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A Different World : Season 3
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Air date: 21 Sep '89 - 25 episodesA Different World is an American television sitcom which aired for six seasons on NBC. It is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show and originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional mixed but historically black college in the state of Virginia. After Bonet's departure in the first season, the remainder of the series primarily focused more on Southern belle Whitley Gilbert and mathematics whiz Dwayne Wayne. The series frequently depicted members of the major historically black fraternities and sororities. While it was a spin-off from The Cosby Show, A Different World would typically address issues that were avoided by The Cosby Show writers. One episode that aired in 1990 was one of the first American network television episodes to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
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List of Episodes (25)
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A Different World (1987)
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1. Strangers on a Plane
21 Sep '89Dwayne and Whitley run into each other on a flight back to school. Whitley finds that Dwayne has changed over the summer, as he is dressed in an expensive suit and seems to have matured during his successful internship at Kinishewa. Dwayne comforts Whitley when the plane experiences turbulence. Whitley kisses Dwayne in front of her entire dorm, prompting much teasing from her friends. Each insists that they are only friends. Whitley goes to Dwayne's apartment to see him, but is turned off when s
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A Different World (1987)
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2. The Heat Is On
12 Oct '89Whitley has yet to take a basic math course that is required for graduation. She reluctantly enrolls in Col. Taylor's class, and he tries to help her overcome her fear of the subject. Dwayne and Ron clash over finances. Dwayne believes that Ron spends money too freely, while Ron accuses him of being a cheapskate.
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A Different World (1987)
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3. The Hat Makes the Man
19 Oct '89Walter and Jaleesa celebrate the anniversary of their first date, but are distracted by conflicts over dorm discipline. Walter allows a shy male student to let his girlfriend stay overnight before she ships out with the Navy. When Jaleesa disagrees and recommends that Quincy be punished, Walter pulls rank on her. They argue during their anniversary dinner, and she winds up storming out of the restaurant. The girls accuse Walter of a double standard; they refuse to vacate Quincy's room until Walt
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A Different World (1987)
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4. To Have and Have Not
26 Oct '89Walter convinces many of the students to volunteer at a community center. Whitley teaches ballet to the children and becomes friends with a young boy named Dion, who claims to be dirt poor. Whitley's wallet is stolen, and she is stunned to learn that Dion was the culprit. He exaggerated the extent of his poverty and took advantage of Whitley's kindness. Whitley does not want to return to the center, but Walter insists that the kids need a positive influence if they are to escape from the streets
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A Different World (1987)
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5. Forever Hold Your Peace
02 Nov '89Dwayne drives Whitley to New York for her father's wedding. He drops in on the Huxtables, hoping to rekindle his relationship with Denise and convince her to return to Hillman. Denise sends him reeling with the news that she married a Naval lieutenant during a sojourn to Africa, and is the stepmother of a three-year-old girl. Whitley becomes depressed about her father's marriage. She believes that he will forget her as he starts a family with his new wife. Dwayne and Whitley compare notes about
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A Different World (1987)
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6. Delusions of Daddyhood
09 Nov '89Ron takes a liking to his study partner, Elizabeth; and is surprised to learn that she has a 13-month-old son. He is unsure about getting involved, but quickly bonds with the child. Believing that the boy needs a positive male role model, Ron tries a little too hard to step in and become a father figure. Dwayne arranges a performance by his old friends Heavy D & the Boyz for a charity concert. Whitley, who had hoped to bring in an opera company, organizes an anti-rap protest. She makes a fool of
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A Different World (1987)
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7. Wedding Bells From Hell
16 Nov '89Walter wins a free Hawaiian honeymoon from a car wash, so he asks Jaleesa to marry him. Although she is uncertain, she eventually says yes. They plan to wed in two weeks. Jaleesa fears they are rushing and wants to call the whole thing off, but Walter reassures her. During the ceremony, they simultaneously announce that they don't want to get married; Jaleesa believes their interests are too different, while Walter can't fathom a lifetime commitment. They promise to remain friends, even though t
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A Different World (1987)
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8. Great Expectations
30 Nov '89Kim and Freddie plan to spend homecoming weekend at Freaknic, a music festival in Washington, D.C. Kim's policeman father calls and forbids her to go to the concert. Kim decides to go anyway, and Whitley has to distract her father when he arrives unexpectedly. When Kim returns, Mr. Reese yells at her and threatens to make her transfer to a hometown school. She insists that she is a responsible 19-year-old who should be allowed to make her own decisions, but her father restricts her to the house
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A Different World (1987)
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9. Answered Prayers
07 Dec '89Kim learns that her father has been shot in the line of duty. Whitley drives her to Ohio to see him, with Dwayne and Freddie along for moral support. Kim visits her father's hospital room and makes peace with him. After Mr. Reese begins to recover, Whitley, Dwayne and Freddie have to race back to campus for midterms. Freddie reveals that she had been unsure of the existence of God until she prayed at Kim's request; having her prayer answered was a life-changing experience. She questions her newf
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A Different World (1987)
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10. For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls
21 Dec '89Whitley is in a foul mood during the holiday season, especially when her mother insists that they fly to the south of France instead of spending a quiet Christmas at home. She coldly rejects Freddie's offer to spend Christmas with her, and refuses to attend the gang's tree-trimming party. Whitley's mother appears to her in a dream and warns that she is headed for the same lonely, isolated existence as Marion. Whitley is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future (who bear an unc
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A Different World (1987)
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11. Under One Roof
04 Jan '90Dean Hughes asks Whitley to spend the weekend at her house and co-host the annual freshman tea. Whitley considers this a great honor until Freddie is named the other co-host. Whitley hopes to convince Dean Hughes to send her to Europe as Hillman's student recruiter. The dean does not believe that Whitley possesses the necessary skill and discipline for this position. A hurt Whitley insults Freddie and tries to leave, but admits to the dean that she lacks direction. Dean Hughes cheers up the girl
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A Different World (1987)
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12. Here's to Old Friends
11 Jan '90Dwayne's old friend Milt comes for a visit. He believes that Hillman is holding Dwayne back, and encourages him to transfer to the University of Pennsylvania. Milt also recommends that Dwayne distance himself from ""dead weight"" like Ron. Dwayne considers his friend's words, until a talk with Whitley helps remind him of Ron's good qualities and the feeling of family that Hillman holds for its students. He defends the school's academic reputation to Milt. Col. Taylor and Mr. Gaines attend a reun
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A Different World (1987)
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13. The Power of the Pen
18 Jan '90Dwayne struggles with an assignment for poetry class, as the students must compose their own verses. William Shakespeare appears to him in a dream and stresses that his pursuit of a career in math does not mean that he cannot also appreciate poetry. He encourages Dwayne to write about something for which he feels passion. Whitley reads Dwayne's beautiful poem and believes that it is about her. She is angry and embarrassed when the rest of the class interprets the poem differently; it is actually
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A Different World (1987)
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14. Pride and Prejudice
25 Jan '90Whitley goes to a jewelry store to buy a birthday present for her father. Freddie tags along because she enjoys watching Whitley ""power shop."" The clerk ignores them and is reluctant to open the display case. She also suggests a cheap watch, as she doesn't think that Whitley can afford any of the high-end merchandise. Freddie believes that the clerk is a racist and decides to leave. Whitley argues that the clerk probably thought they were poor because of their manner of dress. (Whitley had not
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A Different World (1987)
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15. Success, Lies and Videotape
08 Feb '90Clair Huxtable visits the Hillman campus to videotape the students discussing their goals for the future. Although the taping is supposed to resemble a professional interview, Clair winds up playing the role of counselor. Freddie opts out of the interview in order to work on an archaeology assignment. She notices discrepancies between the Gilbert Hall laundry room and its original blueprints. She knocks down a wall and discovers a hidden room, which was part of the Underground Railroad that aide
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A Different World (1987)
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16. A World Alike
15 Feb '90Whitley meets Julian, an attractive exchange student from Georgetown who is part of Hillman's anti-apartheid group. Kim receives a scholarship that will solve her financial problems and allow her to gain work experience in a lab, rather than flipping burgers at the Pit. Unfortunately, Freddie discovers that the company funding the scholarship is a subsidiary of a corporation with investments in South Africa. Julian proposes a boycott; he angers Whitley by recommending that Hillman cut all financ
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A Different World (1987)
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17. That's the Trouble With You All
22 Feb '90Whitley plays matchmaker for Dwayne and a beautiful coed in the hopes of convincing him to move on. However, she becomes extremely jealous and tries to sabotage the couple's date. Dwayne and Whitley try to establish some ground rules in an attempt to save their friendship. Walter angers Jaleesa by claiming that women cannot play poker. He bets that she cannot teach Freddie how to play, while Jaleesa challenges him to turn novice Kobie into an accomplished player. Neither apprentice picks up the
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A Different World (1987)
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18. A Campfire Story
01 Mar '90A lovesick Dwayne convinces Walter to let him tag along on a recruiting trip to North Carolina, where he is trying to sign a high school basketball prospect. Walter gets pulled over for speeding and is arrested because of his unpaid jaywalking tickets. Alvin Dix, the young man Walter is recruiting, has to bail him out of jail. Alvin shows little interest in Hillman because he wants to play for legendary coach Cap Connors. Walter, who played for Connors, tells Dwayne that the coach cares only abo
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A Different World (1987)
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19. Hillman Isn't Through With You Yet
08 Mar '90Whitley has trouble finding a job for after graduation, while Jaleesa mulls several offers. Ron's sister Rachel, who is staying with Whitley and Kim during a campus visit, suggests the career of art buyer. Whitley becomes very excited about this idea and uses her mother's connections to set up an interview. She fails to get the job because she lacks financial experience. Whitley decides to stay at Hillman another year and take some business courses. Rachel grows tired of Ron's overprotective beh
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A Different World (1987)
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20. 21 Candles
15 Mar '90Whitley is distraught when everyone, including Julian, seems to have forgotten her 21st birthday. Kim has actually remembered, and is planning a girls-only surprise party. Dwayne and Ron decide to kidnap Whitley and throw her in a fountain for some reason. Kim fails to thwart their plans, but Ron falls while climbing the dorm wall and injures his leg. A depressed Whitley gets drunk on cheap wine and has a dinner date with her photograph of Denzel Washington. The girls arrive to take her out; the
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A Different World (1987)
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21. Sweet Charity
29 Mar '90Walter learns that Kim is working all night at a funeral parlor to cover her expenses. He enlists the help of Whitley and Freddie to come up with a plan to help her out. Whitley and Freddie buy gifts for Kim and get everyone to stuff the tip jar at the Pit. Kim realizes what they are doing and becomes very angry, as she doesn't want to be a charity case. Mr. Gaines finally convinces her to overcome her pride and accept a loan from his wife and him, which she can pay off after becoming a doctor.
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A Different World (1987)
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22. Soldier Boy
05 Apr '90Col. Taylor is the guest of honor at a campus roast. Frank Benning, a man from his first platoon in Vietnam, comes in to serve as the surprise guest speaker. Col. Taylor feels very uncomfortable; he believes that he committed an error on the battlefield that cost Frank his leg. Frank tells a different version of events in his speech. He insists that Col. Taylor is a great leader whose bravery saved everyone's lives. Ron tries to organize the dinner while fretting about the impending selection of
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A Different World (1987)
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23. Getaway (1)
19 Apr '90Dwayne, Ron, Kim, Freddie and Ernest head to Devil's Island, South Carolina for spring break. Whitley joins them at the last minute after Julian has to cancel their vacation due to a job interview. Ernest has big plans for Freddie, but passes out drunk. Ron tries to put the moves on Kim. A pair of murderous drug dealers searches the gang's van for a missing duffel bag. Dwayne and Ron discover money and drugs in the bag and try to go the police. Freddie and Kim meet the drug dealers on the beach
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A Different World (1987)
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24. Getaway (2)
26 Apr '90Julian shows up to surprise Whitley, who wants nothing to do with him. Dwayne and Ron dress like women to get past the drug dealers and onto the ferry. They arrive at the police station to discover that they accidentally brought Julian's bag instead of the one with the drugs and cash. Paul and Eric search the house, failing to recognize Dwayne and Ron (who are still disguised as ""Diana"" and ""Rhonda""). They promise to return that night. The gang fears that the police will not make it in time
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A Different World (1987)
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25. Perhaps Love
05 May '90Dwayne is selected for Phi Beta Kappa, and his mother comes to town to watch his induction ceremony. Julian tells Whitley that he wants to ask her something important during their next lunch date, leading her to believe that he plans to propose. He instead asks her to spend the summer with him in Washington, D.C.; he will get her a secretarial job with his company. When Whitley insists on attending summer school and taking an internship, Julian accuses her of being sheltered. Whitley goes to Dwa
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