A Different World boss addresses huge Lisa Bonet ending reveal as she talks season 2

The ending of Netflix’s A Different World reboot features a pretty big tease about original star Lisa Bonet’s Denise Huxtable, so could she actually be coming back? Well, showrunner Felicia Pride has now addressed the possibility.

The new sequel series returns to Hillman College more than 30 years after the original sitcom ended, this time following a new generation of students led by Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), the daughter of original favourites Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison).

Guy and Hardison both reprise their roles, alongside several other familiar faces including Cree Summer as Freddie Brooks and Darryl M. Bell as Ron Johnson. But the finale reveals another major connection to the original series. 

You see, Ellington (Vincent Jamal Hooper), who has grown close to Deborah throughout the season, reveals that his full name is Ellington Kendall and that his mother is none other than Denise Huxtable.

And that’s not the only tease. After learning who Ellington’s mother is, Dwayne later secretly calls Denise and tells her, “I really need you right now,” leaving the door wide open for Bonet to make her return if A Different World continues.

Could Lisa Bonet return as Denise in A Different World?

In a conversation with TV Guide, A Different World showrunner Felicia Pride explained that the Denise tease is one of many cliffhangers they would want to explore if (or perhaps when) Netflix greenlights season 2. 

Bonet portrayed the character in season 1 of the series before leaving after becoming pregnant with her daughter, Zoë Kravitz.

Speaking about where the idea to tie her in originated from, Pride explained, “Across the board, when our new cast had ideas, we implemented them… It was actually Kadeem’s idea to somehow incorporate Denise, and we were like, ‘OK!’”

She continued: “He pitched Denise coming back at the end, and we were like, ‘OK, if we could ever make that happen, we’d want to make a meal out of it. But how can we tip to it in this season?’ 

“So that [cliffhanger, where Dwayne answers a late-night call from Denise] was our way of taking the pitch and tipping our hat to it.”

When asked if she’s had conversations with Bonet yet about revisiting Denise, Pride replied, “If we get a season 2, that’s when all those conversations would happen!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hooper separately told TV Insider that he’s game for her to return, saying he hopes “that my mom shows up. That would be very cool.”

Is season 2 happening?

Well, the bad news is Netflix hasn’t ordered A Different World season 2 just yet. But the good news is it’s still very early days. 

Season 1 only just landed on Thursday, September 24, and already it’s raced to first place on the Netflix top 10 TV shows chart in the US. For better or worse, it’s always a numbers game with the streaming service, so those are some promising early signs. 

Plus, if it does go ahead, the cast and crew are definitely down to return. Speaking to the LA Times, executive producer Debbie Allen – who served as chief creative officer from season 2 of the original A Different World – said she hopes it goes on for many more chapters. 

“On Netflix, not too many shows go past three, maybe four [seasons],” Allen said, adding that she hopes this reboot gets “At least three.”

So, if Allen gets her wish, we’ve hopefully got plenty more semesters at Hillman ahead of us – and potentially a Lisa Bonet reunion along the way.

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Featured image credit: NBC/Netflix