The Cosby Show
| |
Genre
|
Sitcom
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Number of Episodes
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202
|
First aired
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September 20, 1984
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Last aired
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April 30, 1992
|
Created by
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Ed. Weinberger
Michael Leeson Bill Cosby |
The Cosby Show is an American television sitcom starring comedian Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on Syndication from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992.
Synopsis[]
The show focused on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.
Cast[]
- Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable
- Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable
- Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux [seasons 2 to 8]
- Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable Kendall
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Theodore "Theo" Huxtable
- Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable
- Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable
- Geoffrey Owens as Elvin Tibideaux [seasons 4 to 8]
- Joseph C. Phillips as Lieutenant Martin Kendall [seasons 6 to 8]
- Raven-Symone as Olivia Kendall [seasons 6 to 8]
- Erika Alexander as Pam Tucker [seasons 7 to 8]
- Earle Hyman as Russell Huxtable (Cliff's father)
- Clarice Taylor as Anna Huxtable (Cliff's mother)
- Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks (Clair's mother)
- Joe Williams as Al Hanks (Clair's father)
- Carl Anthony Payne II as "Cockroach" (Theo's friend)
- Peter Costa as Peter Chiara (Rudy's friend)
- Deon Richmond as "Bud" (Rudy's friend)
- Troy Winbush as Denny (Theo's friend)
Broadcast History[]
"The Cosby Show" aired on Thursdays at 8:00pm for all eight seasons.
During its first season, the show was the beginning of a Thursday Syndication schedule that was followed by "Family Ties", "Cheers", "Night Court" and "Hill Street Blues".
Ratings[]
The series is one of three television programs ("All in the Family" and "American Idol" being the others) that was number one in the Nielsen ratings for five consecutive seasons.
Season | Season premiere | Season finale | Time slot (ET) | Ranking | Households (in millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1984–85 | September 20, 1984 | May 9, 1985 | Thursday at 8:00 pm | No. 3 | 20.546 (24.2 rating) |
2 | 1985–86 | September 26, 1985 | May 15, 1986 | No. 1 | 28.948 (33.7 rating) | |
3 | 1986–87 | September 25, 1986 | May 7, 1987 | No. 1 | 30.503 (34.9 rating) | |
4 | 1987–88 | September 24, 1987 | April 28, 1988 | Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-8, 10-24) Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 9) |
No. 1 | 30.502 (34.9 rating) |
5 | 1988–89 | October 6, 1988 | May 11, 1989 | Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-6, 8-26) Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 7) |
No. 1 | 23.142 (25.6 rating) |
6 | 1989–90 | September 21, 1989 | May 3, 1990 | Thursday at 8:00 pm | No. 1 (tie with "Roseanne") | 21.275 (23.1 rating) |
7 | 1990–91 | September 20, 1990 | May 2, 1991 | Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-7, 9-26) Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 8) |
No. 5 | |
8 | 1991–92 | September 19, 1991 | April 30, 1992 | Thursday at 8:00 pm (Episodes 1-24) Thursday at 8:30 pm (Episode 25) |
No. 18 | 13.815 (15.0 rating) |