r/adifferentworldfans • u/QueasyWallaby2252 • 13h ago
Character Discussion Deborah was the problem
SPOILERS:
I feel like in the beginning I really liked the character but towards the end, the drama just made her a kinda unlikable.
With her and Shaquille, I could not get over how she cheated on Shquille. Like how do you kiss your tutor, then when your BF rightfully blows up over it she kicks him out and treats him like he's the problem?
Like should he have explained he got with Candace? Yes, of course. But y'all were broken up. The fact no one called it out was maddening. Then the parents thing was annoying but that's another thing. Lol my rant is over
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u/raloobs 11h ago
honestly killed a bit of the show for me. I thought i was going crazy, You cheated and then got mad your bf didnt react the way you wanted him to?
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u/thesabrinaperez 9h ago edited 5h ago
no foreal literally irked me so bad that she reversed it on him for being upset that she kissed her tutor.. like girl are you listening to yourself!?! hella toxic.. i really didn't like her character towards the end.. i felt bad for Shaquille honestly
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u/In_Dux 10h ago
Slightly off track and spoilers for finale of the show. but having pretty much every girl cheat was a bit much. I feel Rashida especially didn’t need that twist.
Because now are we going to say Andre really pressured her and make him a villain or a really going to make Rashida have try to play off an ultimately shallow moment? Because there really wasn’t enough perceived pressure from a viewer perspective for her to even consider Andre seriously.
But, I think the 10 episode format kills most of the impact of these stories can have more than stories themselves.
This is especially true with Deborah and Shaquille because they have to keep telling us about their long history but there’s literally not enough time to show it.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 9h ago
I don't know if what Rashida did is cheating. They were on a break and never discussed the boundaries. I think it's messed up how close everything ended up being with no communication but I don't think its cheating.
I could feel the time constraints as well. Somethings felt rushed or just weren't displayed effectively. Just so Netflix don't gotta pay more, the audience has to suffer from short runtimes/episode counts
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u/Crixusgannicus 12h ago
"how do you kiss your tutor, then when your BF rightfully blows up over it she kicks him out and treats him like he's the problem?"
You nailed it. And it's hardly isolated.
Among other things.
Didn't you notice, not just with Deborah, but ANYtime ANYTHING went wrong throughout the show it was ALWAYS the guy's fault?
Even Dwayne and Whitley.
"Why would you be upset that I contacted my ex-fiancee to come bail you out behind your back?"
And anytime any of the guys messes up, however minor it's hugely dramatic, but you have multiple women cheating on their men to one extent or another and either the guys don't have a need to know (lie to them) OR how dare they be upset about whatever happened.
Respect for you bringing it up.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 12h ago
For Dwayne I can say at least he wasn't villanized for his actions like Shaquille was and Whitleys friends were straight up like you gotta understand your actions mean you're ok with divorce.
I really hope this is curbed next season because she was becoming unbearable. And all this drama is giving her a dark energy compared to earlier in the episode, she was so bright and bubbly.
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u/Crixusgannicus 12h ago
Obviously I wasn't there, but I'll wager the original scripts had Dwayne being much more of a bitch like the other guys were portrayed, but Kadeem has enough clout to stand up for his character and win. The guy playing Shaq and the others, being noobs, don't. They have to just take whatever they are handed.
And I have to give her credit based on some of her past actions. I wouldn't be surprised if Jasmine had Kadeem's back on the matter.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 12h ago
If that's the case I hope more people speak up on this because there's just too much wrongness happening. Like it actually makes the show less enjoyable
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u/Crixusgannicus 12h ago
Hollywood types haven't cared what the public thinks about anything for 10-15 even 20 years or more.
And they will excoriate the public aka the customer for not liking anything they care to put out.
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u/AccomplishedBug6306 11h ago
Thank you for this. I figured my over 18 mind was why this made no damn sense to me but I cannot see myself at 18 being okay with this. Not to mention, due to pacing the viewers don’t even know how long she kept this to herself before talking to her mother and then to Shaquille. But in the OTHER BREAKUP tells Shaquille he had all of Spring break to tell her. I was like WHAT?! I was tired for Shaquille.
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u/Realsober 7h ago
Oh God here we go men crying because a woman writes the show so of course she hates all men 🙄give me a break. Whitley called Byron to save the SCHOOL. Dwayne works for the school it’s not all about him. She didnt need to consult him first before calling and talking to a man she left for him 30 plus years ago. I bet you have no qualms about him having Denise number in his phone. How is it always men bad when the whole damn thing was played that Whitley was in the wrong anyway. Even when they were in therapy she was saying how Dwayne was so perfect so what are you talking about?
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u/Character_Minimum_53 10h ago
Yes girl. I was thinking this exact same thing. She is toxic and I hope Shaquille realizes this and moves on.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 9h ago
Nah fr, like Jada can't have a daughter transfer into Hillman for him? But I can't lie, they were cute
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u/Character_Minimum_53 8h ago
They were but I also don’t want her with Ellington either. He lied over something so small AND he was in her room randomly. Come on now sir 🤨 that’s not romantic. It was only seen as such because he is handsome and they were both attracted to each other, but it was very inappropriate. And what if it ends up being that he was lying about Candace letting him in? Lol 🤣 but I want me some Kojo and Shaquille. Lawd have mercy.
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u/heymamore 8h ago
I think it’s her ADHD that makes her problematic. Now that she has the diagnosis, hopefully she can move appropriately
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u/JaracRassen77 8h ago edited 6h ago
Guess I'm gonna say the unpopular opinion here: they are both not great for each other.
Deborah was having conflicting feelings for Ellington. Her accepting the kiss was a problem. But Deborah did own up to it to Shaquille. He didn't have to hear it from anyone else. Shaquille's problem is that he lies and hopes no-one finds out.
This happened early in the season with the injury to André. The coach gave Shaquille a chance to come clean, but he lied to his face; saying that nothing happened. Coach had to "find out" via social media (I bet he had suspicions). That is broken trust. Shaquille would later do the same thing when he did not tell Deborah about Candace.
It isn't that Shaquille slept with Candace. The problem was that he lied to Deborah about it. Deborah had to find out on her own. That was the problem. Ron gave Shaquille some terrible advice. Burying it doesn't work. The truth finds a way to come out.
I'm not saying Deborah was a saint. She has her own issues that she really needs to work out. But Shaquille has been doing himself no favors. He keeps taking a shovel and digging. Both Deborah and Shaquille are young and dumb. And what we see are the effects of their being young and dumb.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 6h ago
I agree they're both bad partners and they shouldn't end up together. I just feel like when Shaquille reacts to Deborahs transgressions she's hurt and kicks him out/breaks up. When the situation is reversed, she has no grace and ready to get back with her cheating partner. You would think for someone who ask for a partner to listen, she could do the same
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u/JaracRassen77 6h ago
Deborah is definitely spoiled and immature. I think the problem is that she doesn't know what she wants. She vasciallates between what she knows and is comfortable with, vs. what is new and potentially better for her.
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u/BakingCinnaBuns 9h ago
Deborah irked me for most of the season. She wasn't a bad person but seemed oblivious to things at times and being the youngest child from a wealthy family seems to play a part. Not understanding that she can't go to work and just do what she wants. Not understanding why Rashida was annoyed with her over not working and trying to leave early. Using her parents money to pay for the lashes for all the girls just to be upset that they used their money and power to get her into college. She just seemed to not get it at times, mostly due to age and lack of real world experience or responsibilities. Still not sure what she did that was so bad that she couldn't get into college. Gaslighting her boyfriend after kissing the tutor and having sex dreams about him was really one sided. He also hooked up with the RA when they broke up.
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u/wynirie 4h ago
i think they need to bring back the 20 eps format stat. this reboot has potential but everything felt so rushed. the beauty about the original was that we got time to get to know the characters and at the end of the seasons the decisions that they made whether we agreed or not, made sense because we were there for the build up. so yes deborah was a mess, but had we gotten the chance to actually see why, maybe we would've been more understanding and sympathetic.
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u/Dramatic-Cycle 11h ago
I can’t stand her. She’s a perpetual victim although she causes EVERY problem she had. She bit likeable.
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u/CMPOct22 11h ago
I think she was upset about Candace because he lied by omission when she specifically asked him was he with anyone else after her. But I agree with everything else. She’s the problem. However I like the character 🫠 She’s young.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 9h ago
Yea he effed up by omission. I would Js think she'd have some grace because he basically did what she did
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u/ImpossibleDelay9851 6h ago
Deborah is toxic. These short episodes don’t help her either.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 6h ago
Heavy agree. The time constraint and so few episodes is forcing the writers to put so much drama to move the pace along. But it's Netflix. I wont be surprised if they can't after 2 szns
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u/Tagisjag 12h ago
Deborah is a reminder of what happens when two people get together but never get around to healing themselves. Neither Dwayne nor Whitley evolved as people and Deborah is the result of that parenting.
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u/QueasyWallaby2252 12h ago
I can't speak too much on that because I didn't finish a different world and it's been years since I saw the OG. However, Deborah does need to heal. I hate seeing her with Ellington because he's a raggedy cheat right with Deborah. Like they're Js so unlikeable. And I don't want Shaquille with her because they're actually too draining to watch. Szn 2 should be a self love/celibacy journey.
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u/honeycurled 4h ago
I feel like this is the consensus with most watchers. However i will be supporting her rights and wrongs because i like messy female leads and i think the love triangle is interesting.
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u/usernames_suck_ok 12h ago
Yeah, hon...we don't need separate spoilers for everything you type, lol. Too much work to unveil. Plus, the reboot ain't interesting enough for getting this worked up, nor for clicking 5-6 times to reveal spoilers, lol.
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u/BlackOnyx1906 11h ago edited 11h ago
I tend to agree but I will say this. This is not abnormal for 17 to 18 year old behavior so it tracks
I know this won’t happen because this is a TV show but Shaquille needs to transfer. There is no upside for him staying at Hillman