The BEST episodes of A Different World (1987)
Every episode of A Different World (1987) ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of A Different World (1987)!
In this spin-off from the popular sitcom The Cosby Show, Denise Huxtable enters her sophomore year at Hillman, alma mater of her parents and grandfather, where she moves into Gilbert Hall and shares a dorm room with 26-year-old Jaleesa Vinson and talkative new roommate Maggie Lauten. Also included in the first season cast were obnoxious and extremely wealthy dormmate Whitley Gilbert, ladies' man Dwayne Wayne and dorm director Stevie Rallen. Lettie Bostic later replaced Stevie as the new dorm director. At the end of the first season, Denise would return home (and to The Cosby Show) after dropping out of college. In the fall of 1988, new students Freddie Brooks and Kim Reese entered Hillman College. Freddie was a "hippie-child" who developed a crush on Dwayne; and Kim, an aspiring med student, became Whitley's new roommate. Giving Dwayne a hard time was his math professor, Col. Bradford Taylor. Also, Ron Johnson and Walter Oakes became regulars in the second season after appearing o
#1 - No Means No
Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/30/1989
Freddie falls for Garth Parks, a handsome and intelligent baseball star. Teammate Dwayne backs out of a date to the dance with Freddie so that she can go with Garth. However, Dwayne is disturbed when Garth shares details of a past incident with a woman. Dwayne describes the story to Walter, who confirms that it should be considered date rape. When Dwayne tries to dissuade Freddie from dating Garth, she accuses him of jealousy. Garth takes Freddie to an observation point and tries to force himself on her, but Dwayne comes to the rescue. Freddie and the other victim make statements to the police and help put Garth behind bars.
#2 - Pride and Prejudice
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/25/1990
Whitley goes to a jewelry store to buy a birthday present for her father. Freddie tags along because she enjoys watching Whitley "power shop." The clerk ignores them and is reluctant to open the display case. She also suggests a cheap watch, as she doesn't think that Whitley can afford any of the high-end merchandise. Freddie believes that the clerk is a racist and decides to leave. Whitley argues that the clerk probably thought they were poor because of their manner of dress. (Whitley had not changed after her tennis game.) Whitley spends a fortune to prove herself, but her friends argue that this only gives the clerk a fat commission. Whitley returns everything and tells off the clerk, getting the woman in hot water with her manager. The ROTC holds a retreat to teach civilians about life in the Army. Walter makes a fool of himself and loses a bet to Col. Taylor. Dwayne ignores Ron's instructions during a flag capture game. He gets lost in the mountains and comes in contact with poiso
#3 - Somebody Say Ho!
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/1992
Charmaine annoys the other students with her pushy attitude in Dwayne's statistics class. Someone tapes a sign to her back that reads "digit ho." She assumes that Terrell is responsible, and he refuses to apologize. She calls him a hood, and they nearly get into a fight. Charmaine feels that Terrell humiliated her by publicly calling her a whore. She files a formal complaint. Although she finds his behavior deplorable, Freddie offers to represent Terrell in student court. She defends his right to free expression, points out that he was joking, and gets Charmaine to admit that she had also insulted students. Freddie finally realizes that Gina was actually the one who taped the sign on Charmaine's back. Terrell explains why he didn't deny the charges. He didn't think anyone would believe him because they had already assumed that he was a thug. Charmaine and Terrell make peace, and Gina is placed on academic probation.
#4 - Citizen Wayne
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/27/1989
Dwayne runs for student council president. Although he has good ideas about scholarships and ways to fund student activities, no one will listen to him. They prefer the approach of his opponent, who only talks about parties. Rev. Jesse Jackson comes to the university for a lecture and stays with Col. Taylor. Ron tries to win votes by printing posters that imply that Dwayne has Rev. Jackson's endorsement. Dwayne apologizes to Rev. Jackson and plans to drop out of the race. Rev. Jackson encourages Dwayne to keep fighting; even if he loses, he can present his message to the students. Jaleesa and Kim struggle to find a present for Freddie's 18th birthday, but she seems to beat them to the punch on every gift idea.
#5 - College Kid
Season 6 - Episode 23 - Aired 7/1/1993
Lena, Gina, Charmaine, Dorian and Terrell decide to rent a house together. While seeing the temperamental landlord about a plumbing problem, Gina, Charmaine and Terrell discover that he is Langston "Sweet Knuckles" Paige, a former major league baseball star. He is unsure about what to do with his life, so they encourage him to enroll in college. Langston accompanies Terrell to class to check out the Hillman campus. He finds that the professor is an old flame. Gina's abusive ex-boyfriend Dion violates his probation by contacting her. He finally shows up in person in an attempt to win her back. She repeatedly turns him down, and learns that Dion hasn't really changed at all. Langston steps in and manages to convince Dion to leave Gina alone.
#6 - High Anxiety
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/16/1989
Kim becomes overwhelmed by her hectic schedule, as she tries to balance pre-med courses with work and extracurricular activities. She also obsesses over her grades, suffering from nightmares about getting too many B's to make it into medical school. She buys a datebook and tries to plan every moment of her day, ignoring her friends' warnings that her lack of sleep could endanger her health. Kim finally agrees to cut back on her activities after fainting in the Pit. Mr. Gaines quarrels with his wife over the presence of their grown son, whom he wants to throw out of the house. Mr. Gaines crashes at Col. Taylor's place after Velma kicks him out, and quickly wears out his welcome.
#7 - Take This Job and Love It
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/23/1989
Whitley hits Mr. Gaines' car, causing nearly $1000 in damage. She is afraid to ask her father for the money because she fears that he will take her car away. Kim helps her get a job at the Pit to fund the repairs. Whitley initally annoys Mr. Gaines with her incompetence, but soon impresses him with a series of innovative suggestions that help boost profits. Kim feels insecure, as she is no longer Mr. Gaines' favorite employee. Ron endures campus-wide embarrassment after a classmate gives him a terrible haircut.
#8 - Ms. Understanding
Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/28/1991
Shazza Zulu, a student in his sixth year of undergraduate work, publishes a book discussing the sexist behavior of men at Hillman. The women take his words to heart; they get really worked up and decide to boycott all men. The men respond with a boycott of their own. Everyone gets upset with Dwayne and Whitley for refusing to take part, and Whitley's friends try to convince her that Dwayne is fooling around with the female students he tutors. After a food fight breaks out at the campus movie theater, Dean Hughes calls a summit to get the two sides to work out their differences. The students turn against Shazza, who insists that he is trying to promote harmony. He singles out Kim as someone who has turned against her race by dating a white man. She tells him off and storms out. Ron, who had earlier expressed a similar sentiment, apologizes to Kim and admits that he was jealous.
#9 - Rule Number One
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/24/1991
Dwayne agrees to provide Lena with free tutoring to help her bring up her calculus grade. They bond over their mutual love of basketball and become friends. Whitley insists that Lena has a crush on Dwayne. Dwayne refuses to believe this until Lena leaves an answering machine message in which she raps about her romantic interest in him. Dwayne pushes her away, but fears that he acted insensitively. Whitley shows a surprising level of tolerance for Lena's behavior. She realizes that Lena is homesick and lonely, and offers to serve as her confidante. Ron enlists Kim's help in marketing a line of beauty products (supposedly) designed for African American women.
#10 - Life with Father
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/8/1988
Dwayne believes that he may have found love with his new girlfriend, Suzanne. He reconsiders the relationship when he learns that her father is Col. Taylor. After seeing Dwayne with Suzanne, Freddie vows to change her "cute" image and make herself more alluring to men. She turns to Whitley for a complete makeover, but decides she would rather be herself.
#11 - How Great Thou Art
Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/14/1991
Whitley gets a job as an assistant art buyer for E.H. Wright Industries. She attends an auction in Washington, D.C. as an observer. When her boss steps out to take a phone call, Whitley disobeys her wishes by bidding on a painting from a promising young artist. Whitley fears that she will lose her job, but the painting turns out to be a great investment. Although her boss disagrees with her tactics, she applauds Whitley's intuition and enthusiasm. Freddie's new philosophical radio call-in show fails to attract interest because no one has any idea what she is talking about. She becomes a big hit after she assumes the persona of Jamaican-born "Mother Eartha" and distributes advice to her listeners.
#12 - If I Should Die Before I Wake
Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/11/1991
Whitley plans to sleep with Dwayne for the first time on his birthday. The public speaking professor assigns the students to write their own eulogies. A young woman named Josie stuns everyone with her speech, in which she reveals that she contracted AIDS through unprotected sex in high school. Gina and Terrence display their ignorance about the disease and are afraid to be around Josie. Kim and Mr. Gaines defend her and advise the duo to become more informed. Ron worries that he could fall victim to AIDS because of his history of casual sex. He and Dwayne decide to undergo HIV testing. Whitley, still shaken by the news of Josie's illness, decides that she just isn't ready for sex.
#13 - Almost Working Girl
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/10/1991
E.H. Wright needs a new secretary, so Whitley recommends Jaleesa's temp agency. Unfortunately, the company needs to fill the position immediately, and the only person available is Freddie. Freddie overhears the head of personnel say that she does not believe in affirmative action; she feels that she earned her job on merit, and wants others to do the same. Freddie lights into the woman and tells her that she has a duty to her race. Freddie gets fired, making both Jaleesa and Whitley look very bad. Jaleesa agrees with Freddie's stance and isn't sure she wants to do business with E.H. Wright. Col. Taylor angers his wife by pointing out that attacking one's boss because she holds a different point of view is not very smart. Freddie realizes that her behavior was inappropriate, and she and Jaleesa both apologize. Lena has difficulty understanding Shakespeare because of the language barrier. She delves into the spirit of the work and translates it into more modern terms.
#14 - Great X-Pectations
Season 6 - Episode 25 - Aired 7/9/1993
Dean Davenport gives her students an assignment to write a dialogue detailing what might have been said during the only meeting between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Terrell and Charmaine show up late for an appointment with their friends. They reveal that a pickup truck full of guys harassed Charmaine, then tried to run them off the road after they retaliated. Charmaine files a police report, while Terrell becomes obsessed with proving his manhood. Dean Davenport discovers that Terrell has brought a gun to class with him. She announces that she is expelling him. Dwayne asks her to reconsider because Terrell is such a fine student, but takes him to task for his behavior. Terrell shows up to class so that he and Dorian can complete their assignment. He plays the role of Dr. King and speaks of the need to seek change through education rather than violence. The dean is impressed and decides to let him stay in school, provided that he keeps his grades up and completes a communi
#15 - Homie, Don't Ya Know Me?
Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 6/24/1993
Lena's friends from Baltimore come to visit for the weekend. Lena is disconcerted to discover that Piccolo, her very attractive ex-boyfriend, has tagged along. Piccolo intends to prove that he has changed and win her back. He mocks her for dating Dorian, who tries to be mature about the situation. When Piccolo gets into an argument with Lena while dancing at the club, Dorian steps in to fight him. Lena's friend Yolanda accuses her of selling out by choosing college and her new friends over life in Baltimore. Dwayne tries to help Lena by relating his past experiences. Although Piccolo insists that he has turned away from the street scene, Lena feels he is the same selfish, unreliable person he has always been. She cares about him, but will not allow him to interfere in her life. Lena helps Dorian attend to his black eye and assures him that she is glad to have him in her life.
#16 - War and Peace
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/10/1991
Dwayne's good friend Zelmer comes to visit and stuns him by announcing that his Army Reserve unit has been called to the Persian Gulf. Ron promises to show Zelmer a good time over the weekend before he has to ship out on Monday. Dwayne is confused by Zelmer's cavalier attitude, and expresses disappointment at the fact that his friend won't open up to him. Ron annoys the girls by barring them from his send-off party for Zelmer. Whitley, Jaleesa and Kim crash the party and perform a musical number. Freddie, who is opposed to U.S. involvement in the Gulf, cannot bring herself to share her objections with Zelmer. Whitley tries to console a shaken Dwayne; he and Zelmer dreamed of changing the world with their minds, not fighting in a war. Dwayne now worries that the same thing could happen to him. Zelmer confesses his fears to Col. Taylor, who tries to help him remain strong.
#17 - A Rock, a River, a Lena
Season 6 - Episode 24 - Aired 7/2/1993
Legendary singer/actress Lena Horne visits the Hillman campus to dedicate a scholarship named for her grandmother. Whitley becomes very excited and has her students put together a musical tribute to Ms. Horne. She insists on a formal ceremony and refuses to allow Mr. Gaines to cater the event. Kim is mortified that Whitley could be so respectful of Ms. Horne, yet treat Mr. Gaines as though he is too old to contribute anything to society. When Ms. Horne admits that she doesn't like the upper-crust food, Kim takes her to the Pit for a home-cooked Southern meal. She has a good time dancing with Spencer, Kim and Mr. Gaines. Mr. Gaines recalls meeting Ms. Horne during World War II, and Kim is surprised to learn that this actually happened. During the ceremony, Ms. Horne calls Mr. Gaines to the stage and introduces him as an old friend. Whitley sees the error of her ways.
#18 - The Cash Isn't Always Greener
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/7/1991
Dwayne receives an incredible job offer from Kinishewa. Although Whitley and Ron insist that he should jump at the offer, Dwayne is torn between the job and grad school. He finally accepts, only to change his mind after his words of wisdom dissuade Terrence from dropping out of school. He decides to attend grad school and keep teaching, as he believes the job will always be available if he needs it. Jaleesa's visiting sister, a homemaker who is bored with her life, marvels at her independence. She wishes to emulate her, and Jaleesa must convince her that she can go back to school without leaving her husband.
#19 - I've Got the Muse in Me
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/26/1989
Freddie grapples with writer's block as she works on a creative writing assignment. Kim encourages her to take a break and come to a party, which Dwayne and Ron have organized in honor of a popular rib joint's final night in business. Whitley has resolved to eat only healthy foods, but finds herself tempted by the ribs. Freddie gets drunk and claims to have rediscovered her "muse." After Walter breaks up the party, she steals some booze and ends up passed out in the library. She awakes with a hangover the next morning and discovers that the paper she wrote while drunk is terrible. Walter lies about his culinary abilities to impress Jaleesa. Lettie and Mr. Gaines try to teach him to cook to ensure that his dinner with Jaleesa isn't a total disaster.
#20 - All's Fair
Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/15/1988
Kim begins spending a lot of time in her dorm room with her boyfriend, Robert. Whitley tries to be understanding, and sets up a system to allow the couple some privacy. However, she quickly grows tired of being locked out of her own room and quarrels with Kim. She notes that Robert's bed is vacant and decides to move into his room. Kim goes to the guys' dorm to retrieve Whitley, and they agree that they deserve each other. Freddie edits a poetry magazine, but her harsh critiques make her unpopular with classmates.
#21 - For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/21/1989
Whitley is in a foul mood during the holiday season, especially when her mother insists that they fly to the south of France instead of spending a quiet Christmas at home. She coldly rejects Freddie's offer to spend Christmas with her, and refuses to attend the gang's tree-trimming party. Whitley's mother appears to her in a dream and warns that she is headed for the same lonely, isolated existence as Marion. Whitley is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future (who bear an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Gaines, Walter and Jaleesa). She learns that Freddie will end up staying with Dwayne for the holidays, leading to a romance between the two. Whitley discovers that Dwayne and Freddie will marry, while she will spend her entire life alone. Whitley suddenly gets into the holiday spirit, decorates everything in sight, and asks Freddie to come along to France. However, Marion shows up at the dorm and tells her daughter that she wants to spend Christmas in Richmond. She settle
#22 - Those Who Can't... Tutor
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/22/1987
Dwayne offers to tutor Denise in calculus after she receives a D on a test. Denise believes that it is a scam, but Dwayne turns out to be an excellent tutor. They study for so long that Dwayne gets locked inside the dorm after curfew. He sneaks into Whitley's room while she is sleeping and climbs out the window. Stevie catches Dwayne coming down the fire escape, and Whitley suffers tremendous damage to her reputation. Dwayne refuses to tell the truth because he fears that Denise could be suspended. Stevie believes that Dwayne and Whitley are lying, and plans to report them to the dean. Denise interrupts and explains what really happened.
#23 - Liza Who-Little
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/7/1991
Whitley's aunt offers her a lucrative job as an art buyer for her hotel chain. However, she expects Whitley to look after her golddigging cousin Liza during a weekend visit to Hillman. Liza befriends Lena and turns to her for fashion advice. Liza pursues virtually every man on the campus before finally setting her sights on Ron. Kim becomes extremely jealous. Whitley and Kim hide in a closet and overhear Liza talking on the phone with her mother. She advises her mother not to give Whitley the job. Whitley no longer has a reason to put up with Liza's antics, so she aids Kim with a plan to pry Ron from her clutches. Kim bursts in during a dinner date and makes a scene as she pretends that she is the mother of Ron's four children. Her outburst successfully drives Liza away. Meanwhile, Whitley decides to stop speaking to Dwayne because she feels he spends too much time playing or attending sports with his friends. Dwayne warns her not to play games.
#24 - Success, Lies and Videotape
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/8/1990
Clair Huxtable visits the Hillman campus to videotape the students discussing their goals for the future. Although the taping is supposed to resemble a professional interview, Clair winds up playing the role of counselor. Freddie opts out of the interview in order to work on an archaeology assignment. She notices discrepancies between the Gilbert Hall laundry room and its original blueprints. She knocks down a wall and discovers a hidden room, which was part of the Underground Railroad that aided escaping slaves. Freddie is overwhelmed by her discovery and vows to make a difference with her life.
#25 - The Goodwill Games
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/18/1990
Whitley decides to try out for the academic decathlon, as the winning team will receive $1500. Although Dwayne and Ron make fun of her, Whitley proves to be quite knowledgable and makes the team. She and Dwayne are disgusted to learn that they must be partners. During a late-night practice, they start wrestling and fooling around and end up kissing passionately. Whitley overhears Dwayne assuring a jealous Kinu that he has no interest in Whitley. Whitley files her nails during the game, leaving Dwayne to carry the team singlehandedly. Dwayne apologizes and convinces her to play, but they barely lose to Kinu's team. After Dwayne and Kinu leave to celebrate, Whitley declares, "You may have won the prize, but I will get the man." Kim turns down a date from Matthew, telling Freddie that he is strange and she isn't strong enough to deal with an interracial relationship. Freddie argues that Kim doesn't want a social life because it might interfere with her routine. Kim asks Matthew out for co