A Different World

Jaleesa and Denise get a new roommate, talkative transfer student Maggie Lauten. Denise learns that the check for her dorm fees has bounced. To make matters worse, she had also covered Jaleesas fees to repay her for an earlier favor. Denise and Jaleesa face eviction unless they can come up with 200 dollars by the next day. Denise cannot bring herself to ask her parents for help, as she is tired of being bailed out. When the dean of students realizes that Denise sincerely wants to take responsibilty for her actions, he helps her get a cafeteria job with an advance on her salary. Jaleesa takes delight in the fact that she is now Denises boss.

Dwayne offers to tutor Denise in calculus after she receives a D on a test. Denise believes that it is a scam, but Dwayne turns out to be an excellent tutor. They study for so long that Dwayne gets locked inside the dorm after curfew. He sneaks into Whitleys room while she is sleeping and climbs out the window. Stevie catches Dwayne coming down the fire escape, and Whitley suffers tremendous damage to her reputation. Dwayne refuses to tell the truth because he fears that Denise could be suspended. Stevie believes that Dwayne and Whitley are lying, and plans to report them to the dean. Denise interrupts and explains what really happened.

Denises little sister Rudy comes to visit for the weekend. She surprises Denise by immediately hitting it off with Whitley. When Denise and Rudy find it impossible to sleep in the same bed, Whitley allows Rudy to stay in her room. Whitley teaches Rudy all of her beauty secrets, and the two become good friends. Rudy hurts Denises feelings by spending all of her time with Whitley. Meanwhile, Jaleesa fears the worst after hearing that her sister went to dinner with Jaleesas ex-husband. Jaleesa clears up the situation, then asks Whitley to stop monopolizing Rudys time. Whitley tells Rudy a bedtime story about two sisters and a snow queen. Rudy understands the moral of the story and agrees to pay more attention to Denise.

Denise shows potential as a sprinter during P.E. class, and the track coach asks her to come out for the team. Her father is thrilled to have another Huxtable competing for Hillman, as he and his father both ran for the school. Denise enjoys the attention she receives from her friends and other students, but cannot handle the grueling practices. She considers quitting until a star runner informs her that she is not the only one who hates practice; in fact, the entire team feels this way. Maggie desperately tries to track down an economics book that she needs for a term paper.

Millie tells the other dorm residents that Whitleys parents are divorcing. Whitley tries to maintain a positive attitude, and looks forward to spending the holidays with her father in Switzerland. Mr. Gilbert stuns Whitley by introducing his new, much younger girlfriend; and springs the news that she will be coming along on their trip. Denise helps the devastated Whitley cope with the situation and try to come to an understanding with Monica. Jaleesa and Maggie continually rag on the gifts from their ""secret Santas,"" unaware that they have come from each other. Dwayne arranges to become Denises secret Santa, even though he is not from her dorm. Dwaynes friend Ron helps with his plan to woo Denise by acting as her man servant for the week.

Denise volunteers for peer counseling duty during finals week. She proves to be a very good counselor, but uses the job as an excuse to put off a major history paper. Dwayne dislikes the head counselor, a laid-back surfer from California, because he suspects that he will put the moves on Denise. Whitley panics about an upcoming botany final; she had assumed that Millies notes would be enough to carry her through the test. Dwayne and Ron express their discontent when the girls neglect their appearance while cramming for exams. The girls respond by holding an impromptu pageant in the dorm lounge to select ""Miss Ugly America.""

Denise befriends Cougar, an extremely intelligent and creative student from her philosophy class. Cougar asks Denise to sneak her into the dorm for the night, claiming that her roommate has been letting an annoying boyfriend sleep over. Although she is supposed to stay on the couch, Cougar tries to use Whitleys room while Whitley is in the infirmary receiving treatment for a sprained ankle. Cougar gets caught, and Denise lashes out at her. Cougar reveals that she is not really a student at Hillman. She is an orphan who has been homeless since age 15, and started showing up for classes to increase her education. Dwayne and Denise ask Lettie to lobby the dean to enroll Cougar on scholarship, but Cougar initially balks at taking the SAT.

Denise and Whitley earn lead roles in Maggies play, a bizarre (and painfully long) adaptation of the story of Adam and Eve. Denise and Whitley vie for the affections of their leading man, who seems to thrive from the attention. When the girls learn that Rick already has a girlfriend, they allow their anger to affect their performances. Although the play ends abruptly after Whitley tries to strangle Rick, Maggie still receives rave reviews. Meanwhile, Dwayne and Ron struggle to design the sets without exceeding their 35-dollar budget.

Jaleesa panics at the prospect of making a speech in front of her poetry class. The professor takes pity on her and allows her to substitute a paper for the speech, but suggests that she learn to take risks. Jaleesa stammers her way through the speech; Professor Foster congratulates her on her courage and gives her a B because her content offset the horrible presentation. Denise forgets to pay back some money she had borrowed from Maggie a month earlier. Instead of reminding Denise about the debt, Maggie privately obsesses over the matter. Whitleys humidifier breaks, and she cannot call a repairman without exposing the fact that she has an illegal appliance. Dwayne and Ron help her ship it out for repairs, only to get busted by Lettie. Lettie reveals that she knew about the device; it no longer worked because she had unplugged it.

During the last week of school, Denise accepts a date with Dwayne. She insists that they are only going out as friends, although her roommates note that Dwayne believes otherwise. Dwayne gets reservations at an expensive Japanese restaurant, but has to scramble for a way to pay for dinner after spending all his money on a suit. Whitley becomes despondent when she fails to get an internship in New York, as she must now spend her summer in Richmond with her judgmental mother. Whitley gives Dwayne forty dollars for dinner because she wants someone to find happiness. She shows up at the restaurant in the middle of the date and begins complaining about her problems. She shocks Denise and Dwayne with the revelation that she considers them her only true friends. Although Whitley offers to leave, Dwayne lets her cry on his shoulder and gives advice on how to deal with her mother. Denise is so touched by Dwaynes actions that she begins to see him in a new light. He reads her a poem he had writ

Denise becomes depressed about her grades. To take her mind of her troubles, she calls her brother Theo and asks him to visit for the weekend. Theo, a high school senior, is considering applying to Hillman. He quickly makes friends on campus and has little time for Denise because of his busy social calendar. During an interview, the dean stresses that Hillman is a very difficult academic school. He warns Theo that his fun-filled weekend might be giving him the wrong impression. Denise later reiterates this over dinner; she was an excellent student in high school, and now is having trouble just passing her classes. She wants to take a semester off, but Theo encourages her to tough it out. Meanwhile, Maggie tries to write a letter to her boyfriend.

Dwayne pairs with irresponsible Ron to write a philosophy paper. Ron refuses to do his share of the work, instead purchasing a ten-year-old paper. Dwayne is furious, particularly because he turned down an offer from a good student in order to work with Ron. Jaleesa warns Dwayne that his comments about Ron may have been too harsh. In spite of his reservations, Dwayne decides to show his loyalty to Ron by using the old paper. Ron discovers that Whitley bought the same paper, and he and Dwayne are forced to work all weekend to finish the project. Ron later learns that Whitley never bought a paper; she helped Dwayne with a scam to trick Ron into actually working. Kim gets a job at campus hangout The Pit. Freddie is rejected by dozens of potential employers, but vows to keep trying.

During a party celebrating the end of midterms, Dwayne finds himself attracted to Whitley. She agrees to dance with him, but runs out after he grabs her ass. Whitley is disturbed by an erotic dream about Dwayne, for which Kim teases her mercilessly. Whitley daydreams about Dwayne in the computer lab. After he helps her retrieve a file, she kisses him without thinking. Dwayne believes that Whitley is the secret admirer who sent him brownies and a poetry book; he becomes convinced that she wants him. Kim saves him from humiliation by revealing that Freddie sent the gifts. Whitley confesses to Lettie that she is a virgin. Lettie assures her that she has no reason to be embarrassed, and says that she shouldnt read too much into dreams. When Freddie offers to bow out, Whitley melodramatically declares that she will step aside and let Freddie have Dwayne.

Whitley and Kim stay at the dorm for Thanksgiving. Depressed by the thought of Thanksgiving dinner at the Pit, they decide to go out. Kim uses a fake ID to get them into a club. Whitley does not realize that the waiter served them non-alcoholic drinks; she ends up performing a number and dancing on the bar. Kim spots Col. Taylor in the crowd and tries to warn Whitley. Col. Taylor helps Whitley fight off an overzealous admirer. Although he confiscates Kims fake ID, he doesnt report them to Lettie because he feels there is no harm in blowing off a little steam. Walter hopes to get closer to Jaleesa as he drives her home for Thanksgiving. His plans are thwarted when Freddie and Dwayne join them in the car, but Jaleesa later gives him the good news that she broke up with her boyfriend.

Dwayne believes that he may have found love with his new girlfriend, Suzanne. He reconsiders the relationship when he learns that her father is Col. Taylor. After seeing Dwayne with Suzanne, Freddie vows to change her ""cute"" image and make herself more alluring to men. She turns to Whitley for a complete makeover, but decides she would rather be herself.

Ron slips Dwayne a bootlegged copy of a new rap album, which he immediately puts on the air. The dean pulls the plug on Dwaynes show because of the explicit content of one of the songs. Dwayne and other students conduct a sit-in at the administration building to protest the censorship of student media. Whitley gets trapped in the building with the demonstrators and drives everyone crazy. After listening to the rest of the tape, Dwayne concludes that he should not have played material without listening to it beforehand. The dean does not punish the protesters. She suspends Dwayne from the airwaves for a month, but allows him to hold a special tribute show for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s birthday.

Freddie grapples with writers block as she works on a creative writing assignment. Kim encourages her to take a break and come to a party, which Dwayne and Ron have organized in honor of a popular rib joints final night in business. Whitley has resolved to eat only healthy foods, but finds herself tempted by the ribs. Freddie gets drunk and claims to have rediscovered her ""muse."" After Walter breaks up the party, she steals some booze and ends up passed out in the library. She awakes with a hangover the next morning and discovers that the paper she wrote while drunk is terrible. Walter lies about his culinary abilities to impress Jaleesa. Lettie and Mr. Gaines try to teach him to cook to ensure that his dinner with Jaleesa isnt a total disaster.

Dwayne gives Suzanne an expensive ring for Valentines Day. She returns it to him and asks for some space, which drives him crazy. She later breaks up with him, as she is not ready for a serious relationship. Dwayne gives Whitley some chocolates to thank her for her advice and support. She has been stood up by her date, so she goes to a movie with him. As a prank, Jaleesa calls Walter and impersonates a Jamaican woman named Sheila. Walter accepts a date with Sheila, and Jaleesa plans to bust him for cheating on her. However, he turns the tables by donning a dreadlock wig and bringing in a group of guys to sing, ""Jaleesa is Sheila, Sheila is Jaleesa!"" Kim learns that Robert, who is away in England for six months, is cheating on her.

Ron and Dwayne pledge a fraternity. Ron thoroughly enjoys the experience, while Dwayne grows tired of having the ""brothers"" push him around. They convince Whitley to charm a member who has a crush on her and find out their chances of gaining entry to the house. Whitley informs Dwayne that they are a shoo-in, but he has decided to drop out. Whitley reminds him that Ron may leave him behind if he joins the fraternity alone. Dwayne shows Ron his support by helping him put on a show for underprivileged youth (which he must complete to ensure his membership). They decide that they can maintain their friendship despite their different interests.

Kim becomes overwhelmed by her hectic schedule, as she tries to balance pre-med courses with work and extracurricular activities. She also obsesses over her grades, suffering from nightmares about getting too many Bs to make it into medical school. She buys a datebook and tries to plan every moment of her day, ignoring her friends warnings that her lack of sleep could endanger her health. Kim finally agrees to cut back on her activities after fainting in the Pit. Mr. Gaines quarrels with his wife over the presence of their grown son, whom he wants to throw out of the house. Mr. Gaines crashes at Col. Taylors place after Velma kicks him out, and quickly wears out his welcome.

Freddie falls for Garth Parks, a handsome and intelligent baseball star. Teammate Dwayne backs out of a date to the dance with Freddie so that she can go with Garth. However, Dwayne is disturbed when Garth shares details of a past incident with a woman. Dwayne describes the story to Walter, who confirms that it should be considered date rape. When Dwayne tries to dissuade Freddie from dating Garth, she accuses him of jealousy. Garth takes Freddie to an observation point and tries to force himself on her, but Dwayne comes to the rescue. Freddie and the other victim make statements to the police and help put Garth behind bars.

Dwayne and Ron plan to rent a beautiful apartment for the next school year. They can no longer afford the place after Rons father cuts back on his allowance because of his slipping grades. They are forced to rent a dump that is managed by Velma Gaines. Dwayne and Ron throw a housewarming party and decide that their new apartment will work out. Walter looks forward to a summer of freedom, until Jaleesa announces that she has received a promotion and can visit more often than expected. They agree to spend time apart to ""sow wild oats."" Whitley plans to work at a museum all summer, but feels guilty because she would rather join her mother on a cruise. Dwayne encourages her to have fun, as there will be plenty of time to work and act responsibly in the future. Dwayne and Whitley begin to show an interest in each other.

Whitley has yet to take a basic math course that is required for graduation. She reluctantly enrolls in Col. Taylors class, and he tries to help her overcome her fear of the subject. Dwayne and Ron clash over finances. Dwayne believes that Ron spends money too freely, while Ron accuses him of being a cheapskate.

Walter convinces many of the students to volunteer at a community center. Whitley teaches ballet to the children and becomes friends with a young boy named Dion, who claims to be dirt poor. Whitleys wallet is stolen, and she is stunned to learn that Dion was the culprit. He exaggerated the extent of his poverty and took advantage of Whitleys kindness. Whitley does not want to return to the center, but Walter insists that the kids need a positive influence if they are to escape from the streets. Whitley continues with her teaching, and refuses to give up on Dion. Walters duties keep him away from his bowling team, so Col. Taylor agrees to step in. When he turns out to be terrible, Mr. Gaines and the other team members try to find a way to oust him.

Ron takes a liking to his study partner, Elizabeth; and is surprised to learn that she has a 13-month-old son. He is unsure about getting involved, but quickly bonds with the child. Believing that the boy needs a positive male role model, Ron tries a little too hard to step in and become a father figure. Dwayne arranges a performance by his old friends Heavy D & the Boyz for a charity concert. Whitley, who had hoped to bring in an opera company, organizes an anti-rap protest. She makes a fool of herself by espousing her views to Heavy D, unaware of his identity. Heavy eventually wins Whitley over, and the gang joins him onstage to dance during the show.

Kim and Freddie plan to spend homecoming weekend at Freaknic, a music festival in Washington, D.C. Kims policeman father calls and forbids her to go to the concert. Kim decides to go anyway, and Whitley has to distract her father when he arrives unexpectedly. When Kim returns, Mr. Reese yells at her and threatens to make her transfer to a hometown school. She insists that she is a responsible 19-year-old who should be allowed to make her own decisions, but her father restricts her to the house for the rest of her vacations. Whitley tries to convince Kim that she is lucky to have someone who cares enough to yell at her, as Whitley seldom received attention from her parents as a child. Ron and Dwayne face a dilemma when each brings a girl back to the apartment.

Whitley is in a foul mood during the holiday season, especially when her mother insists that they fly to the south of France instead of spending a quiet Christmas at home. She coldly rejects Freddies offer to spend Christmas with her, and refuses to attend the gangs tree-trimming party. Whitleys mother appears to her in a dream and warns that she is headed for the same lonely, isolated existence as Marion. Whitley is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future (who bear an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Gaines, Walter and Jaleesa). She learns that Freddie will end up staying with Dwayne for the holidays, leading to a romance between the two. Whitley discovers that Dwayne and Freddie will marry, while she will spend her entire life alone. Whitley suddenly gets into the holiday spirit, decorates everything in sight, and asks Freddie to come along to France. However, Marion shows up at the dorm and tells her daughter that she wants to spend Christmas in Richmond. She settle

Dwaynes old friend Milt comes for a visit. He believes that Hillman is holding Dwayne back, and encourages him to transfer to the University of Pennsylvania. Milt also recommends that Dwayne distance himself from ""dead weight"" like Ron. Dwayne considers his friends words, until a talk with Whitley helps remind him of Rons good qualities and the feeling of family that Hillman holds for its students. He defends the schools academic reputation to Milt. Col. Taylor and Mr. Gaines attend a reunion for U.S. servicemen. Col. Taylor tries to start a romance with a nurse he knew in Vietnam, only to discover that she is a complete mess.

Whitley goes to a jewelry store to buy a birthday present for her father. Freddie tags along because she enjoys watching Whitley ""power shop."" The clerk ignores them and is reluctant to open the display case. She also suggests a cheap watch, as she doesnt think that Whitley can afford any of the high-end merchandise. Freddie believes that the clerk is a racist and decides to leave. Whitley argues that the clerk probably thought they were poor because of their manner of dress. (Whitley had not changed after her tennis game.) Whitley spends a fortune to prove herself, but her friends argue that this only gives the clerk a fat commission. Whitley returns everything and tells off the clerk, getting the woman in hot water with her manager. The ROTC holds a retreat to teach civilians about life in the Army. Walter makes a fool of himself and loses a bet to Col. Taylor. Dwayne ignores Rons instructions during a flag capture game. He gets lost in the mountains and comes in contact with poiso

Whitley meets Julian, an attractive exchange student from Georgetown who is part of Hillmans anti-apartheid group. Kim receives a scholarship that will solve her financial problems and allow her to gain work experience in a lab, rather than flipping burgers at the Pit. Unfortunately, Freddie discovers that the company funding the scholarship is a subsidiary of a corporation with investments in South Africa. Julian proposes a boycott; he angers Whitley by recommending that Hillman cut all financial ties with the corporation, as this would cost Kim her scholarship. Due to her fathers health problems, Kim would have to work two jobs to stay in school. A young man from South Africa argues against the termination of scholarships, because he feels that the success of African American students serves as a beacon of hope to black South Africans mired in poverty and oppression. Kim decides to turn down the scholarship anyway. Whitley accepts a date with Julian.

A lovesick Dwayne convinces Walter to let him tag along on a recruiting trip to North Carolina, where he is trying to sign a high school basketball prospect. Walter gets pulled over for speeding and is arrested because of his unpaid jaywalking tickets. Alvin Dix, the young man Walter is recruiting, has to bail him out of jail. Alvin shows little interest in Hillman because he wants to play for legendary coach Cap Connors. Walter, who played for Connors, tells Dwayne that the coach cares only about basketball and discourages players from getting a good education. Walter and Dwayne cause a melee at a restaurant when they mistake Connors wife for a groupie, as the coach had used attractive women to recruit players in the past. Alvin eventually realizes that he and Connors have philosophical differences, so he decides to consider Hillman. Dwayne causes problems throughout the trip because he keeps seeing Whitleys face on every woman and deer. Jaleesa engages in another battle of the sexe

Whitley is distraught when everyone, including Julian, seems to have forgotten her 21st birthday. Kim has actually remembered, and is planning a girls-only surprise party. Dwayne and Ron decide to kidnap Whitley and throw her in a fountain for some reason. Kim fails to thwart their plans, but Ron falls while climbing the dorm wall and injures his leg. A depressed Whitley gets drunk on cheap wine and has a dinner date with her photograph of Denzel Washington. The girls arrive to take her out; they agree that she should have told Julian about her birthday instead of expecting him to find out on his own. Jaleesa pretends not to care when she sees Walter on a date with the medic who treated Ron. Whitley apologizes to Julian for testing him.

Col. Taylor is the guest of honor at a campus roast. Frank Benning, a man from his first platoon in Vietnam, comes in to serve as the surprise guest speaker. Col. Taylor feels very uncomfortable; he believes that he committed an error on the battlefield that cost Frank his leg. Frank tells a different version of events in his speech. He insists that Col. Taylor is a great leader whose bravery saved everyones lives. Ron tries to organize the dinner while fretting about the impending selection of the ROTCs Cadet of the Year award. Dwayne bets Whitley that she cannot go a full day without flirting.

Julian shows up to surprise Whitley, who wants nothing to do with him. Dwayne and Ron dress like women to get past the drug dealers and onto the ferry. They arrive at the police station to discover that they accidentally brought Julians bag instead of the one with the drugs and cash. Paul and Eric search the house, failing to recognize Dwayne and Ron (who are still disguised as ""Diana"" and ""Rhonda""). They promise to return that night. The gang fears that the police will not make it in time because a storm has cancelled all ferry service. Kim, Freddie, Ron and Mandy head out in search of help. Whitley decides to sleep with Julian, but he doesnt think the timing is right. Dwayne hears the dealers coming and bursts into Whitley and Julians room. Whitley gets into an argument with Dwayne after telling him that she is a virgin. As she opens the door to get him to leave, she gestures with a candlestick holder and cracks Eric over the head. The trio struggles with the men until Walter and

Whitley thrills her friends by announcing that she has finally decided that Dwayne is the right man for her. Although she answered his love letters during the summer, she chose not to send her replies because she wanted to leave him begging for more. When she goes to Dwaynes apartment to share her feelings, she discovers that he met someone during his summer in Japan. He introduces her to girlfriend Kinu, a beautiful Japanese American who attends nearby Avery College. In addition to her emotional turmoil, Whitley does not have a place to live because she lost her apartment by failing to pay the security deposit. Jaleesa reluctantly allows her to temporarily stay at her apartment (across the hall from Dwaynes). Whitley vows that she will not screw up if she gets another chance with Dwayne. Col. Taylors son Terrence enrolls at Hillman. His overzealous behavior around women earns him the nickname ""Pee Wee Hormone.""

Freddie befriends Alex, an eight-year-old foster child who attends the community center. She is horrified after visiting an adoption fair and watching all of the potential parents ignore Alex in favor of infants and toddlers. Professor Randolph speaks out on the plight of foster children, but Freddie accuses him of hypocrisy when he says that he and his wife would only adopt a baby. A disheartened Alex runs away from the adoption center and finds Freddie at Ron and Dwaynes place. Whitley tries to bond with the boy to make herself look good in front of Dwayne. Walter finally shows up to retrieve Alex, after Whitley and Freddie try their best to hide him. Mr. Gaines, Walter and Col. Taylor all wish to apply for adoption, but are told that they need to take more time to think it over. Professor Randolph and his wife decide to begin the process of adopting Alex; although Freddies comments were out of line, the professor realized that she was right.

Whitley decides to try out for the academic decathlon, as the winning team will receive $1500. Although Dwayne and Ron make fun of her, Whitley proves to be quite knowledgable and makes the team. She and Dwayne are disgusted to learn that they must be partners. During a late-night practice, they start wrestling and fooling around and end up kissing passionately. Whitley overhears Dwayne assuring a jealous Kinu that he has no interest in Whitley. Whitley files her nails during the game, leaving Dwayne to carry the team singlehandedly. Dwayne apologizes and convinces her to play, but they barely lose to Kinus team. After Dwayne and Kinu leave to celebrate, Whitley declares, ""You may have won the prize, but I will get the man."" Kim turns down a date from Matthew, telling Freddie that he is strange and she isnt strong enough to deal with an interracial relationship. Freddie argues that Kim doesnt want a social life because it might interfere with her routine. Kim asks Matthew out for co

Dwayne falls apart in the aftermath of his kiss with Whitley. He cannot sleep due to recurring nightmares, and lets the apartment turn into a pig pen. Kinu becomes extremely bossy and territorial; she argues with Ron (who is tired of her constant presence at the apartment), then tries to bar Whitley from a party honoring Dwaynes and her six-month anniversary. Ron, hoping to drive Kinu over the edge, hires cash-poor Whitley as a housekeeper. Dwaynes mother arrives in the midst of the womens sniping because she had sensed that something was wrong with her ""chipmunk."" Mrs. Wayne doesnt like Kinu any more than she does Whitley, so Whitley tries to take advantage of the situation by buttering her up. Kinu finally snaps and takes it upon herself to fire Whitley. Dwayne admits to Kinu that he cannot shake his feelings for Whitley. They decide to break up.

Whitley thrives academically after she begins dating Dwayne, while he gets the first C of his life because he spends all his time fawning over her instead of studying. He dreams that the C is the beginning of a downward spiral; and that he will end up a fat, lazy slob whom Whitley eventually dumps. Whitley wakes him up and offers him cookies, and Dwayne starts yelling and throws her out of the apartment. Crushed, she throws herself into her role as director of Ron and Freddies video time capsule. Dwayne dreams that he devotes himself to science at the expense of everything else. He wins the Nobel Prize, but is devastated to find that Whitley married someone else. Dwayne apologizes to Whitley and explains his problem.

Dwayne takes Whitley and Ron to his parents house for Christmas. Whitley is desperate to impress Dwaynes mother. She sneaks out before dinner to buy an expensive present for Mrs. Wayne. After she misses the subway, a panhandler dressed as Santa Claus accosts her and steals the gift. Whitley stops the thief with some help from the police, but the gift is broken. Mrs. Wayne apologizes for giving Whitley a rough time and urges her not to try so hard. Rons father punishes him for refusing to work at the dealership by cutting him out of the familys Hawaiian vacation. Ron seeks solace by stuffing his face with Mrs. Waynes cooking until his father offers him a reprieve.

Whitley receives a phone call from Julian and agrees to have dinner with him. She is shocked to discover that he is engaged to a runway model turned translator who speaks six languages. The couple is to live in Paris. Whitley cannot come to grips with this news, and begins to pine for the life of luxury that she gave up when she dumped Julian. A frustrated Dwayne comes to believe that nothing he does will ever be good enough for her. Whitley goes to see a shrink, who recommends that she seek closure with Julian and do whatever she can to win back Dwayne. Dwayne refuses to accept Whitleys apology, even after she begs for forgiveness. He assures Ron that he isnt breaking up with her; he simply wants to watch a basketball game in peace. Jaleesa goes all out to secure the account of a potential client who is obsessed with sports.

As her marketing project, Whitley organizes a ""Men of Hillman"" calendar. Dwayne is offended when she doesnt ask him to participate; she doesnt consider him brawny enough. She finally lets him pose for the calendar, but superimposes his face on someone elses body. Ron finds himself juggling three Valentines dates, as one of his girlfriends gets the night off from work and another returns early from an out-of-town trip. When he comes clean with the girl he likes the most, she is not as understanding as he had hoped. Jaleesa and Col. Taylor spend Valentines Day together, until his bad back cuts the evening short. Matthew hopes to ease Kims discomfort about being seen with him in public. Mr. Gaines tries to placate his wife, who complains that he is not as amorous as he was at one time. Freddie raves about a secret admirer, and is disappointed to find that it is Terrence.

Shazza Zulu, a student in his sixth year of undergraduate work, publishes a book discussing the sexist behavior of men at Hillman. The women take his words to heart; they get really worked up and decide to boycott all men. The men respond with a boycott of their own. Everyone gets upset with Dwayne and Whitley for refusing to take part, and Whitleys friends try to convince her that Dwayne is fooling around with the female students he tutors. After a food fight breaks out at the campus movie theater, Dean Hughes calls a summit to get the two sides to work out their differences. The students turn against Shazza, who insists that he is trying to promote harmony. He singles out Kim as someone who has turned against her race by dating a white man. She tells him off and storms out. Ron, who had earlier expressed a similar sentiment, apologizes to Kim and admits that he was jealous.

Whitley gets a job as an assistant art buyer for E.H. Wright Industries. She attends an auction in Washington, D.C. as an observer. When her boss steps out to take a phone call, Whitley disobeys her wishes by bidding on a painting from a promising young artist. Whitley fears that she will lose her job, but the painting turns out to be a great investment. Although her boss disagrees with her tactics, she applauds Whitleys intuition and enthusiasm. Freddies new philosophical radio call-in show fails to attract interest because no one has any idea what she is talking about. She becomes a big hit after she assumes the persona of Jamaican-born ""Mother Eartha"" and distributes advice to her listeners.

Whitley is placed in charge of pledges for her sorority. She lets the power go to her head, and is especially hard on Kim. Kim leads a revolt and gets all of the pledges to walk out on Whitley. News of Whitleys humiliation spreads across the campus, so she becomes furious and challenges Kim to a fight. They eventually settle their differences, and Kim and the other pledges are accepted to the sorority. Ron also handles the pledges for his fraternity. He devises a way to convince show-off Terrence to think more about the interests of his brothers.

Whitley plans to sleep with Dwayne for the first time on his birthday. The public speaking professor assigns the students to write their own eulogies. A young woman named Josie stuns everyone with her speech, in which she reveals that she contracted AIDS through unprotected sex in high school. Gina and Terrence display their ignorance about the disease and are afraid to be around Josie. Kim and Mr. Gaines defend her and advise the duo to become more informed. Ron worries that he could fall victim to AIDS because of his history of casual sex. He and Dwayne decide to undergo HIV testing. Whitley, still shaken by the news of Josies illness, decides that she just isnt ready for sex.

Ron tries to keep his father from discovering that he did not graduate. He dons a cap and gown and takes part in the ceremony. When his father decides to stay an extra day, Ron finally tells him the truth. Mr. Johnson believes that Ron has been treated unfairly and tries (unsuccessfully) to plead his sons case to the dean. Whitleys boss offers her a transfer to the companys main office in New York. Although Whitley doesnt want to leave Dwayne and her friends, he believes that she must take advantage of this career opportunity. They decide to try a long-distance relationship, but Whitley overhears the depressed Dwayne tell Ron that it might be better to end things before they drift apart. She steps away from the window and does not hear him vow to not give up on the relationship. Before boarding her flight, Whitley tells Dwayne that they should break up. Dwayne chases after her and asks her to marry him.

Dwayne gives his calculus class a graded quiz on the first day of the year, even though he hasnt taught them anything yet. He plans to give a test every day, and asks the students to sign contracts promising to work extra hours every week. Lena tears up her contract and leads a walk-out. Col. Taylor warns Dwayne that he will be fired unless he comes to a compromise with the students. Dwayne agrees to set more reasonable standards. He explains that he will hold high expectations because he wants the class to accomplish great things. Ron attends the funeral of a professor he didnt know in order to buy Washington Bullets season tickets from the widow. Dwayne infuriates Whitley by cutting into his share of their joint account for a ticket. Col. Taylor advises Jaleesa to set up her new temp agency at the house. Freddie asks for a job, but has trouble finding anything that meets her moral standards.

E.H. Wright needs a new secretary, so Whitley recommends Jaleesas temp agency. Unfortunately, the company needs to fill the position immediately, and the only person available is Freddie. Freddie overhears the head of personnel say that she does not believe in affirmative action; she feels that she earned her job on merit, and wants others to do the same. Freddie lights into the woman and tells her that she has a duty to her race. Freddie gets fired, making both Jaleesa and Whitley look very bad. Jaleesa agrees with Freddies stance and isnt sure she wants to do business with E.H. Wright. Col. Taylor angers his wife by pointing out that attacking ones boss because she holds a different point of view is not very smart. Freddie realizes that her behavior was inappropriate, and she and Jaleesa both apologize. Lena has difficulty understanding Shakespeare because of the language barrier. She delves into the spirit of the work and translates it into more modern terms.

Dwayne agrees to provide Lena with free tutoring to help her bring up her calculus grade. They bond over their mutual love of basketball and become friends. Whitley insists that Lena has a crush on Dwayne. Dwayne refuses to believe this until Lena leaves an answering machine message in which she raps about her romantic interest in him. Dwayne pushes her away, but fears that he acted insensitively. Whitley shows a surprising level of tolerance for Lenas behavior. She realizes that Lena is homesick and lonely, and offers to serve as her confidante. Ron enlists Kims help in marketing a line of beauty products (supposedly) designed for African American women.

Whitleys aunt offers her a lucrative job as an art buyer for her hotel chain. However, she expects Whitley to look after her golddigging cousin Liza during a weekend visit to Hillman. Liza befriends Lena and turns to her for fashion advice. Liza pursues virtually every man on the campus before finally setting her sights on Ron. Kim becomes extremely jealous. Whitley and Kim hide in a closet and overhear Liza talking on the phone with her mother. She advises her mother not to give Whitley the job. Whitley no longer has a reason to put up with Lizas antics, so she aids Kim with a plan to pry Ron from her clutches. Kim bursts in during a dinner date and makes a scene as she pretends that she is the mother of Rons four children. Her outburst successfully drives Liza away. Meanwhile, Whitley decides to stop speaking to Dwayne because she feels he spends too much time playing or attending sports with his friends. Dwayne warns her not to play games.

Before Dwayne and Whitley can deal with the repercussions of his revelation, her mother arrives for the engagement party. Dwaynes parents come to town, and Adele and Marion instantly despise each other. They clash over preparations for the party and wedding, and end up getting into a scuffle and throwing flowers all over the dorm lounge. Dwayne tells Whitley that he is feeling trapped; he fears that they are rushing into marriage. Dwayne has a talk with his father, who insists that it is common to have cold feet. Mrs. Gilbert and Mrs. Wayne establish an uneasy truce during the party. Each of the parents makes a touching toast to the couple and its future. Whitley announces that she is calling off the wedding and runs out. Dwayne follows her and pleads that he still loves her. He points out that his father said that everyone has doubts. ""Doubts, Dwayne. Not dates,"" she replies. Whitley tells Dwayne that she wants to be with him for the rest of her life, and asks if he can say the same.

Col. Taylor, Jaleesa and Terrence argue about preparations for their first Christmas as a family. Jaleesa asks Whitley to join them for Christmas dinner. Dwaynes plans to go skiing fall through when his date dumps him for constantly talking about Whitley. Col. Taylor invites him to dinner, unaware that Whitley was already coming. Whitley goes to see her shrink, and is surprised to find that the Taylors are the next appointment. Dr. Langhorne accepts a Christmas dinner invitation from the Taylors in order to avoid her pushy mother-in-law. She tries to mediate everyones disputes, and gets Dwayne and Whitley to consider becoming friends again. Meanwhile, everyone scrambles to avoid getting stuck with a homemade fruitcake sent by Whitleys aunt.

Dwayne becomes jealous of Whitleys new beau, particularly after she leads him to believe they are sleeping together. Ron promises to take Dwaynes mind off the situation by taking him to the big football game between Hillman and Virginia A Ron then sells his ticket to a scalper and spends the game in his car. Three white students from A walk by, and one of them decides to start trouble. Ron bets them on the outcome of the game, declining to mention that their quarterback is out with the flu. With Hillman winning in a rout early in the fourth quarter, the guys come out and pay Ron without an argument. Ron taunts them and says that their team needs to recruit more black players. One of the guys wants to let it go, but his friends begin to spray paint a racial slur on Rons car. Ron starts to fight them, and Dwayne comes out and jumps into the fray. They are all held by campus security, who threatens to have them arrested unless they explain what happened. Ron and an A student giv

One of Whitleys superiors continually makes unwanted sexual advances. When she turns down his dinner invitation, he suggests that he may not approve a purchase she had recommended. Whitley puts him in his place and decides not to file a complaint. Mr. Holtworth complains to his boss that Whitley has been sexually harassing him. Whitley cannot get a secretary to come forward, and a plan to catch Holtworth on videotape goes awry. Whitley mentions the peculiarity of Holtworths frequent transfers, and suspects that her boss has heard rumors of the mans behavior. When pressed, Whitleys boss agrees to launch an investigation. Holtworth is found guilty and receives a warning. Terrence makes Col. Taylor uneasy by announcing his decision to major in dance. Col. Taylor attends a class, where he realizes that dance is much more difficult (and exhausting) than he had thought. He acknowledges that Terrence is a very good dancer. Ron takes a job as commercial spokesman for a phone sex hotline.

Whitley turns down the opportunity to spend a weekend in Washington, D.C. with Byron. She is distressed by the fact that Dwayne does not seem jealous of her relationship with Byron. Kim suggests that Whitley clear the air with Dwayne so that she can move on. He turns down an invitation to come over and talk. He later shows up anyway, and they argue about the way their relationship ended. They eventually soften after Dwayne admits that hell always think of Whitley as his girl. Whitley tries to return all gifts and mementos that remind her of Dwayne, as she cannot handle the pain. Dwayne kisses her passionately and spends the night. As Dwayne eats breakfast in Whitleys robe the next morning, Byron knocks on the door. Kim agrees to a date with Ron. He can only afford to take her to a small diner, where they encounter three of his ex-girlfriends in ten minutes. Kim declares that Ron cannot give up his womanizing ways overnight, and walks out.

Ron struggles with his new job at a car dealership. A female con artist gets him fired. She apologizes, and they hatch a scheme to get the boss to let them develop an ad campaign. Although things do not quite go as planned, Ron proposes a business partnership. Kim worries that she will not get into medical school after her least-desired choice rejects her. However, she soon has several offers to weigh--including one from Hillman.

Ginas rapper boyfriend Dion (a.k.a. Im Down) prepares to give a concert for his peers. He hires Ron as his promoter. Freddie reveals that she saw a man beating his girlfriend, but could not make out their faces in the darkness. She does not realize that the couple involved was Dion and Gina. He apologizes to Gina, but quickly flies off the handle and hits her again. Lena sees Ginas black eye and figures out what is going on. She decides that she cannot keep this a secret. Dion experiences a tremendous backlash from fellow students who are disgusted by his behavior. Ron quits his job and tries to fight Dion, who ignores Dwaynes recommendation that he seek counseling. Whitley urges Gina to get out of the relationship. Terrence calls the police on Dion and expresses disappointment in his one-time idol. Gina agrees to press charges.

The day before her wedding, Whitley frets about details until Byron is able to bring her back to reality. Kim volunteers to return to campus and retrieve a special pair of earrings that Whitley had left behind. She pays Ron a visit, and frets over the realization that the wedding is probably going to take place. Ron suggests that she intervene, but Kim is hesitant. Ron surprises Kim by giving her a stethoscope, and they share a kiss. The girls enjoy a wild bachelorette party, while a depressed Dwayne walks out on Byrons bachelor party. Late that night, Kim suggests that Whitley may not be completely over Dwayne. Whitley angrily denies this. Dwayne shows up on Whitleys doorstep and asks for the chance to talk with her. They take a walk in the garden, and Dwayne apologizes for the mistakes he has made. She concedes that she placed too much pressure on him, but Dwayne insists that he simply wasnt strong enough for a commitment at the time. He recalls a time when he was a geeky freshman

Dwayne and Whitley recall their honeymoon in Los Angeles. Whitley insisted on going shopping in Beverly Hills while Dwayne drove to Inglewood to pick up basketball tickets. During her excursion, not-guilty verdicts were announced for the police officers who beat Rodney King. The shopping center closed after the riots broke out, leaving Whitley stranded. After hearing the verdicts, Dwayne got out of his rental car and began kicking the tires. A cop drove by and decided to arrest him, much to the chagrin of his partner. The students and staff of Hillman discuss the case. Lena sees it as just another example of the injustice toward her race, while others criticize the prosecution for overconfidence. Freddie arrives, and stuns everyone by sporting straight hair and a business suit. She is enrolling in law school and helping med student Kim run the dorm. Lena calls her a sell-out, but Freddie argues that she is trying to make a difference from within the system. She feels that Lenas milita

Whitley and Dwayne argue about which furniture should be kept for their new house. Freddie and Ron admit that they cannot stop thinking about each other, and nearly kiss again. Freddie, fearing that they will not be able to control themselves, recommends that he find somewhere else to stay. Ron feels uncomfortable about seeing Shazza with Freddie and decides to go. Kim snaps at Freddie; she believes that she forced Ron to leave because she hates him. Ron temporarily stays on the Waynes couch, then rents a basement apartment from the eccentric landlord. As compensation for having to live with Ron, Dwayne agrees to let Whitley keep whatever she wants. Lena does not want to participate in Height Halls coed stepping routine because she wishes to focus on her writing. Charmaine and Gina suggest incorporating her poetry into the routine. She agrees after learning that Dorian has joined the team.

Ron becomes jealous when Freddie leaves for a weekend camping trip with Shazza. He decides to prepare a candlelight dinner for Kim. Kim has problems dissecting her first cadaver in anatomy class. She throws up on the professor. She is too depressed to eat Rons dinner, but decides to sleep with him. Kims partner, Spencer, helps restore her confidence. The professor marvels at her work. Spencer comes over to celebrate, interrupting Kims romantic evening with Ron. Dwayne sees Whitleys weekend business trip as a chance to enjoy his freedom. However, he soon becomes desperate for companionship. Charmaine annoys Lena after getting a job at the Pit.

During their Halloween party, a drunken Dwayne responds sarcastically when Whitley and friends discuss womens rights and the ""Year of the Woman."" He falls asleep on the couch after the party, and dreams that all of the candidates in the upcoming presidential election are women (including incumbent Georgia Mush and eccentric Texas billionaire Rose Godot, who cant decide whether or not she is in the race). Whitley is the philandering Jill Blinton, who frustrates husband Hilliard (Dwayne) with her lying and infidelity. Hilliard agonizes over the fact that no one--including his own wife--has any respect for his opinions. Dwayne wakes up and apologizes to Whitley for his sexist comments.

Whitleys mother surprises Whitley and Dwayne by coming to visit for Thanksgiving. Whitley is too ashamed to admit that she is unemployed and that the couple was recently robbed. Marion stuns Whitley by introducing her fiancé, Malik, a much younger man who sells oils and poetry for a living. Although Dwayne believes that Whitley should let her mother live her own life, she fears that Malik is a golddigger. She asks Kim to come over and flirt with Malik in the hopes of driving the couple apart. Just when it seems that things cant get any worse, Dwaynes mother (who has not spoken to him since he married Whitley) shows up on the Waynes doorstep. Freddie tries to avoid Ron and re-commit to her relationship with Shazza. She even dons her old ""earthy"" look for a rally on behalf of Haitian refugees, but a law school assignment conflicts with the protest.

Freddie organizes a mentorship program for teenagers detained at juvenile hall. They can receive parole by completing a week-long project. Dwayne is assigned two young gang members, who continually fight after learning that they are from rival sets. Much of the tension stems from the fact that members of one boys gang killed the others cousin. Dwayne tries to get the boys to turn away from violence and set some goals, but they dont think they have anything to live for. He tries to talk to their parents, with disastrous results. Billys proud but violent father does not appreciate Dwaynes interference; he shoves him around and threatens him. Dwayne again emphasizes the fact that the boys can have futures; he tells them that they should not place limits on themselves because of the environment around them. Dwayne eventually gets through to them, as they perform a rap song that preaches for an end to violence. Billys father listens to his sons performance and seems somewhat impresse

Freddies free-spirited mother visits, and annoys her daughter by spending all of her time counseling Freddies friends. She exposes the bitterness that Kim is harboring over Freddies relationship with Ron. Jonis appearance leaves Freddie confused about her life and stirs old feelings in Shazza. Ron spies Shazza kissing Freddie outside the Pit. Whitley takes a job at the International Cottage of Flapjacks to earn money for Dwaynes Christmas present. She finds herself completely overwhelmed, and gets no help from the owners lazy daughter. Freddie confronts her mother at ICOF and demands advice. Joni explains that she lets her daughter make her own choices because she does not want to follow in the footsteps of Freddies grandmother, who condemned Joni for having an interracial relationship. Ron appears and asks Freddie to make up her mind. She runs into his arms, as Whitley loudly launches into ""Joy to the World."" Whitley gets fired on her first day, but Dwayne consoles her with a p

Dwayne discovers that Whitley has goaded Kim into letting her assist in the planning of her own surprise birthday party. Dwayne takes Whitley to a cheap dinner and tells her that he scrapped the party. She feels that she deserves a nice birthday after her rough year, while he insists that she should have trusted him to plan the party on his own. Dwayne sends Whitley into the kitchen, then sneaks all of their friends into the living room to surprise her. Charmaine and Terrell struggle badly in French class. They refuse to accept help from prize pupil Gina, and all other tutors dismiss them as a lost cause. Terrified at the prospect of having their perfect grade point averages ruined, they hide a baby monitor in Ginas bag in an attempt to learn the contents of the oral midterm. Charmaine and Terrell get caught and automatically fail the midterm, leaving Charmaine humiliated. She admits that she wouldnt have been so desperate to get a good grade if Gina hadnt taunted her about her str

Dwayne and Whitley decide to rent a cabin in the mountains for a second honeymoon. They cannot afford the trip on their own, and Mr. and Mrs. Gaines are the only couple willing to join them. Mr. Gaines ends up getting them free use of a friends run-down old cabin. At his wifes urging, he leaves their son Darnell in charge of the Pit. He screws everything up, behaves rudely to customers, and tries to fire Lena and Charmaine. Mr. and Mrs. Gaines get into an argument about his attitude toward their son and refuse to sleep in the same room. Dwayne and Whitley try to sneak outside, only to get sprayed by a skunk. Darnell promises his father that he is going to get himself together.

The single father of one of Whitleys students convinces her to watch his daughter over the weekend, as he must go away on a business trip. Whitley tries to convince the girl to act more ""ladylike,"" while she would rather play basketball with Dwayne. Dashawn annoys Whitley by rewiring the appliances as a practical joke. Dwayne and Spencer discover that Dashawn is a mathematical genius; her poor performance in school stems from boredom. When Freddie cannot get anyone to show an interest in Amnesty International, Ron offers to host a dance-a-thon to raise money for the cause. However, he angers Freddie by hogging the proceeds and charging the contestants for donated drinks. Dorian and Lena and Terrell and Charmaine become extremely competitive, and wind up as the final two couples. Dorian taunts Terrell about his victory, but feels guilty after Freddie gives a speech about human rights violations. He donates the entire $1000 prize to charity (without consulting Lena).

Lenas friends from Baltimore come to visit for the weekend. Lena is disconcerted to discover that Piccolo, her very attractive ex-boyfriend, has tagged along. Piccolo intends to prove that he has changed and win her back. He mocks her for dating Dorian, who tries to be mature about the situation. When Piccolo gets into an argument with Lena while dancing at the club, Dorian steps in to fight him. Lenas friend Yolanda accuses her of selling out by choosing college and her new friends over life in Baltimore. Dwayne tries to help Lena by relating his past experiences. Although Piccolo insists that he has turned away from the street scene, Lena feels he is the same selfish, unreliable person he has always been. She cares about him, but will not allow him to interfere in her life. Lena helps Dorian attend to his black eye and assures him that she is glad to have him in her life.

Lena, Gina, Charmaine, Dorian and Terrell decide to rent a house together. While seeing the temperamental landlord about a plumbing problem, Gina, Charmaine and Terrell discover that he is Langston ""Sweet Knuckles"" Paige, a former major league baseball star. He is unsure about what to do with his life, so they encourage him to enroll in college. Langston accompanies Terrell to class to check out the Hillman campus. He finds that the professor is an old flame. Ginas abusive ex-boyfriend Dion violates his probation by contacting her. He finally shows up in person in an attempt to win her back. She repeatedly turns him down, and learns that Dion hasnt really changed at all. Langston steps in and manages to convince Dion to leave Gina alone.

Marion and Adele arrive to help Dwayne and Whitley pack for the move to Tokyo. After learning of Whitleys pregnancy, they try to dissuade the couple from leaving. Whitley grows tired of listening to Dwayne argue with the women; she storms out. She finds solace with Ron, who has gotten into a major fight with Freddie over his plans to sue Dwayne. Dwayne convinces Whitley that they need to move on and make a life away from Hillman. Marion and Adele overcome their anxiety about being separated from their grandchild by getting very drunk. Dwayne and Whitleys friends throw them a going-away party at the Pit. Freddie comes over to Rons apartment to share the news that she made law review. They make up, but she cannot convince him to come to the party. Everyone shares favorite stories about the Waynes and wishes them luck. Whitley and Dwayne return the favor by thanking their friends for all their love and support. Dwayne has very kind words for Ron, who hears about the speech from Freddie