Class is back in session at Hillman with Netflix's 'A Different World' reboot - NPR

Who’s WhoA Different World Cast Guide: Meet Hillman’s Finest, from Freshmen to FamilyHere’s how everyone connects on campus — including new and returning characters. By Olivia HarrisonOct. 2, 2026Life as a brand-new student can be all kinds of overwhelming — and not just because of hectic class schedules, late-night study sessions, and exciting extracurriculars. There’s a cast of characters to meet, from roommates all the way up to tenured professors. As you enter Hillman College in Season 1 of A Different World, streaming now on Netflix, consider this your orientation and introduction to everyone you need to know on campus this semester. Sequel series A Different World features fresh faces like Maleah Joi Moon, Alijah Kai, Cornell Young IV, Kennedi Reece, Jordan Aaron Hall, and Chibuikem Uche, who are hitting the hallowed halls of Hillman for the first time this season. “These are characters that you can fall in love with and relate to,” says showrunner and executive producer Felicia Pride. “This new cast is so amazing.” Plus, you’ll spot stars from the iconic original series, which ran from 1987 to 1993. Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer, and Darryl M.

Almost 40 years after “A Different World” first showed TV viewers life at the fictional Hillman College, a new generation of students is arriving. Now, in the Netflix sequel, the show’s view of Black college life includes more of the African diaspora.

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So much of the success of A Different World is rooted in specifics. The sitcom, which aired six seasons from 1987 to 1993, dug deep into the Black experience in the United States. It was set at a fictional historically Black college (HBCU), and the storylines grew from questions of youth and race. But branch out from those specifics, and universal themes start to blossom. Identity. Purpose. A reckoning with history. Social and political justice. Cultural change. So it's fitting that a reboot of the show has come to fruition now, addressing those themes through the lens of 2026. A Different World debuted its first 10-episode season Sept. 24 on Netflix. "What we really wanted to do was bring over the spirit of the original, and I think we had identified what I consider four pillars that were really important," showrunner Felicia Pride told members of the Television Critics Association on Sept. 15. "One was the community feel and the relationships that we all came to love, the friendships, the romances, the family feel of the show. The next was how the show made us feel, and I think that was the warmth that it made us feel and delight that it made us feel.

EAST GREENSBORO, N. C. (Oct. 6, 2026) – Forever a North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Aggie and now a Hillman College Falcon, former Mister A&T Joshua Suiter ‘22 is starring in the Netflix reboot of the 1980s and 1990s hit sitcom “A Different World.” The series, which debuted at No. 1 on Netflix in the U. S., has already been renewed for a second season. It builds on the cultural impact of the original series, which helped shape national perceptions of historically Black college and university (HBCU) life and inspired generations of students.