when A different world It premiered on NBC on September 24, 1987, and became a “cultural earthquake.” Quoted from NBC News Writing about the series in 2017. It is an equally important part of the sitcom The Cosby Show, A different world He studied the world of HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities), while examining issues and topics affecting black youth in the late 1980s and 1990s. Released a year shy of the original show’s 40th anniversary, Netflix’s new reboot of the series looks at not only the new generation of HBCU attendees at the fictional Hillman College, but also looks at what happened to the original graduating class from the initial series.

Over the series’ 10 episodes, we meet Deborah Wayne (Maliah Joy Moon), the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert (Kadeem Hardison and Jasmine Gaye, respectively). Forced to go to Hillman, Deborah is determined to live life on her own terms. Unfortunately, her past keeps coming back to haunt her. Not only did her father become interim president of the university, but Deborah’s ex, Shaquille (Cornell Young IV), was also teaching at Hillman. As Deborah struggles to find herself, she meets all kinds of new friends, as the school comes together to deal with the university’s dwindling finances, loss of funding, and other outside threats.

Netflix is ​​taking over A different world It may sound familiar to those who watched Peacock’s reboot of Saved by the bell. Both series are reboots of popular late 1980s sitcoms focused on youth, with the reboots balancing out and integrating the show’s original cast with a new batch of offspring of those same original characters. Legacy characters strongly support players, although they have their own issues. Wheatley and Dwayne, the fulcrum around which the majority of the series revolves after its first season, struggle with their marriage. The couple is separated when the audience meets them, and the first season of this reboot raises questions about whether or not they will get back together.

Old characters are stepping up

It’s clear that both Dwayne and Whitley have never left these characters, as Hardison and Jay return to them with ease. Although each of them has their own individual plots, since Hardison is given the role of interim boss Hellman, it is his responsibility for the majority of the series to handle the adult portion of the show. He is strong yet merciful. He understands Hillman’s importance, but he can’t figure out how to balance the budget without hurting the college, problems facing all types of black colleges in an era of dwindling funding. However, Dwayne and Whitley don’t just supervise Hillman. They are also parents of a student, and throughout the narrative, they are forced to balance their children’s needs with their own personal desires as well as school.

Old characters also appear. Darrell Bell’s Ron Johnson now has a son of his own in Shaquille, a successful football player who put aside a promising career to go to college. The couple is also mourning the loss of Shakil’s mother. Jada Pinkett Smith, Cree Summer and others from the original series are also present and counted. And yes, there is a reference at the end to Lisa Bonet’s character, Denise Huxtable The Cosby Show That brought A different world into existence. Bonet didn’t appear but we’re hoping to see Dennis back by season 2.

A Different World – Season 1. (L-R) Dawn Lewis as Jalisa Vinson Taylor and Glynn Turman as Colonel Bradford Taylor in Episode 103 of A Different World. Cr. Daniel Delgado Jr./Netflix © 2026

But as much as it’s fun to see the original cast, that interpretation exists in the next generation A different world He cements himself. Moon’s role as Deborah (that’s Deb Orah) Wayne is one that could be annoying in the wrong hands. Moon is charming as both Hardison and Guy, so it’s easy to see them all relatable. However, as the season goes on, it becomes clear that Deborah has a tendency to self-sabotage, often as a result of her impulsiveness. Whether it’s a $14,000 charge on her parents’ credit cards, her questionable grades, or pretending she knows a pop star and can get them to perform at an event, Deborah is quick to move but often looks for answers later.

Eventually, Deborah is presented with the possibility of having ADHD. If anything, A different world is one of the few shows that accurately portrays ADHD in young women (speaking from personal experience). For women, it’s not hyperactivity, but often impulsive spending, easily exhausted, and procrastination. At first, Deborah is hesitant about the diagnosis, and while it’s all wrapped up in a very neat bow, it’s nice to see someone examining it properly.

Explore the broader Hillman community

All of Deborah’s friends also have interesting side plots, each one worth your time and attention. Roommate Rashida (Alija Kaye) becomes interested in social justice while going on a trip that involves her virginity. Friends Hazel and Amir (Kennedy Reese and Jordan Aaron Hall) must figure out what happens when the former, a deeply religious and sheltered young woman, discovers that Amir, her best friend, has set up an affair with her boyfriend. What could be a sitcom plot extends to issues of sexuality and religious intolerance toward homosexuality. Chibuikem Uche’s Kojo, a Ghanaian-Nigerian who wants to get into the world of fashion, delivers a particularly entertaining episode as he tries to convince his parents to support his dream.

A Different World – Season 1. (L-R) Cornell Young IV as Shaquille, Male Joy Moon as Deborah, Kennedy Reese as Hazel, Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, Elijah J. Roberts as Jalen, Alijah Kaye as Rashida, Chibuikim Uche as Kojo in Episode 105 of A Different World. Cr. Quantrill Colbert/Netflix © 2026

the The original series dealt with serious topicsFrom rape to stereotypes and racism. With only ten episodes to its name, these “very special episodes” are not particularly frequent in the remake. The loss of funding for students points to the federal government’s involvement, but there’s more focus on Hillman’s mismanagement of former President Davenport (Jennifer Lewis) than anything else. A later episode involving a bomb threat against several HBCUs, including Hillman, is certainly unsettling, though there’s no threat of anything bad actually happening. A brief moment with Kojo and the ICE agent, which could have actual consequences and is a very sad fact, is unfortunately moved to the season finale.

This is a new take on A different world It has the opportunity to not only connect with new audiences, but point them toward checking out the original (which you can also stream on Netflix). The new cast is a lot of fun to watch, and the old characters remain as great to watch as they were in 1987. It still feels like a Netflix series in terms of filmmaking and short episode order, but it’s a solid entry in their nostalgia-inducing reboot.