A Different World is Netflix’s sequel to the 1987–93 sitcom set at Hillman College. The new series follows Deborah, the daughter of original leads Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert, as a Hillman student; members of the original cast, including Cree Summer, Dawnn Lewis and Jada Pinkett Smith, appear.
Season 1 premiered September 24, 2026 with all ten episodes, and in Nielsen’s week of September 28–October 4 it drew 585 million minutes — No. 5 among streaming originals.
A second season has been reported in U.S. chart coverage; Netflix had not confirmed the renewal in the sources checked as of October 22, 2026.
The Facts
Service: Netflix
Season: Season 1 · 10 episodes
Premiered: September 24, 2026
Cast: Deborah, daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert; original-cast appearances include Cree Summer, Dawnn Lewis, Jada Pinkett Smith
The number: 585 million minutes, week of September 28–October 4, 2026 (Nielsen)
Status: Season 2 reported, not confirmed
Sources: Nielsen U.S. Streaming Top 10 (Originals and Overall), week of September 28–October 4, 2026; Netflix global Top 10 (Tudum), weeks of October 5–11 and October 12–18, 2026; service announcements as noted. Read October 22, 2026. Photo credit on the image above.
Comments
From the readers of the Daily.