A Different Worldis the latest classic sitcom to get the revival treatment. According to an exclusive report byDeadline,Netflixis in early development on a sequel series toThe Cosby Showspinoff, which would focus on the daughter of original series characters Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert attending their alma mater, Hillman College. The revival is headed byGrey’s Anatomywriter and producer Felicia Pride, as well as original series producers, including Debbie Allen and Tom Werner.
Netflix hasn’t yet commented on the report, which says the series is still in the very early stages of development, and no casting has begun. It is not known if any original series actors will reprise their roles, although it is likely Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne) and Jasmine Guy (Whitley) would return in some capacity. The original series debuted in September 1987 and ran for six seasons and 144 episodes, ending its run in July 1993 as one of themost popular sitcoms of the decade.
The sequel series is being developed as a single-camera, half-hour sitcom, similar in format toAbbott Elementary,Modern Family, andThe Office. The original series was a multi-camera sitcom that filmed in front of a live studio audience.
A Different World
A Different Worldwas originally intended as a vehicle forCosby Showstar Lisa Bonet, who played Denise Huxtable, Cosby’s TV daughter on the series.The first season focused on Denise’s first year at the fictional Hillman College, a historically black college/university (HBCU). After the first season, however, Bonet announced she was pregnant, and her characterwas written out of the show, and the focus shifted to the two breakout characters, Dwayne (Hardison) and Whitley (Guy), with a strong ensemble cast to surround them. Bonet would later return toThe Cosby Showas a married woman who moved back to New York City.
With Hardison and Guy as the leads, the supporting cast became an integral part of the show. Among the cast were Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa, Glynn Turman as Col. Taylor, Darryl M. Bell as Ron, Charnele Brown as Kim, Cree Summer as Freddie, Lou Myers as Vernon, and Sinbad as Coach Oakes. Fans of the show insist that it improved with the change in focus, and the series was a hit among NBC’s legendary slate of 80s and 90s sitcoms.
The Legacy of A Different World & the Bill Cosby Problem
A Different Worldbroke new groundin a number of areas, including setting the series at an HBCU, something rarely seen on network television in the late 1980s. The show also gave many up-and-coming actor roles, before they hit stardom.Among the familiar faces who made appearances early in their careers were Marisa Tomei (a series regular in the first season), Halle Berry, Blair Underwood, and Dean Cain.The show remains popular, as the cast recently went on a speaking tour of HBCUs, talking about the show and its impact.
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At present, it’s unclear howBill Cosby’s sexual assault scandalwill affect the revival. Cosby created the series and served as an executive consultant during its entire run.He was convicted of sexual assault in 2018, but was released in 2021, three years into his sentence, when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction on a technicality.His release, however, did little to change the minds of the public at large.
A Different Worldis available to stream on Max.
