The WORST episodes of A Different World (1987)
Every episode of A Different World (1987) ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst 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 - When One Door Closes... (2)
Season 6 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/8/1993
Marion and Adele arrive to help Dwayne and Whitley pack for the move to Tokyo. After learning of Whitley's pregnancy, they try to dissuade the couple from leaving. Whitley grows tired of listening to Dwayne argue with the women; she storms out. She finds solace with Ron, who has gotten into a major fight with Freddie over his plans to sue Dwayne. Dwayne convinces Whitley that they need to move on and make a life away from Hillman. Marion and Adele overcome their anxiety about being separated from their grandchild by getting very drunk. Dwayne and Whitley's friends throw them a going-away party at the Pit. Freddie comes over to Ron's apartment to share the news that she made law review. They make up, but she cannot convince him to come to the party. Everyone shares favorite stories about the Waynes and wishes them luck. Whitley and Dwayne return the favor by thanking their friends for all their love and support. Dwayne has very kind words for Ron, who hears about the speech from Freddie
#2 - Dancing Machines
Season 6 - Episode 20 - Aired 6/3/1993
The single father of one of Whitley's students convinces her to watch his daughter over the weekend, as he must go away on a business trip. Whitley tries to convince the girl to act more "ladylike," while she would rather play basketball with Dwayne. Dashawn annoys Whitley by rewiring the appliances as a practical joke. Dwayne and Spencer discover that Dashawn is a mathematical genius; her poor performance in school stems from boredom. When Freddie cannot get anyone to show an interest in Amnesty International, Ron offers to host a dance-a-thon to raise money for the cause. However, he angers Freddie by hogging the proceeds and charging the contestants for donated drinks. Dorian and Lena and Terrell and Charmaine become extremely competitive, and wind up as the final two couples. Dorian taunts Terrell about his victory, but feels guilty after Freddie gives a speech about human rights violations. He donates the entire $1000 prize to charity (without consulting Lena).
#3 - Home is Where the Fire Is
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/3/1991
A student's decision to drop out of school allows Lena to move into her own room, much to Whitley's relief. Whitley tries to dump all of the dorm duties onto resident assistant Kim. Kim discovers that Lena is cooking in her room. Before she can do anything about it, Kim has to go break up a fight. Lena sells her gumbo to the other students. She inadvertently starts a fire. The dean wants to suspend her, but Whitley and Kim come to her defense. Lena has to take a job at the Pit to pay for the fire damage to her room. Terrence moves back in with Jaleesa and Col. Taylor.
#4 - Really Gross Anatomy
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1992
Ron becomes jealous when Freddie leaves for a weekend camping trip with Shazza. He decides to prepare a candlelight dinner for Kim. Kim has problems dissecting her first cadaver in anatomy class. She throws up on the professor. She is too depressed to eat Ron's dinner, but decides to sleep with him. Kim's partner, Spencer, helps restore her confidence. The professor marvels at her work. Spencer comes over to celebrate, interrupting Kim's romantic evening with Ron. Dwayne sees Whitley's weekend business trip as a chance to enjoy his freedom. However, he soon becomes desperate for companionship. Charmaine annoys Lena after getting a job at the Pit.
#5 - To Tell the Truth (1)
Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/14/1991
Whitley panics about wedding preparations--particularly the upcoming engagement party, in which her parents are to see each other for the first time since their divorce. She complains about everything and acts very demanding toward Dwayne. Dwayne admits to Ron that he isn't sure if he is ready to get married. Dwayne accidentally spills a drink on Whitley during a faculty party, and she screams at him and runs out. He spends the rest of the evening talking with a charming science professor from Avery. Although Ron warns that he is throwing everything away, Dwayne goes out to dinner with the woman, claiming that they are only friends. Kim goes to the restaurant with some classmates and sees Dwayne and Lisa holding hands. Kim confronts Dwayne, but promises to keep the information a secret. Dwayne confesses the truth to Whitley. Freddie becomes romantically involved with Shazza, who she insists has changed since a summer pilgrimage to Africa. She tries to hide the relationship from Kim, wh
#6 - The Show Must Go On
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/18/1988
Denise and Whitley earn lead roles in Maggie's play, a bizarre (and painfully long) adaptation of the story of Adam and Eve. Denise and Whitley vie for the affections of their leading man, who seems to thrive from the attention. When the girls learn that Rick already has a girlfriend, they allow their anger to affect their performances. Although the play ends abruptly after Whitley tries to strangle Rick, Maggie still receives rave reviews. Meanwhile, Dwayne and Ron struggle to design the sets without exceeding their 35-dollar budget.
#7 - Ex-Communication (a.k.a. Fiancée What?)
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/31/1991
Whitley receives a phone call from Julian and agrees to have dinner with him. She is shocked to discover that he is engaged to a runway model turned translator who speaks six languages. The couple is to live in Paris. Whitley cannot come to grips with this news, and begins to pine for the life of luxury that she gave up when she dumped Julian. A frustrated Dwayne comes to believe that nothing he does will ever be good enough for her. Whitley goes to see a shrink, who recommends that she seek closure with Julian and do whatever she can to win back Dwayne. Dwayne refuses to accept Whitley's apology, even after she begs for forgiveness. He assures Ron that he isn't breaking up with her; he simply wants to watch a basketball game in peace. Jaleesa goes all out to secure the account of a potential client who is obsessed with sports.
#8 - Pilot Presentation
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/1987
Jaleesa and Denise get a new roommate, talkative transfer student Maggie Lauten. Denise learns that the check for her dorm fees has bounced. To make matters worse, she had also covered Jaleesa's fees to repay her for an earlier favor. Denise and Jaleesa face eviction unless they can come up with 200 dollars by the next day. Denise cannot bring herself to ask her parents for help, as she is tired of being bailed out. When the dean of students realizes that Denise sincerely wants to take responsibilty for her actions, he helps her get a cafeteria job with an advance on her salary. Jaleesa takes delight in the fact that she is now Denise's boss.
#9 - Speech Therapy
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/10/1988
Jaleesa panics at the prospect of making a speech in front of her poetry class. The professor takes pity on her and allows her to substitute a paper for the speech, but suggests that she learn to take risks. Jaleesa stammers her way through the speech; Professor Foster congratulates her on her courage and gives her a B because her content offset the horrible presentation. Denise forgets to pay back some money she had borrowed from Maggie a month earlier. Instead of reminding Denise about the debt, Maggie privately obsesses over the matter. Whitley's humidifier breaks, and she cannot call a repairman without exposing the fact that she has an illegal appliance. Dwayne and Ron help her ship it out for repairs, only to get busted by Lettie. Lettie reveals that she knew about the device; it no longer worked because she had unplugged it.
#10 - Wild Child
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/4/1988
Denise befriends Cougar, an extremely intelligent and creative student from her philosophy class. Cougar asks Denise to sneak her into the dorm for the night, claiming that her roommate has been letting an annoying boyfriend sleep over. Although she is supposed to stay on the couch, Cougar tries to use Whitley's room while Whitley is in the infirmary receiving treatment for a sprained ankle. Cougar gets caught, and Denise lashes out at her. Cougar reveals that she is not really a student at Hillman. She is an orphan who has been homeless since age 15, and started showing up for classes to increase her education. Dwayne and Denise ask Lettie to lobby the dean to enroll Cougar on scholarship, but Cougar initially balks at taking the SAT.
#11 - Sister to Sister, Sister
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/28/1991
Whitley is placed in charge of pledges for her sorority. She lets the power go to her head, and is especially hard on Kim. Kim leads a revolt and gets all of the pledges to walk out on Whitley. News of Whitley's humiliation spreads across the campus, so she becomes furious and challenges Kim to a fight. They eventually settle their differences, and Kim and the other pledges are accepted to the sorority. Ron also handles the pledges for his fraternity. He devises a way to convince show-off Terrence to think more about the interests of his brothers.
#12 - Risk Around the Dollar
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/7/1991
Whitley has to cut into the tuition check from her father to cover her share of the rent. She looks for a job, but turns down every offer. She is especially repulsed by the possibility of working at a mortuary with Kim. Whitley helps Ron organize a party (with cover charge) at a local warehouse. The event is a huge success, but the fire marshal shuts it down and fines Ron and Whitley for exceeding capacity. Although Dwayne sells his computer to pay the tuition, Jaleesa warns Whitley that he may eventually get tired of bailing her out. Whitley hocks some jewelry, takes the mortuary job, and repurchases Dwayne's computer. Terrence returns from a weekend trip to Washington, D.C. and proclaims himself a Muslim. His father isn't sure that he has given his decision enough thought, and doubts that Terrence can maintain a commitment to the religion.
#13 - Do the Write Thing
Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/2/1992
Lena cannot keep her grades high enough to maintain her engineering scholarship. She writes an essay about her father for an English assignment. Professor Foster is so impressed that he enters her work in a contest. She wins the award and receives a journalism scholarship. Lena is mortified when her father shows up for the awards ceremony. He is not the Vietnam vet and former Black Panther she described in her essay, but rather a hustler who is constantly in debt. Mr. James approves of Lena's actions, as he feels that she was just doing what was necessary to survive. Lena fears that she is just like her father, but he states that she can choose her own path. She confesses to Professor Foster, who was already aware of her duplicity. He says that she is a good writer and helps her get an English scholarship. Whitley alienates one of Byron's potential benefactors by wearing a fur coat. She brushes up on the issues in the hopes of becoming an asset to Byron's campaign.
#14 - White Christmas
Season 6 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/17/1992
Freddie's free-spirited mother visits, and annoys her daughter by spending all of her time counseling Freddie's friends. She exposes the bitterness that Kim is harboring over Freddie's relationship with Ron. Joni's appearance leaves Freddie confused about her life and stirs old feelings in Shazza. Ron spies Shazza kissing Freddie outside the Pit. Whitley takes a job at the International Cottage of Flapjacks to earn money for Dwayne's Christmas present. She finds herself completely overwhelmed, and gets no help from the owner's lazy daughter. Freddie confronts her mother at ICOF and demands advice. Joni explains that she lets her daughter make her own choices because she does not want to follow in the footsteps of Freddie's grandmother, who condemned Joni for having an interracial relationship. Ron appears and asks Freddie to make up her mind. She runs into his arms, as Whitley loudly launches into "Joy to the World." Whitley gets fired on her first day, but Dwayne consoles her with a p
#15 - Occupational Hazards
Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/3/1992
While Dwayne is out of town, Whitley buys a $700 business suit for a job interview. She fails to get the job, and accidentally stains the suit, which she had planned to return the next day. Freddie recommends that Whitley file for unemployment. Whitley irritates a claims officer with her self-important attitude and ignorance about the workings of the unemployment office. Whitley grows tired of being given the run-around and decides to get the money on her own. She sells several appliances and takes a phone sales job. The girls discuss Terry McMillan's Waiting to Exhale in their women's literature group. Dorian impresses Lena when he crashes the group meeting with Terrell. Charmaine constantly brags about her relationship with Lance and mocks her friends for not having boyfriends. However, Lena comforts Charmaine after Lance chickens out of a visit and breaks up with her over the phone. Ron and Freddie struggle to find time alone together.
#16 - The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/21/1988
Jaleesa fills in as resident director after Stevie leaves the university to get married (to Professor Walcott?). The students attend a lecture by Lettie Bostic, a renowned world traveler. Lettie dropped out of Hillman and moved to Paris, where she kept company with Picasso and other artistic icons and even worked as a spy during World War II. She confesses that she still regrets quitting school, so the dean offers to give her credit for "life experience" if she takes over as Gilbert's resident director. During a dorm meeting, Lettie immediately rubs the girls the wrong way with her blunt comments. Jaleesa, who is bitter about losing her leadership position, organizes a revolt in the hopes of driving Lettie away. Lettie covers for the girls when they break a television set, and both sides agree to be less abrasive.
#17 - Advise and Descent
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/14/1988
Denise volunteers for peer counseling duty during finals week. She proves to be a very good counselor, but uses the job as an excuse to put off a major history paper. Dwayne dislikes the head counselor, a laid-back surfer from California, because he suspects that he will put the moves on Denise. Whitley panics about an upcoming botany final; she had assumed that Millie's notes would be enough to carry her through the test. Dwayne and Ron express their discontent when the girls neglect their appearance while cramming for exams. The girls respond by holding an impromptu pageant in the dorm lounge to select "Miss Ugly America."
#18 - Porky de Bergerac
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/1987
Denise and Maggie convince Jaleesa to run for dorm monitor to prevent Whitley from getting the position. As one of her campaign promises, Jaleesa vows to address the dorm's litter problem by forcing anyone who fails to pick up after herself to wear a pig nose for a day. Denise leaves pizza in the lounge overnight, and Jaleesa orders her to wear the nose. Denise is furious, as she has a date with a cute guy from her biology class that night. They have never talked in person (she asked him out over the phone), so she decides to postpone the date because she does not want to meet him under these circumstances. Dwayne fails to get a hold of the guy as promised, but Michael still wants to go out with Denise. He even dons a pig nose so that she will not feel self-conscious.
#19 - Happy Birthday to Moi
Season 6 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/14/1993
Dwayne discovers that Whitley has goaded Kim into letting her assist in the planning of her own surprise birthday party. Dwayne takes Whitley to a cheap dinner and tells her that he scrapped the party. She feels that she deserves a nice birthday after her rough year, while he insists that she should have trusted him to plan the party on his own. Dwayne sends Whitley into the kitchen, then sneaks all of their friends into the living room to surprise her. Charmaine and Terrell struggle badly in French class. They refuse to accept help from prize pupil Gina, and all other tutors dismiss them as a lost cause. Terrified at the prospect of having their perfect grade point averages ruined, they hide a baby monitor in Gina's bag in an attempt to learn the contents of the oral midterm. Charmaine and Terrell get caught and automatically fail the midterm, leaving Charmaine humiliated. She admits that she wouldn't have been so desperate to get a good grade if Gina hadn't taunted her about her str
#20 - Dr. Cupid
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/11/1988
Dwayne tries to use his radio show to get a Valentine's Day date. He invents a dream man named Darrell Walker in the hopes of eliciting attention from the ladies. Although everyone else realizes that Darrell is obviously Dwayne, Whitley decides to investigate. Ron and Millie hook up while serving as go-betweens. A long-lost flame surprises Lettie with a visit. The couple worked together to publish incendiary material about the South African government, but she rejected his marriage proposal because she could not sacrifice her dreams. Marcus leaves after an argument, but Denise gets him to come back by making a radio dedication in Lettie's name. Marcus explains to Lettie that he is not trying to win her back; he is happily married, and simply wanted to give her a photo of his daughter--whom he named after Lettie.
#21 - Wedding Bells from Hell
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/1989
Walter wins a free Hawaiian honeymoon from a car wash, so he asks Jaleesa to marry him. Although she is uncertain, she eventually says yes. They plan to wed in two weeks. Jaleesa fears they are rushing and wants to call the whole thing off, but Walter reassures her. During the ceremony, they simultaneously announce that they don't want to get married; Jaleesa believes their interests are too different, while Walter can't fathom a lifetime commitment. They promise to remain friends, even though they will no longer date. Whitley enlists Dwayne's help in planning the wedding. She changes the subject whenever he tries to confess his attraction to her. Dwayne finally pulls Whitley into a kiss, which nearly causes her to faint. He asks her out after the wedding, but she is not ready for a relationship.
#22 - To Whit, with Love
Season 6 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/7/1993
Whitley takes a job substitute teaching for an unruly remedial class at a run-down junior high school. The students are completely out of control the first day, then suddenly behave themselves perfectly. Whitley discovers that they all purposely failed their tests. She considers giving up, but instead challenges the students to prove their intelligence. At the principal's suggestion, she uses her own background to cover the material left out of the outdated textbooks. Dorian finally asks Lena on a date. He stuns her by revealing that he does not believe in pre-marital sex. She decides that she is still interested in having a relationship with him.
#23 - Faith, Hope and Charity (2)
Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/12/1992
Marion and Adele clash over preparations for Thanksgiving dinner and throw food all over the kitchen. Marion takes Malik to task for paying too much attention to Kim. However, he is not her fiancé, but rather an actor whom she hired to break up Dwayne and Whitley. Malik backs out of the deal and joins the rally for the Haitians. Adele and Marion are mistaken for protesters and hauled into jail. When they wonder why they haven't been bailed out, Freddie breaks the news that Dwayne and Whitley are broke. Adele and Marion seem to bond over their disdain for their children's marriage. After returning to the house, Adele admits to Dwayne that she is mostly upset because she didn't get to see his wedding. Whitley assures her mother that she is happy, and everyone makes up. Shazza tells Freddie that he is aware of her dalliances with Ron. She admits that she can't decide which man she wants, so they end the relationship.
#24 - Tales from the Exam Zone
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/25/1990
Walter narrates a Twilight Zone-style look at the students' struggles during midterms. Whitley must complete a report for her somewhat sadistic accounting professor by the following day. She struggles to find a quiet place to work after Jaleesa and a date kick her out of the apartment. Dwayne, working as a teaching assistant for Col. Taylor, cannot keep Terrence from skipping class. Col. Taylor discovers the truth, leaving Dwayne with just 24 hours to get Terrence ready for the midterm or lose his grad school recommendations. Freddie begins hearing voices that shake her confidence before her midterm in Professor Randolph's class.
#25 - Radio Free Hillman
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/5/1989
Ron slips Dwayne a bootlegged copy of a new rap album, which he immediately puts on the air. The dean pulls the plug on Dwayne's show because of the explicit content of one of the songs. Dwayne and other students conduct a sit-in at the administration building to protest the censorship of student media. Whitley gets trapped in the building with the demonstrators and drives everyone crazy. After listening to the rest of the tape, Dwayne concludes that he should not have played material without listening to it beforehand. The dean does not punish the protesters. She suspends Dwayne from the airwaves for a month, but allows him to hold a special tribute show for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.