When I first heard that Netflix was producing a spinoff of A Different World, I was unsure how to feel.
Part of me lit up because that show meant everything to me growing up, but another part of me was giving a major side eye.
I want to be excited. I really do. We’ve seen what happens when networks try to revive classics. Too often, the reboots feel hollow, like someone’s just dusting off old titles for clicks, not because they care about the culture.
Multiple outlets have reported that Netflix has officially cast six lead roles for the new pilot. The cast includes Chibuikem Uche as Kojo, Maleah Joi Moon as Deborah, Cornell Young IV as Shaquille, Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, Kennedi McClure as Hazel, and Alijah Kai, daughter of the legendary Tichina Arnold, as Rashida.
According to Deadline, the show will follow the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert through her journey at Hillman College, the iconic fictional HBCU.
As someone who grew up watching reruns of A Different World, I don’t take this lightly. It tackled real issues—race, class, sexism, identity and activism—with authenticity, style and humor. It was aspirational and relatable all at once. It made me want to go to an HBCU.
So, here’s the question I keep asking: Are we ready for this reboot? And more importantly, can it live up to the legacy?
I went back and started rewatching the original series on Netflix. One episode turned into five, five turned into full seasons. That rush of nostalgia hit hard. The music. The outfits. The slang. The warmth. Even though I never attended an HBCU, A Different World gave me a glimpse of that experience. It taught me about community, identity, and pride.
The show originally started as a Cosby Show spinoff, following Denise Huxtable’s transition to Hillman College. However, once Lisa Bonet left, the show evolved and got even better. The focus shifted from one character to an ensemble of students with different backgrounds, dreams and struggles.
The storylines got bolder. Dwayne Wayne’s goofy genius, Whitley Gilbert’s Southern sass, Freddie’s activism all carried stories that tackled real issues like racism, HIV/AIDS, sexism, and domestic violence. And they did it with humor and heart.
We haven’t seen enough recent shows handle that legacy well. College-set Black stories are rare. We had School Daze in the late ’80s, Drumline in the early 2000s, The Quad and All American: Homecoming, which had potential but got canceled too soon. So, if this spinoff is going to work, it can’t just coast on the name or lean on nostalgia. It has to say something, especially in the times we are in.
The original was so powerful because it was created by people who lived the experience, writers, producers, and directors who understood HBCU culture, the complexities of being young and Black, and trying to find yourself. If this new version doesn’t have people in the room who genuinely understand that experience, if we’re not in the writers’ rooms, the producer seats, and the decision-making spaces, then it’s just another missed opportunity.
Over the years, I’ve had friends and colleagues who attended HBCUs, especially here in Houston, and every time they talk about their time there, their faces light up. There’s something sacred about being able to exist as your full self in an environment built for you.
A Different World premiered in 1987, and here I am in 2025 still drawing inspiration from it. During its original run, HBCU enrollment rose by 25%. That’s the power of storytelling. And in a time when DEI initiatives are being gutted, when Black history is being banned from classrooms, and when our voices are being pushed to the margins, we need a show like this more than ever.
So yes, I’m hopeful. But I’m also watching closely. This reboot has big shoes to fill and if it’s not ready to step up, maybe it’s better to leave Hillman untouched.
