On the NBC series A Different World, (September 1987-July 1993) the marriage between Jaleesa Vinsent (Dawnn Lewis) and Colonel Bradford Taylor (Glenn Turman) in the premiere episode of season 5 stunned Hillman College students and viewers, as this union seemed to come out of nowhere.
There were a few subtle hints that the army officer and the Hillman graduate might embark on a romance but they were brief moments within plots where the other characters were front and center. There was never an episode where they became an official couple which is why the elopement shocked everyone.
At first it was thought that Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Harrison) and Whitley Gilbert( Jasmine Guy) had tied the knot but they were only engaged. Freddie Brooks (Cree Sumner) Kim Reece (Charnelle Brown) and Whitley were completely blown away by the news. They gave the newlyweds looks as if they were the most mismatched couple ever.
Perhaps these two were destined to be together, considering their portrayers had something unique in common. Lewis and Turman both had two Ns in their first names, Glenn and Dawn. (Just a side joke). For anyone not aware of the subtle connection, and wondering how this wedding happened here is the timeline.
Colonel Taylor gave Jaleesa away during her ill-fated wedding to Walter Oakes (Sinbad) in Season 3 Episode 7, “Wedding Bells from Hell.” Some ADW fans found this interesting and suggested that Mr. Gaines (Lou Myers) had more interactions with and seemed closer to Ms. Vincent.
The Colonel and Jaleesa first started noticing each other and flirting during Season 4, Episode 15. “Love, Hillman-Style.” They begin talking at The Pit on Valentine’s Day, and he invited her home. She agrees to have dinner at his house.
Colonel Taylor puts on music and as they start dancing, Jaleesa gets a bit nervous about the direction of their sudden romantic chemistry. When he dips her she tells him that she feels things are moving too fast.
The Colonel’s back completely locks up on him mid-dance, leading to his saying “We won’t be moving at all.” This scene came across as a one-off and the audience laughed. It did not seem serious.
.Despite Jaleesa’s previous long-term relationship with and almost marrying the Colonel’s close friend, Walter, the slow-dance scene revealed the first spark of chemistry and mutual attraction between Jaleesa and Colonel Taylor. There was no follow up so fans probably forgot about the moment.
Their relationship obviously began at that point but was completely off-screen. It was revealed during Walter’s farewell speech in Episode 24 of Season 4 “Never Can Say Goodbye”.
Walter is being roasted on his last day at Hillman. When he gets the mic he jokingly says to the Colonel, “Who would’ve thought you would’ve dated my woman when I wasn’t watching?”
At the end of the episode Jaleesa tells Walter that he is the best friend she’s got. There is still a spark between them so fans probably were not thinking that anything would happen between her and the Colonel.
The couple had one encounter in Season 3 and another in Season 4. In Episode 1 Season 5 We’ve Only Just Begun. Jaleesa and Colonel Taylor reveal they went sailing on the Fourth of July, there were fireworks ever since and it was a long hot summer and they had eloped.
Lewis was not in the sixth and final season of A Different World because she was on the ABC sitcom Hanging with Mr. Cooper and her character was not mentioned. Colonel Taylor spent his time with his son Terrance (Cory Tyler) and at The Pitt. There was one mention of his and Jaleesa’s daughter Marnie in Episode 18, Lean on Me.
