Diff'rent Strokes
Created by Bernie Kukoff, Jeff Harris
A family sitcom built on warmth and humor that uses its premise of cross-class, interracial adoption to explore belonging, identity, and the bonds that make a family.
The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two African American boys from Harlem who are taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman named Phillip Drummond and his daughter Kimberly, for whom their deceased mother previously worked. During the first season and first half of the second season, Charlotte Rae also starred as the Drummonds' housekeeper, Mrs. Garrett.
Essence
Ensemble
Like Diff'rent Strokes
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as Diff'rent Strokes
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like Diff'rent Strokes, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like Diff'rent Strokes, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like Diff'rent Strokes, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
