Hillman College is back in session. The new A Different World sequel began streaming on Netflix today, September 24, and the best reason to open the cast list might be seeing just how many familiar faces are returning.
Which original stars are back?
Jasmine Guy returns as Whitley Gilbert, and Kadeem Hardison returns as Dwayne Wayne. Their youngest daughter Deborah, played by Maleah Joi Moon, is the freshman at the center of the new story. Netflix also lists Darryl M. Bell as Ron Johnson and Cree Summer as Freddie Brooks.
And those four are only the start. The returning cast includes Ajai Sanders as Gina Deveaux, Karen Malina White as Charmaine Brown, Charnele Brown as Dr. Kimberly Reese Boyer, Jenifer Lewis as Professor Davenport, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor, Glynn Turman as Colonel Bradford Taylor, and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lena James. If you need a minute to remember who everyone was to whom, honestly, same.
What is the sequel about?
Deborah heads to Hillman for her freshman year and tries to build a life of her own under the shadow of two very well-known parents. Netflix describes a new circle of students navigating friendships, romance, school and family legacy. Maleah Joi Moon leads the next generation, with Alijah Kai, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, Kennedi Reece and Chibuikem Uche among the new cast.
The first season has 10 half-hour episodes. That makes it a fairly manageable weekend binge, though it might send you straight back to the original afterward. Netflix says all six seasons of the original series are also streaming in the U.S.
Do you need to watch the original first?
You can meet Deborah and her friends as new characters, but the parent-child setup and returning alumni will mean more if you know Dwayne and Whitley. For a refresher, start with the original show, then come back to the sequel. The returning-cast list alone is an excellent nostalgia trip.
Both the new A Different World and the original are on Netflix in the U.S. today. The official Netflix cast and release guide has photos and the full character breakdown if you want to see everybody before hitting play.
