Denise Huxtable
Denise Huxtable Kendall is a fictional character who appears on the American sitcom The Cosby Show, portrayed by actress Lisa Bonet. Denise also stars in the first season of its spin-off sitcom, A Different World. The second-born child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, Denise is known for her eccentric clothing and free-spirited, rebellious nature, earning her a reputation as the Huxtable family's wild child. Alternating between regular and recurring character, Denise appears on the sitcom on-and-off throughout its eight-year run, from its pilot "Theo's Economic Lesson" to the seventh season episode "Cliff and Jake", for a total of 98 episodes, after which Bonet departed for the remainder of the series.
Created by comedian Bill Cosby, Denise was originally conceived as the Huxtable's eldest child until older sister Sondra was introduced in the show's second episode to establish that her parents had already successfully raised a college-educated daughter. Struggling academically, Denise drops out of school shortly after enrolling at the historically black Hillman College and briefly returns home to explore various career opportunities before traveling to Africa. While there, she meets and marries Lt. Martin Kendall, becoming stepmother to his daughter Olivia. Bonet was quickly cast as Denise because the producers found that she naturally embodied some of the character's unique traits. Based on Cosby's daughter Erinn, the show's creator incorporated real-life experiences from his relationship with his own daughter into Denise's storyline about self-discovery and independence.
Bonet had a difficult professional relationship with Cosby while working on The Cosby Show, particularly regarding her decisions to appear in the controversial film Angel Heart and subsequently pose nude for various magazines. Although Cosby denies having been opposed to Bonet's career trajectory, he developed A Different World amidst their dispute to provide the actress with a more mature platform. However, Bonet was soon fired from the spin-off shortly after its first season and temporarily rejoined the cast of The Cosby Show when she became pregnant because Cosby was unwilling to entertain the prospect of the sitcom's main character being a pregnant teenager. After leaving The Cosby Show for one year to give birth to her child, Bonet returned as a series regular at the beginning of its sixth season until Cosby ultimately fired her during season seven due to creative differences.
Within months of her debut, Denise became The Cosby Show
Role
The Cosby Show follows the daily goings-on of the Huxtable family, an upper-middle class African American family who reside in Brooklyn, New York. The family is run by Dr. Cliff Huxtable, an obstetrician, and his wife Clair, a lawyer. The second eldest of their five children, Denise is a younger sister of Sondra and an elder sister to Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. After graduating from high school, Denise leaves home to pursue post-secondary education at the fictional, historically black Hillman College, the college both her parents and grandparents had attended.A Different World originally focuses on the character during her freshman and sophomore years at Hillman, revolving around her as she meets new friends and adjusts to college life. However, Denise constantly struggles with her finances and academics to the point of which she ultimately drops out, becoming the first member of her family to drop out of college. After leaving Hillman, Denise returns to her childhood home in the hopes of forging her own "alternative path" towards success.
Initially interested in becoming either a fashion designer or record producer, Denise pursues several short-lived part-time jobs, from which she is either fired or quits after a brief period of time, before traveling to Africa to work as a wildlife photographer's assistant. Denise returns to the Huxtable household one year later, this time as the second wife of a divorced Naval officer, Lt. Martin Kendall – who she marries without her family's knowledge – and stepmother to his three year-old daughter Olivia. After developing an interest in teaching children with learning disabilities, Denise eventually decides to enroll at Medgar Evers College. Finally, Denise relocates to Asia to live with Martin, where he is stationed for the remainder of the series, while Olivia remains in Brooklyn with her parents. In the series finale, Denise phone calls her family from Asia to announce that she is pregnant with her and Martin's first child.
Development
Creation and writing
Comedian Bill Cosby became interested in developing The Cosby Show partially because he was unimpressed with popular family sitcoms airing at the time, some of which often depicted children talking back to and disrespecting their parents without suffering serious consequences. Cosby intended for The Cosby ShowAccording to Cosby: His Life and Times author Mark Whitaker, Cosby conceived Denise as a "hip, fashion-conscious, and a bit flaky" character. Early storylines included Denise fighting with younger sister Vanessa over the latter borrowing her sweater without permission, getting her braces removed, announcing her decision to attend college away from home, promising younger brother Theo that she is capable of sewing him a replica of an expensive designer shirt he had purchased, and tricking her parents into believing she had spent a night at a male friend's house to prove a point about their parenting style. An episode entitled "Jitterbug Break" was written to explore Cosby's interest in the ways in which different generations dance. When Denise's parents deny her permission to attend a concert, some of her friends are invited into their living room which has been converted into a dance floor by rearranging some of the furniture, allowing them room to break dance. They are eventually joined by a pair of Cliff and Clair's swing dancing friends, and a dance battle ensues between the younger and older dancers. In one of the show's more serious episodes, Denise struggles with the revelation that a teenage friend of hers is pregnant. Several episodes revolving around Denise explore her boyfriends and dating life.
Casting and portrayal
Denise is portrayed by American actress Lisa Bonet, whose professional acting experience prior to The Cosby Show had been limited to television commercials for Barbie and McDonald's, and a guest appearance on the medical drama St. Elsewhere. Casting the role of Denise, who was still intended to be the Huxtable's eldest child at the time, was a relatively quick process. Bonet first auditioned for the show's directors, followed by its producers, then finally Cosby himself and the network executives. Cosby immediately became interested in then-15 year-old Bonet because she was wearing makeup on only one side of her face, already demonstrating some of the quirky characteristics Cosby had envisioned for the character simply by being herself. Impressed by the young actress' strong sense of self, producer Marcy Carsey recalled that Bonet attended her audition wearing braces, a "real kid" hairstyle, and an "off-center" sense of fashion that was very similar to what the show's creators had envisioned for Denise. They soon labelled Bonet a young woman who refuses to be anything but herself after the actress read for the role quite naturally, as though "she were just doing life." According to People, Denise "didn’t fit into any mold, a role that seemed made for Lisa Bonet."The actors were eventually narrowed down to three top choices for each child character, including Bonet for Denise, although she felt discouraged after overhearing one of the other two actresses vying for the same role say "She'll never get it... Because she has braces." After Bonet learned that she had in fact been chosen for the role from director Jay Sandrich, she met with Cosby one more time, who admitted to liking her braces. According to Cosby: His Life and Times author Mark Whitaker, Cosby enjoyed "the naturalness of delivery", which he found refreshing in comparison to the "stagey quality" most child actors who auditioned for the role tended to rely upon, in addition to her "exotic beauty", which he likened to that of singer Lena Horne. Once Bonet was cast, the writers began to incorporate some aspects of her personality into her character, although her own fashion sense and behavior is viewed as more "outlandish" than Denise's. At Cosby's request, costume designer Sarah Lemire was granted a weekly budget of $3000 to outfit the show's characters and frequently took significant risks with Bonet's wardrobe. However, the costume designer did have some restrictions; Lemire would have liked to have been "more outrageous with hair and hats" but limited herself because she had little control over the actress hair. Praising Bonet's own taste in clothing, Lemire likened costuming her to "dressing myself if I was 20 years younger." Bonet often selected her character's outfits herself with little input from the wardrobe department.
Denise was Bonet's first major television role. Being of mixed ethnicity, her character's upbringing "as a teen-ager in a well-adjusted, upper-middle-class black family" is remarkably different from how Bonet herself grew up, which took some time for the actress to adjust to; she never knew her father and was raised by her mother in a lower-middle-class, mostly white neighborhood. However, Bonet credits her role on The Cosby Show with "helping resolve her own identity crisis". Bonet described the show's environment in 1987 as "the perfect family, where you go to work, you get tired of them and you go home", and at the time likened working alongside Cosby to "learning from a master", from whom she often sought both professional and personal advice. Actress Phylicia Rashad, who portrays Bonet's on-screen mother Clair, described Bonet as "one of the best young actresses today... She is phenomenal for someone of her years."
Creative conflicts and ''A Different World''
Bonet had a tense relationship with both Cosby and the show's producers throughout most of her time on the series. Although the co-stars are believed to have gotten along well during her first three seasons on the show, their dispute first became public in 1987. According to Kara Kovalchik of Mental Floss, Bonet's alleged unprofessionalism consistently aggravated Cosby, reportedly being constantly argumentative on set, late for tapings and sometimes neglecting to attend tapings altogether. Bonet first expressed interest in pursuing a career as a dramatic film actress midway through the show's first season, originally intending to leave the series after only two years. Aged 19 at the time, she decided to make her film debut as Epiphany Proudfoot in the controversial horror film Angel Heart, a role that required Bonet to film a sex scene with actor Mickey Rourke. By this time, Denise had already become the show's most popular character, while Bonet's fame increased when the film was initially assigned an X rating for its graphic content. Although her role shocked several of Bonet's fans and Cosby himself, Cosby claims that he did not mind the actress' decision to appear in the film, explaining to her "if this is something you want to do, fine. You have my blessings", and maintaining that he and Bonet have a good relationship in which he would have voiced his disapproval if he had felt otherwise. Bonet confirmed that she sought Cosby's advice when she was first offered the role because "he's a generous enough man to see beyond The Cosby Show and to see my career as what it is and what it could be". Despite granting her his approval, Cosby refused to see the film. The show's producers and NBC executives declined to comment on Bonet's decision, citing "what Bonet did off the Cosby set was her business.", resulted in the creation of her own spin-off series, A Different World.|alt=Black and white headshot of a middle-aged African American man with a half-smile donning business attire while looking off to the side of the image.
Tensions increased between Bonet and Cosby when the actress posed nude for Interview and Rolling Stone magazines to promote Angel Heart. Bonet insisted "I was not concerned with how Denise was going to feel... Nor was I looking to destroy her reputation. Instead, I felt obligated to my career and my artistic choice." After hearing that the photograph was generating a lot of negative feedback and press, Cosby purchased a copy of Interview himself and claims that, upon seeing Bonet's photographs for the first time, he felt "There's nothing wrong with it... Lisa has matured due to the immediacy of her responsibilities... I think that she is doing magnificently well for someone doing and making decisions on her own, and she is deeply loved in my heart". The media continued to circulate Bonet's photographs heavily, which is believed to have instigated a highly publicized dispute between the actress and Cosby towards the end of the 1980s. Cosby expressed concern over how the photographs would affect The Cosby Show
A Different World originally revolved around an entirely different premise and main character, starring actress Meg Ryan as Maggie Lauten – a white student adjusting to a historically black college. When Ryan left the project to focus on her film career, she was replaced with actress Marisa Tomei; Tomei's Maggie was re-written into a supporting role, becoming one of Denise's roommates, while the premise was revised into a series following Bonet's character as she adjusts to college and living away from home. The first and only Cosby Show cast member to receive their own spin-off, the media speculated that A Different World had been developed into a star vehicle for Bonet because she frequently protested the way in which Cosby directed the family-oriented Cosby Show; Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club agreed that the spin-off was revised as a means of removing Bonet from The Cosby Show "in a way that would bruise fewer egos." Additionally, Cosby's decision to cast Bonet in A Different World allowed "viewers to explore the new environment through the eyes of a familiar character". Strategic Reinvention in Popular Culture: The Encore Impulse author Richard Pfefferman agreed that Denise "was at the perfect stage of development to star in a series of her own."
Filming A Different World required Bonet to relocate from New York, where The Cosby Show was taped, back to her hometown San Francisco, California. A Different World
Return to ''The Cosby Show''
While appearing on A Different World, Bonet married musician Lenny Kravitz in 1988 and became pregnant with their child soon afterward. Fearing how Cosby would react to the news based on previous experiences with on-set pregnancies, Bonet first consulted with producer Debbie Allen, who suggested that they approach Cosby about the pregnancy together. Allen suggested that Bonet's pregnancy be written into the series, explaining that it "would be a great thing. To see a girl who’s upper class kid, having a baby, not married because she didn’t want to be married…and the girls could root for her." Although Cosby listened to Allen's ideas, he and some of the show's other producers did not want to explore teen pregnancy via A Different WorldBonet was fired from A Different World at the beginning of its second season, and Cosby re-hired her to appear on The Cosby Show's fifth season while A Different World underwent several changes in her absence. Robert E. Johnson of Jet reported that Bonet's cast mates happily welcomed her back to the series, with Cosby assuring her "there's nothing but love here for you". While struggling at first to determine the best way to approach the return of both Bonet and Denise, Cosby ultimately decided to incorporate some real-life experiences from his relationship with his own daughter Erinn who, similar to Denise, had dropped out of school in order "to find herself", into the character's re-introduction, which evolved into a storyline about children sometimes disappointing their parents but remaining loved by them regardless. Erinn attended Spelman College, the historically black institution upon which Hillman is based.
The episode in which Denise returns home premiered on October 6, 1988. Since Cosby did not intend to add an infant character to the series, the show concealed Bonet's pregnancy using loose-fitting clothing, large coats, sofas and grocery bags. To allow Bonet time to have her baby, her character was temporarily written out of the series for one year by having Denise announce that she has decided to drop out of Hillman permanently in favor of relocating to Africa and pursuing a job opportunity as a wildlife photographer's assistant. Denise was downgraded from a main to recurring character for the remainder of the season
Despite NBC producers alluding to the possibility of Bonet returning to A Different World permanently after giving birth, Bonet would only make one final appearance on the spin-off, a cameo during its third season, by which time the series had begun to focus on other characters. Allen created an entirely new character, Freddie Brooks, and recruited actress Cree Summer to occupy Bonet's vacancy as the show's "earthy, bohemian" character. In the wake of Bonet's departure, Tomei was also fired and her character written out of the series despite Allen's original intentions to retain "the dynamic of having a white girl in a black college." Although A Different World would remain a spin-off of The Cosby Show, Denise's absence severed connections between the two shows apart from the fact that Hillman is her father's alma mater during its earliest seasons.
Departure
Having spent the majority of season five away on maternity leave, Bonet resumed her role on The Cosby Show full-time upon giving birth to daughter Zoë Kravitz; Denise returns home after secretly marrying Lt. Martin Kendall, a Naval officer she had met while working in Africa, becoming stepmother to his three year-old daughter Olivia. Philips originally guest starred in an early episode of The Cosby Show as one of Sondra's love interests before he was recast as Denise's husband for the remainder of the series. The sixth season premiere "Denise: The Saga Continues", in which Denise returns home to Brooklyn unannounced and introduces her parents to her new family, established the sitcom's season premieres as episodes in which a Huxtable child would inform their parents about very surprising news. Bonet would continue to appear on the show regularly over the next several episodes until Cosby fired her altogether at the end of season seven, officially citing "creative differences". The season's 24th episode "Cliff and Jake", which aired on April 11, 1991, marks Bonet's final appearance on the show. Cosby claims that he fired Bonet because The Cosby ShowBonet developed a reputation for being difficult to work with on The Cosby Show. Although nearly every main and recurring character who played a significant role on the series returned for The Cosby Show
According to PopCrunch, Bonet's feud with Cosby "has become just as legendary as the show" itself. Bonet has famously continued to avoid attending Cosby Show-related reunions and specials in the years since the show has ended. When Bonet declined to attend The Cosby Show: A Look Back, a retrospective television special hosted by NBC in 2002, she explained, "The whole experience and energy behind it felt disingenuous and motivated by corporate profit. I felt devalued and disrespected." When the Cosby Show cast was honored with the Impact Award at the 2011 TV Land Awards, Bonet was noticeably absent, citing "scheduling conflicts" as the official reason for her nonattendance. Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who portrays Bonet's on-screen brother Theo, said "Lisa has always danced to the beat of her own drummer, which has worked for and against her"; Warner recalled being "surprised" when Bonet once attended a smaller-scale reunion that featured him and on-screen sisters Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam for Nickelodeon's Favorite Huxtable Contest. However, he admitted he admires Bonet for following her passion. Bonet and Tomei, both of whom were fired during the first season of A Different World, have remained close friends.
In 2018, Bonet, who has had little to no comment about the recent sexual assault allegations made by several women against Cosby, revealed that she had always felt a "type of sinister, shadow energy cannot be concealed" during her time working with Cosby. She maintains that her memories of her experience on the show have not been influenced by the allegations, insisting, "No, it’s exactly as I remember it".
Characterization and fashion
According to Eudie Pak of Biography, Denise was first introduced "as the popular girl with ever-changing hair and fashion". Martin Gitlin, author of The Greatest Sitcoms of All Time, described the character as "Stunningly attractive... independent, intelligent, and proud." Denise eventually became known as "the wild child" of the Huxtable family as a result of her rebellious nature, outspokenness, eccentric clothing and tendency to date boys her father does not approve of. Josh Axelrod of College Magazine dubbed Denise "Cliff Huxtable's most frustrating child", standing apart from her siblings due to her inherent flightiness and restlessness. As "the most mellow Huxtable kid with a slightly boho style", the character also dresses in a manner that is distinguished from the moderate way in which her siblings dress. Denise's style has been described as bohemian and boho-chic. Developing a reputation as "a stylish dresser", the character frequently makes bold fashion statements, particularly via her vast assortment of hats and accessories, and variety of hair styles. Kamille Cooper, contributing to Vibe, described the character's wardrobe as "synonymous with 90’s trends and groovy 70’s-inspired prints–even more so perpetuated by her carefree persona", identifying "her ability to mix prints and patterns effortlessly to embellished adornments on fedoras and blazers". Denise typically wears oversized smocks, harem pants, jumpsuits, large blazers and head wraps with vibrant patterns, as well as denim and vintage tops. Glamour contributor Tracey Lomrantz Lester wrote that, in addition to fitted vests, the character dons "some of the most memorable headwear I've ever seen on TV." Alison Feldmann, writing for The Etsy Blog, described Denise as "fearless when it came to her appearance and could get away with seemingly anything". Refinery29 contributor Fara Prince agreed that Denise "got away with wearing the craziest outfits and changed her hairstyle constantly, all while maintaining that relaxed, cool-girl vibe." Brit + Co writer Rachel Aschenbrand-Robinson believes that the character's choice of clothing gave viewers the impression "that she actually gave no f**ks what anyone thought of her look."College Fashion cited the character's interest in experimenting with geometric patterns, bright colors and a variety of textures. Bustle
Denise has been identified as a "drifter". Author Mark Whitaker wrote in his book Cosby: His Life and Times that the character resembles a "laconic mixture of sweetness and sarcasm that captured the ironic detachment that was becoming a hallmark of Generation X." Each Huxtable child "represents a different aspect on life." As a rebel who has been described as the Huxtable's "most troublesome child", Denise was often depicted as the opposite of Sondra, struggling to perform well academically unlike her older sister; Denise receives five Ds, one C and seven incompletes during her time at Hillman. While Sondra successfully graduates from Princeton University, Denise drops out of Hillman, travels to Africa and marries a Navy lieutenant instead, representing "that children don’t always grow up how parents expect", according to the Ames Tribune. The Odyssey Online
Reception
''The Cosby Show''
Denise quickly established herself as an audience favorite during the show's earliest seasons, which Mental Floss contributor Kara Kovalchik attributes to her "typical teenage carefree attitude and her cutting-edge fashion sense". Denise ultimately became the show's most popular character, and her unique fashion sense became a trademark of the series. Essence wrote that the character's clothes "captured the hearts of wholesome teeny-boppers all over America", while Abby White of the Nashville Scene agreed that the character "won our hearts with her sense of style from day one". White also joked that being one of Denise's three less popular sisters "must have really sucked". Popular and beloved by fans until her departure, Bonet became a "media darling", by whom she was crowned "America's Sweetheart". Idolized by teenage boys, she received the most fan mail out of the show's cast. Adored by millions of fans, Bonet's popularity grew almost overnight, soon establishing her as the show's breakout star and a household name. Fans swarmed the actress in public, often approaching her for fashion advice. Karen Heller of The Philadelphia Inquirer dubbed Bonet their "sartorial role model." Girls were drawn towards her bohemian sense of fashion, while boys found her to be very attractive and "a major heartthrob", admitting to having crushes on the actress throughout her tenure. According to Hollywood.com, Bonet "struck a chord" among The Cosby Show fans with "her ethereal beauty and quiet strength". VibeJulee Wilson of HuffPost described the character as "head-strong yet lovable". Rebekah Williams, writing for Her Campus, called Denise's personality "charming". In a retrospective review of the series, Funny or Die dubbed Denise "your Tumblr crush", writing, "She was wild. Sexy. Artistic. A free spirit. But mostly, she was just fierce. Girls wanted to be her. Boys wanted to be with her. Boys also probably wanted to be her." Who What Wear identified Denise as the main reason they continue to watch reruns of The Cosby Show, citing her clothes as the primary factor in their "dedicated viewership" while dubbing her "a total 80's urban dreamgirl." Writing for The Atlantic, Joe Reid ranked Denise the best Huxtable child, praising both Bonet's performance and the character's "flakiness". Reid concluded, "Denise managed to be equal parts cool and disaster, without ever selling out either part." Writing for the same publication, Kevin O'Keefe ranked Denise lower at number five because he often struggled to "understand her motivations", finding it implausible that a free-spirited woman like Denise would be interested in "a straight-edge like Martin". However, O'Keefe admitted that he enjoyed her role in the episode "A Shirt Story". The episode is often positively reviewed as one of the character's best; Zeba Blay, senior culture writer for HuffPost, called the moment Theo screams "Denise!" upon trying on the shirt Denise sewed for her brother as her favorite scene. Bonet was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 38th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1986.
Bonet's controversial role in Angel Heart was met with strong backlash from devoted Cosby Show fans, some of whom felt that she had betrayed Denise's "wholesome" image. Some media headlines, such as USA Today
''A Different World''
As one of the decade's most popular actresses, A Different World initially attempted to capitalize on Bonet's fame by featuring Denise prominently. Although the spin-off garnered strong viewership due to airing immediately after its parent program, critics were largely unimpressed with its first season and Denise's role, often blaming her characterization and Bonet's performance for the show's lackluster reviews. Mark Harris, contributing to Entertainment Weekly, wrote that "Bonet proved hollow as the center of a sitcom". People television critic Jeff Jarvis accused NBC of "steal Lisa Bonet away, diluting Cosby only so she could star in a watery, bland series of her own." Jarvis continued, "I only hope NBC has the sense to forgive Bonet and welcome her home, where she’s always been terrific, on Cosby." The Chicago TribuneWriter and executive producer Susan Fales defended Bonet's acting: "the character was far more at fault . Denise was not very interesting, and we were asked to make her into Mary Tyler Moore or Tinkerbell, always bringing everyone together. We couldn’t." Critics and audiences found that the character was constantly being upstaged by Whitley Gilbert. After Bonet's departure, Whitley replaced Denise as A Different World
However, some fans lamented Denise's departure. AfterEllen.com contributor Dana Piccoli found it difficult to continue enjoying A Different World without Bonet, expounding, "I hung on for a couple of seasons but my heart wasn’t in it with Bonet gone." Recognizing Denise's characterization on A Different World among 752 Things We Love to Hate about TV, author Tara Ariano wrote that young female fans were generally unbothered by Bonet's tendency to "deliver her lines either in a monotone or screechy whine" while "looking at Denise with the eyes of love." Erin Faith Wilson of AfterEllen.com called A Different World one of her favorite shows "because of my love for Denise Huxtable", elaborating, "her clothes were amazing, she was incredibly intelligent and she didn’t put up with shit from anyone... At the time, she seemed to scream feminism and I couldn’t get enough." Bustle
Impact and legacy
Denise remains Bonet's best-known role. In his biography of the actress, Michael Hastings of AllMovie wrote that Bonet "quickly asserted herself as one of the most memorable kids in the Huxtable clan", since then "enjoying a longevity that few former child stars can claim." Bob McCann, author of Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television, believes an entire generation of African-American teenagers "grew up with a crush on" Denise. The RootElle included Denise in an article recognizing "The 50 Best Dressed Women on TV". Unranked, Glamour featured the character among "The 9 Best Dressed TV Characters Of All Time", with author Tracey Lomrantz Lester dubbing her "the best dressed kid on The Cosby Show". Essence considers her to be among "TV's Best-Dressed Characters", while Harper's Bazaar recognized her for having one of "The 15 Most Iconic TV Wardrobes". BuzzFeed ranked Denise the most fashionable television character of the 1990s, crowning her the "undisputed style icon of the '80s and '90s". StyleCaster ranked Denise eighth on their countdown of "The 50 Most Stylish TV Characters Of All Time", writing, "Few TV characters have been as fearless when it comes to fashion as The Cosby Show
Sherri Williams of The Washington Post described both Denise and Bonet as "an it-girl of the 1980s whose unique style and independence endeared audiences." According to Nick Slay of The Source, Denise established herself as a "pop culture icon". AfterEllen.com's Erin Faith Wilson called Denise one of her favorite television crushes from the 1980s and 1990s. Refinery29 featured Denise in an article recognizing "TV Sisters We Always Wanted In Our Family". HelloGiggles ranked Denise first on its ranking of "10 TV Characters Who Would Make Awesome Big Sisters", calling her "magnetic to watch" due to her free-spirited personality and sense of fashion. The Washington Post recognized Denise as a template for "How TV handles beloved characters going off to college", which Uproxx's Alan Sepinwall described as "Tak the most popular/exciting/funny character who’s not the lead, and trust that they can carry a new show on their own". College Magazine ranked Denise the fifth best fictional college student. Denise's "replacement" Pam was not particularly well-received by fans after she was written out of the series. StyleBlazer included Denise in an article recognizing "7 Replaced Classic TV Characters We Never Got Over", writing, "Dont get us wrong, Pam was comedy, but we never stopped missing Denise."
In 2012, clothing company Urban Outfitters created a clothing line inspired by Denise entitled "A Different World", describing it as "a nod to the coolest older sister ever". Business Insider criticized the organization for hiring a white model Dana Boulos to promote the clothing line, arguing "that most Urban customers wouldn't even know who Denise is." Denise has served as a blueprint for and inspired a generation of young, middle-class female television characters attending college. According to Soraya Nadia McDonald of The Undefeated, "Girls modeled on Denise are smart, but their intellect isn’t necessarily reflected in their grades. They’re sheltered, and they move through college under ideal, manageable circumstances. And they’re presented as typical, pleasant girls who should be completely relatable for white America."
In 2018, a spin-off of the sitcom Black-ish premiered. Entitled Grown-ish, the spin-off revolves around one of the show's characters Zoey leaving home and attending college; the spin-off's college-related storyline and main character have drawn extensive comparisons to Denise, with both series initially "focus on the college experience of the oldest daughter in a middle-class black family." A. Bottinick of TV Insider identified both characters' pursuit of higher education and African American heritage among their similarities, dubbing them both "the teen style icons of their time and—quite surprisingly, considering their shows take place years apart—have donned quite a few of the same looks." The York Dispatch