 2, 1992 | Do the Write Thing | Lena writes a fictitious essay about her father's supposed exploits, for a scholarship competition, then must decide what to do when her father turns up in person to see her claim the prize. |
| 116 | 22 | April 23, 1992 | Love Taps | When Freddie tries to learn the identity a woman she saw being beaten, Lena is shocked to realize her usually strong-willed roommate Gina may have been the victim. |
| 117 | 23 | May 7, 1992 | Special Delivery | With only days to go before the statewide elections, Byron's campaign is shaken up by a sex scandal involving a stripper Stripper A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,... and the candidate. Also in this episode, Jaleesa gives birth. |
| 118 | 24 | May 14, 1992 | Save the Best for Last (1) | Bride-to-be Whitley is dogged by doubts that are only made stronger when Dwayne pays a surprise midnight visit on the eve of her wedding to Byron. |
| 119 | 25 | May 14, 1992 | Save the Best for Last (2) | Whitley and Byron's wedding day arrives, together with their friends, family ... and Dwayne. Last appearances of Dawnn Lewis and Cory Tyler as Jalessa and Terrence. |
Season 6: 1992–1993
| Series # | Season # | Original air date !! Title !! Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | 1 | September 24, 1992 | Honeymoon in L.A. (1) | As the fall term arrives, Whitley and Dwayne recount their honeymoon, which coincided with the 1992 Los Angeles riots 1992 Los Angeles riots The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a... . The Cosby Show The Cosby Show The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992... 's Karen Malina White Karen Malina White Karen Malina White is an American film and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Charmaine Brown on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and its spin-off series A Different World... joins the regular cast as Charmaine. Recurring cast members Ajai Sanders Ajai Sanders Ajai Sanders, , is an American actress and stand-up comedian best known for her supporting role as Gina Devereaux in The Cosby Show spin-off A Different World... (Gina) and Jada Pinkett Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith is an American actress, producer, director, author, singer-songwriter, and businesswoman. She began her career in 1990, when she made a guest appearance in the short-lived sitcom True Colors. She starred in A Different World, produced by Bill Cosby, and she featured... (Lena) join the regular cast. Patrick Malone and Bumper Robinson Bumper Robinson Bumper Robinson is an American actor and voice artist. Robinson got his nickname because he repeatedly bumped into things while running through his home as a young child.- Life and career :... make their first appearances as Terrell and Dorian. Cameo appearance by Debbie Allen Debbie Allen Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities... . Special guest appearance by Sister Souljah Sister Souljah Sister Souljah is an American hip hop-generation author, activist, recording artist, and film producer. She gained prominence for Bill Clinton's criticism of her remarks about race in the United States during the 1992 presidential campaign... . |
| 121 | 2 | October 1, 1992 | Honeymoon in L.A. (2) | Whitley and Dwayne continue to recount their honeymoon, which coincided with the 1992 Los Angeles riots 1992 Los Angeles riots The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a... . After years of antagonism toward each other, Ron and Freddie's relationship takes a surprising turn. Special guest appearances by Gilbert Gottfried Gilbert Gottfried Gilbert Gottfried is an American actor, voice actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his trademark comedic persona of speaking in a loud, grating tone of voice. He has played numerous roles in film and television, perhaps most notably voicing the parrot Iago in Disney's Aladdin , and... , Roseanne Barr Roseanne Barr Roseanne Cherrie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, television producer and director. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy at clubs before gaining fame for her role in the sitcom Roseanne. The show was a hit and lasted nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997... , and Tom Arnold Tom Arnold (actor) Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:... . |
| 122 | 3 | October 8, 1992 | Interior Desecration (a.k.a. Sofa, So Good) | Sharing their first apartment, newlyweds Dwayne and Whitley find themselves in a constant argument over whose belongings will go and whose will stay. |
| 123 | 4 | October 15, 1992 | Somebody Say Ho! | Campus rules against sexual harassment are tested when Terrell is accused of taping a sign to Charmaine's back calling her a "digit ho" after she showed off her abilities in Dwayne's math class. |
| 124 | 5 | October 22, 1992 | Really Gross Anatomy | Kim has trouble dissecting her cadaver Cadaver A cadaver is a dead human body.Cadaver may also refer to:* Cadaver tomb, tomb featuring an effigy in the form of a decomposing body* Cadaver , a video game* cadaver A command-line WebDAV client for Unix.... in anatomy class. Ron gets jealous when Freddie spends her weekend camping with Shazza. Michael Ralph Michael Ralph Michael Ralph is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his recurring roles as Spencer Boyer on the sitcom A Different World, Tyrell Livingston on Cleghorne! and as Kelly on The Bernie Mac Show.... (who has appeared as five different characters in previous episodes) assumes the recurring role of Hillman medical student Spencer Boyer. |
| 125 | 6 | October 29, 1992 | Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Axed | Kim and Freddie try to work out their differences with each other's men, to little avail, while Whitley finds her professional life taking a wrong turn just after convincing Dwayne to spend their savings on an expensive painting. |
| 126 | 7 | October 29, 1992 | The Little Mister | Dwayne scoffs at the idea of the "Year of the Woman". He then falls asleep on the couch and dreams that all of the candidates in the 1992 presidential election United States presidential election, 1992 The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot.... are women, with Whitley as "Jill Blinton", and Dwayne as her husband "Hilliard" (parodying Bill Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation... and Hillary Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the... Clinton). |
| 127 | 8 | November 5, 1992 | Baby, It's Cold Outside | Work pressures have Dwayne showing less sexual interest in Whitley, who calls in her problem to The Montel Williams Show The Montel Williams Show The Montel Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Montel Williams. On January 30, 2008 it was announced that The Montel Williams Show would stop production on new episodes at the end of the 2007-2008 television season after seventeen years... — unaware that Gina has organized a dorm-wide viewing party. Freddie also struggles with the need to reveal to Kim her relationship with Ron. |
| 128 | 9 | November 12, 1992 | Faith, Hope and Charity (1) | Whitley's mother (Diahann Carroll) shows up for Thanksgiving with an apparent new fiancé, whose motives Whitley doubts, while Dwayne's mother (Patti LaBelle Patti LaBelle Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry... ) likewise shows up unannounced; the fighting that ensues leads to the women's being embroiled in a local protest for Haiti Haiti Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island... an rights and being hauled off to jail. |
| 129 | 10 | November 12, 1992 | Faith, Hope and Charity (2) | Waiting for their children to show up with bail money, the jailed mothers-in-law are shocked to learn of the recent blows to the family finances; each makes up with her child after expressing the grief she had felt over the circumstances of her only child's wedding. Revealing that he knows Freddie is cheating on him with Ron, Shazza breaks up with her. |
| 130 | 11 | November 19, 1992 | Original Teacher | Dwayne takes on the difficult task of mentoring two young teenagers from rival gangs. The rap duo Kris Kross Kris Kross Kris Kross was an American rap duo of the 1990s comprising Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith. The duo are best known for their hit 1992 song "Jump", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and was certified double platinum as a single... (Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith) appears as the teens, and performs the song "It's a Shame It's a Shame "It's a Shame" may also refer to a 1970 single by American R & B band, The Spinners"It's a Shame" is the fourth and final single released by Kris Kross from their album, Totally Krossed Out.-History:... ". |
| 131 | 12 | December 3, 1992 | Occupational Hazards | Whitley buys an expensive suit for a job interview, stains the suit before she can return it, and does not get the job. |
| 132 | 13 | December 17, 1992 | White Christmas | Freddie's mother, a counselor, arrives at Christmas and immediately involves herself in everyone's personal problems, to her daughter's discomfort but others' relief; Shazza tries to woo Freddie back from Ron. |
| 133 | 14 | January 7, 1993 | To Whit, With Love | Whitley takes a position teaching rebellious students at a school in a low-income neighborhood, eventually breaking through to them by teaching them African-American history not contained in their outdated textbooks. Lena's bourgeoning relationship with Dorian is threatened when she learns that he is abstaining from premarital sex. |
| 134 | 15 | January 14, 1993 | Happy Birthday to Moi | Disappointed with how her year has gone, Whitley determines to plan herself the best surprise birthday party ever by prying Dwayne's plans out of Kim. |
| 135 | 16 | January 21, 1993 | Mind Your Own Business | Ron and Mr. Gaines purchase a nightclub together, but the cancellation of the opening night act threatens to send Ron into financial ruin. The four original members of En Vogue En Vogue En Vogue is an American female R&B vocal group from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.The group has won more MTV Video Music Awards than any other female group in MTV history, a total of seven, along with four Soul Train Awards, six American Music... (Terry Ellis Terry Ellis Terry Lynn Ellis is an African-American R&B singer best known for her work with the quartet En Vogue.-Biography:... , Cindy Herron Cindy Herron Cindy Herron-Braggs , is an American singer and actress, who is best known as a founding member of the R&B/Pop quartet En Vogue.-Early life:... , Maxine Jones Maxine Jones Maxine Jones is one of the original members of the R&B singing group En Vogue. She originally left the group in 2001 to spend time with her daughter. Jones rejoined En Vogue on a permanent basis in the third quarter of 2004... , and Dawn Robinson Dawn Robinson Dawn Robinson is an American R&B/soul/Dance-pop singer best known for her work as a member of hit Urban/Dance-pop group, En Vogue.... ) appear as Mr. Gaines' nieces, and perform the song "Free Your Mind Free Your Mind "Free Your Mind" is the name of a Grammy Award-nominated hit single released by the American all-female R&B group En Vogue. Released on September 24, 1992 "Free Your Mind" is the third single released from En Vogue's critically acclaimed album Funky Divas... ". |
| 136 | 17 | May 8, 1993 | When One Door Closes... (1) | Dwayne develops a video game and sells it to Kinishewa, which wants to hire him for a job in Japan. Whitley finds out she is pregnant, inspiring Kim finally to say "yes" to Spencer's proposal of marriage. |
| 137 | 18 | May 8, 1993 | When One Door Closes... (2) | The mothers-in-law come to prepare Dwayne and Whitley for the move, then proceed to get drunk after discovering they will be having a baby while in Japan. Ron contemplates suing his friend over the fact that Dwayne's grammar-baseball game originated from his own idea, causing Freddie to question their relationship. (Final episode of the series). |
| 138 | 19 | May 27, 1993 | Lean on Me | Dwayne applies for an internship at Kinishewa... and his ex-girlfriend Kinu is the interviewer. |
| 139 | 20 | June 3, 1993 | Dancing Machines | Dorian, Lena, Charmaine and Terrell participate in a dance marathon Dance marathon A dance marathon is an event in which people stay on their feet for a given length of time. It started as a popular fad in the 1920s and 1930s, when organized dance endurance contests attracted people to compete to achieve fame or win monetary prizes... fundraiser for Amnesty International Amnesty International Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's... with a $1000 cash prize, but Freddie (the fundraiser's organizer) is unconvinced that Ron's seemingly materialistic approach is the right means to achieve her ends. |
| 140 | 21 | June 10, 1993 | Cabin in the Sky | Strapped for cash, Whitley and Dwayne opt to share a cabin with the middle-aged Vernon and Velma Gaines in an attempt at a long-delayed honeymoon, but their plans are thrown a curve when the Gaineses have a major fight and refuse to share a room. |
| 141 | 22 | June 17, 1993 | Great X-Pectations | While preparing for a history assignment on the only meeting between Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the... and Malcolm X Malcolm X Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its... , Terrell and Charmaine are physically threatened by several local residents, causing Terrell to take drastic measures that could spell the end of his matriculation at Hillman; Spencer proposes marriage to Kim as often as four times a day without receiving a clear "yes." |
| 142 | 23 | June 24, 1993 | Homie, Don't Ya Know Me? | Jada Pinkett Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith is an American actress, producer, director, author, singer-songwriter, and businesswoman. She began her career in 1990, when she made a guest appearance in the short-lived sitcom True Colors. She starred in A Different World, produced by Bill Cosby, and she featured... 's childhood friend Tupac Shakur Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world... guest stars as Lena's ex-boyfriend Piccolo, one of several friends from Baltimore who have come to visit her at Hillman, causing a rift in her other relationships. Shaun Baker Shaun Baker (actor) Shaun Baker, is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Quick Williams on the syndicated television series V.I.P.Baker had a minor role in the 1990 Kid 'n Play film House Party. His first major television role was Malcolm on the ABC sitcom Where I Live, co-starring with Doug E. Doug... and Monica Calhoun Monica Calhoun Monica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. She is best known in her film roles such as The Players Club, The Best Man, and The Salon. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.... also appear. (This episode aired only in syndication after the show's original run ended.) |
| 143 | 24 | July 2, 1993 | A Rock, a River, a Lena | When famed singer-actress Lena Horne Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the... comes to campus, Whitley mounts an elaborate tribute with her students, but Kim is struck by Whitley's inability to pay similar respect to Ms. Horne's contemporary, Mr. Gaines. (This episode aired only in syndication after the show's original run ended.) |
| 144 | 25 | July 9, 1993 | College Kid | Gina, Lena, Charmaine, Dorian, and Terrell rent an off-campus apartment from a grumpy older man (Billy Dee Williams Billy Dee Williams William December "Billy Dee" Williams, Jr. is an American actor, artist, singer, and writer.-Early life:Williams was born in New York City, New York, the son of Loretta... ) who turns out to be a former baseball star. He is inspired to consider attending college, particularly after seeing an old flame (Leslie Uggams Leslie Uggams Leslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:... ) who is now a professor. Gina's abusive ex-boyfriend (Edafe Blackmon Edafe Blackmon Edafe Okurume , also known professionally as Edafe Blackmon, is an African-American actor. He is best known for his work on the television sitcom For Your Love in which he starred for four seasons .... ) returns to try to establish contact anew, frightening her and infuriating her friends. (This episode aired only in syndication after the show's original run ended.) |