A Different World - General Discussion

[David T. Cole]

Your pick for the best episodes of A Different World.

[David T. Cole]

Your Whitley topic!

[David T. Cole]

Your Dwanye topic!

[David T. Cole]

Your Kimberly topic!

[David T. Cole]

Your Marion topic!

[David T. Cole]

Let's see 'em.

[spidermiss2426]

relax, relate, release

[babyhouseman]

 

Ron : You know? I think Freddie's been drinking!

Walter: (screaming at Ron) Does your mama like you?!?

That tickled me so much.

[kia112]

Of course the wedding episode. It's classic. It lives forever in my heart.

I also like the episode where Whitney cheats on Byron with Dwayne.

[VictoriousNY2]

Marion, about Adele's cooking:

"Whitley, that woman's collard greens gave me a headache."

Lena to Whitley:

"Orrie Borrie"

 

Whitley:

"Au Revoir!!!"

 

Whitley to Kim:

You think that just because I have money, I have no problems well let me tell ya somethin'.... I GOTS A PLENTY!!!!

 

Whitley to Kim: 

"Kimberley, you go to those dorm rooms, or ELSE!!!"

 

Whitley storms out of the room.

Kim:

OR ELSE WHAT????

 

Whitley peaks through the door and screams:

"YOU AINT INVITED TO MY WEDDING!!!!!"

 

Whitley when Dwayne takes her out of the smoking Dormitory and she sees her picture of Denzel Washington:
 

DENZELLLL!!!!!!!

 

Edited April 12, 2014 by VictoriousNY2

[Vixenstud]

Whitley to Dwayne, during a makeout session (and the start of a fire in the dorm)...'Don't stop Daddy, I'm feelin' it!'

[spidermiss2426]

On the subject of sex and all the problems associated with it

 WHitley: I'll be ready someday

Dwayne: SUNDAY?!?!?!

Whitley: SOME DAY

[scarlett]

From the Ms. Understanding episode, when Gina tells Whitley rumors about Dwayne cheating on her:

 

Whitley: You're...YOU'RE FULL OF PRUNES!

 

From the same ep, when Whitley shows up with Dwayne and the girls are like "what are you doing with him?"

 

Whitley: HE'S MY MAN!

 

Jasmine Guy was seriously the funniest actor on the show to me. Her delivery made ordinary lines hi-larious.

[scarlett]

I have no favorite episodes from Season 1. So boring.

 

Season 2: Dream Lover in which Whitley has an erotic dream about Dwayne. Her fantasy in the library is probably one of the biggest laugh out loud moments this show has gotten from me. I'm actually laughing thinking about it as I type this. No Means No, where Dwayne saves Freddie from being date raped. GO FREDDIE GO! WAIT FREDDIE WAIT!

 

Season 3: Nearly every episode because this is where I think the show hit it's stride, but I love Strangers on a Plane (because it's when Whitley and Dwayne first start to like each other), Forever Hold Your Peace (where they first kiss), Wedding Bells From Hell (when they kiss again and then it ends with them smashing cake in each other's faces), 21 Candles (WAS SHE NAKED?!), Pride and Prejudice with the racist sales lady, and A Campfire Story (and was THAT when the fight broke out!?).

 

Season 4: Again, nearly every episode, but Ex-Communication where Julian comes back is one of my favorites because Whitley finally lets realizes she doesn't care about the "finer things" in life anymore. Ms. Understanding with Shazza calling Kim out in front of every for dating Matthew and Whitley dressing up like man to catch Dwayne "cheating on her"...hilarious. If I Should Die Before I Wake, with Tisha Campbell as an HIV positive student, And of course, To Be Continued (MARRY ME!)

 

Season 5: In the Eye of the Storm, where Freddie and Ron get locked in the radio station and hook up (it was weird how that was never mentioned again), Rule Number One, when Lena gets a crush on Dwayne and leaves him that rap on his voicemail (Whitley: WOO-WOO!), To Tell the Truth and Do You Take This Woman, where Whitley and Dwayne break up. Mammy Dearest, Cats in the Cradle, and Kiss You Back when Whitley and Dwayne sleep together. I just freaking love when Bryon knocks on the door and Dwayne's like "and?" Whitley face is like "AND GET UP!" Love Taps, when Gina is getting beat by her rapper boyfriend, and of course, Save the Best for Last. My goodness, what a great ending to the emotional arch of Dwayne proposing to Whitley too soon in their relationship, them breaking up, and then him stopping her wedding. BABY, PLEASE! ;)

 

Season 6: Honeymoon in LA, where Dwayne and Whitley are caught in the riots, Somebody Say Ho!, Baby It's Cold Outside, and Original Teacher with Kriss Kross. I love when Dwayne calls one of them "brother" and he says "is your mama named Yvette?", Dwayne is like "uhh...no?" and he says "then you ain't my brother then!". And then Homie Don't You Know Me, with Tupac as Piccolo. 

 

Obviously, I like the Whitley/Dwayne centric episodes, and Season 3, 4, and most of 5 are my favorite seasons. :)

[Bort]

Season 5: In the Eye of the Storm, where Freddie and Ron get locked in the radio station and hook up (it was weird how that was never mentioned again)

Freddie lost her virginity to Ron in that episode, right? You'd think it would've at least gotten brought up in season 6 when they got together for real.

[Vixenstud]

 

Freddie lost her virginity to Ron in that episode, right? You'd think it would've at least gotten brought up in season 6 when they got together for real.

I still wonder about that....in the conclusion of 'Faith, Hope and Charity', Freddie and Shazza break up.  During their goodbye scenes, she tells him that he was her first.

You picked some good ones, Scarlet.

 

I have a Dwayne and Whitley tape, starting with Dream Lover and ending with When One Door Closes.....in between is the beginning/ending/beginning again of their relationship.

[Bort]

I still wonder about that....in the conclusion of 'Faith, Hope and Charity', Freddie and Shazza break up.  During their goodbye scenes, she tells him that he was her first.

Freddie said Shazza was not her first, but her first love. (I recently watched season 6, god bless this show being on hulu now.)

As far as favorite episodes, I totally love the episode where En Vogue played the klutzy, near-sighted nieces of Mr. Gaines. It's really stupid but I find it hilarious. I also ridiculously love the song "Free Your Mind."

[scarlett]

Whtiley was my absolute favorite character on ADW. I said in another thread that I thought Jasmine Guy was the funniest actress on the show and I mean it. I know people got annoyed of the overdone country accent, but it gets me everytime. Re-watching the series now, something I never really noticed before was how much everyone seems to think that Dwayne deserves better than her, including Dwayne himself. The episode where she throws herself at his feet begging him not to leave her? -- funny, but totally degrading. It was like Dwayne was supposed to be this put upon loyal boyfriend/husband that put up with all of Whitley's "antics" and loved her anyway but I still don't get what was supposed to be so bad about her? 

[clady]

She was kind of high maintenance? That's the only reason I can think of for people to believe Dwayne deserved better. But personally I liked her just fine.

[Vixenstud]

'You may get the prize but I will get the man!'

 

Whitley, after Kinu and Dwayne leave to celebrate her win in The Goodwill Games

[Vixenstud]

Same here....while she was high maintenance, what I loved about Dwayne was the fact that he went toe to toe with her antics; he was no milquetoast in their relationship.

[Vixenstud]

Hey Big Daddy, you sure do do me right!  And I pray for the Big Daddy that do!

 

Always cracks me up.

[Brooklynista]

"Go Freddie Go!" "Wait Freddie Wait!"

Dwayne saving Freddie from the date raper.

Edited June 1, 2014 by Brooklynista

[ridethemaverick]

"What do you mean, Keecocala?"

Pretty much any iteration of Keenu's name as spoken by a jealous Whitley was freaking hilarious.

Oh and of course:

"Will you? Whitley, I love you. Will you take me? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer? Baby PLEASE!"

Edited June 2, 2014 by ridethemaverick

[ZaldamoWilder]

I can't believe this thread is here!  Squeeeeee!! 

 

ok, in the early years, Whitley and Dwayne in the lobby of Gilbert Hall had just had some exchange after she'd gone on a date with somebody and he'd gone on a date with somebody.  She was still fighting the funk. 

 

Dwayne: swoops his over coat and starts dancing towards the door with fake *juviality*

Whitley:  what ever are you doing?

Dwayne:  the Lambada baby

Whitley:  you're doing wrong

Dwayne:  but I'm doin it.  {sails out door}

 

Love!!

[Vanderboom]

Yeah, a number if my faves have already been mentioned. I also liked "A World Alike" (the anti-apartheid one), the Big Sister Gorgeous One episode, and the Digit Ho ep.

[Lois Sandborne]

"And they dropped my cobbler too?!"

[Spartan Girl]

"Will you? Whitley, I love you. Will you take me? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer? Baby PLEASE!"

 

 

"I DO!!!!"  Lol, sorry I couldn't resist. ;)

 

I also liked this one line Whitley had where she confronts a girl whose boyfriend is beating her up, and the abused girlfriend points out that she doesn't understand because she has someone, and Whitley replies, "Yes, I do, and her name is Whitley!"  Love her.

[Vixenstud]

Love Taps was on the other day, love that line too Spartan Girl.

 

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!  ADW will be on Oprah's Where Are They Now?  Saw pics, people included are Dwayne, Whitley, Jaleesa, Walter, Freddie, Ron and Debbie Allen.  How I wish they could have gotten Charnele Brown.

 

SO excited for this!

[GodsBeloved]

"Will you? Whitley, I love you. Will you take me? To have and to hold, for richer or poorer? Baby PLEASE!"

I still remember where I was when this happened!

 

"I DO!!"

 

"She said I do!"

 

"Yeah but to who?!"

 

Best.Episode.Ever

Edited July 16, 2014 by GodsBeloved

[ZaldamoWilder]

Giggling at ya'll and your man on the moon perspectives!  Lol. 

 

Vixen I'm mad the gang's not all there, why couldn't (wouldn't?) Charnele come?  ::whispers:: It ain't like she's doing nothin. 

[Vixenstud]

You stupid, lol!  Actually, Charnele is an acting coach, I believe in Texas.  Not too long ago, Jasmine Guy posted a pic of her and Charnele together on Twitter.

 

https://twitter.com/TheJasmineGuy/status/440372497658032128/photo/1

 

[In2You]

Honeymoon in L.A was one of my favorite episodes.

[ridethemaverick]

Somebody Say Ho was on today. So many quotes but this is my favorite:

I don't know, girl!!! Life is a funny thaaaaaaang, girl!!!

[luckyroll3]

What exactly is a digit ho? Its when someone will do anything for a math problem....get it?

Lol! What a great episode. Even the over acting Dean with her, "you are ON MY LIST!"

And No Means No with the beautiful Taimak as the rapist.

My other favorite is the one where Whitley and Denise are both playing Eve in a play written by Maggie and the fight over the lead actor.

[Vixenstud]

Anyone remember the eppy In The Eye of the Storm?  It is when there is a horrible storm and everyone is evacuated to the Pit to wait it out.

 

There is a line that I never hear clearly and it is driving me nuts.....Dwayne and Whitley are drinking champagne and celebrating their one year anniversary, and Whitley asks him what if they don't make it.  Dwayne replies that he'll see her on the other side....and then says the line that I can never make out.

 

Help!

Edited September 9, 2014 by Vixenstud

[nkotb]

I could not love this show more! I was so, so, SO obsessed with Whitley, and Whitley/Dewayne were my first ship! When the show first came on, I WAS Whitley. I was so obsessed that if Whit wore her hair down on the show, I wore my hair down for the week. If hers was up, mine was up. I think I was probably 10, so at least I chose a great role-model!

 

On topic, I love all of the quotes you all mentioned. However, one of my faves is when Ron sends Whitley flowers, and she goes over to Dewayne's thinking they're from him. She finds out they're not, and he asks her to hang out because since he'd been dating Keecoocala (tm Whitley!), "I miss my friend". Whitley, totally out-of-character says "I'm busy, you're busy, life bes that way sometime".

 

Obviously, "Will you? Will you Whitley take me to be your lawfully-wedded husband? For richer, for poorer, in sickness & in health? Baby, please!" followed by "I do!" are probably the best lines in the history of television, in probably the best wedding in the history of tv, too. I also love the quote when they're getting ready for the aborted Walter/Jaleasa wedding. Whitley is walking away after the decorating is done, and she says "I guess we're finished here". Dewayne says "no we're not", and grabs her and plants a kiss on that her that still gives me goosebumps all these years later as I'm typing this!

 

I also think their first "I love you"s are sweet. I love them so much!

[ZaldamoWilder]

because we can't stop talking about it:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-jpGPlNgGA

 

the way Ron literally has Dwayne's back made me cry, I swear.

 

I still remember where I was when this happened!

 

"I DO!!"

 

"She said I do!"

 

"Yeah but to who?!"

 

Best.Episode.Ever

 

In my best friend's dorm room screaming like the fangirl I was.  Lol.   Ya'll must be old like me, the best part of this show was they were the "same age" I was when I was watching it.   Loved it.

Edited January 15, 2015 by ZaldamoWilder

[charmed1]

When Dwayne dropped line for Kappa Lambda Nu.

Dwayne: "So go ahead frat brat! Make your daddy happy. But you'll be doing it without me!"

Ron: "I've been doing it withOUT you for three weeks........punk."

My favorite episodes were the ones that actually didn't focus on Dwayne and Whitley as a couple. I always kind of hated Whitley for how mean she could be to Freddy.

[Vixenstud]

 

When Dwayne dropped line for Kappa Lambda Nu.

 

Dwayne: "So go ahead frat brat! Make your daddy happy. But you'll be doing it without me!"

Ron: "I've been doing it withOUT you for three weeks........punk."

 

(Kappa Lambda Nuuuuuuuuuu, Zoom-Zoom-Zooooooom!!)

 

One of the few times I liked when Ron stood up to Dwayne....IMO Dwayne could be a real asshole to Ron at times; I liked that Ron didn't make it easy for Dwayne when he tried to make amends once Ron crossed over.

 

As for Whitley and Freddie, while she was mean to her eventually Freddie found her voice and gave it right back to Whitley when needed.

[wanderingstar]

"Die just DIE!" always wins with me!

 

The wedding episodes have some of my favorite scenes of the entire series, including Whitley & Kim's scene the night before the wedding. But my favorite is the scene where Dwayne comes to see Whitley on the eve of the wedding. Everything in that scene is working so well, I do not feel like I'm watching actors. I feel like I'm eavesdropping on a real couple's conversation. Just magic from both Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison.

 

Jasmine Guy was seriously the funniest actor on the show to me. Her delivery made ordinary lines hi-larious.

 

 

Her timing and execution were just genius.

 

Obviously, "Will you? Will you Whitley take me to be your lawfully-wedded husband? For richer, for poorer, in sickness & in health? Baby, please!"

 

 

On the TVOne Unsung Hollywood for ADW, Kadeem said that "Baby Please!" came out because he'd forgotten his line! Funny to think that one of the show's most famous lines was basically an oops.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[wanderingstar]

An Appreciation: What I Learned Re-Watching A Different World

[Miss Dee]

Is it bad that, after watching that clip after so long, I felt really bad for Joe Morton and his family? I shipped Dwayne and Whitley too, but in real life that would have been cold!

[Mozelle]

Is it bad that, after watching that clip after so long, I felt really bad for Joe Morton and his family? I shipped Dwayne and Whitley too, but in real life that would have been cold!

 

Byron was so broken up about that alter shut down that he reinvented himself and now goes by Eli Pope, goon extraordinaire. 

[TeeVee329]

Honeymoon in L.A was one of my favorite episodes.

 

I LOVED everyone's reactions to Freddie's makeover, particularly Ron's.  "FREDDIE?!?!  What the HELL happened to you?!?!"

 

Also, I really love the refreshed opening credits for the last season, with the bouncier version of the theme song and Charmaine rocking out some crazy dance moves when it's her turn, heh.

Edited April 14, 2015 by TeeVee329

[Petunia13]

I don't like Kimberley. She was only ok or interesting when she was in a fight with someone. Then she had a few funny moments.

[Petunia13]

I have to agree with the comments up thread. I'd also add she was a bit different in that she was a gorgeous rich bitch but not that bitchy. In other sitcoms or comedy films she'd be one note. But the writing for her and JG acting have her complexity. Also I those she was very beautiful and elegant in a Vivien Leigh sort of way.

[In2You]

No Means No is definitely a tear jerker.

 

The episode where Dwayne went to visit Denise and tell her he loved her was so pointless aside from the kiss at the end with Whitley.

 

I will say I didnt start watching this show until after I was attending college (though I was always a Cosby show fan) I kind of wonder how it would've influenced me had I started watching before and not during.

[Mozelle]

I started re-watching the series a couple months back thanks to Netflix. There were a lot of things from the earlier seasons that I didn't remember. I must have been in 5th or 6th grade when I really started watching. The episode that stands out in my mind for likely the first episode I watched was when the crew went to some beach for vacation and there were these two drug dealers searching for their stash that the gang accidentally had with them.

[luckyroll3]

A couple days ago, I watched the "Baby I'm a Star" episode, where Kim let's the fame of being Expression's lead singer go to her head.  The entire episode had me laughing so hard, my stomach hurt at the end.