Saagar Kote
Created by Felicia Pride, Netflix’s ‘A Different World’ is a comedy series that serves as a sequel and revival of the original NBC sitcom of the same name. At Hillman College, Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon) begins her freshman year determined to find her own identity rather than live under the legacy of her parents, Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy). Deborah’s roommate, Rashida Duvall (Alijah Kai), a criminal justice student from Compton, has very different priorities and little patience for Deborah’s carefree nature. The two initially struggle to understand each other, but their contrasting personalities gradually create a friendship that pushes both women to see life from a different perspective. They also interact with many other students, who deal with their own personal struggles.
The original sitcom, from creator Bill Cosby, follows Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) as she leaves home to attend Hillman College, which brings new challenges. Denise builds friendships with Dwayne, Whitley, Jalessa, Maggie, and Ron, and their experiences explore different sides of being Black in the US. The revival series explores the themes of the NBC sitcom, along with other ideas, in a different time period, with a more modern approach to the characters. If the Netflix show’s premise appealed to you, these shows, similar to ‘A Different World,’ will keep you engaged from beginning to end.
12. Harlem (2021-2025)
‘Harlem’ is a Tracy Oliver creation that delves into the experiences of four close friends trying to build fulfilling lives in NYC. After graduating from NYU, Camille (Meagan Good), Tye (Jerrie Johnson), Quinn (Grace Byers), and Angie (Shoniqua Shandai) settle in Harlem and enter a new stage of their lives together. Camille is a Columbia professor, Tye is a tech executive, Quinn is a fashion designer, and Angie is a singer. While the four women of color pursue their personal and professional goals, they support each other through the challenges of their 30s. Their friendship is the only constant as they envision a better future and seek happiness as well. The comedy series, along the lines of ‘A Different World,’ places friendship at the heart of its story. Camille, Tye, Quinn, and Angie support one another through personal struggles, while Deborah and Rashida gradually become a source of support for each other.
11. Girlfriends (2000-2008)
Creator Mara Brock Akil’s ‘Girlfriends’ follows four friends in LA who lean on one another as they navigate the complications of love, work, and adulthood. Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross) is a talented restaurateur trying to repair her friendship with William after an unsuccessful attempt at dating him. Toni (Jill Marie Jones) is a successful realtor and mother facing the aftermath of a divorce, while Lynn (Persia White) tries to enjoy life. Maya (Golden Brooks), Joan’s assistant, often serves as the sensible one of the group.
Despite their different backgrounds and personalities, these women of color remain deeply connected as they experience romantic and professional tribulations together. The sitcom and ‘A Different World’ bring together Black women with distinct personalities, backgrounds, and priorities. Deborah is beginning her college journey and figuring out her future, while Joan, Toni, Lynn, and Maya each face their own challenges.
10. Moesha (1996-2001)
‘Moesha’ centers on teenager Moesha Mitchell (Brandy Norwood) as she tries to balance school, friendships, romance, and the changing dynamics of her family. Living in LA’s Leimert Park neighborhood, Moesha becomes an important figure in her household following the death of her mother. Her life becomes more complicated when her widowed father, Frank Mitchell (William Allen Young), marries Dee Mitchell (Sheryl Lee Ralph). Unhappy with her father’s new marriage, Moesha gradually learns to trust and accept Dee while continuing to deal with the challenges of being a teenager.
She also spends time with her friends at school while trying to keep her family united. With Ralph Farquhar, Sara V. Finney, and Vida Spears lending their creative voices, the sitcom is an intricate portrayal of a complex character. ‘Moesha’ and ‘A Different World’ explore the challenges of figuring out who you are while surrounded by people with different expectations. Deborah wants to move beyond her parents’ legacy, while Moesha struggles to adjust to changes at home and find her own place within her family.
9. Felicity (1998-2002)
‘Felicity’ begins with a decision that completely changes the future Felicity Porter (Keri Russell) had planned for herself. After receiving an encouraging message from her longtime crush, Ben Covington (Scott Speedman), the quiet teenager abandons the path her parents had laid out for her and enrolls at the University of New York. College quickly proves more complicated than she imagined, as Felicity adjusts to an unfamiliar environment while forming close friendships and navigating the uncertainty of young love. Her romantic life becomes particularly complicated when she finds herself caught in a love triangle, forcing her to confront feelings and choices she had not expected.
While these experiences unfold, Felicity gradually gains a clearer understanding of herself and what she wants from life. J. J. Abrams and Matt Reeves are the creative team behind this drama series, which, similar to ‘A Different World,’ depicts a young female character’s transformation. Felicity chooses a new future after high school, while Deborah specifically wants to move beyond her parents’ legacy and establish herself independently.
8. Undeclared (2001-2003)
‘Undeclared’ is a sitcom that focuses on college freshman Steven Karp (Jay Baruchel), who has the opportunity to leave his awkwardness behind and start college. He develops feelings for his dorm neighbor, Lizzie Exley (Carla Gallo), only to discover that she already has a boyfriend. Steven’s new roommates bring even more chaos to his college experience. Lloyd Haythe (Charlie Hunnam) is a British student who encourages Steven to chill out, while Ron Garner (Seth Rogen) and Marshall Nesbitt (Timm Sharp) add their own personalities to the dorm. Amidst all this, Steven also has to contend with his recently divorced father. The Judd Apatow creation and ‘A Different World’ bring together young people with very different personalities. Steven’s quirky roommates play varying roles in his life, while Deborah’s carefree nature contrasts with Rashida’s more serious priorities.
7. Greek (2007-2011)
‘Greek’ throws shy freshman Rusty Cartwright (Jacob Zachar) into the social world of Cyprus-Rhodes University, where he hopes fraternity life will help him become more confident. His arrival also complicates his older sister Casey Cartwright’s (Spencer Grammer) college experience. Things become more complicated when Rusty discovers that Casey’s boyfriend, Evan Chambers (Jake McDorman), has been unfaithful.
Rather than join Evan’s fraternity, Rusty chooses Kappa Tau Gamma, led by Casey’s former boyfriend Cappie (Scott Michael Foster). As Rusty settles into his new social circle, he and Casey are forced to navigate the challenges and complications that follow. Created by Patrick Sean Smith, the comedy-drama series explores identity, relationships, and the social pressures of college life, much like ‘A Different World’ does through Deborah and her friends’ experiences.
6. The Sex Lives of College Girls (2021-2025)
Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble are the creative team behind ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls,’ which brings four very different freshmen together as roommates at prestigious Essex College in New England. Kimberly Finkle (Pauline Chalamet), a modest student from Arizona, arrives with a very different background from wealthy student Leighton Murray (Reneé Rapp), who struggles with the expectations placed on her by her family. Their roommates are Bela Malhotra (Amrit Kaur), an Indian American freshman determined to become a comedy writer, and Whitney Chase (Alyah Chanelle Scott), a talented soccer player.
The four gradually form a close friendship as they adjust to campus life, navigate romance, and deal with the complications of being away from home. Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, the comedy-drama explores female liberation, youthful ambitions, and uncertainty about the future. The comedy-drama series and ‘A Different World’ place young women at the center of stories about adjusting to college. Essex College and Hillman become environments where the characters form relationships, face personal challenges, and discover more about themselves.
5. The Parkers (1999-2004)
‘The Parkers’ turns college into a shared experience for mother and daughter when Nikki Parker (Mo’Nique) decides to attend college alongside her daughter, Kim Parker (Countess Vaughn). A pregnant Nikki had been forced to leave high school nearly two decades earlier and sees an opportunity to reclaim this lost joy at Santa Monica College. Kim is far from thrilled about having her mother around the same campus, forcing both women to adjust to their new situation. While they work toward their college degrees, Nikki must also come to terms with Kim growing up, while Kim begins to recognize that her mother has ambitions and a life beyond being her parent.
Ralph Farquhar, Sara V. Finney, and Vida Spears provide the creative vision for this sitcom, which is a spin-off of ‘Moesha.’ Both ‘The Parkers’ and ‘A Different World’ center on young women navigating college and the changes that accompany entering higher education. Kim expects college to be her own experience until Nikki joins her, while Deborah and Rashida initially struggle because their personalities and priorities are so different.
4. The Quad (2017-2018)
‘The Quad’ places Dr. Eva Fletcher (Anika Noni Rose) in charge of Georgia A&M, a financially struggling HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), where her new position quickly becomes more complicated than expected. As the university’s newly elected president, Eva is tasked with helping save the institution from bankruptcy while dealing with a troubled personal life. Her daughter, Sydney (Jasmin Savoy Brown), also arrives on campus and tries to establish herself as an aspiring rap artist.
Eva must balance the demands of the university with the issues of its incoming students, including Bojohn (Jake Allyn), the school’s first white starting quarterback. With Felicia D. Henderson and Charles Holland serving as creators, the drama series focuses on the personal struggles that shape the college experience, similar to ‘A Different World.’ Both series bring together students with contrasting personalities and perspectives, adding to the intensity.
3. Dear White People (2017-2021)
‘Dear White People’ follows Samantha White (Logan Browning), a student at the predominantly white Winchester University who uses her campus radio show to challenge the racism she sees around her. Samantha becomes determined to expose prejudice within Pastiche, a popular student publication, after her show receives backlash. Her campaign takes a complicated turn when she is discovered to have hacked Pastiche’s Facebook account to send out an invitation to a blackface party, while her relationship with a white student is revealed.
Samantha must then navigate the fallout alongside fellow students, who become an important part of her life. The comedy-drama series is based on the eponymous film directed by the show’s creator, Justin Simien. Campus relationships and social dynamics drive both ‘Dear White People’ and ‘A Different World.’ Samantha uses her campus platform to express her views and challenge racism, while Deborah enters Hillman determined to establish an identity of her own.
2. All American: Homecoming (2022-2024)
‘All American: Homecoming’ brings Simone Hicks (Geffri Maya) to Bringston University in Atlanta, where she pursues her dream of becoming a professional tennis player. At the HBCU, she crosses paths with Damon Sims (Peyton Alex Smith), an elite baseball player who turns down an MLB draft offer to continue playing for Bringston under coach Marcus Turner (Cory Hardrict). Simone encounters Thea, the leader of the tennis team, and popular girl Keisha, who become important in her life. Along with this, Simone and Damon face challenges due to their sporting ambitions.
The Nkechi Okoro Carroll creation is a sports drama series and a spin-off of ‘All American.’ Both ‘All American: Homecoming’ and ‘A Different World’ are set at HBCUs, using college campuses as settings where young Black students build friendships, pursue their ambitions, and navigate the challenges of early adulthood. Simone and Damon arrive at Bringston and begin figuring out their lives away from home, while Deborah and Rashida enter Hillman as freshmen and start adjusting to a completely new environment.
1. Grown-ish (2018-2024)
‘Grown-ish’ follows Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi) as she leaves her family behind to attend a liberal arts university in California, only to discover that becoming an adult is more complicated than she imagined. Away from the familiar world of home, Zoey has to adjust to the responsibilities and uncertainty that come with college life while dealing with a sense of isolation as well. Her new surroundings also introduce her to fellow students and relationships that gradually shape how she sees herself and the world around her. While Zoey navigates this unfamiliar stage of life, she begins confronting important questions about her future and personality.
Created by Kenya Barris and Larry Wilmore, the comedy-drama series is a spin-off of ‘Black-ish.’ Along the lines of ‘A Different World,’ the show explores college as an institution that becomes a major period of self-discovery. Zoey has to deal with adulthood without the familiar presence of her family, while Deborah is learning to navigate college life and make decisions for herself at Hillman. Zoey forms connections with fellow students as she adjusts to a new life, while Deborah’s relationship with Rashida develops from a difficult roommate dynamic into an unexpected friendship.
Read More: Shows Like Off Campus
