Netflix Plans ‘A Different World’ Sequel TV Series

The cast of ‘A Different World’. Photo: Carsey-Werner Productions.

Preview:

A sequel series to ‘A Different World’ is in the works.
It follows the characters’ youngest daughter at college.
Netflix is producing the new show.

Netflix has had some success with sequel series to shows that ran elsewhere –– ‘That ‘90s Show’ (a follow-up to ‘That ‘70s Show’) is still going.

And another series from The Carsey-Werner company is joining it in Netflix’s line-up, at least according to Deadline –– ‘A Different World’.

Yes, the 1980s/1990 series which (slightly problematically these days) was created by Bill Cosby as a spin-off of his own show, is getting the follow-up treatment with a new series.

What’s the story of ‘A Different World?

(L to R) Dawnn Lewis, Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei in ‘A Different World’. Photo: Carsey-Werner Productions.

The show, which ran between 1987 and 1993, was run by Debbie Allen as director-producer, Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Bythewood as writers, and Tom Werner as executive producer.

‘A Different World’ followed –– at least initially –– Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and her new classmates at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college.

Bonet exited after one season, but the show continued with the leading cast of Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Sinbad, Charnele Brown, Cree Summer and Glynn Turman.

The retooled second season continued to follow the students’ lives, with the love story between Guy’s Whitley Gilbert and Hardison’s Dwayne Wayne at the center.

Dwayne, famous for his glasses that flipped up, finally married on it in the Season 5 episode “Save the Best For Last.” Though Whitley was adamant she didn’t want children, she discovers she’s pregnant in “When One Door Closes,” the penultimate episode of the series, and everyone is elated. However, things get somber when Dwayne reveals he’s accepted a job in Japan where he and his wife will raise their family — a truly different world.

Fun fact: Meg Ryan was originally cast as Denise’s roommate in Season One, but opted to pursue her film career, with Marisa Tomei taking her place.

Meg Ryan in Bleecker Street’s ‘What Happens Later.’ Credit: Bleecker Street.

What story will the new show follow?

The sequel will reportedly focus on the couple’s youngest daughter, who is now also attending Hillman.

While casting is yet to begin officially, the producers have reportedly reached out to original cast members regarding interest and availability, and it seems (though Netflix has yet to comment officially) that at least a few of them will return in some capacity.

Felicia Pride, who wrote on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and more recently was a producer on ‘Bel-Air’ is aboard to oversee the writing on the show, with the original producing team involved.

When will the ‘A Different World’ series land on Netflix?

Don’t get too excited just yet –– versions of this new series have been in the offing for years with little forward movement. But with Netflix backing it, we can surely assume that the latest effort will make it to the company’s servers.