We all have a TV show that we hyper-fixate on for weeks. Well, mine has been A Different World on Netflix. The show follows the lives of students as they adjust to life at the prestigious Hillman College. The show is a spin-off of the sitcom A Different World that ran from 1987 to 1992.
Netflix has reimagined the show while keeping some familiar faces from the hit series. Main character, Deborah Wayne, played by Maleah Joi Moon, is the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert. The show follows her as she navigates her freshman year of college, dealing with heartbreak, friendship, and an unexpected diagnosis. She has big shoes to fill while being the daughter of two famous alumni.
Wayne’s on-and-off boyfriend, Shaquille Johnson, played by Cornell Young IV, is Ron Johnson’s son from the original series. He’s a star quarterback who transferred to Hillman to fulfill the wishes of his deceased mother. His complex character and his connection to Deborah Wayne provide the audience with insight into their complex relationship and, in some way, add a nostalgic feel, connecting us to the original series.
The show doesn’t shy away from complex topics and even more complex characters. Rashida Duvall, played by Alijah Kai, is a scholarship student from Compton, California. Beyond the colourful wigs and witty personality, she is the epitome of class, brains, determination, and a great friend. Duvall is a first-generation criminology student and a very outspoken character who has captured the hearts of audience members.
Hillman College is filled with its fair share of diverse characters. Hazel Henry, played by Kennedi Reece, is a small-town girl with big dreams. Henry is our ultra-religious friend, always praying and keeping God in the midst of everything. Her character is far from boring; Henry manages to have two relationships, one on the Hillman Campus, and a boyfriend back home. The revelation not only shocks audiences, but unlocks a whole new perspective on her life.
Without a doubt, we all have that funny friend who’s outspoken, kinda mean, and always crashing at your crib. Well, freshman student Amir Rodale, played by Jordan Aaron Hall, is our friend at Hillman. Rodale is street-smart, resourceful, and unhoused. He arrives on campus and finds out that he has no dorm due to a housing shortage, resulting in him crashing on a couch in Garvey Hall. Making the best of it, Amir picks up odd jobs around the campus to make ends meet.
Netflix’s adaptation of A Different World has highlighted many key issues happening to Black American students in the US. In episode 5, Final Words, Hillman College receives a bomb threat that puts the school into lockdown. Students soon find out that most of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have received bomb threats as well. The show does a good job of highlighting complex and startling issues that continue to happen in the US.
Additionally, topics around immigration and Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) were highlighted especially in season one’s finale episode 10. Kojo Achebe, played by Chibuike Uche, is an international student from the UK. Having Ghanaian-Nigerian parents, Kojo navigates life in the U.S. while also keeping his aspirations to become a fashion designer from his parents.
His character introduces conversations around first-generation immigrant students and the complexities of being African in a historically Black American institution. In the final episode, Kojo is stopped by ICE agents after leaving a school dance.
The show ends, leaving audiences with many unanswered questions, which we hope are answered in Season 2. Personally, I believe A Different World is an excellent show for young Millennials and Gen Z who are transitioning into adulthood and probably share these same experiences.