Shark Bytes

Spudkoolzip...I agree with you on the Jaleesa marrying Colonel Taylor thing. That was just dumb, because after that Jaleesa was an airhead! I disagree on the other comment...the show definately got a whole lot better once Denise dropped out. She was just boring and bland!

everyone is right the first and last seasons are the weak links to this show. besides those two seasons this show was absolutely awesome!

It was kinda lame when Denise was on there, but after that and leading up to the wedding, it was at its best. From 90-92 it reached it's peak. The last season was like "Jump the Shark for Dummies." There were a few good episodes, but it was no where near the same. Case in point: how did Freddie do a complete 180 from hippy-chick to law school?

The show was so intensely boring during the first season Lisa Bonet was there. It focused too much on her with her being so bland and all. Seasons 2-5 was much better. Except for Dean Davenport's freaking annoying DIVA voice.

Charmaine was on a certain other show playing the same character. A talentless annoying high pitched squeaky waste of ink and paper.

The show started going downhill after the first season, the only year which was really funny. The emphasis that first season was humor, not preachiness, as with all the other years. The show REALLY JTS when they had Jaleesa marrying the colonel. And then getting pregnant ??!! Puh-leez !

Except for the first and last seasons, this show rocked. I was motivated to finish high school and get into college because of this show and when i can catch it in syndication i do. The last season got a little too preachy and i felt like they were trying to force the audience to care about the freshmen when we didn't. I didn't like the relationship between Ron and Freddie and pawning Kim off on some stranger made no sense to me either. But at least everyone had their happy ending which is more than other black shows are afforded.

This show influenced me to go to a HBCU (historically black college / university) It was a nice broad view but true to life. That 6th season sucked, like most freshman after you become a senior : )

I totally loved this show. Still do to this day. The only part of the whole series that sucked was the 1st season when Denise Huxtable was the main character. It totally sucked because she was boring and predictable. Once she left the show was a hit (in my opinion). The show changed considerably over the years and I liked most of the changes. But I didn't like it when Jaleesa married Colonel Taylor, she should've stayed with Walter.

The show jumped when Ron kissed Freddie and they started the little romance. And Freddie changing her image was uncalled for. She should've kept her earthy look and stayed with her equal, Chaza. Kim with Ron and Jaleesa with Walter. Dwanye and Whitley was great for the simple fact that they were total opposites. AND THAT'S MY OPINION.

You totally miss the concept of "Jumping the Shark." ADW did so when Whitley and Dwayne got married. The show was never the same once the sixth season began.

Whitley should have married Byron.
Dwayne is a jerk.
Hated Jaleeza marrying the Colonel.
Mr. Gaines, Diahann Carroll and Patti Labelle were wonderful, believable characters and they did an excellent job.
Loved Ron and hated the way his character changed and chased Freddie.
The younger characters sucked.
Debbie Allen did a fine job!
Jumped the shark when Whitley and Dwayne returned from their honeymoon. Should have ended the show with the wedding.

I loved this show. It reflected, in many ways, the life of upper-middle class young Black people. Contrary to popular belief of both then and now, not all Black youth, men and women, grew up in the ghetto. We didn't all have welfare experience. We haven't all had the "struggle" of day to day life.
Yes! we do live with all that comes with being Black in America, but we don't/didn't all have to deal with being poor and Black in America.

The previous poster says "any show with token white people..." is unrealistic. Contrary to popular belief, white people are NOT the center of the universe for any or everyone. Everything does NOT hinge on what white people do. The previous poster is quite ignorant of Black life, Black society and how it thrives without even token white people. Maybe that poster should look at how unrealistic Seinfeld was: based in NY and not even any "token" Black people?? Yeah, right. A Different World was set on the campus of an Historically Black College/University. The sort which was founded out of necessity when education in this country was segregated by legal mandate. They still exist out of necessity because those Black Americans have come far and made great strides...that b.s. that made us "unequal" in the eyes of the ignorant still exists.

There are still many Different Worlds out here....

It's a Different World from where YOU come from.

The Cosby Show was pretty awful in so many ways, but THIS show (Different World) was lousy with a capital L!! Some good characters w/good story lines but suckola still. ANY series with "token white people" jumps the shark big time!!

Look, I know it made for great TV, and I was a Dwayne/Whitley fan, but come on...who would dump Byron for Dwayne?

I believe that ADW jumped the shark when Dwayne interrupted Whitley's wedding to Sen Byron Douglas. Byron was sweet to Whitley. He never cheated on her. So why did Dwayne interrupt the wedding? Heck, if I was Whitley I would've married Byron and run away from that dodo Dwayne. Also, why did Freddie break up with Shazza? They made a cute couple. Nuff said.