Best tv shows like A Different World
Last updated March 2024
Looking for tv shows like A Different World? Contribute your expertise to guide others toward tv series and films you've viewed before that may also consume them. Help enlarge the circle of people referring videos between each other. We welcome your engagement!
Plot Summary:
A Different World is an American television sitcom which aired for six seasons on NBC. It is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show and originally centered on Denise Huxtable and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional mixed but historically black college in the state of Virginia. After Bonet's departure in the first season, the remainder of the series primarily focused more on Southern belle Whitley Gilbert and mathematics whiz Dwayne Wayne. The series frequently depicted members of the major historically black fraternities and sororities. While it was a spin-off from The Cosby Show, A Different World would typically address issues that were avoided by The Cosby Show writers. One episode that aired in 1990 was one of the first American network television episodes to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious, telenovela, black cinema
Best tv shows and movies like A Different World (1987):
Similar in 82%
Amen (1986)
Plot Summary:
Amen is an American television sitcom produced by Carson Productions that ran from September 27, 1986 to May 11, 1991 on NBC. Set in Sherman Hemsley's real-life hometown of Philadelphia, Amen stars Hemsley as the deacon of a church and was part of a wave of successful sitcoms on NBC in the 1980s which featured entirely or almost-entirely black casts. Others included The Cosby Show, A Different World, and 227.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 83%
The Parent 'Hood (1995)
Plot Summary:
The Parent 'Hood is an American sitcom that aired on The WB airing from January 18, 1995 to July 25, 1999. The series starred Robert Townsend and Suzzanne Douglas. Originally to have been titled Father Knows Nothing, the series was one of the four sitcoms that aired as part of the original Wednesday night two-hour lineup that helped launch The WB network.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 87%
The Hughleys (1998)
Plot Summary:
The Hughleys is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 22, 1998 to April 28, 2000 and on the UPN network from September 11, 2000 to May 20, 2002. It starred comedian D. L. Hughley as the main character, Darryl Hughley, and Elise Neal as Yvonne, his hard-working wife, who move their family from the inner city to suburban Los Angeles.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 858
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, touching, offbeat, humorous, realistic, semi serious, black cinema
Similar in 81%
The Wayans Bros. (1995)
Plot Summary:
The Wayans Bros. is a situation comedy that aired from January 1995 to May 1999 on The WB. The series starred real-life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Both brothers were already well-known from the sketch comedy show In Living Color that was aired from 1990 to 1994 on Fox. The series also starred John Witherspoon and Anna Maria Horsford.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious, black comedy, black cinema
Similar in 85%
The Jeffersons (1975)
Plot Summary:
The Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. The show was produced by the T.A.T. Communications Company from 1975–1982 and by Embassy Television from 1982–1985. The Jeffersons is one of the longest-running sitcoms in the history of American television. The show focuses on George and Louise Jefferson, an affluent Black couple living in New York City. The show was launched as the second spin-off of All in the Family, on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. The show was the creation of prolific television producer Norman Lear. However, it was less sharply political in tone than some of his shows. The Jeffersons evolved into more of a traditional sitcom, relying more on the characters' interactions with one another than on explicitly political dialogue or storylines. It did, however, tackle a few controversial topics, including racism, suicide, gun control and adult illiteracy. Also, the words "nigger" and "honky" were used occasionally, especially during the earlier seasons. The Jeffersons had one spin-off, titled Checking In. The short-lived series was centered around the Jeffersons' housekeeper, Florence. Checking In only lasted four episodes, after which Florence returned to The Jeffersons.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, offbeat, humorous, realistic, witty, not serious, black cinema
Similar in 82%
Good Times (1974)
Plot Summary:
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer. Good Times is a spin-off of Maude, which is itself a spin-off of All in the Family along with The Jeffersons. The series is set in Chicago. The first two seasons were taped at CBS Television City in Hollywood. In the fall of 1975, the show moved to Metromedia Square, where Norman Lear's own production company was housed.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, sentimental, semi serious, retro, sitcom, vintage, black cinema
Similar in 87%
Gimme a Break! (1981)
Plot Summary:
Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom which aired on NBC for six seasons, October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious, melancholic, suspenseful
Similar in 89%
The Steve Harvey Show (1996)
Plot Summary:
The Steve Harvey Show is an American sitcom that aired for six seasons from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002 on The WB Television Network. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, humorous, realistic, talky, not serious, black cinema
Similar in 81%
Black-ish (2014)
Plot Summary:
A family man struggles to gain a sense of cultural identity while raising his kids in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, not serious, realistic, feel good, funny, hilarious
Similar in 84%
Barbershop (2005)
Plot Summary:
Calvin Palmer is the owner of a barbershop on the Southside of Chicago. Reluctantly inheriting the neighborhood establishment and popular hangout from his father, he juggles his responsibilities to his clients, his family, and his community as a cast of unique characters regularly bring their hopes, dreams and problems with them into the shop.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 320
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, feel good, captivating, light, touching, realistic, semi serious, black cinema
Similar in 85%
The Tracy Morgan Show (2003)
Plot Summary:
The Tracy Morgan Show is an American sitcom that aired from December 2, 2003 to March 20, 2004 on NBC. The series stars Tracy Morgan and Tamala Jones. The show was canceled in its first season after 18 episodes.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 273
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, light, feel good, captivating, realistic, not serious
Similar in 81%
In the House (1995)
Plot Summary:
In the House is an American sitcom that premiered on April 10, 1995 on NBC. The series moved to UPN after its second season, where it remained for an additional three seasons until it was canceled on August 11, 1999. In the House starred LL Cool J and Maia Campbell.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sweet, touching, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 86%
Kate & Allie (1984)
Plot Summary:
Kate & Allie is an American television situation comedy which ran from March 19, 1984, to May 22, 1989. Kate & Allie first aired on CBS as a midseason replacement series and only six episodes were initially commissioned, but the favorable response from critics and viewers alike easily convinced CBS to commit to a full season in the fall of 1984. The series was created by Sherry Coben.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, touching, feel good, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 79%
Malcolm & Eddie (1996)
Plot Summary:
Malcolm & Eddie is an American television sitcom that premiered August 26, 1996 on the UPN Network, and ran for four seasons, airing its final episode on May 22, 2000. This series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin in the lead roles. The program was produced by TriStar Television in its first three seasons and by Columbia TriStar Television in its final season.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 80%
All of Us (2003)
Plot Summary:
All of Us is an American sitcom that premiered on the now-defunct UPN network in the United States on September 16, 2003, where it aired for its first three seasons. On October 1, 2006, the show moved to The CW, a new network formed by the merger of UPN and The WB, where it aired for one more season before being cancelled on May 14, 2007.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, touching, humorous, semi serious, realistic, black cinema
Similar in 78%
Living Single (1993)
Plot Summary:
Living Single is an American television sitcom that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone. Throughout its run, Living Single became one of the most popular African-American sitcoms of its era, ranking among the top five in African-American ratings in all five seasons. The series was produced by Yvette Lee Bowser's company, Sister Lee, in association with Warner Bros. Television. In contrast to the popularity of NBC's "Must See TV" on Thursday nights in the 1990s, many African American and Latino viewers flocked to Fox's Thursday night line-up of Martin, Living Single, and New York Undercover. In fact, these were the three highest-rated series among black households for the 1996–1997 season.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious, black cinema
Similar in 87%
The Jamie Foxx Show (1996)
Plot Summary:
The Jamie Foxx Show is an American television sitcom that aired on the WB Network from August 28, 1996 to January 14, 2001. The series stars Jamie Foxx, Garcelle Beauvais, Christopher B. Duncan, Ellia English, and Garrett Morris.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, not serious, black cinema
Similar in 80%
227 (1985)
Plot Summary:
227 is an American situation comedy that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, until May 6, 1990. The series stars Marla Gibbs as a sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife, Mary Jenkins. It was produced by Embassy Television from 1985 to 1986 and by Embassy Communications from 1986 until 1988; then ELP Communications through Columbia Pictures Television produced the series in its final two seasons.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, realistic, semi serious, black cinema
Similar in 76%
One on One (2001)
Plot Summary:
One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from September 3, 2001 to May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter Breanna moves in with him. The series was based in Baltimore for the first four seasons before changing settings to Los Angeles for the final season. The series featured guest appearances from numerous celebrities and athletes including Lil Zane, Chris Brown, Brave from RichGirl, Lil' Romeo, Eve, Lloyd, Floetry, Angie Stone, Mario, Omarion, Brandy, Solange Knowles, Marques Houston, Smokey Robinson, Avant, New Edition, Jennifer Freeman, Method Man, Bobby V, and Lisa Leslie, among others. The show was cancelled when The WB and UPN merged to form The CW.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, humorous, realistic, touching, semi serious, black cinema
Similar in 81%
What's Happening!! (1976)
Plot Summary:
What's Happening!! is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from August 5, 1976 to April 28, 1979. The show premiered as a summer series. With good ratings and reviews, and after the failure of several other shows on the network, What's Happening!! returned in November 1976 as a weekly series. It remained a regular show until 1979; ratings were modest. What's Happening!! was loosely based on the motion picture Cooley High, also written by Eric Monte.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, humorous, realistic, not serious, black comedy, teen comedy
Similar in 85%
That '80s Show (2002)
Plot Summary:
That '80s Show is an American sitcom that aired from January through May 2002. Despite having a similar name, show structure, and many of the same writers and production staff, it is not considered a direct spin-off of the more successful That '70s Show. The characters and storylines from both shows never crossed paths. It was a separate decade-based show created because of That '70s Show's popularity at the time. The show was set in 1984 and revolved around the lives of a group of friends living in San Diego, California. It debuted January 23, 2002, and the final episode aired May 29, 2002. Its regular time slot was on Wednesday nights at 8:00/7:00 Central on the Fox Network, although a few shows were aired on different nights. Its main time slot competitors were ABC's My Wife and Kids, CBS's 60 Minutes II, and NBC's Ed. All 13 episodes, which were filmed at CBS Studio Center, aired at least once.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, humorous, semi serious, retro, realistic
Similar in 88%
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Plot Summary:
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their wealthy Bel Air mansion, where his lifestyle often clashes with that of his relatives. The 148 episodes were broadcast over six seasons.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 143000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, witty, feel good, realistic, hilarious, funny, sweet, entertaining, hood
Similar in 86%
The Parkers (1999)
Plot Summary:
The Parkers is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004. A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers features the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker. The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting became very popular in the early 2000s.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 20 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sweet, touching, humorous, realistic, not serious, black cinema
Similar in 82%
Glory Daze (2010)
Plot Summary:
Glory Daze is an American comedy-drama television series. The one-hour series revolves around a group of college freshmen who pledge a fraternity in 1986. The series aired from November 16, 2010, to January 18, 2011 on TBS. On February 24, 2011, TBS announced that the series would not be renewed for a second season due to poor ratings.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: realistic, humorous, not serious, suspenseful, retro, sitcom, exciting
Similar in 77%
Roommates (2009)
Plot Summary:
Roommates is an American television sitcom developed by ABC Family and Acme Productions that premiered on March 23, 2009. On April 29, 2009, it was announced that Roommates would not return for a second season.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 503
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration:
Plot tags: sitcom, not serious, sentimental, humorous, realistic, witty, slapstick
Similar in 84%
What About Joan? (2000)
Plot Summary:
What About Joan? is an ABC sitcom that aired in 2001 for 2 seasons. It starred Joan Cusack as Joan Gallagher, a Chicago schoolteacher and the comedy of her day-to-day life. It co-starred Kyle Chandler. It was produced by James L. Brooks, Richard Sakai, David Richardson and Ed Weinberger.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 173
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, touching, humorous, semi serious, realistic, witty
Similar in 77%
Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993)
Plot Summary:
Saved by the Bell: The College Years is a sequel to the Saved by the Bell series which ran from September 14, 1993 to February 8, 1994, lasting one season. It was the third incarnation of the franchise. It is also the only series of the franchise to air on primetime television instead of Saturday mornings. It aired on NBC on Tuesday evenings.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, feel good, not serious, humorous, realistic, sweet, black comedy, dark comedy, teen comedy
Similar in 79%
Coming of Age (2007)
Plot Summary:
A frank look into the outrageous world of a group of sixth form students living in Abingdon as they enjoy a final romp with adolescence.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 841
Genere: Comedy
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: touching, feel good, humorous, realistic, sitcom, semi serious
Similar in 88%
Campus Ladies (2006)
Plot Summary:
Campus Ladies is an American sitcom that premiered on Oxygen on January 8, 2006. It stars Christen Sussin and Carrie Aizley as two 40-something women who decide to go enroll at the fictional University of the Midwest. The humor comes from the various situations the "ladies" get involved in while trying to fit in with their much younger friends and classmates.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 432
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, witty, semi serious, sitcom, offbeat, biting, suspense
Similar in 83%
Girlfriends (2000)
Plot Summary:
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008. The final episode aired on February 11, 2008. When Girlfriends returned in fall 2007 for its eighth season, it became the longest-running live-action sitcom on network television that was on air that year, as well as one of the highest-rated scripted shows on television among African American adults and women 18-34, including its spin-off The Game.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: sitcom, humorous, sentimental, realistic, semi serious, captivating, light, sincere, feel good, entertaining