Netflix's A Different World reboot: Casting and themes

After I first heard that Netflix was producing a derivative of A Totally different World, I used to be not sure how one can really feel.

A part of me lit up as a result of that present meant the whole lot to me rising up, however one other a part of me was giving a serious facet eye.

I need to be excited. I actually do. We’ve seen what occurs when networks attempt to revive classics. Too usually, the reboots really feel hole, like somebody’s simply dusting off outdated titles for clicks, not as a result of they care in regards to the tradition.

A number of retailers have reported that Netflix has formally forged six lead roles for the brand new pilot. The forged consists of Chibuikem Uche as Kojo, Maleah Joi Moon as Deborah, Cornell Younger IV as Shaquille, Jordan Aaron Corridor as Amir, Kennedi McClure as Hazel, and Alijah Kai, daughter of the legendary Tichina Arnold, as Rashida.

In response to Deadline, the present will comply with the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert by way of her journey at Hillman Faculty, the enduring fictional HBCU.

As somebody who grew up watching reruns of A Totally different World, I don’t take this evenly. It tackled actual points—race, class, sexism, identification and activism—with authenticity, model and humor. It was aspirational and relatable abruptly. It made me need to go to an HBCU.

So, right here’s the query I preserve asking: Are we prepared for this reboot? And extra importantly, can it reside as much as the legacy?

I went again and began rewatching the unique collection on Netflix. One episode become 5, 5 become full seasons. That rush of nostalgia hit onerous. The music. The outfits. The slang. The heat. Despite the fact that I by no means attended an HBCU, A Totally different World gave me a glimpse of that have. It taught me about group, identification, and pleasure.

The present initially began as a Cosby Present spinoff, following Denise Huxtable’s transition to Hillman Faculty. Nevertheless, as soon as Lisa Bonet left, the present developed and bought even higher. The main target shifted from one character to an ensemble of scholars with totally different backgrounds, desires and struggles.

The sequel will heart on Jasmine Man’s and Kadeem Hardison’s character Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne’s youngest daughter, Deborah Wayne, who’s now additionally attending an HBCU.

The storylines bought bolder. Dwayne Wayne’s goofy genius, Whitley Gilbert’s Southern sass, Freddie’s activism all carried tales that tackled actual points like racism, HIV/AIDS, sexism, and home violence. They usually did it with humor and coronary heart.

We haven’t seen sufficient latest reveals deal with that legacy effectively. Faculty-set Black tales are uncommon. We had College Daze within the late ’80s, Drumline within the early 2000s, The Quad and All American: Homecoming, which had potential however bought canceled too quickly. So, if this spinoff goes to work, it may well’t simply coast on the title or lean on nostalgia. It has to say one thing, particularly within the instances we’re in.

The unique was so highly effective as a result of it was created by individuals who lived the expertise, writers, producers, and administrators who understood HBCU tradition, the complexities of being younger and Black, and looking for your self. If this new model doesn’t have individuals within the room who genuinely perceive that have, if we’re not within the writers’ rooms, the producer seats, and the decision-making areas, then it’s simply one other missed alternative.

Over time, I’ve had buddies and colleagues who attended HBCUs, particularly right here in Houston, and each time they discuss their time there, their faces gentle up. There’s one thing sacred about with the ability to exist as your full self in an atmosphere constructed for you.

A Totally different World premiered in 1987, and right here I’m in 2025 nonetheless drawing inspiration from it. Throughout its unique run, HBCU enrollment rose by 25%. That’s the facility of storytelling. And in a time when DEI initiatives are being gutted, when Black historical past is being banned from school rooms, and when our voices are being pushed to the margins, we want a present like this greater than ever.

So sure, I’m hopeful. However I’m additionally watching carefully. This reboot has huge sneakers to fill and if it’s not able to step up, possibly it’s higher to depart Hillman untouched.