now watching: The Cosby Show

Written By Brache .

I know the unfortunate turn that Bill Cosby’s legacy has taken, but I could never deny the fact that I was a Cosby kid. I love the show and the Black American life Cosby aspired to capture, despite obvious flaws and in lieu of less than favorable hindsight. Trust, the flaws and hindsight will not be spared!

 

Let’s start with some highlights:

  • Favorite Character: Clair, easily - classically beautiful, charming and smooth, the mother & wife I’ll aspire to be (should I wish to assume those roles)

  • Least Favorite Character: Sondra, easily - she’s such a basic character to me that doesn’t match the other kids at all…comes off as pretentious and for lack of better words, just lame

  • Favorite Season(s): 2, 4, and 5 - I had the second and fifth season DVD sets so those are nostalgic for personal reasons, but the fourth season is slightly better than the first because the episodes are a tad funnier and Theo’s development really kicks off

  • Least Favorite Season(s): 8 - they tried too hard; there’s only a little bit that actually counts in this season, which they should’ve just put in season 7!

  • Favorite Season Intro: 4, with 8 as a close second

  • Least Favorite Season Intro: 5, with 7 as a close second (it’s not so much the music as it’s just the longest intro and they used it 2 seasons in a row; the 5th one is just an oddball compared to all the others)

  • Best Character Development: Theodore! - not only do we see how puberty blessed him, but his character has more of an evolution than any other, and this progression actually serves the overall aspirations of the show

  • Worst Character Development: Denise - even though Sondra was annoying AF to me, her character still had a more natural evolution than Denise, simply because Bill had beef and stunted Lisa Bonet’s character (which in turn really hurt his show, so nyah)

 
 

I cut each season in half to present my top 12 episodes (with 2 considered bonuses)

  • 1) Pilot (of course, Cliff’s classic conversation with Theo about the real world could never be cut)

    2) Breaking With Tradition* (this is a bonus, but important to note as the precurser to Denise at Hillman)

    3) A Shirt Story (an absolute classic, great character representation of Denise & Theo)

    4) How Ugly Is He? (the trauma of bringing boys home cannot be underestimated…nor not laughed at)

    5) Independence Day (the trauma of getting caught trying to be too grown cannot be underestimated…nor not laughed at)

    6) Physician of the Year (this is actually a really touching episode with an admirable message included)

    7) Vanessa’s New Class (great character representation of Vanessa, and how much of a biscuithead she could really be)

    8) Back to the Track, Jack (a funny and lovely reminder that parents were - and are - people outside of “Mom” and “Dad”)

    9) The Younger Woman (great character representation of Cliff and Clair navigating marriage & adulthood)

    10) Slumber Party (a potentially forgotten classic, representative of how many powerhouses appeared on this show)

    11) Mr. Quiet* (one of my personal favorites, great representation of Cliff within the community, but more of a bonus episode)

    12) Cliff’s Birthday (another potentially forgotten classic, but Ms. Lena Horne…enough said)

  • 1) First Day of School (all the characters get to shine like they did in the pilot)

    2) Theo and the Older Woman (little brothers, amirite)

    3) Halloween (pre-teens, hormones, and crushes, amirite)

    4) Mrs. Westlake (one of my personal favorites, perhap because I am a teacher)

    5) The Auction* (a tricky bonus; great episode with powerful message)

    6) Theo and Cockroach (the epitome of teenage boyhood, and one of their many run-ins with Shakespeare)

    7) Play it Again, Russell (I love this episode so much, for the band and the family connection)

    8) A Touch of Wonder (a potentially forgotten classic but a gem of an episode)

    9) Full House (an absolute classic, totally captures “the Cosby Cannon”; also how I found “Cosmic Slop”)

    10) Close to Home* (a bit of a sad bonus, but important; makes you appreciate family)

    11) An Early Spring (Cockroach was not playing with them kids, and that’s when I knew I wasn’t playing about him either)

    12) Theo’s Holiday (an absolute classic, potentially forgotten but HOW, it’s sitcom GOLD - Theo finally learns to respect the real world)

  • 1) Mother, May I? (Vanessa becoming more and more of a fart nugget each day)

    2) The March* (a bonus episode, but still an important one - learn from your elders!)

    3) Denise Gets a D (great character representation of Denise that later gets extrapolated in S5)

    4) A Girl and Her Dog (such a classic episode, sitcom golden hour)

    5) Cliff in Charge (underrated gem, great character representation of Cliff & the girls)

    6) Say Hello to a Good Buy (another classic, almost a bonus were it not for Sinbad and Gilbert Gottfried; also beautiful ending NOT going off on Rudy)

    7) Calling Dr. Huxtable (the inevitable peer pressure episode, more sitcom golden hour)

    8) You Only Hurt the One You Love (a really great episode, inspires you to get to know your coworkers and look out for each other)

    9) The Shower (Clair was totally right - you girlies better not ever try something like this!!)

    10) Cliff’s 50th Birthday (really great character representation for Cliff & Clair, also navigating marriage and adulthood)

    11) I Know That You Know (one of the few tolerable Sondra & Elvin episodes, love when the family tries to play pranks)

    12) Planning Parenthood* (a cute episode for Cliff & Rudy, aspirations for black fathers & daughters + love Clair’s galpal time)

  • 1) Call of the Wild (where Sondra & Elvin officially went weird, hilarious Cliff & Clair reactions)

    2) Cliff’s Mistake (great Cliff character representation)

    3) Shakespeare (some real theatre kids geeking out, we love to see it)

    4) Autumn Gifts* (the elderly can be so hardheaded, yet witty)

    5) Dance Mania (the end of Theo and Cockroach…)

    6) The Show Must Go On* (cute episode, but focused on the kids vs. the family)

    7) Bookworm (classic Cliff & Clair character representation)

    8) The Drum Major (great brother/sister dynamic and character representation with Theo & Vanessa)

    9) Waterworks (sitcom golden hour & great Cliff character representation)

    10) Petanque (one of my favorite episodes, love the marriage dynamic of Cliff & Clair with the Harmons)

    11) Home For The Weekend (classic episode, sitcom golden hour, hits kinda close to home)

    12) The Prom (classic episode, introducing Justine, epitome of teenage boys doing the utmost)

  • 1) Together Again and Again (sitcom golden hour, great character representation of the whole family)

    2) Out of Brooklyn (this was a great way to send Denise off…one of the last positive things we see about her)

    3) If The Dress Fits, Wear It (absolutely love this episode, Phylicia & Debbie are a hoot together, great Cliff & Clair character representation)

    4) Truth or Consequences (demonstrates how hard Vanessa likes to push her luck and great Cliff & Clair character representation)

    5) Mrs. Huxtable Goes to Kindergarten

    6) The Lost Weekend

    7) Can I Say Something, Please?*

    8) It Comes and It Goes

    9) Theo’s Women

    10) Birthday Blues

    11) A Room With No View

    12) 57 Varieties

  • 1) Denise: The Saga Continues

    2) I’m In With The ‘In” Crowd

    3) Theo’s Gift

    4) Denise Kendall: Babysitter*

    5) Cliff’s Wet Adventure

    6) Grampy and Nu-Nu Visit the Huxtables (Cliff la Dolce? Elvin Pays For Dinner? The Birthday Party?)

    7) Rudy’s Walk on the Wild Side* Isn’t It Romantic?

    8) What’s it All About?

    9) Off to See the Wretched (The Moves? Live and Learn?)

  • Season 7 Episodes

    1) Same Time Next Year

    2) Bird in the Hand

    3) The Last Barbeque

    4) Just Thinking About It, Pt. 1 & 2

    5) Clair’s Liberation

    6) Attack of the Killer B’s*

    7) 27 and Still Cooking

    8) The Storyteller

    Season 8 Episodes

    1) With This Ring?

    2) Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown

    3) It’s Apparent to Everyone

    4) Theo’s Future

    5) The Price is Wrong

    6) Cliff and Theo Come Clean*

 

How could we talk about The Cosby Show and not mention the celebrities?

Throughout every season, the show was teeming with future (and mega) stars. Thanks to the absolute success of the show, these famous faces were found and featured in several other black films/shows we love today.

(Note: The pictures are more or less in the order that the stars appeared in the series. Also, other major stars, such as Wallace Shawn and Adam Sandler, aren’t included due to lack of melanin but not lack of love.)

 
 

  • Blair Underwood: “Jitterbug Break” + “Theo and the Older Woman” (he’s in the middle next to Denise in the first picture)

  • Robin Givens: “Theo and the Older Woman”

  • Lena Horne: “Cliff’s Birthday”

  • Lela Rochon: “The Shower”

  • Stevie Wonder: “A Touch of Wonder”

  • Angela Bassett: “Mr. Quiet” + “Bookworm”

  • Stacey Dash: “Denise’s Friend”

  • Carl Anthony Payne: Cockroach first appeared in “Theo and Cockroach”

  • Raven-Symone: Olivia first appeared in “Denise: The Saga Continues”

  • Rico Wells: “Denise Gets an Opinion” + “The Birth, pt. 1 & 2”

  • Miriam Makeba: “Olivia Comes Out the Closet”

  • Althea Williams: “Calling Dr. Huxtable”

  • Allen Payne: Lance first appeared in “

  • Erica Alexander: Pam first appeared in “

  • Dondre Whitfield: Robert first appeared in “Halloween”

  • Jade aka: Jade first appeared in “Theo’s Women”

  • Justine aka: Justine first appeared in “

  • Tichina Arnold: “Theo’s Women”

 

The guest stars were grand, but the music was golden.

Here are some of my favorite gems from the entire series.

Brache .
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now listening to: Jill Scott