Theo's confident when he's 18 and moves out on his own, he'll be able to get a job as a model and make a lot of money; the family puts him to a test to see how well he'd make it in the real world.
It's Russell and Anna Huxtable's 49th anniversary, and the Huxtables observe the occasion with a classic impression of Ray Charles' "Night Time is the Right Time."
Tony Micelli, a retired baseball player, becomes the housekeeper of Angela Bower, an advertising executive in New York. Together they raise their kids, Samantha Micelli and Jonathon Bower, with help from Mona Robinson, Angela's man-crazy mother.
The daily trials and tribulations of Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, a television show host raising three mischievous boys with help from his loyal co-host, loving wife, and eccentric neighbor.
"The Cosby Show" centers on the lives of the Huxtables: obstetrician Cliff and his lawyer wife Claire, their daughters Sondra, Denise, Vanessa and Rudy, and son Theo. Based on the standup comedy of Bill Cosby, the show focused on his observations of family life. Although based on comedy, the series also addresses some more serious topics, such as learning disabilities and teen pregnancy.Written by
Jwelch5742
Lisa Bonet appeared only sporadically during the third season, as Denise was away at college. In season four, Bonet was spun off into her own series, A Different World (1987), portraying Denise's life at the fictional Hillman College. Bonet left the show due to pregnancy, and it continued successfully without her. She went back to Cosby on-and-off in season 5, and was fired due to creative differences in season 7. See more »
Goofs
Cliff Huxtable is an OB/GYN in New York City who is successful enough to have his practice in the basement of his home. Yet, he has no office staff, a single examine room, and apparently no waiting area. See more »
Quotes
[repeated line]
Cliff:
Look at me when you lie.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The season after Lisa Bonet left the series, Bill Cosby can be seen holding a photo of Bonet during the opening credits. See more »
Alternate Versions
The season 1 DVD set was made up of edited, syndication-length episodes missing about 2 minutes per episode from their original broadcast. It was only because of the consumer outcry that season 2 and beyond were released unedited. The "Complete Series" set includes all 8 seasons, including the first one, in the original uncut network versions. See more »
I rarely go to DVDs of old TeeVee shows. The edge that could have made many of then work when new has long dulled. Nostalgia is a bad way to motivate a life. But this was a reminder of a day, shortly after the US almost lost itself forever. The great national tragedy was slavery — not that it happened, because nations do many dishonorable things. But because we clung to it so tightly, reinventing it in subtle ways.
In my memory, three things changed that. There was the civil rights movement of course and its nobility in peaceful stands for justice. There was the profound decision by Coca-Cola to fashion ads that portrayed a nation of many colors. Many people overlook the significance of this and its powerful effect, cinematic equality.
And then there was Cosby. Here was a man with practices affability. No joke was demeaning. All jokes had to do with family, kinship, a world with no disharmony and only small everyday events. He did not invent domestic humor. TeeVee had it cooking long before he arrived. But he did it better than anyone then and since. His warmth made it. And he had a black face.
That face is the device on which all episodes of the show rely. A setup, a comment and then Bill's face reacting. A simple formula. Simple jokes; powerful face. I wouldn't want to overemphasize his intent or impact. He happened to be a good man at the right time, but no less obsessed and commercial than Opra, who inherited and demeaned the role.
Revisiting these shows is revisiting history, a noble history of a noble time before the US found another way to marginalize: let kids do it by themselves.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
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I rarely go to DVDs of old TeeVee shows. The edge that could have made many of then work when new has long dulled. Nostalgia is a bad way to motivate a life. But this was a reminder of a day, shortly after the US almost lost itself forever. The great national tragedy was slavery — not that it happened, because nations do many dishonorable things. But because we clung to it so tightly, reinventing it in subtle ways.
In my memory, three things changed that. There was the civil rights movement of course and its nobility in peaceful stands for justice. There was the profound decision by Coca-Cola to fashion ads that portrayed a nation of many colors. Many people overlook the significance of this and its powerful effect, cinematic equality.
And then there was Cosby. Here was a man with practices affability. No joke was demeaning. All jokes had to do with family, kinship, a world with no disharmony and only small everyday events. He did not invent domestic humor. TeeVee had it cooking long before he arrived. But he did it better than anyone then and since. His warmth made it. And he had a black face.
That face is the device on which all episodes of the show rely. A setup, a comment and then Bill's face reacting. A simple formula. Simple jokes; powerful face. I wouldn't want to overemphasize his intent or impact. He happened to be a good man at the right time, but no less obsessed and commercial than Opra, who inherited and demeaned the role.
Revisiting these shows is revisiting history, a noble history of a noble time before the US found another way to marginalize: let kids do it by themselves.
Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.