MovieChat Forums > A Different World (1987) Discussion > I hate what they did to Jaleesa's charac...

I hate what they did to Jaleesa's character

posted 8 years ago by Ayababi
7 replies | jump to latest

She was so strong in the first few seasons. Being older, going back to school, getting over a marriage. And then by the last season she was barefoot, pregnant, hormonal, and in the kitchen.

To me, she was such a strong and independent woman, and they made her into an almost 50s stereotype.

Not that there's anything wrong with being a housewife, I just thought it was a complete reversal for her character. Random.

IDK, that's just how I felt watching the final seasons.

[–] ThisDaisyAC 8 years ago

Agreed. That character lost so much value. That shotgun romance between her and Col Taylor didn't make any sense.

[–] Ayababi 8 years ago

It really didn't. It was random. And they did destroy her value as a character. Because school was so important to her, like she felt like she had the most to lose. But then they completely abandoned all of that and her motivation and the whole story line. Unfortunate

[–] blaque108 8 years ago

I'm glad Jaleesa had settled down and married, but I like how strong, independent she was in the first few seasons. I don't think the writers knew what to do with her anymore so they just made her a housewife. I think they should have had her to just marry Walter in that case.

[–] tiffanykk2002 8 years ago

I didn't mind that she ended up with a family. But she became such a stereotype! Erratic and emotional just because she was pregnant. I enjoyed that A Different World sought to evolve the characters, but she was so different from the snarky, sarcastic Jaleesa she'd always been. I don't think that much of a reversal was necessary.

[–] Ayababi 8 years ago

What they should've done is let her graduate and have a career but they abandoned her entire storyline. I think you're right, they didn't know what to do with her

[–] Nevadalonghorn 8 years ago

Agree with all the posts here.
They also made her wimpy.
She ate a lot, too. :-)

[–] BugisStreetAnnie (1296) 7 years ago

She was so strong in the first few seasons. Being older, going back to school, getting over a marriage. And then by the last season she was barefoot, pregnant, hormonal, and in the kitchen.

But didn't she have that employment agency she operated out of their house? I remember that she hired Freddie as her assistant. Was she still doing that by the last season, I can't remember?