A Different World is one of the most important shows in television history. It was truly groundbreaking. To have a show feature young black adults attending college was a huge deal. On the one hand, it showed other black kids that it was perfectly fine to go to college. On the other hand, it showed all of America that getting a degree was something that we worked toward, as well.
But the show would have been nothing without the acting chops of Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Patti LaBelle, Cree Summers, and the rest of the cast. We saw real stories that we could relate to, or we were waiting to be able to relate to as we got older. If you watched the show, you could find a character or two that you connected with. There were some characters who left a bigger impression on the viewer than others, so we bring you the 25 most important characters of A Different World, all ranked.
No shade to the future Oscar-Winner, Marisa Tomei, but Maggie was just so unnecessary. She whined about her boyfriend woes (the sad kind, remember them?), and the entire season she was on she didn’t leave a lasting impression, despite being a main character. And that’s probably why she was on for only one season.
24. Terrence Taylor
Cory Tyler portrayed the only son of Colonel Bradford Taylor, and he did the best with what he could. He plié’d onto Hillman’s campus as an incoming freshman, with the hopes of getting any girl he could. Let’s just say, it didn’t pan out. What was refreshing, though, was to see his relationship with Colonel Taylor, and how important a parent’s role was in their child’s college career. He made the decision to major in dance much to his father’s dismay, which is a brave step to honoring who one is. He was also a champion of the #YouOkSis before the phrase was ever a thing (see Gina Deveaux, below), when he helped a friend who was being domestically abused. He wasn’t a standout character, but a few of his moments made him an honorable character.
23. Millie
Millie had a big role to fill being Whitely’s only friend during season one, which pretty much meant that she was Miss Southern Belle’s lapdog. One thing she did do, however, was date the incomparable Ron Johnson. Both fitted with glasses and goofy demeanors, Millie brought out Ron’s sweet, sensitive side, which is something that we didn’t see in any of the other seasons.
22. Lettie Bostic
Lettie was the Gilbert Hall Resident Director and all-around Renaissance woman. She kept all of her ladies in check, but gave an extremely malleable ear when they needed advice. Not only that, she was a great representation that one really could do it all. She was a spy in World War II, lived in Paris, and prattled with Picasso before she helped to shape the lives of the women in her dorm. She was a role model for the characters and viewers alike.
21. Dean Hughes
Okay, college isn’t always peaches and cream, and Dean Hughes made that point very clear each every time she came around her students. She eloquently drove her points home each and every time, and her students appreciated her for it.
20. Matthew
Matthew was the token white guy on A Different World who everyone loved. He was Freddie’s cousin, so he had a bit of an inside track to Hillman College. In addition, he used his connections well, and hooked up with Freddie’s friend, Kimberly Reese. We got to the show’s first (and only) foray into interracial relationships. Thanks to Matthew, it was kept all the way real.
19. Barnabus Foster
Everyone needs that one professor that will call your bluff, and Professor Foster did that for the entire duration of the show. We saw him bring life out of Denise Huxtable so it fluttered around her poetry, and he did the same with Miss Lena James. He made sure to show his students that talent was inside of them – all they had to do was search a little bit.
18. Gina Deveaux
Gina was a side character who made the most of her time at Hillman. She showed viewers that she was a well-rounded student who had flaws. First, the good: she joined a sorority and made a great group of friends. The unfortunate: she dated Gino, one of the most popular guys on campus, who she discovered was physically abusive. Gina was able to see that he wasn’t going to change while they were together, and made the brave decision to leave him behind.
17. Colonel Taylor
Colonel Taylor (played by Glynn Turman) forgot that he wasn’t in the Vietnam War, and his students at Hillman were young adults. But he brought the best out of everyone, especially Dwayne Wayne, who followed in his footsteps and became a professor, too. Things did get a little weird when he started dating Jaleesa (because, huh?) and they soon got married and had a baby. Whatever makes you happy, we guess.
