Why Was A Different World Cancelled?

[jbwaller]

Hey,

This is Justin Waller. I was wondering why was A Different World cancelled in 1993? I was a very good show.


From,
Justin B. Waller

[ThomasE]

The ratings declinded drastically in the last season. It wasn't even funny(ratings, I mean). It was on hiatus and then when brought back it was treated right. NBC aired the finale on a Saturday evening and then aired the rest of the episodes during the summer time in the Thrusday night slot and then aired one on a friday? Nah. It wasn't treated fairly in the end.

[CCRYDER1968]

I think it just changed to much in the last season.The audience had a certain comfort level and it all changed last season.I guess it just ran its course!

[Anna Karenina]

Whitley and Dwayne got married and they should have gotten a spin off set in Japan.

That might have been interesting.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

The ratings declinded drastically in the last season. It wasn't even funny(ratings, I mean). It was on hiatus and then when brought back it was treated right. NBC aired the finale on a Saturday evening and then aired the rest of the episodes during the summer time in the Thrusday night slot and then aired one on a friday? Nah. It wasn't treated fairly in the end.

Yeah, NBC moved it to 8:00, which was the old timeslot of its parent show, The Cosby Show and immediately struggled. Part of the reason is that Fox had just premiered Martin, which cut into ADW's audience. Before Martin, I believe that ADW was the top rated show among African-American viewers.

Also, NBC pretty much were ready to get rid of the show after they did an episode about the then recent Los Angeles riots. I don't remember all of the details, but I think that without the influence Bill Cosby, NBC just treated ADW like any other show. And the brass at NBC weren't comfortable with their shows tackling real life hot button/sensitive issues like the LA riots of 1992.

[favoriteshow]

Originally Posted by TMC

Yeah, NBC moved it to 8:00, which was the old timeslot of its parent show, The Cosby Show and immediately struggled. Part of the reason is that Fox had just premiered Martin, which cut into ADW's audience. Before Martin, I believe that ADW was the top rated show among African-American viewers.

Also, NBC pretty much were ready to get rid of the show after they did an episode about the then recent Los Angeles riots. I don't remember all of the details, but I think that without the influence Bill Cosby, NBC just treated ADW like any other show. And NBC weren't comfortable with their shows tackling real life hot button/sensitive issues like the LA riots of 1992.

I remember NBC aired a 'Cheers' rerun at 8pm throughout the rest of the 1992-1993 schedule, the year after Cosby Show was off the air. 'Seinfeld' had just started as well and was airing at 9:30pm. I hate that it happened this way, but ADW seemed out of place on the schedule with mainly very white cast only shows around it, the rest of the night. Of course, now if you put a minority on an ensemble cast show like Cheers, it'd be called being politically correct and viewed negatively as well. But I think like a lot of 90s sitcoms, the show was wearing out. It's often like the writers (at that time) harmed shows when they advanced the story lines too fast (Whitley and Dwayne, now married).

[ThomasE]

Originally Posted by TMC

Yeah, NBC moved it to 8:00, which was the old timeslot of its parent show, The Cosby Show and immediately struggled. Part of the reason is that Fox had just premiered Martin, which cut into ADW's audience. Before Martin, I believe that ADW was the top rated show among African-American viewers.

Also, NBC pretty much were ready to get rid of the show after they did an episode about the then recent Los Angeles riots. I don't remember all of the details, but I think that without the influence Bill Cosby, NBC just treated ADW like any other show. And NBC weren't comfortable with their shows tackling real life hot button/sensitive issues like the LA riots of 1992.

Actually, it wasn't Martin that cut into the audience (at first) as that show didn't air until 8:30pm. The Simpsons was the competition. Then Out All Night Starring Patti LaBelle took the 8pm slot and A Different World moved to 8:30.

[ThomasE]

Originally Posted by favoriteshow

I remember NBC aired a 'Cheers' rerun at 8pm throughout the rest of the 1992-1993 schedule, the year after Cosby Show was off the air. 'Seinfeld' had just started as well and was airing at 9:30pm. I hate that it happened this way, but ADW seemed out of place on the schedule with mainly very white cast only shows around it, the rest of the night. Of course, now if you put a minority on an ensemble cast show like Cheers, it'd be called being politically correct and viewed negatively as well. But I think like a lot of 90s sitcoms, the show was wearing out. It's often like the writers (at that time) harmed shows when they advanced the story lines too fast (Whitley and Dwayne, now married).

Now, Dwayne and Whitley didn't rush the marriage in a sense. Granted, it was impromptu but the storyline had been building up over time with these characters.

[favoriteshow]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

Now, Dwayne and Whitley didn't rush the marriage in a sense. Granted, it was impromptu but the storyline had been building up over time with these characters.

Oh yeah I know. Back then, it made sense, but I meant the writers could have kept them single a bit longer, maybe tried grad school as a way to extend the show. The show became too focused on them as a couple.

Even on The Office, I preferred when Jim was courting Pam and thought chemistry was better before they tied the knot.

For ADW, Dawnn Lewis kind of got screwed. She was a listed star all the way from Season 1 (unlike Jasmine Guy) forward to Season 5, but the focus tilted a lot towards Jasmine Guy as the show matured while Dawnn was just another character.

So, Dawnn left for Hangin With Mr. Cooper, only to be written out of that show after Season 1, when the producers wanted to be more TGIF friendly. Granted the first season opening of Hangin was over the top and not positioned well for families, but I don't know why they had to replace Dawnn Lewis for Saundra Quarterman. But that's a discussion for another show.

I thought the ladies of ADW (Seasons 2-5), Jasmine Guy, Dawnn Lewis, Cree Summer and Charnele Brown, were more interesting than the men as well, and wish Dawnn wasn't focused out of the show, while it became a Dwayne+Whitley as a couple focused show. But that's just my opinion as of now.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by favoriteshow

Oh yeah I know. Back then, it made sense, but I meant the writers could have kept them single a bit longer, maybe tried grad school as a way to extend the show. The show became too focused on them as a couple.

Even on The Office, I preferred when Jim was courting Pam and thought chemistry was better before they tied the knot.

For ADW, Dawnn Lewis kind of got screwed. She was a listed star all the way from Season 1 (unlike Jasmine Guy) forward to Season 5, but the focus tilted a lot towards Jasmine Guy as the show matured while Dawnn was just another character.

So, Dawnn left for Hangin With Mr. Cooper, only to be written out of that show after Season 1, when the producers wanted to be more TGIF friendly. Granted the first season opening of Hangin was over the top and not positioned well for families, but I don't know why they had to replace Dawnn Lewis for Saundra Quarterman. But that's a discussion for another show.

I thought the ladies of ADW (Seasons 2-5), Jasmine Guy, Dawnn Lewis, Cree Summer and Charnele Brown, were more interesting than the men as well, and wish Dawnn wasn't focused out of the show, while it became a Dwayne+Whitley as a couple focused show. But that's just my opinion as of now.

They pretty much ruined Jalessa's character in her last season. She went from being a sassy, no-nonsense, independent woman, who's determined to get an education to a ditzy, whiny, bland stepford wife for Col. Taylor. Jalessa and Col. Taylor has to be among the most random, mismatched pairings ever. Did they even they ever interacted with each other prior to TPTB shipping them off together? In hindsight, maybe Jalessa should've left along with Walter (Sinbad's character). Jaleesa's character was probably at her worst when they had her pregnant.

[TMC]

As for why ADW was canceled, I know that this has been used many times before, but the show may have simply run its course (especially after Dwayne and Whitley got married). Dwayne and Whitley's storyline was the major draw and after they got married, it really felt like the writers had a hard time making other compelling storylines. The show kept coming up with contrived ways to keep the characters attached to Hilman (like Hillman having both a medical school and law school for Kim and Freddie).

Also, towards the latter years, they added too many new characters (Bumper Robinson, Jada Pinkett, Ajai Sanders, Karen Malina White, etc.) who sort of clashed with the original line up (minus Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei of course). There was just too much going on with the new set of characters and their story lines.

[Pixie Kicks]

The riot episode was the reason for its cancellation...

[TMC]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

The ratings declinded drastically in the last season. It wasn't even funny(ratings, I mean). It was on hiatus and then when brought back it was treated right. NBC aired the finale on a Saturday evening and then aired the rest of the episodes during the summer time in the Thrusday night slot and then aired one on a friday? Nah. It wasn't treated fairly in the end.

Some of the episodes from the final season that weren't burned off by NBC on Saturday nights actually premiered in syndication, like the one that had Tupac Shakur as a guest-star.

[Alan Brady's Hair]

I think it just wasn't a very good show. It occupied as cushy a time slot as any show ever had. When The Cosby Show left the air, that was it for A Different World.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

I think it just wasn't a very good show. It occupied as cushy a time slot as any show ever had. When The Cosby Show left the air, that was it for A Different World.

I was just thinking, is it unfair to suggest that A Different World was when you get right down to it, really a "time slot hit"? NBC kept running it on Thursday nights after The Cosby Show to presumably keep Bill Cosby happy. When The Cosby Show ended and NBC moved ADW into the Thursday 8 p.m. slot to take over, it pretty much bombed so badly that the network had to shift it to Fridays after a couple of months.

A Different World likely would've been canceled after Season 1, given how by the casts' (such as Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison) own admission, how horrible and clunky it was had their coveted post-Cosby Show/pre-Cheers timeslot not given them just enough traction before Debbie Allen was able to come in and revitalize the show.