| Episode |
Airdate |
Title |
Notes |
| 1 |
September 24, 1987 |
Reconcilable Differences |
Denise struggles to get along with Whitley and Jaleesa, and first meets Dwayne. (This episode was filmed after the pilot to add additional characters and provide background for those in the pilot episode.) |
| 2 |
October 1, 1987 |
Pilot |
Denise and Jaleesa get a new roommate, Maggie, and Denise struggles to manage her finances without help from home. Guest appearances by Bill Cosby and Keshia Knight Pulliam. |
| 3 |
October 15, 1987 |
Porky de Bergerac |
New dorm rules to reduce littering in shared areas embarrass Denise when she is forced to wear a fake pig nose on a first date. |
| 4 |
October 22, 1987 |
Those Who Can't... Tutor |
Dwayne embroils Whitley in scandal when he is seen climbing out of her window after missing curfew to tutor Denise. |
| 5 |
October 29, 1987 |
War of the Words |
Denise and Whitley debate over whether women can balance a career and family life. Maggie's boyfriend asks her to move to Washington, D.C. with him. Recurring cast member Kim Wayans is joined by two of her brothers, guest stars Keenan Ivory Wayans and Damon Wayans. |
| 6 |
November 5, 1987 |
Rudy and the Snow Queen |
Denise's visiting sister Rudy is entranced by Whitley's glamour and charm, neglecting Denise in the process. Guest appearance by Keshia Knight Pulliam. |
| 7 |
November 19, 1987 |
Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You |
Denise concocts a plot with her roommates to be the first women to participate in the Homecoming tradition of stealing the head of the opposing team's mascot, not knowing that her visiting grandfather intends to carry out a similar plan. Guest appearance by Earle Hyman. |
| 8 |
December 3, 1987 |
If Chosen, I May Not Run |
The Hillman track coach asks Denise to try out for the team. Guest appearance by Bill Cosby. |
| 9 |
December 10, 1987 |
Romancing Mr. Stone |
A number of female students develop crushes on a new geology professor. Guest star: David Alan Grier |
| 10 |
December 17, 1987 |
The Gift of the Magi |
A Secret Santa program has Jaleesa and Maggie unwittingly each assigned to give to the other as Whitley wrestles with the news that her divorced father has a new, much younger girlfriend and wants her to spend Christmas with them. |
| 11 |
January 7, 1988 |
Does He or Doesn't He? |
A graduate student predicts that Dwayne couldn't handle it if a woman actually responded to his cheesy pick-up lines. |
| 12 |
January 14, 1988 |
Advise and Descent |
Denise works as a peer counselor during finals week, and while she is good at helping other students with their problems, she neglects her own work. |
| 13 |
January 21, 1988 |
The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic |
Gilbert Hall gets a new resident director with a colorful past, and tensions run high. |
| 14 |
February 4, 1988 |
Wild Child |
Denise befriends a student from her philosophy class, not realizing that the student is hiding something. |
| 15 |
February 11, 1988 |
Dr. Cupid |
Dwayne attempts to play Cupid for himself and others via his campus radio show, with unexpected results; Ron meets and falls in love with Whitley's devoted friend Millie, while Lettie receives a visit from a former suitor. |
| 16 |
February 18, 1988 |
The Show Must Go On |
Denise and Whitley earn roles in Maggie's adaptation of the story of Adam and Eve and become real-life rivals for the actor playing Adam. |
| 17 |
February 25, 1988 |
Mr. Hillman |
Whitley enters the Miss Hillman pageant, but Denise — infuriated at the sexism of the pageant — Denise convinces Dwayne to enter as well. |
| 18 |
March 10, 1988 |
Speech Therapy |
Maggie prepares to debate Whitley on women working outside the home, but she is unprepared for the arrival of her boyfriend with a proposal of marriage. |
| 19 |
March 24, 1988 |
Clair's Last Stand |
Denise's mother, Clair, visits and lectures her about her grades. Guest star: Phylicia Rashad. |
| 20 |
April 28, 1988 |
If Only for One Night |
Denise at long last accepts a date with Dwayne, but their evening out is interrupted by Whitley's desperate search for an alternative to going home for the summer. (This episode was to be the season finale and was the last one filmed before Lisa Bonet left the show.) |
| 21 |
May 5, 1988 |
Come Back, Little Eggby |
Maggie loses the egg-baby she was assigned as a psychology project. |
| 22 |
July 7, 1988 |
My Dinner With Theo |
Theo visits Hillman and gets the wrong impression about how much fun college life could be. Guest star Malcolm-Jamal Warner. |
| Episode |
Airdate |
Title |
Notes |
| 23 |
October 6, 1988 |
Dr. War is Hell |
Dwayne tries to avoid taking a class with Colonel Taylor, nicknamed "Dr. War". Charnele Brown, Cree Summer, and Glynn Turman make their first appearances as Kim, Freddie, and Col. Taylor. |
| 24 |
October 13, 1988 |
Two Gentlemen of Hillman |
Dwayne and Ron try to do a paper together, but Ron is too lazy for Dwayne. |
| 25 |
October 27, 1988 |
Some Enchanted Late Afternoon |
Walter persudes Jaleesa to go out with him although she is involved with someone. |
| 26 |
November 3, 1988 |
Dream Lover |
Whitley dreams about Dwayne after getting fresh at a party. Dwayne realizes he has feelings for Whitley. |
| 27 |
November 10, 1988 |
Three Girls Three |
Jaleesa and Whitley join forces with fellow student Angela in a competition to sing backup for guest star Gladys Knight. |
| 28 |
November 17, 1988 |
If You Like Pilgrim Coladas |
Whitley and Kim devise a plan to have a nice Thanksgiving when they find themselves homesick after staying on campus. |
| 29 |
December 1, 1988 |
A Stepping Stone |
A 92-year-old alumna comes to Hillman for Homecoming, showing Whitley she is not living college life to the fullest; the women of Gilbert Hall prepare for the Homecoming "Step Show." |
| 30 |
December 8, 1988 |
Life With Father |
Dwayne discovers his girlfriend's father is his own calculus professor, "Dr. War." Freddie, upset over not attracting Dwayne's interest, turns to Whitley for an image makeover. |
| 31 |
December 15, 1988 |
All's Fair |
Whitley objects to Kim spending so much time with her new boyfriend, especially as they start monopolizing the girls' shared room. Freddie alienates her fellow writers when she "improves" upon their work as the new editor of the literary magazine. |
| 32 |
January 5, 1989 |
Radio Free Hillman |
When Dwayne plays an explicit rap song on his radio show, the dean cancels it. Furious, the other students stage a sit-in at the administration building, where Whitley gets trapped in the building with the protesters. |
| 33 |
January 12, 1989 |
It Happened One Night |
Kim learns she might be pregnant with Robert's baby. |
| 34 |
January 26, 1989 |
I've Got the Muse in Me |
Freddie gets drunk trying to write a paper; Walter takes cooking lessons from Lettie and Mr. Gaines. |
| 35 |
February 2, 1989 |
Risky Business |
Clair Huxtable returns to Hillman for a business seminar, bringing two teens, daughter Vanessa Huxtable and her friend Kara, who proceed to get interested in campus men Dwayne and Ron. Appearances by Phylicia Rashad, Tempestt Bledsoe, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner. |
| 36 |
February 6, 1989 |
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do |
Dwayne and Suzanne break up when she decides she's not ready to get serious so soon. Jaleesa tests Walter's loyalty with a phone call as "Jamaican exchange student" Sheila, who finds him apparently eager to date around, while Kim learns her boyfriend truly is being unfaithful. |
| 37 |
February 23, 1989 |
For She's Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage |
Whitley's mother visits to find Whitley a husband, despite Whitley's pleas to study. (Dominic Hoffman, who would later play Whitley's boyfriend Julian, appears here as Kent Souje.) |
| 38 |
March 2, 1989 |
It's Greek to Me |
Ron and Dwayne pledge a fraternity. Ron enjoys the process, but Dwayne bristles at taking orders from the older brothers. |
| 39 |
March 9, 1989 |
The Thing About Women |
Walter and Jaleesa examine their relationship as Jaleesa goes on a date with her ex-husband Lamar (Thomas Mikal Ford). |
| 40 |
March 16, 1989 |
High Anxiety |
Overscheduled Kim begins dreaming of "Killer B's," while the Gaineses argue over the return of their seemingly shiftless son, Darnell. |
| 41 |
March 23, 1989 |
Take This Job and Love It |
Whitley's ambitious nature finds a new channel when she takes a job at The Pit in order to pay for repairs to Mr. Gaines' car, but Kim finds Whitley's endless ideas a threat to her status as the favorite employee. |
| 42 |
March 30, 1989 |
No Means No |
Freddie goes on a date with Garth Parks (Taimak), a handsome new player for Hillman's basketball team. However, Garth is hiding a sinister side. |
| 43 |
April 27, 1989 |
Citizen Wayne |
Dwayne runs for student council president, but can't seem to get anyone else to care about serious issues. Political activist and former U.S. presidential candidate Jesse Jackson guest stars as himself, inspiring Jaleesa and Kim in their search for the perfect gift for Freddie's 18th birthday. |
| 44 |
May 4, 1989 |
There's No Place Like Home |
Students' summer plans take unexpected turns: Dwayne and Ron's beautiful new apartment becomes an impossible dream, and Walter and Jaleesa decide to grant each other the freedom to date others over the vacation. Whitley battles to work rather than holiday with her mother, until Dwayne convinces her that she'll have a long life in which to contribute to society; the two nearly share a kiss but are interrupted by the party. Mary Alice's last appearance as Lettie. |
| Episode |
Airdate |
Title |
Notes |
| 45 |
September 21, 1989 |
Strangers on a Plane |
Dwayne and Whitley run into each other when flying back to Hillman for the fall term and their feelings for each other ignite. Meanwhile, Gilbert Hall becomes co-ed, with Walter as the resident director and Jaleesa as assistant. |
| 46 |
October 12, 1989 |
The Heat Is On |
Col. Taylor forces Whitley to take the math class she has studiously avoided and tries to show her the value in facing one's fears; roommates Ron and Dwayne fight over opposing philosophies of personal spending. |
| 47 |
October 19, 1989 |
The Hat Makes the Man |
Walter is torn between his roles of boyfriend and dorm director when he overrules Jaleesa on student discipline on the day of their anniversary dinner. |
| 48 |
October 26, 1989 |
To Have and Have Not |
Walter convinces various students to teach leisure classes to youth at the local community center, where Whitley's wallet is stolen and she accuses a child. |
| 49 |
November 2, 1989 |
Forever Hold Your Peace |
Dwayne takes Whitley to New York for her father's wedding and visits the Huxtables, where he is devastated by the news that Denise has married and will not be returning to Hillman. Guest appearances by Lisa Bonet, Phylicia Rashad, Joseph C. Phillips, and Raven-Symoné. |
| 50 |
November 9, 1989 |
Delusions of Daddyhood |
Ron tries to become a father figure to his study partner's son. Dwayne invites Heavy D and the Boyz to perform on campus, and he and Whitley argue over the artistic merits of rap music. |
| 51 |
November 16, 1989 |
Wedding Bells From Hell |
Walter and Jaleesa plan a rushed wedding when he wins a honeymoon trip and is inspired to propose; Whitley convinces Dwayne to join her as wedding coordinator. |
| 52 |
November 30, 1989 |
Great Expectations |
Kim rebels against her father's restrictions by traveling to Washington, D.C. for a festival, unaware that he is dropping in for a visit. Guest appearance by Richard Roundtree. |
| 53 |
December 7, 1989 |
Answered Prayers |
Kim's father is shot in the line of duty, causing a crisis of faith for Freddie after she prays for him and receives mixed results. |
| 54 |
December 21, 1989 |
For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls |
Whitley is feeling like the campus Scrooge over her mother's plans to visit the French Riviera for Christmas and receives visits from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Guest appearance by Diahann Carroll. |
| 55 |
January 4, 1990 |
Under One Roof |
Dean Hughes invites Freddie and Whitley for a weekend visit to co-host a tea, kindling Whitley's aspirations of becoming a student recruiter; Ron invites a classmate to stay in the apartment without knowing the young man's con-artist reputation. |
| 56 |
January 11, 1990 |
Here's to Old Friends |
An old friend of Dwayne's comes for a visit and tries to convince him to dump Ron and Hillman; Col. Taylor and Mr. Gaines attend an Army reunion. |
| 57 |
January 18, 1990 |
The Power of the Pen |
Dwayne is stumped over a poetry-writing assignment until he is visited in a dream by the spirit of William Shakespeare. Freddie cannot decide between cute environmentalist Livingston and handsome business-student Ernest. |
| 58 |
January 25, 1990 |
Pride and Prejudice |
Whitley is treated disdainfully by a White American sales clerk; when she tries to impress the woman with several expensive purchases, her friends question the wisdom of this response. Also, Dwayne and Walter participate in an ROTC retreat for civilians. Guest appearance by Peggy Walton-Walker. |
| 59 |
February 8, 1990 |
Success, Lies and Videotape |
Clair Huxtable videotapes the prospective futures of students while non-participant Freddie investigates the possibility the school was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Guest appearances by Phylicia Rashad and her real-life husband Ahmad Rashad. |
| 60 |
February 15, 1990 |
A World Alike |
Campus protests over divestment in South Africa affect all the group when Whitley's budding romance with Julian is threatened by his belief that Kim should give up a scholarship from a company that will not divest; two South African exchange students offer differing perspectives on the conflict. |
| 61 |
February 22, 1990 |
That's the Trouble With You All |
Dwayne accepts Whitley's recommendation to date her friend, then is amused when a jealous Whitley shows up with Julian to sabotage the date. Also, Jaleesa and Walter argue over whether women or men are better at poker and agree to settle the bet by each teaching a novice to play. |
| 62 |
March 1, 1990 |
A Campfire Story |
Walter tells of his ill-fated trip to North Carolina to recruit a star high-school basketball player: Walter ends up in jail over unpaid tickets, Dwayne sees Whitley's face everywhere he looks, and rival coach Cap Connors dangles temptations in front of the young man but shows little interest in his education. During the story, there is a battle of the sexes as Jaleesa and Col. Taylor each try to repair the dorm's broken heater.
|
| 63 |
March 8, 1990 |
Hillman Isn't Through With You Yet |
As graduation nears, Whitley and Jaleesa search for jobs and Ron's sister visits as a prospective art-history student. |
| 64 |
March 15, 1990 |
21 Candles |
Everyone forgets Whitley's 21st birthday — all except Julian, whom she never told. Dwayne and Ron make hasty and ill-conceived plans to kidnap her as a joke. |
| 65 |
March 29, 1990 |
Sweet Charity |
Kim experiences financial problems and the other students try to help her without being caught and offending her pride. |
| 66 |
April 5, 1990 |
Soldier Boy |
A dinner celebrating Col. Taylor's military career is made difficult for him by the presence of a soldier whose injury has haunted the colonel; Ron strives to be ROTC Cadet of the Year; Whitley is challenged by Dwayne to go a full day without flirting. |
| 67 |
April 19, 1990 |
Getaway (1) |
Dwayne, Ron, Freddie, Kim, Whitley, and Ernest go to Devil's Island, South Carolina, for spring break. Their bag gets switched with that of a pair of drug dealers. After hearing that the drug dealers want to kill them, Dwayne and Ron try to escape. |
| 68 |
April 26, 1990 |
Getaway (2) |
Dwayne and Ron dress in drag to get off the island. Unable to leave due to a storm, they return to the beach house where they — and the newly arrived Julian — get into a confrontation with the drug dealers. |
| 69 |
May 5, 1990 |
Perhaps Love |
Dwayne is inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, prompting a visit from his proud mother. Whitley believes that Julian will propose to her, but instead he invites her to live together for the summer rather than do the career internship she has planned. Guest appearance by Patti LaBelle. |
| Episode |
Airdate |
Title |
Notes |
| 70 |
September 20, 1990 |
Everything Must Change |
Whitley returns from her travels determined to begin a relationship with Dwayne; however, after years of waiting, he has moved on to a romance with newcomer Kinu, a Japanese-African-American student at nearby Avery University whom he met while waiting for Whitley to answer his letters from Japan. Col. Taylor's son Terrence (Cory Tyler) arrives from Germany, quickly earning the nickname "Pee-Wee Hormone" for his clueless pursuit of women. |
| 71 |
September 27, 1990 |
How Bittersweet It Is |
Whitley tries to make Dwayne jealous by accepting a date with Ron, who knows but hopes to change her feelings; students compete to win places in Professor Randolph's African-American History class, including Freddie and her cousin Matthew, a White student visiting from Avery. |
| 72 |
October 4, 1990 |
Blues for Nobody's Child |
Freddie is moved by the difficulty of finding adoptive parents for older African-American children in the foster care system and makes it her mission to convince Prof. Randolph to adopt a child she has met through the community center. |
| 73 |
October 11, 1990 |
Whitley's Last Supper |
Whitley looks forward to a visit from her father until she learns he has come to cut up her credit cards and force her to live on a budget; Matthew and Freddie conspire to convince Kim to balance her MCAT studies with a social life. |
| 74 |
October 18, 1990 |
The Goodwill Games |
Dwayne, Whitley, and Kinu participate in a College Bowl-type competition, exacerbating the romantic competition the two women already are in. Kim is encouraged by Freddie to make way for a romance of her own, with Matthew. |
| 75 |
October 25, 1990 |
Tales From the Exam Zone |
Walter narrates a trio of tales, á la The Twilight Zone, about strange occurrences among the studying students. |
| 76 |
November 8, 1990 |
Good Help Is Hard to Fire |
Ron and Whitley concoct a plan for her to earn money by cleaning Dwayne's apartment and further driving a wedge between him and Kinu. Guest star Patti LaBelle returns as Dwayne's mother. |
| 77 |
November 15, 1990 |
Love Thy Neighbor |
Now that Kinu and Dwayne have broken up, Whitley hopes her time has come. However, Dwayne is less eager to start a relationship than she had expected. |
| 78 |
November 29, 1990 |
Time Keeps on Slippin' |
Freddie and Ron are made the chairs of a committee to decide the contents of Hillman's 1990 time capsule; Dwayne must find a way to be a good boyfriend while remaining a good student. (The episode includes an early mention of a condom, although the network did not allow one to be shown.) |
| 79 |
December 6, 1990 |
The Apple Doesn't Fall |
In a fathers-and-sons themed episode, Ron wrestles with telling his father he'd rather be a professional musician than a car salesman, and Terrence argues with Col. Taylor over the colonel's interest in joining a previously racially restricted golf club. |
| 80 |
December 13, 1990 |
I'm Dreaming of a Wayne Christmas |
Anxious to change the negative impression Dwayne's mother has of her, Whitley goes shopping on her visit to New York, but finds everything going more and more wrong. |
| 81 |
January 10, 1991 |
War and Peace |
Hillman alumnus Zelmer Collier (Blair Underwood) visits his childhood friend Dwayne to break the news that his Army Reserve unit is being sent to the Persian Gulf; Dwayne, Freddie, and Col. Taylor each have distinctly different responses to the news. (This was one of the few television episodes to address the implications of the impending Persian Gulf War. It originally aired less than a week before combat started). |
| 82 |
January 31, 1991 |
Ex-Communication (a.k.a. Fiancée What?) |
When Whitley's ex-boyfriend Julian arrives for a visit, she is hounded by the news that he is engaged to another girl who doesn't seem that much different from herself. Director Debbie Allen is introduced as Whitley's therapist. |
| 83 |
February 7, 1991 |
Risk Around the Dollar |
After dipping into her tuition money to pay rent, Whitley looks for a job. She and Ron throw a party to raise money, but their plans go awry. Meanwhile, Terrence becomes a Muslim. |
| 84 |
February 14, 1991 |
Love, Hillman-Style |
Whitley organizes a "Men of Hillman" calendar and Dwayne is upset that it doesn't include him. Ron juggles three Valentine's Day dates while Jaleesa spends the holiday with Col. Taylor. Guest appearance by a young Halle Berry. |
| 85 |
February 21, 1991 |
A Word in Edgewise |
Kim does not see the value in Matthew's drama studies until he invites a troupe of deaf actors — and one deaf rapper — to stage a local performance. |
| 86 |
February 28, 1991 |
Ms. Understanding |
Long-time Hillman student Shazza Zulu divides the campus along gender lines with his self-published book about the alleged shortcomings of Black men. In his acting debut, Gary Dourdan makes his first appearance as Shazza. |
| 87 |
March 7, 1991 |
The Cash Isn't Always Greener |
Dwayne tries to decide between a job at Kinishewa or graduate school at Hillman. Jaleesa's sister, impressed by Jaleesa's independence, contemplates some major decisions of her own. |
| 88 |
March 14, 1991 |
How Great Thou Art |
Whitley takes a job as an art buyer for E.H. Wright. Freddie starts a radio call-in show, with little success. |
| 89 |
March 21, 1991 |
It's Showtime at Hillman |
In a nod to Sinbad's role as host of It's Showtime at the Apollo, Walter hosts a local telethon in a last ditch effort to save a nearby community center. Showtime co-host Kiki Sheppard also appears. |
| 90 |
March 28, 1991 |
Sister to Sister, Sister |
When Kim becomes a sorority pledge under Whitley's command, the women's friendship is tested; Ron must teach fraternity pledge Terrence a sense of humility and brotherhood toward his fellow pledges. |
| 91 |
April 4, 1991 |
Monet Is the Root of All Evil |
Whitley organizes an exhibit of art by Hillman students, including a starving artist named Novian Winters. However, the sponsor of the exhibit considers Novian's painting to be blasphemous and demands its removal. |
| 92 |
April 11, 1991 |
If I Should Die Before I Wake |
Challenged by a speech-class assignment, classmate Josie reveals that she is HIV-positive, prompting her fellow students to re-examine everything they thought they knew about AIDS. |
| 93 |
April 25, 1991 |
Never Can Say Goodbye |
Walter leaves Hillman to take a job at a community center in Philadelphia. Ron finds out he can't graduate unless he passes the European history final. |
| 94 |
May 2, 1991 |
To Be Continued |
Dwayne and Whitley evaluate their relationship in the face of a summer of separation in which she will work in New York while he remains at Hillman to teach; Kim and Matthew also are to be separated by her overseas study opportunity. |
| Episode |
Airdate |
Title |
Notes |
| 95 |
September 21, 1991 |
We've Only Just Begun |
As the fall term starts, Col. Taylor and Jaleesa reveal that they eloped over the summer. Dwayne asks Ron to pick up Whitley's engagement ring from the jeweler's, but he gets the wrong one. First appearance of Jada Pinkett as Lena. |
| 96 |
September 26, 1991 |
The Dwayne Mutiny |
Dwayne's students, led by Lena, rebel against his hard-nosed teaching style. |
| 97 |
October 3, 1991 |
Home Is Where the Fire Is |
Lena finally gets her own dorm room, but she tries cooking and starts a fire. |
| 98 |
October 10, 1991 |
Almost Working Girl |
Freddie and Jaleesa deal with an employer that does not believe in affirmative action. |
| 99 |
October 17, 1991 |
In the Eye of the Storm |
A hurricane threatens Hillman, stranding students in the Pit before they can evacuate the campus. |
| 100 |
October 24, 1991 |
Rule Number One |
Dwayne tutors Lena, oblivious to her crush on him. Ron tries to market a line of beauty products for African-American women. |
| 101 |
October 31, 1991 |
Baby, I'm a Star |
As a favor, Kim becomes the lead singer for Ron's band, but quickly becomes conceited and hard to manage. |
| 102 |
November 7, 1991 |
Liza Who-Little |
Whitley's man-hungry and materialistic cousin Liza (Jasmine Guy in a dual role) comes to visit and quickly stirs up trouble when she latches on to Ron. |
| 103 |
November 14, 1991 |
To Tell the Truth (1) |
Anxious about the wedding plans, but unable to get Whitley to sit down and talk, Dwayne is attracted to a female graduate student he meets at a faculty mixer. |
| 104 |
November 21, 1991 |
Do You Take This Woman? (2) |
Dwayne's and Whitley's parents arrive for the engagement party, but the two mothers' feuding only adds to his growing doubts about the wisdom of the marriage. |
| 105 |
December 5, 1991 |
Mammy Dearest |
In the wake of her breakup with Dwayne, Whitley organizes an exhibit on images of black women through history, but Kim is troubled by the inclusion of "Mammy" artifacts. The episode also addresses the origins of "the dozens." |
| 106 |
December 19, 1991 |
Twelve Steps of Christmas |
As the newly married Taylors and Terrence prepare for their first holiday together as a family, they cannot decide how to combine traditions in a harmonious celebration. Meanwhile, Dwayne, Whitley, and Whitley's therapist are each invited and must learn to get past their differences. |
| 107 |
January 2, 1992 |
Just Another Four-Letter Word |
Ron decides to devote all of his time to his music, leaving him unable to pay bills. |
| 108 |
January 16, 1992 |
Cat's in the Cradle |
While attending a Hillman football game on a predominantly White campus, Ron and Dwayne are involved in a bias incident with three White students. The episode airs just prior to Martin Luther King Day, and features one of Dean Cain's earliest television appearances. |
| 109 |
January 23, 1992 |
Prisoner of Love |
Freddie's ex-convict pen pal shows up at Hillman to pay a visit — evoking a variety of reactions from friends.. |
| 110 |
January 30, 1992 |
Bedroom at the Top |
Whitley is subjected to sexual harassment by a co-worker; when she complains to management, however, he claims she was the aggressor. |
| 111 |
February 13, 1992 |
May the Best Man Win |
Whitley and Dwayne meet one of Mr. Gaines' former employees: state senatorial candidate Byron Douglas III (Joe Morton). |
| 112 |
February 20, 1992 |
Kiss You Back (1) |
Byron goes to Washington, D.C. for the weekend. While he's gone, Whitley tries to clear the air between herself and Dwayne, but the night doesn't go as planned. The next morning, Dwayne is still at Whitley's place... and Byron is knocking on the door. |
| 113 |
February 27, 1992 |
Conflict of Interest (2) |
Both Whitley and Dwayne tell Byron what happened, but Whitley insists that she no longer has feelings for Dwayne. Meanwhile, Freddie and Shazza start being brutally honest all the time, which is brutally annoying to everyone else. Prospective freshmen Charmaine Brown and Lance Rodman (from The Cosby Show) visit Hillman. |
| 114 |
March 12, 1992 |
Sellmates |
Ron meets his match in a female con artist who makes trouble for him in his new auto-sales position. |
| 115 |
April 2, 1992 |
Do the Write Thing |
Lena writes a fictitious essay about her father's supposed exploits, for a scholarship competition, then must decide what to do when her father turns up in person to see her claim the prize. |
| 116 |
April 23, 1992 |
Love Taps |
When Freddie tries to learn the identity a woman she saw being beaten, Lena is shocked to realize her usually strong-willed roommate Gina may have been the victim. |
| 117 |
May 7, 1992 |
Special Delivery |
With only days to go before the statewide elections, Byron's campaign is shaken up by a sex scandal involving a stripper and the candidate. Also in this episode, Jaleesa gives birth. |
| 118 |
May 14, 1992 |
Save the Best for Last (1) |
Bride-to-be Whitley is dogged by doubts that are only made stronger when Dwayne pays a surprise midnight visit on the eve of her wedding to Byron. |
| 119 |
May 21, 1992 |
Save the Best for Last (2) |
Whitley and Byron's wedding day arrives, together with their friends, family ... and Dwayne. |
| Episode |
Airdate |
Title |
Notes |
| 120 |
September 24, 1992 |
Honeymoon in L.A. (1) |
Whitley and Dwayne recount their honeymoon, which coincided with the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The Cosby Show's Karen Malina White joins the regular cast as Charmaine. Patrick Malone and Bumper Robinson make their first appearances as Terrell and Dorian. Cameo appearance by Debbie Allen. |
| 121 |
October 1, 1992 |
Honeymoon in L.A. (2) |
Whitley and Dwayne continue to recount their honeymoon, which coincided with the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Ron and Freddie's antagonistic relationship takes a surprising turn. Special guest appearances by Gilbert Godfried, Roseanne Barr, Tom Arnold, and Sister Souljah. |
| 122 |
October 8, 1992 |
Interior Desecration (a.k.a. Sofa, So Good) |
Sharing their first apartment, newlyweds Dwayne and Whitley find themselves in a constant argument over whose belongings will go and whose will stay. |
| 123 |
October 15, 1992 |
Somebody Say Ho! |
Campus rules against academic sexual harassment are tested when Terrell is accused of taping an insulting sign to Charmaine's back after she showed off her abilities in a math class. |
| 124 |
October 22, 1992 |
Really Gross Anatomy |
Kim has trouble dissecting her cadaver in anatomy class. Ron gets jealous when Freddie spends her weekend camping with Shazza. |
| 125 |
October 29, 1992 |
Don't Count Your Chickens Before They're Axed |
Kim and Freddie try to work out their differences with each other's men, to little avail, while Whitley finds her professional life taking a wrong turn just after convincing Dwayne to spend their savings on an expensive painting. |
| 126 |
October 29, 1992 |
The Little Mister |
Dwayne scoffs at the idea of the "Year of the Woman". He then falls asleep on the couch and dreams that all of the candidates in the 1992 presidential election are women, with Whitley as "Jill Blinton", and Dwayne as her husband "Hilliard". |
| 127 |
November 5, 1992 |
Baby, It's Cold Outside |
Work pressures have Dwayne showing less sexual interest in Whitley, who calls in her problem to the Montel Williams talk show — unaware that Gina has organized a dorm-wide viewing party. Freddie also struggles with the need to reveal to Kim her relationship with Ron. |
| 128 |
November 12, 1992 |
Faith, Hope and Charity (1) |
Whitley's mother (Diahann Carroll) shows up for Thanksgiving with an apparent new boyfriend, whose motives Whitley doubts, while Dwayne's mother (Patti LaBelle) likewise shows up unannounced; the fighting that ensues leads to the women's being embroiled in a local protest for Haitian rights and being hauled off to jail. |
| 129 |
November 12, 1992 |
Faith, Hope and Charity (2) |
Waiting for their children to show up with bail money, the mothers-in-law are shocked to learn of the recent blows to the family finances; each makes up with her child after expressing the grief she had felt over the circumstances of her only child's wedding; revealing that he knows Freddie is cheating on him with Ron, Shazza breaks up with her |
| 130 |
November 19, 1992 |
Original Teacher |
Dwayne takes on the difficult task of mentoring two teens (played by rap duo Kris Kross) from rival gangs. |
| 131 |
December 3, 1992 |
Occupational Hazards |
Whitley buys an expensive suit for a job interview, stains the suit before she can return it, and does not get the job. |
| 132 |
December 17, 1992 |
White Christmas |
Freddie's mother, a counselor, arrives at Christmas and immediately involves herself in everyone's personal problems, to her daughter's discomfort but others' relief; Shazza tries to woo Freddie back from Ron. |
| 133 |
January 7, 1993 |
To Whit, With Love |
Whitley takes a position teaching rebellious students in a low-income school, eventually breaking through to them by teaching them African-American history not contained in their outdated textbooks. Lena's bourgeoning relationship with Dorian is threatened when she learns that he is abstaining from premarital sex. |
| 134 |
January 14, 1993 |
Happy Birthday to Moi |
Disappointed with how her year has gone, Whitley determines to plan herself the best surprise party ever by prying Dwayne's plans out of Kim. |
| 135 |
January 21, 1993 |
Mind Your Own Business |
Ron and Mr. Gaines purchase a nighclub together, but the cancellation of the opening night act threatens to send Ron into financial ruin. The four members of En Vogue appear as Mr. Gaines' nieces. |
| 136 |
May 8, 1993 |
When One Door Closes... (1) |
Dwayne develops a video game and sells it to Kinishewa, which wants to hire him for a job in Japan. Whitley finds out she is pregnant, inspiring Kim finally to say "yes" to Spencer's proposal of marriage. (This hour-long episode was intended to be the series finale. Chronologically, the final events of A Different World occur here) |
| 137 |
May 8, 1993 |
When One Door Closes... (2) |
The in-laws come to prepare Dwayne and Whitley for the move, then proceed to get drunk after discovering they will be having a baby while in Japan. Ron contemplates suing his friend over the fact that Dwayne's grammar-baseball game originated from his own idea, causing Freddie to question their relationship. (This hour-long episode was intended to be the series finale. Chronologically, the final events of A Different World occur here) |
| 138 |
May 27, 1993 |
Lean on Me |
Dwayne applies for an internship at Kinishewa... and his ex-girlfriend Kinu is the interviewer. |
| 139 |
June 3, 1993 |
Dancing Machines |
Dorian and Lena, Charmaine and Terrell participate in a dance marathon fundraiser for Amnesty International with a $1000 cash prize, but Freddie is unconvinced that Ron's seemingly materialistic approach is the right means to achieve her ends. |
| 140 |
June 10, 1993 |
Cabin in the Sky |
Strapped for cash, Whitley and Dwayne opt to share a cabin with the middle-aged Vernon and Velma Gaines in an attempt at a long-delayed honeymoon, but their plans are thrown a curve when the Gaineses have a major fight and refuse to share a room. |
| 141 |
June 17, 1993 |
Great X-Pectations |
While preparing for a history assignment on the only meeting between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, Terrell and Charmaine are physically threatened by several local residents, causing Terrell to take drastic measures that could spell the end of his matriculation at Hillman; Spencer proposes marriage to Kim as often as four times a day without receiving a clear "yes." Last episode to air on NBC; originally planned to air during Black History Month between #136 and #137. |
| 142 |
June 24, 1993 |
Homie, Don't Ya Know Me? |
Jada Pinkett's childhood friend Tupac Shakur guest stars as Lena's ex-boyfriend Piccolo, one of several friends from Baltimore who have come to visit her at Hillman, causing a rift in her other relationships. (This episode aired only in syndication after the show's original run ended.) |
| 143 |
July 8, 1993 |
A Rock, a River, a Lena |
When famed singer-actress Lena Horne comes to campus, Whitley mounts an elaborate tribute with her students, but Kim is struck by Whitley's inability to pay similar respect to Ms. Horne's contemporary, Mr. Gaines. |
| 144 |
N/A |
College Kid |
Gina, Lena, Charmaine, Dorian, and Terrell rent an off-campus apartment from a grumpy older man (Billy Dee Williams) who turns out to be a former baseball star. He is inspired to consider attending college, particularly after seeing an old flame (Leslie Uggams) who is now a professor. Gina's abusive ex-boyfriend returns to try to establish contact anew, frightening her and infuriating her friends. (This episode aired only in syndication after the show's original run ended.) |
