A Different World (TV Series)

[dragonflies]

Yeah I too always loved ADW better than the Cosby show

I love that they got alot of mail about Dwayne and Whitley, I love them so much

Sorry to hear about the actor who played Mr Gaines RIP

[DRW50]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BReb9EqA002/?taken-by=themichaelsmith

[John]

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[DramatistDreamer]

Fun fact: Marisa Tomei is the godmother of Lisa Bonet's eldest daughter, Zoë Kravitz.

 

Although I already knew all of this stuff (Previously, I had posted the connection between Meg Ryan and Marisa Tomei in the As The World Turns thread), it's interesting to see that archival footage with entertainment pundits talking about Lisa Bonet as if she were the main problem.  I wonder what those pundits would say today in light of all that has been revealed about Cosby. 

And that entire thing about firing her from ADW because she was pregnant, probably would be an enormous lawsuit had it happened today.

 

Just an aside but the audio quality of that video was really poor, especially toward the end.

 

Also, I think some measure of Debbie Allen's suggestions should've been followed, if they didn't want a single and preggers version of Denise, she could have taken a year off and returned and it would've thrown intrigue into the DeWayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert situation, complicating things.  It just seemed that toward the end, the show was running out of steam and having a few additional storylines to draw from might have extended the show for a bit.  Then again, Tomei leaving when she did left her open to do other things down the road

, like co-star in a movie that would win her an Academy Award.

[dragonflies]

 

[John]

Marissa quit then cause Debbie wanted her to continue ir did NBC can her?

[DramatistDreamer]

 

NBC fired Tomei, they overrode Debbie Allen's proposal.  In both cases, Debbie wanted both Bonet and Tomei to remain on the show. Cosby (on Bonet) and NBC (on Tomei) disagreed with her and ultimately made the final decision. 

 

When Kadeem Hardison found out that Tomei was being terminated, he told Marisa that better things were in store for her-- turns out he was right.

People, not having full knowledge of the situation blamed Allen but she's made it very clear that she wanted both to stay. She thought it would have been intriguing to have Denise Huxtable be pregnant and in college and wanted to show how Maggie Lawson, as a white student at a predominantly black college would make her way through campus life. 

Edited July 10, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[BetterForgotten]

I mean, I also don't think Bill Cosby would have wanted his TV daughter's pregnancy written into that show anyway. Hell, when Denise returned to TCS, he made her a damn step-mom in a rushed marriage. 

[John]

Why was Lisa fired in 1991?

[BetterForgotten]

Apparently due to her erratic behavior and showing up late to tapings. Her relationship with Cosby had deteriorate by that point, but looking back and knowing what we know about Cosby now, I do wonder what the dynamics of their relationship was like. 

 

Bonet has refused to particulate in just about every reunion of TCS. 

Edited July 10, 2019 by BetterForgotten

[John]

she did do the DW reunion in Nickeloden that one time. Was rthat NICK or TVLand?

[DramatistDreamer]

 

I agree, that's why I mentioned in an earlier post that I thought some but not all of Allen's suggestions could've been followed.

 

Had it been me, I would've written a story arc where Denise started overeating to cope (then the weight gain would've been easy to explain) with her academic struggles (which had already been written into the story) which leads Jaleesa and Maggie to draw the conclusion that Denise may be pregnant but Denise will tell them that this is not the case but she is worried that something could be really wrong with her, so Maggie and Jaleesa convince her to get a full physical.  After some stressful days, Denise discovers that she is suffering from acute stress which is causing hormonal disruption, which convinces Denise that she should just drop out, alarming Dwayne, who for his own personal reasons, wants her to stay. 

Dwayne tries to convince Denise to just take an academic leave of absence but to promise to return and finish her education.  Denise promises to consider it but wants to see the 'Real World', maybe travel to see how other people live and cope, then maybe college won't be so overwhelming.  Dwayne feels encouraged until Whitley bluntly tells him that Denise won't return because most students who leave don't return. Dwayne insists that those students leave because of financial struggle and money is not Denise's problem but Whitley gets in his head to not get his hopes up. 

 

If Denise would've returned, that would've thrown Dwayne and Whitley's blossoming romance into question, which would've been interesting.  Bill Cosby was very spiteful and controlling and obviously didn't want Denise back on ADW.  Denise didn't have to be pregnant.  Denise could've simply taken a leave of absence and returned. 

Dwayne and Whitley could have still been endgame and Denise would have been a much more interesting antagonist than Kinu, Dwayne's Afro-Japanese girlfriend. Even Martin, Denise's future husband, could've been brought on.  Since both were military, Col. Taylor could've have been a mentor and brought Martin onto campus in some capacity (I don't remember what Martin did for a living).  

 

In terms Debbie's suggestion, I was more interested in the Maggie angle since that has never been done before. It would've been interesting to see Freddie Brookes and Maggie Lawson interact, especially when Freddie's 'New Age' mother appeared on the show.

Edited July 10, 2019 by DramatistDreamer

[Soaplovers]

I do know from watching the Foundations Interview with Debbie that she was excited about Maggie (Tomei) because she said that when she was in college, there were some white students at the college.. and she said she wanted to show the racism and struggles her character would have encountered... but sadly, that was veteoed by people outside of Allen.

 

Do you guys think had Maggie stayed on would Freddie have been created... or was Freddie created to fill a void left by the Maggie character not being there?

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Well, I know that Debbie Allen, per her remarks might have tested an interracial relationship between Maggie and Dwayne and that was where the racism element would have arisen, on her own Maggie would have likely faced an element of prejudice, not racism.

 

I don't believe that Freddie was created to fill a void left by Maggie since Freddie was bi-racial (not white) and self-identified as black. 

Being white on a historically black campus is a vastly different dynamic than someone who has some Black/African heritage. 

Also, Freddie was one of the most pro-black, militant students on campus (remember her stance on Orangle Glo pharmaceuticals and divesting from South Africa?).  That wouldn't at all have been the case with Maggie.  The only time that Freddie really proclaimed her white side was when her mother visited campus or her cousin Matthew was on for a part of one season.  I remember how Whitley talked in hush tones about Freddie being mixed, as if if were some big secret, LOL.

[ChitHappens]

 

One of the worst things to ever happen to me!