The Cosby Show

About The Cosby Show

The television landscape of the early 1980s was dominated by prime-time soaps and action dramas. But in 1984, the situation comedy was reborn when The Cosby Show made its debut. This gentle show, concentrating on the day to day lives of the upper-middle-class Huxtable family, was both a throwback to earlier sitcoms and a fresh new perspective on family life.

The Cosby Show was the brainchild of popular actor/comedian Bill Cosby, who originally envisioned the show as a blue-collar comedy. When this first idea failed to gain the attention of the networks, Cosby's wife suggested that he retool the series to focus on a family of professional living in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood. Thus changed, The Cosby Show was picked up and premiered on September 20, 1984. The rest, as they say, is television history.

The Huxtable family was headed by Dr. Cliff Huxtable, an obstetrician, and his loving wife Clair, an attorney. Cliff and Clair never struggled with money or other material issues, but did have more than their share of troubles with their brood of five active children. (Curiously, the first few episodes hinted that there were only four Huxtable kids. Early in the first season, the existence of a fifth - Sondra, away at college, was revealed.) The kids ranged from Princeton student Sondra all the way down to five-year-old Rudy. Each child brought its own special characteristics and personalities into the family mix. As the series continued its eight-year run, the Huxtable brood grew larger and larger as the kids grew up and brought friends, spouses, and extended family members into the group. Cliff and Clair met each challenge with love, humour, and patience; although Cliff's constant refrain was "I just hope they get out of the house before we die."

Although some critics argued that the Huxtable family's troubles were far from typical (the show avoided most controversial issues, including race), The Cosby Show was an instant ratings smash. The Cosby Show’s popularity was due to a variety of factors, including its gentle humour and portrayal of an ideally close-knit family. But its most enduring appeal was Bill Cosby himself. With his calm yet goofy demeanor, Cosby propelled Cliff Huxtable to the top of TV dad fame. In fact, Cosby was much more than simply the star of the show. He maintained total creative control of the series, and made good use of his doctorate in education when developing story lines that dealt with the problems of parenting.

During its run, The Cosby Show was the recipient of numerous honours, including several Emmys, Young Artist Awards, and Director’s Guild prizes, Viewers for Quality Television Awards, PGA Golden Laurels, and Humanitas Prizes, in addition to multiple Golden Globe Award nominations.