A Different World (1987)
Season 5
TV-PG
A group of students at a historically Black university struggle to make it through college.
Where to Watch A Different World (1987) • Season 5
25 Episodes
- We've Only Just Begun
E1We've Only Just BegunDwayne and Whitley prepare for the coming school year at Hillman. He will teach classes, and she will serve as director of a new dormitory. She accepted his proposal and only kept the New York job for the summer. Dwayne asks Ron to pick up Whitley's engagement ring while he is stuck in a meeting. Ron somehow does not realize that the 2.5 carat ring the jeweler gives him is not the one that Dwayne purchased. Street-smart freshman Lena James tries to find housing after the computer fails to give her a room. She manipulates Whitley into letting her stay in her extra bedroom. Col. Taylor and Jaleesa shock everyone by revealing that they eloped. Terrence has trouble getting used to the idea of having a stepmother. - The Dwayne Mutiny
E2The Dwayne MutinyDwayne gives his calculus class a graded quiz on the first day of the year, even though he hasn't taught them anything yet. He plans to give a test every day, and asks the students to sign contracts promising to work extra hours every week. Lena tears up her contract and leads a walk-out. Col. Taylor warns Dwayne that he will be fired unless he comes to a compromise with the students. Dwayne agrees to set more reasonable standards. He explains that he will hold high expectations because he wants the class to accomplish great things. Ron attends the funeral of a professor he didn't know in order to buy Washington Bullets season tickets from the widow. Dwayne infuriates Whitley by cutting into his share of their joint account for a ticket. Col. Taylor advises Jaleesa to set up her new temp agency at the house. Freddie asks for a job, but has trouble finding anything that meets her moral standards. - Home Is Where the Fire Is
E3Home Is Where the Fire IsA student's decision to drop out of school allows Lena to move into her own room, much to Whitley's relief. Whitley tries to dump all of the dorm duties onto resident assistant Kim. Kim discovers that Lena is cooking in her room. Before she can do anything about it, Kim has to go break up a fight. Lena sells her gumbo to the other students. She inadvertently starts a fire. The dean wants to suspend her, but Whitley and Kim come to her defense. Lena has to take a job at the Pit to pay for the fire damage to her room. Terrence moves back in with Jaleesa and Col. Taylor. - Almost Working Girl
E4Almost Working GirlE.H. Wright needs a new secretary, so Whitley recommends Jaleesa's temp agency. Unfortunately, the company needs to fill the position immediately, and the only person available is Freddie. Freddie overhears the head of personnel say that she does not believe in affirmative action; she feels that she earned her job on merit, and wants others to do the same. Freddie lights into the woman and tells her that she has a duty to her race. Freddie gets fired, making both Jaleesa and Whitley look very bad. Jaleesa agrees with Freddie's stance and isn't sure she wants to do business with E.H. Wright. Col. Taylor angers his wife by pointing out that attacking one's boss because she holds a different point of view is not very smart. Freddie realizes that her behavior was inappropriate, and she and Jaleesa both apologize. Lena has difficulty understanding Shakespeare because of the language barrier. She delves into the spirit of the work and translates it into more modern terms. - In the Eye of the Storm
E5In the Eye of the StormA hurricane approaches Hillman, forcing Dwayne and Whitley to cancel plans to spend their anniversary in Washington, D.C. Several dozen people seek refuge in the Pit after the storm washes out the roads and prevents them from being shipped to a shelter. Jaleesa begins to panic and winds up getting drunk. Kim grows tired of everyone asking her questions and expecting her to take charge of the situation. Col. Taylor continually refuses Terrence's offer to help with preparations. He later comes to realize that he has underestimated his son. Ron shows up at the radio station and tries to get Freddie to play his band's demo tape. They start sniping at each other, and argue for so long that they get trapped inside the studio. They eventually call a truce and try to comfort each other. Freddie apparently loses her virginity to Ron during the storm. They promise to keep this a secret, but everyone hears them talking about it on the radio. - Rule Number One
E6Rule Number OneDwayne agrees to provide Lena with free tutoring to help her bring up her calculus grade. They bond over their mutual love of basketball and become friends. Whitley insists that Lena has a crush on Dwayne. Dwayne refuses to believe this until Lena leaves an answering machine message in which she raps about her romantic interest in him. Dwayne pushes her away, but fears that he acted insensitively. Whitley shows a surprising level of tolerance for Lena's behavior. She realizes that Lena is homesick and lonely, and offers to serve as her confidante. Ron enlists Kim's help in marketing a line of beauty products (supposedly) designed for African American women. - Baby, I'm a Star
E7Baby, I'm a StarThe club owner fires Ron's band, X-Pression, because the group is not bringing in any customers. Dwayne suggests that Ron hire a vocalist. Kim agrees to take the job, and her singing ability brings acclaim to the group. However, she quickly begins to overshadow the rest of the band, and lets the attention go to her head. She turns into a complete diva and alienates her friends. Ron tries to fire her, but Kim smugly points out that they will lose the gig without her. Ron and the band respond to Kim's antics by stopping in the middle of a song and walking out. Kim realizes that she is out of control. She apologizes and agrees to tone down her behavior. Col. Taylor fears that he is too old to keep up with Jaleesa. He buys a Harley and takes up dancing in an attempt to impress her, but ends up hurting himself. Jaleesa puts him at ease by revealing that she is pregnant. - Liza Who-Little
E8Liza Who-LittleWhitley's aunt offers her a lucrative job as an art buyer for her hotel chain. However, she expects Whitley to look after her golddigging cousin Liza during a weekend visit to Hillman. Liza befriends Lena and turns to her for fashion advice. Liza pursues virtually every man on the campus before finally setting her sights on Ron. Kim becomes extremely jealous. Whitley and Kim hide in a closet and overhear Liza talking on the phone with her mother. She advises her mother not to give Whitley the job. Whitley no longer has a reason to put up with Liza's antics, so she aids Kim with a plan to pry Ron from her clutches. Kim bursts in during a dinner date and makes a scene as she pretends that she is the mother of Ron's four children. Her outburst successfully drives Liza away. Meanwhile, Whitley decides to stop speaking to Dwayne because she feels he spends too much time playing or attending sports with his friends. Dwayne warns her not to play games. - To Tell the Truth
E9To Tell the TruthWhitley panics about wedding preparations--particularly the upcoming engagement party, in which her parents are to see each other for the first time since their divorce. She complains about everything and acts very demanding toward Dwayne. Dwayne admits to Ron that he isn't sure if he is ready to get married. Dwayne accidentally spills a drink on Whitley during a faculty party, and she screams at him and runs out. He spends the rest of the evening talking with a charming science professor from Avery. Although Ron warns that he is throwing everything away, Dwayne goes out to dinner with the woman, claiming that they are only friends. Kim goes to the restaurant with some classmates and sees Dwayne and Lisa holding hands. Kim confronts Dwayne, but promises to keep the information a secret. Dwayne confesses the truth to Whitley. Freddie becomes romantically involved with Shazza, who she insists has changed since a summer pilgrimage to Africa. She tries to hide the relationship from Kim, wh - Twelve Steps of Christmas
E12Twelve Steps of ChristmasCol. Taylor, Jaleesa and Terrence argue about preparations for their first Christmas as a family. Jaleesa asks Whitley to join them for Christmas dinner. Dwayne's plans to go skiing fall through when his date dumps him for constantly talking about Whitley. Col. Taylor invites him to dinner, unaware that Whitley was already coming. Whitley goes to see her shrink, and is surprised to find that the Taylors are the next appointment. Dr. Langhorne accepts a Christmas dinner invitation from the Taylors in order to avoid her pushy mother-in-law. She tries to mediate everyone's disputes, and gets Dwayne and Whitley to consider becoming friends again. Meanwhile, everyone scrambles to avoid getting stuck with a homemade fruitcake sent by Whitley's aunt. - Just Another Four-Letter Word
E13Just Another Four-Letter WordAfter graduating, Ron elects to work on his music full-time. Dwayne complains about his inability to pay his share of the bills. Ron insists that X-Pression will win a record contract through a talent competition. The group loses to a talented but smart-alecky adolescent singing group (which taunts them after the contest). The other band members grow frustrated at their lack of financial success and decide to quit. Dwayne picks that moment to throw Ron out of the apartment. Ron finally takes another job, so Dwayne agrees to cover for him for a few more months. Freddie neglects her friends, job and studies as she becomes completely obsessed with Shazza. Even Shazza begins to grow tired of her constant fawning. Whitley, Kim and Lena conduct a sort of intervention to discuss her behavior. - Cats in the Cradle
E14Cats in the CradleAt a hotly contested Hillman-Virginia A&M game, Ron accepts a sucker bet from three white A&M students, then gets into a fight with them when one of them starts to spray a racial epithet on his car in revenge. In a cell, the men proceed to give very different accounts, mediated by a white officer who challenges both groups' assumptions. - Bedroom at the Top
E16Bedroom at the TopOne of Whitley's superiors continually makes unwanted sexual advances. When she turns down his dinner invitation, he suggests that he may not approve a purchase she had recommended. Whitley puts him in his place and decides not to file a complaint. Mr. Holtworth complains to his boss that Whitley has been sexually harassing him. Whitley cannot get a secretary to come forward, and a plan to catch Holtworth on videotape goes awry. Whitley mentions the peculiarity of Holtworth's frequent transfers, and suspects that her boss has heard rumors of the man's behavior. When pressed, Whitley's boss agrees to launch an investigation. Holtworth is found guilty and receives a warning. Terrence makes Col. Taylor uneasy by announcing his decision to major in dance. Col. Taylor attends a class, where he realizes that dance is much more difficult (and exhausting) than he had thought. He acknowledges that Terrence is a very good dancer. Ron takes a job as commercial spokesman for a phone sex hotline. - May the Best Man Win
E17May the Best Man WinWhitley organizes a campus fundraiser and tries to wrangle donations from prominent business people. She hits it off with Byron Douglas III, a successful alumnus who owns a restaurant chain. He is impressed by her powers of persuasion, and asks her to assist with his campaign for state senate. Whitley and Dwayne quarrel after she belittles him in front of Byron. Mr. Gaines learns that he is about to lose the lease on the Pit because a corporation outbid him. Byron, a former Pit employee, uses his campaign rally to elicit support for Mr. Gaines. The corporation's representatives decide to seize the opportunity for positive publicity by underwriting Mr. Gaines' lease and letting him keep running the place. Whitley and Byron share a kiss. - Kiss You Back
E18Kiss You BackWhitley and Byron are getting serious, but Whitley still has feelings for Dwayne. They end up sleeping together when Dwayne arrives at Whitley's place to discuss their relationship. Kim finally goes out with Ron to a club but ends up leaving when every woman seems to have a past with Ron. - Conflict of Interest
E19Conflict of InterestWhitley convinces Dwayne to hide while she talks to Byron. Dwayne tells Ron about his night with Whitley and admits that he still loves her. Although Whitley seems willing to take him back, Dwayne chickens out and says, ""It was just one night."" Byron senses that something is going on and confronts Dwayne, who spills the beans. Whitley comes clean with Byron and insists that she no longer loves Dwayne. Byron forgives her, and they decide to start a relationship. Ron promises to prove himself to Kim. A talkative prospective freshman and her cocky boyfriend tour the Hillman campus. Lance tries to get himself moved off of the waiting list, and upsets Charmaine with his roving eye. Freddie and Shazza annoy everyone with their new policy of total, brutal honesty. - Sellmates
E20SellmatesRon struggles with his new job at a car dealership. A female con artist gets him fired. She apologizes, and they hatch a scheme to get the boss to let them develop an ad campaign. Although things do not quite go as planned, Ron proposes a business partnership. Kim worries that she will not get into medical school after her least-desired choice rejects her. However, she soon has several offers to weigh--including one from Hillman. - Do the Write Thing
E21Do the Write ThingLena is losing her engineering scholarship until she writes a moving story about her father, which later is proven to be fabricated. It earns her a journalism scholarship and brings her closer to her gambler father. Whitley jeopardizes Byron's fund raising when she wears a fur to an event. - Love Taps
E22Love TapsGina's rapper boyfriend Dion (a.k.a. I'm Down) prepares to give a concert for his peers. He hires Ron as his promoter. Freddie reveals that she saw a man beating his girlfriend, but could not make out their faces in the darkness. She does not realize that the couple involved was Dion and Gina. He apologizes to Gina, but quickly flies off the handle and hits her again. Lena sees Gina's black eye and figures out what is going on. She decides that she cannot keep this a secret. Dion experiences a tremendous backlash from fellow students who are disgusted by his behavior. Ron quits his job and tries to fight Dion, who ignores Dwayne's recommendation that he seek counseling. Whitley urges Gina to get out of the relationship. Terrence calls the police on Dion and expresses disappointment in his one-time idol. Gina agrees to press charges. - Save the Best for Last (1)
E24Save the Best for Last (1)The day before her wedding, Whitley frets about details until Byron is able to bring her back to reality. Kim volunteers to return to campus and retrieve a special pair of earrings that Whitley had left behind. She pays Ron a visit, and frets over the realization that the wedding is probably going to take place. Ron suggests that she intervene, but Kim is hesitant. Ron surprises Kim by giving her a stethoscope, and they share a kiss. The girls enjoy a wild bachelorette party, while a depressed Dwayne walks out on Byron's bachelor party. Late that night, Kim suggests that Whitley may not be completely over Dwayne. Whitley angrily denies this. Dwayne shows up on Whitley's doorstep and asks for the chance to talk with her. They take a walk in the garden, and Dwayne apologizes for the mistakes he has made. She concedes that she placed too much pressure on him, but Dwayne insists that he simply wasn't strong enough for a commitment at the time. He recalls a time when he was a geeky freshman - Save the Best for Last (2)
E25Save the Best for Last (2)As she awakens on her wedding day, Whitley is so flustered by her conversation with Dwayne that she can barely remember where she is or the name of her future husband. Her mother chastises her for talking about Dwayne and emphasizes that Byron will give her a much better life. Dwayne decides that he cannot bring himself to attend the wedding. Whitley becomes extremely nervous as she awaits the beginning of the ceremony. Kim starts to give her some advice, but thinks better of it. Dwayne shows up in the middle of the ceremony, and Ron tries to convince him to break up the wedding. During her wedding vows, Whitley freezes up as she sees Dwayne's face everywhere. When she refuses to respond for over a minute, Dwayne realizes that she is far from certain about marrying Byron. He suddenly jumps up and charges down the aisle, pleading with her to marry him. Whitley accepts Dwayne's proposal and runs into his arms. Byron and his family are disgusted, but leave peacefully. The minister marries
