Nostalgia reboots usually suck. You watch them out of morbid curiosity, cringe through the updated references, and wish everyone had just left well enough alone. But Netflix's new 10-episode return to Hillman College handles things differently. It skips the cheap trap of recreating a 1990s multi-cam sitcom format and instead drops us into a sharp, contemporary dramedy.
If you loved the original NBC series created by Debbie Allen, walking back onto campus feels both strange and strangely right.
The story centers on Deborah Wayne. Played by Tony and Grammy winner Maleah Joi Moon, Deborah is the fiercely independent yet entitled daughter of original series icons Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert-Wayne. Kadeem Hardison and Jasmine Guy return to reprise their legendary roles, though they've aged into the mentor chairs now. Dwayne is a campus provost, and Whitley is a powerhouse beauty mogul tied deeply to alumni building projects.
Showrunner Felicia Pride took a bold risk by shifting the tone. Instead of recycling old jokes, the show addresses modern realities that today's HBCU students face. We get storylines touching on federal funding battles under anti-DEI political pressures, the stigma around learning disabilities, and cultural friction between African and Black American students.
Some critics argue the show lacks the bubbly, laugh-a-minute comedy of the original run. They aren't wrong. It leans heavily into drama, sometimes letting weighty faculty speeches replace the organic banter among students.
Even so, the fresh faces carry the weight. Alijah Kai steps in as Rashida, bringing a comedic timing that feels straight out of her real-life mother Tichina Arnold’s playbook. Meanwhile, Jordan Aaron Hall plays Amir, marking the franchise's first gay main character with a narrative arc that avoids tokenism and feels completely organic to campus life.
You'll spot narrative stumbles in the first few episodes. Some character backstories feel rushed, and a plotline threatening Dwayne and Whitley's marriage feels entirely unnecessary. We didn't need manufactured marital friction for our favorite 90s couple.
Yet, the core appeal remains intact. The show understands that college is messy, friendships are fragile, and finding your own identity is exhausting work. It respects the legacy of the original institution without letting nostalgia run the entire show.
Go ahead and clear your weekend queue. Hillman College is open for a new semester, and this class is worth your time.
