The Cosby Show: Season 1

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Universal acclaim based on 18 Ratings

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 18 Ratings

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The Cosby Show

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Season Details & Credits

NBC | Season Premiere Date: September 20, 1984

Starring: Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Lisa Bonet, Bill Cosby

Summary: Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable was an OBGYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), and his wife Clair was a successful attorney. They had five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. Sondra was rarely seen during the first season because she was away at Princeton. She became a regular character in the second season, and was usuallyDr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable was an OBGYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), and his wife Clair was a successful attorney. They had five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. Sondra was rarely seen during the first season because she was away at Princeton. She became a regular character in the second season, and was usually seen with her on-again off-again beau, Elvin. They eventually married and had twins; but not before stunning their families by announcing the fact that Elvin was dropping out of medical school to open a camping store, and Sondra was dropping out of law school to help her husband in his endeavor.

Denise was the "unique" child, the black sheep of the family. She had her own way of doing things, right down to the style of clothing she wore. After graduating high school, she left for Hillman College in 1986 (a year later, this would become the setting for the spin-off A Different World), but returned two years later with news that she was dropping out. She eventually decided to become a photographer's assistant, and left for Africa for a year. When she returned, she had yet another bombshell: she had become a wife and mother while over in Africa. She married a navy man, Martin; who had a child, Olivia, from a previous marriage. During the final season, Denise travelled with Martin as he was stationed in Asia. Olivia stayed behind with Cliff and Clair.

Theo, Vanessa and Rudy were probably the most popular of the five kids, due to the fact that they were seen more often then Sondra and Denise. Most of the stories revolved around the three youngest children. Stories dealt mainly with dating and school life, as well as Cliff's never-ending fear that his children would never leave home. In the final episode, Theo graduated from college. The Cosby Show was for the late '80s what Dallas was for the early eighties. Dallas was the number one show during most of the early eighties; but then situation comedies bumped all prime-time soaps down. The Cosby Show proved to be fierce competition, becoming the number one show from 1985-1990. In fact, in 8 years it never dropped below the top 20. NBC Broadcast History

September 1984-June 1992----Thursdays----8:00 p.m.
July 1992-September 1992----Thursdays----8:30 p.m.

Nielsen Ratings:
(Top 30 or Better)

#3 in the 1984-1985 Season
#1 in the 1985-1986 Season
#1 in the 1986-1987 Season
#1 in the 1987-1988 Season
#1 in the 1988-1989 Season
#1 in the 1989-1990 Season
#5 in the 1990-1991 Season
#18 in the 1991-1992 Season

The most watched Cosby Show episode ever was "Say Hello to a Good Buy" which aired on January 22, 1987. The episode received a 41.3 rating, 56 share, and was seen by 64,980,000 viewers.

Watch The Cosby Show on TBS. Weekdays at 1pm & 1:30pm

The Cosby Show is also being shown in syndication, check local listings.… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy

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Season 1 Episodes

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S1:E24. Cliff's Birthday
Air Date: May 9, 1985
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S1:E23. Mr. Quiet
Air Date: May 2, 1985
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S1:E22. Slumber Party
Air Date: March 28, 1985

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Richard Zoglin

Jul 2, 2013

The Cosby Show's achievements have been rather wildly overstated. To be sure, at a time when most TV families inhabit a farcical never-never land, the series has much to recommend it. ... But The Cosby Show pales beside such landmark sitcoms of the 1970s as All in the Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Those programs forged new territory for TV comedy, in both style and subject matter. The Cosby Show, with its genial wholesomeness, harks back to old times. Read full review

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User Reviews

wesker2012

Jun 13, 2012

Amazing family show. Classic show. Very funny and believable characters.

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Seasons & Episodes

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Series Overview
Season 8

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- Season 8 Overview
  Air Date: September 19, 1991
Season 7

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- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1990
Season 6

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- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 1989
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: October 6, 1988
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 24, 1987
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 25, 1986
Season 2

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- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 26, 1985
Season 1

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- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1984
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  S1:E24. Cliff's Birthday
  Air Date: May 9, 1985
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  S1:E23. Mr. Quiet
  Air Date: May 2, 1985
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  S1:E22. Slumber Party
  Air Date: March 28, 1985
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  S1:E21. The Younger Woman
  Air Date: March 14, 1985
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  S1:E20. Back to the Track, Jack
  Air Date: February 28, 1985
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  S1:E19. Clair's Case
  Air Date: February 21, 1985
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  S1:E18. Vanessa's New Class
  Air Date: February 14, 1985
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  S1:E17. Theo and the Joint
  Air Date: February 7, 1985
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  S1:E16. Jitterbug Break
  Air Date: January 31, 1985
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  S1:E15. Physician of the Year
  Air Date: January 17, 1985
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  S1:E14. Independence Day
  Air Date: January 10, 1985
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  S1:E13. Father's Day
  Air Date: December 20, 1984
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  S1:E12. Rudy's Sick
  Air Date: December 13, 1984
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  S1:E11. You're Not a Mother Night
  Air Date: December 6, 1984
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  S1:E10. Bon Jour Sondra
  Air Date: November 22, 1984
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  S1:E9. How Ugly Is He?
  Air Date: November 15, 1984
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  S1:E8. Play It Again, Vanessa
  Air Date: November 8, 1984
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  S1:E7. One More Time
  Air Date: November 1, 1984
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  S1:E6. Breaking With Tradition
  Air Date: October 25, 1984
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  S1:E5. A Shirt Story
  Air Date: October 18, 1984
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  S1:E4. Is That My Boy?
  Air Date: October 11, 1984
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  S1:E3. Bad Dreams
  Air Date: October 4, 1984
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  S1:E2. Mr. Fish (a.k.a. Goodbye, Mr. Fish)
  Air Date: September 27, 1984
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  S1:E1. Pilot
  Air Date: September 20, 1984