6.9/1090 votes#1 - Reconcilable Differences
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/1987
During her first few days at Hillman College, Denise Huxtable finds herself at odds with her new roommate, Jaleesa, a 26-year-old freshman with a mysterious past.
Director: N/A
Writer: Thad Mumford, Lissa Levin
- 7.4/1081 votes
#2 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/1987
Denise's financial irresponsibility might get her and Jaleesa thrown out of the dorm.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra
- 7.1/1068 votes
#3 - Porky de Bergerac
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/1987
Questionable tactics abound when Denise plays dating games and Jaleesa is elected dorm monitor.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1062 votes
#4 - Those Who Can't... Tutor
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/22/1987
Denise's calculus tutor Dwayne is caught sneaking out of Whitley's window after curfew.
Director: Kim Friedman
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1063 votes
#5 - War of the Words
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/1987
Whitley's claim that women can't succeed at both career and family infuriates Lisa and Maggie.
Director: N/A
Writer: Joe Gannon
- 7.5/1070 votes
#6 - Rudy and the Snow Queen
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/1987
Rudy visits Hillman and becomes enchanted by Whitley, who tries to make her into the perfect little lady.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.4/1056 votes
#7 - Sometimes You Get the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Gets You
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/19/1987
The girls plan Operation Yogi, a plot to steal the rival school's bear-head mascot, but a visit from Denise's grandfather makes a boo-boo inevitable.
Director: N/A
Writer: Thad Mumford
- 6.6/1057 votes
#8 - If Chosen, I May Not Run
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/3/1987
In the family tradition of "Combustible" Huxtable, Denise is chosen for Hillman's track team, but after a few practices she starts running out of steam.
Director: N/A
Writer: Thad Mumford
- 6.5/1054 votes
#9 - Romancing Mr. Stone
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/10/1987
A geology professor has every woman in the class fighting for his attention.
Director: N/A
Writer: Scott S. Gorden
- 6.8/1054 votes
#10 - The Gift of the Magi
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/17/1987
Whitley's secret Santa surprises her with a visit from her newly separated daddy, who walks in with his youthful girlfriend.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1055 votes
#11 - Does He or Doesn't He?
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/7/1988
Tired of being hit on by men, a grad student decides to turn the tables and seduce Dwayne.
Director: N/A
Writer: Thad Mumford
- 6.2/1057 votes
#12 - Advise and Descent
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/14/1988
During finals week, Denise's work suffers because she decides to be a peer counselor, and the girls' looks suffer under test stress.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.5/1051 votes
#13 - The Prime of Miss Lettie Bostic
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/21/1988
Hillman alumna Lettie Bostic fills in as dorm monitor, but her strongly voiced opinions have the girls considering mutiny.
Director: N/A
Writer: Thad Mumford
- 7.0/1062 votes
#14 - Wild Child
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/4/1988
Lettie pulls some strings to help a student who has been attending classes without enrolling.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/1055 votes
#15 - Dr. Cupid
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/11/1988
Dwayne uses his radio persona "Dr. Cupid" to find a Valentine's Day date, and Denise uses Dr. Cupid to reconcile Lettie and an old love.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1053 votes
#16 - The Show Must Go On
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/18/1988
Denise and Whitley both think they're the apple of the leading man's eye in a play about the Garden of Eden.
Director: Kim Friedman
Writer: Steven Peterman, Gary Dontzig
- 7.5/1055 votes
#17 - Mr. Hillman
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/25/1988
In the name of sexual equality, Denise convinces Dwayne to run in the Miss Hillman Beauty Pageant against Whitley.
Director: Matthew Diamond
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1054 votes
#18 - Speech Therapy
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/10/1988
Whitley hides an illegal humidifier; Jaleesa sweats over her fear of oral reports; Maggie steams over the debt Denise owes her.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.0/1051 votes
#19 - Clair's Last Stand
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/24/1988
Clair Huxtable visits Denise bearing motherly advice as well as news that conflicts with Denise's summer plans.
Director: N/A
Writer: Thad Mumford
- 7.7/1058 votes
#20 - If Only for One Night
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/28/1988
Whitley panics about spending the summer alone; Dwayne tries a new tack with Denise; and Maggie holds a yard sale.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 5.9/1052 votes
#21 - Come Back, Little Eggby
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/5/1988
A psychology experiment in parenting calls for egg-doption, but when Jaleesa loses Maggie's "eggby," she and Denise scramble to find it.
Director: N/A
Writer: Scott S. Gorden
- 6.1/1049 votes
#22 - My Dinner With Theo
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 7/7/1988
Denise strains her brain trying to improve her grades, so she invites Theo up for a weekend of family inspiration.
Director: N/A
Writer: Scott S. Gorden
The Best Episodes of A Different World Season 1
Every episode of A Different World Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of A Different World Season 1!
A Different World is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show and originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College,...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:NBC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Reconcilable Differences" is the best rated episode of "A Different World" season 1. It scored 6.9/10 based on 90 votes. Directed by N/A and written by Thad Mumford, Lissa Levin, it aired on 9/24/1987. This episode is rated 0.5 points higher than the second-best, "Pilot".