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Who doesn’t love a good comeback?! No matter the field, there’s nothing quite like seeing a beloved favorite from the past return to form—especially after years of anticipation from the masses.
Those who recently finished streaming the new A Different Worldreboot on Netflix were left off with quite an interesting cliffhanger, as the season ended with a strong possibility that we may see the return of fan-favorite OG character, Denise Huxtable.
Played by ’80s TV crush Lisa Bonet, the role of Denise Huxtable is actually where A Different World gets its roots from as the original series was a spinoff for her character from The Cosby Show. After a rocky experience filming season 1, Bonet left the series in the hands of show regulars Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. Seeing as all four made their return for the reboot in season one, we have our fingers crossed tight at even a glimpse of hope that we’ll see Denise once again stepping through the halls of Hillman in the near future.
The conversation got us thinking about many other Black main characters who we wouldn’t mind seeing on the small screen again. From those who kept us cracking up to the few who admittedly even pulled at our heartstrings, it was a pure joy each time they popped up during primetime. At a time when reboots and remakes are at the forefront of Hollywood, we can’t think of a reason to not bring some of them back from television limbo. A crossover episode on current shows, a limited TV special or even a quick one-off anniversary reunion would all suffice if we were handling the call sheet.
Keep scrolling to see a list we put together of Black TV characters like Denise Huxtable who we’d love to see make a comeback:
Olivia Pope, Scandal
From impeccable style to a high tolerance for wine, there’s just too much we love about the character that made Kerry Washington a household name.
Ghost, Power
We’re still holding out hope that Ghost’s on-screen fate isn’t definite. We doubt Omari Hardwick would mind picking up a three-piece suit once again to play NYC’s biggest underground crime boss.
Moesha Mitchell, Moesha
As if the cliffhanger ending wasn’t enough, Brandy’s recent musical resurgence would make this even more of a heartwarming reunion.
Mary Jane Paul, Being Mary Jane
Does motherhood ultimately work out for the former boss baddie played to perfection by Gabrielle Union? We’re itching to find out!
Earn, Atlanta
Four seasons were simply not enough. Donald Glover’s delivery when it comes to dark comedy is unmatched.
Clair Huxtable, The Cosby Show
In the event that Denise Huxtable does return to the reboot of A Different World, you best believe we’re hoping to see Phylicia Rashad also make a comeback as America’s favorite TV mom.
Martin Payne, Martin
Now that we have The Varnell Hill Show spinoff on Paramount+, there’s no reason why we can’t get an update on what married life has been like for The Paynes, in addition to some of the many other characters played by Martin Lawrence on the show.
Detective J.C. Williams, New York Undercover
We can’t see why Malik Yoba couldn’t reprise his role as J.C. somewhere in the Dick Wolf television universe. Law & Order: SVU would make for a good fit!
Angela Abar/Sister Night, Watchmen
Although Watchmen on HBO had a pretty clean and linear storyline, no one would be against seeing Regina King suit up once again.
Maxine Shaw, Living Single
The comedic prowess of Erika Alexander as this classic sitcom character is sorely missed.
Steve Urkel, Family Matters
We’re not sure how Jaleel White feels about putting back on the suspenders and bifocals for our entertainment, but we’d be geeked out if he was down to revisit his signature nerdy alter ego.
Will Smith, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air
Did the coolest guy in Bel-Air ever inherit the big house? Now that Will Smith himself is the same age now as the late James Avery was back then playing patriarch Phillip Banks, it could be a full circle moment to see where Will ended up.
Vince Staples, The Vince Staples Show
Gone entirely too soon, the namesake show by rapper Vince Staples was a gem in giving us modern day slapstick comedy.
Jamie King, The Jamie Foxx Show
Not only does Jamie Foxx still have the comedic chops to pull this off, we’d love to see what married life is like with Fancy after waiting five seasons to see them end up together.
Nikki Parker, The Parkers
After all that chasing, it would only be right if Mo’Nique gave us a look into Nikki’s married life with Professor Oglevee.
