THE COSBY SHOW (1984 - 1992)

 

Created by: William H. Cosby Jr, Ed. Weinberger, Michael J. Leeson

Starring: Dhamiri Abayomi, Ernest Abuba, Frank Adu, Haru Aki, Erika Alexander, Ricardo Alexander, Spike Alexander, Tatyana M. Ali, Debbie Allen, John Amos, M. Cochise Anderson, Christine Andreas, Tichina Arnold, Lisa Arrindell, Linda Arroyo, Essence Atkins, Margaret Avery, Ethel Ayler, Cynthia Bailey, Sonia Bailey, Ray Baker, Beata Bal, Carl Ballatine, Phillip Baltazer, Wilton Banks, James Bantum, Max Barabas, Bryce Barard, Bootsie Barnes, Angela Bassett, Lloyd Battista, Mario Bauzá, Whitney Baxter, Norman Beaton, Garcelle Beauvais, Carlton Beener, Doris Belack, Natalie Venetia Belcon, Jason Bernard, Lili Bernard, Susan Bernstein, Kahlil Bess, Troy Beyer, Susan Bigelow, Joe Black, Royana Black, Shirley Black-Brown, Pamela Blair, Art Blakey, Walter Blanding, Tempestt Bledsoe, Matt Bleus, Khalif Bobatoon, Lisa Bonet, Elayne Boosler, Yamil Borges, Bill Bradley, Sonia Braga, Brenda Braxton, Fran Brill, Valerie Briscoe-Hooks, Claude Brooks, Carla Brothers, Shellye Broughton, Charles Brown, Charnele Brown, Anuncha Brown-Sanders, Roscoe Lee Browne, Dana Bryant, Darrian Bryant, Donovan Bryant, Kyle Bryant, Danielle Burgio, Twinkle Burke, James Burnett, Red Buttons, Eugene Byrd, L. Scott Caldwell, Dr. Eugene Callendar, Naomi Campbell, Gabrielle Carmouche, Betty Carter, Christopher Carter, Rosanna Carter, Rosalind Cash, Eddie Castrodad, Sari Chang, Terry Chappell, Eagle Eye Cherry, Jason Robert Chin, Alva Chinn, William Christian, Monique Cintron, Tracy Allen Clark, Kevin Clash, Heather Coleman, Christopher Collet, Willie Colón, Hortensia Colorado, Ray Contreras, Gerard Cooper, Bill Cosby, Camille O. Cosby, Ensa Cosby, Peter Costa, Catherine Cox, Alexis Cruz, Gilbert Cruz, Joshua Culbreath, Robert Culp, Russell Curry, Leila Danette, Stacey Dash, Alanna Davis, Ira Davis, Sammy Davis Jr, Dave DeBusschere, Jossie De Guzman, Elisa de la Roche, Carmen De Lavallade, Ray DeMattis, Anne De Salvo, Edouard DeSoto, Jerome Dempsey, Keith Diamond, Rudolfo Diaz, Susan Diol, Sam Dobbins, Colleen Dodson, Placido Domingo, Suzzanne Douglas, Kathleen Doyle, Yunoka Doyle, Shake Dua, Marina Durell, Darrell Echols, Teresa Edwards, David Eigenberg, Shawn Elliott, Yvette Erwin, Joel Fabiani, Bemi Faison, Terry Farrell, Nicky Feliciano, Carmen Finestra, Angelina Fiordellisi, Lanny Flaherty, Tommy Flanagan, Ann Flood, Clebert Ford, Nicole Fort, Frank Foster, Gloria Foster, Meg Foster, Ron Foster, Michelle Francoeur, Don Franklin, Al Freeman Jr, Darrell Fulton, Eric Gale, Richard Gant, Andrea Garfield, Grace Garland, Roby Gasser, Wendy Gazelle, Minnie Gentry, Diana Georger, Alex Germain, Georges Ghezzi, Eli Giaggo, Hazen Gifford, Dizzy Gillespie, Seth Gilliam, Erica Gimpel, Robin Givens, Stephanie Givens, Dave Goelz, Michael Golightly, Gonzo the Great, Kharisma Gooden, Clarke Gordon, Eve Gordon, Keri Anne Gormley, Robert Gossett, Gilbert Gottfried, Graciela, Brian Grant, Keivyn Graves, Gary LeRoi Gray, Jalese Grays, Jenelle Grays, Kym Gregory, Pam Grier, Eric Griffin, Chris Griggs, Clayton Griggs, George Grizzard, Terri Guarnieri, Bill Gunn, Moses Gunn, Birdie M. Hale, Todd Hallowell, Joseph A. Halsey, Jonathan Halyalkar, Armand Hammer, Slide Hampton, Paul Harding, Kadeem Hardison, Marc Hardy, Dana Hargrove, Eddie Earl Hatch, Kim Hauser, Tiger Haynes, Walt Hazzard, Shari Headley, Percy Heath, Eileen Heckart, Candace Henry, Leticia Herrera, Laura Hill, Rachel Hillman, James Hodge, Patrick Horgan, Lena Horne, David Hummel, Richard Hunt, Earle Hyman, David Ilku, Iman, Gloria Irizarry, Bill Irwin, Alston Jack, Leonard Jackson, Larry James, Judith Jamison, Edythe Jason, Brian K. Jennings, Penny Johnson Jerard, Grace Johnston, Wali "Wonder" Jones, Molly Kawachi, Danny Kaye, Leila Kenzle, Tanda Kerin, Alicia Keys, Kevin Kilner, Una Kim, Lore Kimbrough, B.B. King, Cleo King, Robert King, Wayne Kirton, Liliana Komorowska, Gary Kott, LaChanze, Nina Zoie Lam, Audrey Landers, Christine Langner, John Lantz, Maurice Lauchner, Roland Lawrence, Richard Lawson, Sabrina Le Beauf, Damien Leake, Helen Lee, Mushond Lee, Wanakee Legardy, Paul Lemos, Sheldon Leonard, Eileen Letchworth, Nancy Lieberman, Michael Lombard, Jodi Long, David Lopez, Ed Lover, Marcella Lowery, Diane Lozada, Alvin Lum, Barbara Luna, Edmund Lyndeck, Tzi Ma, Noel MacNeal, Miriam Makeba, Edwin Maldonado, Alec Mapa, John Marion, Ada Maris, John Markus, E.G. Marshall, Jim Martin, Lucy Martin, Moctar Mbodj, Gates McFadden, Gwen McGee, Donald McKayle, Conrad McLaren, Ed McMahon, Me Me, Hazel Medina, Mario Mendoza, Olga Merediz, S. Epatha Merkerson, Kenneth Meseroll, Aleta Mitchell, Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Ana Monet, Melba Moore, Jeff Mooring, Gorlando Antonio Morales, Michael A. Moran, Lisa Mordente, Rita Moreno, Debbi Morgan, Denroy Morgan, Lorraine Morin-Torre, Iona Morris, Laurie Morrison, Barry Moss, Cassandra Murray, Lou Myers, Paulene Myers, Naoka Nakagawa, French Napier, Elizabeth Narvaez, Phil Nee, Nan-Lynn Nelson, Denise Nicholas, Alan North, Louis Nye, Russell Nype, David O'Brien, Emmet O'Sullivan-Moore, Jimmy Oliver, Tony Orlando, Geoffrey Owens, Stephen Oxendine, Alex Paez, Suzee Pai, Josh Pais, John Palmer, Ricardo Palomino, Allen Payne, Carl Anthony Payne II, Austin Pendleton, Penni Penniman, Jimitza Perez, Harold Perrineau, Rosalinda Perron, Joseph C. Phillips, Michelle Pierce, Tonya Pinkins, Victoria Gabrielle Platt, Christopher Plummer, Glenn R. Pogue, Jeff Pope, Pam Potillo, CCH Pounder, Charles Pratt, Dawson Pratt, Josephine Premice, Markita Prescott, Akili Prince, Clayton Prince, Alsicia Pringle, Tracy R. Proctor, Tito Puente, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Sandra Quarterman, Anthony Quinn, Colin Quinn, Michael Rakosi, Rado Randriamamonjy, Ahmad Rashad, Phylicia Rashad, Raven Symone, Keith Reddin, Marge Redmond, Don Reed, Kai Reevey, Daphne Reid, Ann Reinking, Domonique Reynolds, Monique Reynolds, JoAnna Rhinehart, J. August Richards, Patricia Richardson, Vicki Richardson, Deon Richmond, Lisa Rieffel, Nathaniel Ritch, John Ritter, Francisco Rivela, Max Roach, Jackie Roberts, Eddie Robinson, Frank Robinson, Matt Robinson, Patricia L. Robinson, Roger Robinson, Nicolle Rochelle, Lela Rochon, Kevin Rock, Marilyn Rockafellow, Lindsay Rodio, Rhonda Rompola, Raymond Rosario, Ted Ross, Tracey Ross, Victoria Rowell, Troy Rowland, Jessica Rubinstein, David Rudman, Mercedes Ruehl, Alex Ruiz, Ermundo Russell, Nicholas Sadler, Maureen Sadusk, Tamie Saiki, Kristoff St. John, Adam Sandler, Merlin Santana, Belinda Sawyer, Raphael Sbarge, Richard Scanlon, Raynor Scheine, Angela Scott, Dennis Scott, Desiree Scott, Kennan Scott, Manuel Sebastian, Jason Seglin, Helen Selby, Joe Seneca, Wallace Shawn, Michele Shay, Carole Shelley, Freda Foh Shen, Dale Shields, Howard "Sandman" Sims, Sinbad, Dennis Singletary, Eleva Singleton, Barbara E. Smith, Wynonna Smith, Sing Smith-Stewart, David Langston Smyrl, Stacey A. Snyder, Monique-Vion Sorel, Jose Soto, Special Ed, Arnold Stang, BernNadette Stanis, Mavis Staples, Charlie Stevenson, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Georgia Strauss, Elaine Stritch, Amanda Sutton, Eden Svendahl, Crist Swann, Lisa Tai, Pearl Tama, Avanti Taylor, Clarice Taylor, Dub Taylor, Lynne Thigpen, Michelle Thomas, William Thomas Jr, Ashley Thompson, Jennifer Kaya Thompson, Steven Thompson, Gee-Jay Thomson, Candy Tolentino, Lauren Tom, Omar Torres, Robin Townsend, Rachel True, Anne Twomey, Leslie Uggams, Paul Ukena, Blair Underwood, The Uptown String Quartet, Carlos "Patato" Valdes, Michael Vale, Jim Valvano, Ehrich Van Lowe, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Varna, Jessica Ann Vaughn, Kira Arne Verica, Lisa Vidal, Dick Vitale, John Vopal, Sullivan Walker, Linda Wang, Douglas Turner Ward, Mary B. Ward, Olivia Ward, Yvonne Warden, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Jason Warwin, Michael Weatherly, Lee Weaver, Robert Weil, Shaun Weiss, Tico Wells, Karen Malina White, Dondre T. Whitfield, Steve Whitmire, Blaire Whitney, Garland Whitt, Donna Wilder, Joe Wilder, Billy "Sly" Williams, Clarence Williams III, Dana Williams, Eugene Williams, Jeff Williams, Joe Williams, Karen Williams, L.B. Williams, Malinda Williams, Matt Williams, Rob Steven Williams, Terry V. Williams, Vanessa Williams, Everette Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Reno Wilson, Ronald Wilson, Troy Winbush, Beatrice Winde, Mel Winkler, Traci Wolfe, Stevie Wonder, Audrey Wong, Richard Woods, Samuel E. Wright, Tanya Wright, Z. Wright, Greg Wu, Ronald Yamamoto, Ginny Yang, Amy Yasbeck, Doug Yasuda, Kentaro Yoshida, Tony Zeko, Ana D. Zenon

201 episodes

(TV-PG - some adult themes)

PLOT:

Classic sitcom focuses on the Huxtable family, an African-American upper class family, living in a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights, New York, at 10 Stigwood Avenue. The father is Cliff Huxtable, an obstetrician and son of a prominent jazz trombonist. The mother is his wife, lawyer Clair Huxtable.

season 1 - 

Clair is upset when Theo brings home a bad report card and claims he has no plans to attend college; Cliff is horrified to meet Denise's date. Cliff forces the entire family to hold a funeral for Rudy's dead goldfish Lamont. Vanessa sneaks into a scary movie despite her parents' forbidding it because she can't handle scary things. Cliff and Claire then have to deal with Vanessa sleeping between them in bed when she has nightmares from the movie. Theo makes the football team, so Cliff gives him some pointers. Theo gets a shirt that cost too much, so Denise makes him an "Exact" replica. Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable, comes over for a visit, and then tries to persuade Denise to go to Hillman college, which has become a family tradition. While babysitting one of Cliff's patients babies, Clair decides she wants to have another baby. Vanessa is in the school's orchestra and plays the clarinet. Unfortunately, she is not good at it. While practicing at home, the family members put up with the noise she makes. At school, during a show, she has a solo performance. Cliff and Claire are annoyed by Denise's new boyfriend and his arrogant attitude. Sondra is introduced, who comes back from college and is planning a trip to Paris for the summer. Clair is having too many mothering days with everyone wanting her attention and to do things for them. Cliff decides it is time for a mother's day off. He takes her for a romantic day and night at a hotel. Rudy is sick and has to stay home from school. Since Clair is being considered for a partner at her law firm, she has to go to work for the interview. Cliff takes care of Rudy while keeping office hours and seeing his patients. It's Christmas and Cliff dreads the presents the children will give him as they are always ill-fitting or unusable. This year he asks them to think about him and get meaningful gifts; they come up with some unique thoughts and gifts. Theo gets an earring without permission. Cliff's going to be Physician Of The Year. Theo is tapped to make his Dad's speech and accept the award for him, when Cliff's called to deliver a baby. After her unusual plan for getting concert tickets falls through, Denise and friends have an impromptu dance party in the living room. When Clair finds a marijuana joint in Theo's history book she and Cliff confront. Theo explains that it is not his and both Cliff and Clair believe him, but Theo feels that they are going to look down on him from this point on. So they next day he goes to school to confront the person it actually belonged to. Vanessa's in an advanced science class but hardly works on her science fair project, and when her friend wins first place, Vanessa accuses her of getting help from her parents. Clair has a big case suing a mechanic that did lousy work on Sondra's car; Rudy does not want to go to a museum; Cliff teaches the kids how to do house chores, and he also cooks a soup with a cow's tongue. Cliff's former track coach wants him to compete in a track event for seniors but the laid back Cliff is not interested. That is until an old rival dares him to. Cliff and Clair discuss their mortality, and wonder what the other would do if one of them was to pass away. They also get a visit from a friend of Cliff's that is dating a woman at least 25 years his junior. When Rudy announces she's bored, Cliff arranges for her friends to come over for a slumber party and then gets stuck entertaining the kids. Singer Tony Orlando guest stars as a man who runs an activity center where Dr. Huxtable is giving a class to expectant mothers. Tony's character has a girlfriend who also works with him. Thanks to Theo, he encounters and helps a boy who refuses to speak out of his fear of strangers. He has also just been teased and beaten up by other kids. Tony finds out who his mother is and while waiting for her, tries to get "Mr. Quiet" to talk. It's Cliff's birthday and the family tries to keep his present (going to a Lena Horne show) a secret. Cliff will do whatever he can to find out what his present is. And to make sure that he doesn't find out, they don't tell the weak link (Theo) what it is. 

season 2 - 

The school season starts again and each one of the children faces it with different emotions. Cliff and Clair, however, are enthusiastic at getting the house back to themselves during the daytime. Cliff warns Rudy not to play with his new juicer, but the machine's fancy gadgetry eventually proves to be too much of a temptation for Rudy and her friend, Peter. Cliff finds out and suspects that Rudy is responsible. After Clair prods Rudy's conscience, she admits the truth and is assigned to help Vanessa - punished for not keeping an eye on Rudy, as she had been told to - clean the resulting mess. 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." Sondra and Elvin break up, again, and Cliff and Clair tell Sondra to consider calling a boy that her friends say would be a good boyfriend to her. When the boy comes to the house, Cliff interviews him and falls in love with the guy. Denise's friend Susanne comes over to write a report on what a large family deals with, but Theo uses the occasion to try and impress her but ends up making a fool of himself. Vanessa has a boy/girl Halloween party at home. Cliff takes Rudy and her friends trick or treating. Rudy enters into pee-wee football and despite Clair's fears she will get hurt, leads her team to victory after being nicknamed Sweet Feet. Denise earns her driver's license and finds a car that she loves and plans to plunge into her bank account and clean it out just to buy the car. Clair's young sister arrives with news of her finally becoming engaged. Clair lets her know that married life won't be as simple as she thinks. Cliff and Clair challenge each other to a "smooth" contest to see who'll be the best-dressed for a function. Clair has to find how to win when she breaks one of her toes. A friend of Denise's comes to see Cliff about a personal problem she's had for a month and hasn't told her parents about. Cliff and Clair test the kids to find out if they would come to their parents if they had a problem. Theo's math teacher, Mrs. Westlake, comes to the Huxtable house after Theo takes a math test, so naturally, he thinks he "blew it." Clair discovers that a painting by her late great-uncle is going to be auctioned off. She decides to bid on it and make it the family's again at all costs. Vanessa tries to hide the fact that she got a D on her report card from her parents. Denise and Vanessa get into a battle royale because Vanessa took one of Denise's sweaters. Theo and his friend Walter decide to listen to a recording of "Macbeth" instead of reading the actual play. Cliff picks a snowball fight with some neighborhood children. Peter has a toothache but is afraid to go to the dentist so Rudy goes with him. Meanwhile, Cliff tries to hide the newspaper from Clair because she won't let him sleep when she reads it in bed. After an example of not so great trombone playing at a Jazz club gig, Russell needs to get it together quick because the next time is his career finale. While driving in her car with Theo, Denise has a fender bender with Motown legend Stevie Wonder's chauffeured limousine. Cliff finds it almost impossible to have a quiet day off at home with the kids and their friends in almost every room of the house. Cliff's associate Dr. Morgan stops by to help plan a fundraiser but, behind his smile, he is harboring the pain of a serious family issue. Theo's math teacher goes into labor early, causing an important Math test to be postponed, much to the delight of Theo and "Cockroach". Rudy learns to ride a bike. 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. Cliff's Pinochle partner cancels on him, so Cliff asks former Hillman professor to sit in and help finally beat his father and his buddy who cheat. Meanwhile, Theo buys his girl a ring. Cliff's invited a former college rival "Tail-Wind Turner" to be on his team at the Penn Relays for charity. Cliff accepts, but is in for a surprise at the event. Denise keeps the family, and several potential colleges, waiting for her to finally choose a school to attend. 

season 3 - 

Rudy sees a snake in the basement. Cliff and Theo cannot capture it, so Clair calls an exterminator. Theo and his friend plan a party with lots of girls attending. Cliff has to go on a diet. Rudy does not want her own room. Cliff, Clair, and the children plan an elaborate celebration for Cliff's parents 50th wedding anniversary. The Huxtable's perform a musical number for the parents and take them to a club for music and dancing. At school, a classmate starts flirting with Theo. Theo is flattered and interested, but he already has a girlfriend. Rudy wants to have a tea party and since her sisters are busy, she asks Cliff to the tea party. Vanessa starts wearing makeup without her parents' permission. Clair talks to Vanessa and reminds her she must wait until she's 15. Meanwhile, Theo is taking a fire-safety class at school and quizzes his parents on procedures. Theo has to rewrite a school paper on the 1963 March on Washington. Cliff & Clair, and Cliff's parents, who were actually there during the march, tell Theo what really happened and how they experienced it. He gets to really feel the event. After a member of the Tuskegee Airmen makes a speech at Theo's school, Theo and Cockroach want to take flying lessons. Cliff and Clair agree, but then the reality of lessons and commitment hits Theo and Cockroach. Rudy has a new friend, Kenny. Vanessa mentions to the popular cheerleaders the amount of money her mother paid for an art painting. Vanessa is then accepted on the pep squad and starts being picked on for being rich. Clair has a pinched nerve and has to stay in bed. Cliff and the children try to make her day easier by doing chores around the house. At college, Denise gets a D in one of her classes and is afraid to tell her parents. Cliff's left alone with the kids for a day before they go on a trip out to Washington. A dog follows Rudy home and she has trouble letting go when the dog's owner comes to get it. Russell and his friends visit Cliff to play pinochle. Cliff's father and his friends reminisce about their days in military service. Clair is asked to help plan a celebration that honors the retiring president of Hillman College in Atlanta. While she is gone for ten days, Cliff has to take care of the house and children. Sondra comes home from college and brings Elvin along with her. Theo is written up in the school paper about his wrestling skills. Elvin helps him learn a few new moves and shares with Theo that he is going to propose marriage to Sondra. Rudy is spending the night with her grandparents. Denise is going with friends to The Village and invites Vanessa to go with her. Theo is waiting for news to go out with a girlfriend. When that falls through, Cliff creates Mens Night. Cliff buys a new car, but must contend with a tough salesman. Meanwhile, Rudy creates a collage of animals by cutting pictures out of Cliff's encyclopedias. Denise makes a date with a guy she's only talked to on the phone. Robert stops by to get advice from Cliff and others about girls, romance and relationships. Cliff goes to the hospital to deliver a baby and finds out three patients are ready to deliver. Theo is in charge at home, and Vanessa has a friend over who smokes a cigarette in Vanessa's room. Theo talks Rudy into playing circus and when he tries to do the tumbling act, accidentally injures her. Denise gives her friend Veronica a bridal shower. Denise finds out Veronica and her fiancé planned to get pregnant just so they could get married. Cliff is turning 50 years old and the family plans a lot of surprises for him. He finds out all the things that are older than him, get a key chain that works for everyone except him, and has a party with some special friends. Sondra and Elvin announce their engagement. Since Cliff always says he knows everything that goes on, Clair and the kids decide to play a joke on Cliff about the engagement. He finds out before the joke and turns the tables on the others. Both Cliff and Clair are sick in bed with the flu, leaving Theo in charge; Theo orders Vanessa and Rudy around to clean up the house while he takes the credit for it even though he's planning to go out with a girl. Cockroach shaves his head to audition for a music video and tries to convince Theo to shave his head also. Cliff's friend from the Navy visits. Cliff takes Rudy & her friends to a fancy restaurant. All dressed up in their best clothes, they go to the restaurant. Chaos ensues despite Cliff's effort to show them elegance. Clair's sister visits and announces she wants to have a baby. Cliff, Clair, Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy visit Denise at Hillman College and meet her friends. 

season 4 - 

Cliff & Clair are excited about Sondra & Elvin's plans for grad school, but when they return from their honeymoon, the newlyweds announce other plans. Elvin & Sondra plan to open a wilderness store. Clair is concerned when Theo comes home late after a cross country meet and the principal calls the house. She decides to investigate what happened by holding a mock trial. Cliff has a hard time saying goodbye to his old water heater while Rudy and Clair get into a fight because Clair won't let Rudy wear a summer dress to a winter birthday party. Cliff misplaces a power drill he borrowed; the children plan a Halloween party. Theo & Walter are studying Shakespeare for school but are not enthused. Cliff decides to have barbecue for dinner and invites family and friends. When Russell hears about the Shakespeare situation, he and his friend read part a play. Theo's friend gets into an altercation which gets Theo sent to a police station in Coney Island. The altercation gets Cliff and Clair into a fight, and they completely forget about Theo's punishment. The Huxtables have a problem when they find out the old woman Rudy visits with refuses to take her medication and becomes forgetful; everybody makes several humorous attempts to convince Mrs. Hickson why she needs to take her pills. Sondra & Elvin have their first marital spat, but it is Elvin who runs home to the parents - Sondra's parents! As Elvin gives his side of the story, flashbacks are shown about Sondra's different boyfriends and their first meeting of Elvin. The Huxtables head to the mall where Clair enters her garden squash in a contest. Theo and Vanessa are in charge of watching Rudy but they lose track of her. Rudy meets a girl her age and they play together. Theo is upset after his friend, Cockroach, takes the last available spot on the TV show "Dance Mania." Vanessa dates Theo's friend Lyle, and Theo objects. Cliff wants to find out how Rudy makes milk vanish. Cliff is excited to take Rudy and six of her friends to see a Salute to Vaudeville show. They are the only ones in the audience. The children are not the best audience and are not impressed. Clair's book club invites their spouses to attend a meeting, but Cliff is the only man that shows up. Despite Clair's doubts, Cliff read the book and joins the discussion. Sondra & Elvin have Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy over for a sleepover. Theo works on his psychic abilities but does not have much success. Rudy thinks her teacher hates her and tells her parents her problems. One of which is a music recital where she has to play the violin instead of a more fun instrument. One of Theo's high school friends has cancer and is in the hospital. Theo is hesitant to visit him because it is depressing. Sondra is on a trip without Elvin and he is lonely. Vanessa tries out for drum major but keeps getting blocked. Theo finds out it is because no girl has ever been drum major and tries to help. A musician friend of Russell's is in town for a show. Russell tries to repay a debt to his friend. One tile falls from the bathroom wall, and as Cliff tries to repair it, the problem gets bigger. Clair asks friends of Sondra & Elvin to repair it before Cliff destroys the house when he tries to repair it. Rudy reads a story she wrote to Cliff and Clair about a happy land where the residents are taken prisoner by the evil king and his men, as acted out in a fantasy sequence by all the characters. The Harmons, friends of the Huxtables, come over for a visit. Cliff and Dr. Harmon get into a heated game of petanque while Theo tries to impress their daughter. Cliff has worked straight for 22 days, so he takes a day off. While he rests at home, Theo, Vanessa, and Rudy try to stump each other with constant riddles. Clair's friend has marital problems and asks Clair for advice. Denise comes home from college for the weekend but disappoints her family when she chooses to spend every free moment with her friends instead. Theo and his friends and their dates get ready for their prom while Cliff and Clair have their own prom in the living room. Theo goes fishing with Cliff and Russell and hooks onto the body of a dead mobster, becoming the object of a local news story. Rudy and Kenny try to hide the fact from Clair that they're taking care of baby birds that have been abandoned. 

season 5 - 

Theo is starting college and Denise is to return to Hillman. Cliff and Clair look forward to fewer children at home, but Theo does not have a room at college and has to commute while Denise drops out of college. Sondra announces she is pregnant. The children tease Cliff about how much he eats as he prepares for his physical in the morning. Denise talks about the celebrities she meets at the record studio. Turns out she is not a great employee and does not really work with them. Rudy invites a friend over for a sleep-over party. Clair agrees to make baked apples; Cliff reluctantly agrees to performing a comedy routine. Rudy and her friend start the night with arguing. Theo gets a D grade on his first college paper. Cliff & Clair visit Sondra & Elvin's apartment and are surprised and shocked at the cramped space and state of disrepair. Clair does not want her grandchild to grow up there. Sondra & Elvin agree to borrow money to get a better place. Vanessa is having problems with her boyfriend Roy. Denise announces she quit her job and plans to move to Africa as a photographer's assistant. Despite objections and hardships she will endure, Denise is determined to go. Sondra starts contractions; Elvin is nervous and Cliff and Clair are anxious. Rudy borrows money from Cliff to buy a birthday gift two months in advance for Clair. Theo's friend Howard breaks up with his girlfriend and Theo is interested in asking her out. Theo asks another friend, Denny, to talk to the girl for him. Vanessa forms the "Lipsticks" singing group; Cliff's dad gets an envelope saying "You are a winner", instead of "You might be a winner". Clair goes on a crash diet and endures an exhaustive exercise program to lose enough weight to fit into an old dress to wear for an evening out with Cliff. Rudy watches a hamster overnight for a friend but it dies. Feeling bad, Cliff and Rudy buy a replacement hamster. Rudy tells her friend what happened and is surprised how her friend takes the news. Vanessa gets caught lying to her parents about staying out past her curfew with her boyfriend, Jeremy. Cliff babysits Winnie and Nelson when the rest of the family goes to see a Michael Jackson concert. Clair wants to replace the living room couch but Cliff is reluctant to let the old couch go. Also, Clair is invited on a television talk show. However, when she finds out she is only asked her thoughts as a black woman, she leaves the show. Everybody's away for the weekend, and Theo has the place to himself. Theo's friends decide it's time to party! One of Cliff's patients is a young, unmarried teenager without other known family. Cliff finds the girl's grandfather so someone can be with her when she delivers. When Clair meets the grandfather, she realizes he cannot read or write. Rudy complains to her parents that she doesn't get to do what her friends can and she still has to follow so many rules. So Cliff and Clair allow Rudy to stay up as late as she wants to teach her a lesson. Theo's former girlfriend, Justine, is starting to date other men and Theo is upset. Theo consults a voodoo shopkeeper for a spell or potion that will help him win her back. Theo & his friends meet Cliff's former basketball coach. The Huxtables invite Coach Barry & his wife to their house for dinner. They watch a taped old basketball game together where Cliff misses all his shots & the coach sent him to the bench. Sondra finds it difficult to be a stay-at-home mom with baby twins. When the Tibideaux visit Cliff, Clair and Cliff's parents, Sondra vents with her mother and grandmother who have been there and done that with young children. Theo helps an acting student with her lines then gets caught kissing her by his girlfriend who dumps him on the spot. On Clair's birthday, Cliff & their kids surprise her with an act. Rudy is constantly bothering her sister Vanessa and they always have a fight but their parents find the perfect way to teach them a lesson. Theo and his friends go to the cafeteria to impress a girl with a very expensive watch one of them found on the street. Unfortunately it appears that the watch was reported stolen and his friend gets in trouble. Strep throat keeps Sondra from taking care of her babies, but she gets paranoid when Clair and Elvin's mom take the babies with them so she can recover. Theo asks his parents to give him fifteen hundred dollars for an educational summer trip to Egypt. The Huxtables are not sure about giving him the money so he invites his teacher to the house to talk to his parents. 

season 6 - 

Just as Theo finds a new place to live, Denise returns from her African rainforest trip with startling souvenirs - a husband and a stepdaughter. When Cliff tells Theo of some of the hi jinx he did when he was younger. Theo decides to try it himself. But he ends up damaging his apartment, which leads to the landlord throwing him out. So Cliff tries to some things with the man so Theo can move out of the house where he has been staying. Everybody loses when Vanessa and friends play a drinking game at an unsupervised get-together. Denise and Martin prepare to check out the house where they will be living on the naval base; Denise admits she forgot to confirm the housing arrangements. Theo finds out that he has dyslexia so he changes the way he studies and gets a better grade in history. Denise and Olivia babysit Winnie and Nelson when Sondra and Elvin go out for the evening; but shortly after Sondra and Elvin leave, the whole building goes into a blackout. Rudy and Kenny learn good manners at school. Rudy has a crush on a boy named Clarence and tries to show him that she cares but Clarence is too shy to admit it in front of his friends. Cliff has a nightmare about spores which poured out of an erupting volcano and into the water which makes all the men pregnant, including: Theo, Elvin, Martin and himself. Claire sends Cliff to the store to buy some stuff for Thanksgiving dinner on a very rainy day and he returns soaking wet. Unfortunately he keeps forgetting some products and Claire sends him again & again. Meanwhile Denise invites Martin's ex wife to Cliff's house because she's all alone. Finally Cliff arrives home again just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. When Martin's parents visit, Denise frets about Mrs. Kendall's impression of her. Claire is going to Washington, and Denise is going to the Caribbean. Cliff stays all alone with Rudy & Olivia. Rudy comes to him with a problem between her & her friends but Cliff's advice makes things worse for Rudy. Meanwhile Theo takes Olivia to the cafeteria and uses her charm to collect other girls' phone numbers. Also Vanessa tries to get her father's permission to go to another girl's party with older boys. Theo meets Cliff & Martin at the cafeteria sitting with two willing beautiful girls. Later at the Huxtable residence Martin tries to explain to Cliff the situation on how he & Denise met and got married. Afterwards the family organizes a surprise for Cliff that will make him very happy. Vanessa & Rudy comes to Sondra's house to babysit because Sondra & Elvin had planned to go to dinner with Elvin's old girlfriend & her sister but at the last minute she cancels her plans and suggests her husband go alone. Elvin goes to dinner but when he comes back he finds his lady angry. The next day Elvin & Sondra visit the Huxtable's house where Cliff tries to explain to him how women think. Cliff comes back from the hospital at three in the morning and decides to eat a sausage sandwich. Unfortunately that sandwich becomes responsible for the weirdest dream Cliff ever had. Denise & Vanessa are in the cafeteria when Vanessa sees a boy she seems to like but she's too shy to go to his table; so she asks advice from her big sister. It's Olivia's birthday and all she wants is a brand new tricycle, which she has all her friends help her search the entire house for when Cliff, who's supposed to be babysitting her guests, falls asleep. Theo is upset his girlfriend might go to graduate school in another town. He and Elvin go to a nightclub; they hear the King of the Blues Riley Jackson. Turns out Cliff and Clair know Riley. He visits the family, helps Theo with his blues. Rudy wants a sweater with fish that light up that are on sale at the mall, but she doesn't have enough money to buy it and becomes so desperate, she steals $2.30 out of the money Clair left out for the dry cleaning. Mrs. McGee (Rudy's teacher) calls the Huxtables to report that Rudy has not been attending dance lessons, so Cliff takes Rudy to to the dancing lessons and gets a little carried away. Cliff, Martin & Elvin place a bet between them on who can buy a romantic present to each of their wife within twenty-five dollars limit. Who ever wins will be called "The Emperor of Romance". When Cliff finds women's lingerie in Theo's laundry, he and Clair soon realize that their son has moved in with his girlfriend, Justine. Meanwhile, Denise announces her plans to become a special education teacher. Clair comes home from work exhausted and needs to rest but her family do not understand her so Cliff sends her to a friends combine around the lake far away from home to relax. Vanessa and her friends plot to go to a concert. They don't tell their parents it's in Baltimore, but they find out in a dramatic way. Claire receives an important case by representing a client who wants to protect a community center with a childhood playground which is about to be torn down and in it's place they will build an office center. Meanwhile Cliff's neighbor take Cliff out to buy a sports car. Denise gets very excited about wanting to be an instructor to work with children who have learning disabilities but cannot understand that in order to teach she must have a college degree. Cliff's great-aunt, Gramtee, comes to visit and everyone is excited - except Olivia. Olivia wants to go to the zoo instead of a planned church visit. Gramtee tells stories of Cliff as a child and of a relative who was a slave years ago. 

season 7 - 

Cliff ships Vanessa to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania; Rudy has a "developmental" issue that keeps her from going to school. Cliff is set to go to an auction for a priceless Charlie Parker album, but a slight detour to Olivia's school keeps him from it. Theo hires a stripper for Martin's bachelor party, which upsets Sondra and Denise when neither Martin or Elvin object to the idea; all this goes on as Cliff and Claire prepare a family BBQ. "Bud" gets a great punchline. Cousin Pam is introduced, as she moves in due to her grandmother's illness, her mother goes to California to take care of her. Cliff & Clair are away on a weekend vacation. When they return, their home seemed to have self destructed - Olivia and the washing machine, Theo taking multiple items to his place, Vanessa and car damage, etc. Cliff & Clair hold a meeting. Rudy and Kenny has to follow one of their parents for a school project, but get disappointed when Clair's lawyer job turns out to be far from an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. Pam still thinks about having sex with Slide. Cliff says she should see a gynecologist for safe sex info. Pam ends up getting condoms and tells Slide he must use them. He refuses and they break up. Slide apologizes but still pressures her. Rudy starts her periods, and Clair wants to have a traditional women's only day to celebrate her womanhood. Rudy wants no part of it and says she understand everything and needs nothing from her mother. Rudy trusts her friends information. Denise & Martin want to move to their own apartment. They find rents too high and a place too small. Rudy makes plans to move into their bedroom once they move out. Cliff's friend learns he and his wife are going to have a baby boy. The father worries he is not athletic enough to teach the boy sports when he is older so he asks Cliff to teach him. Theo tells the father sports is not the only thing. Clair has started menopause. The children talk to each other about menopausal women, hot flashes, confusion, crabbiness, etc. Cliff & Claire play a joke on the kids by pretending she is insane. Aaron, Pam's boyfriend, turns on the romance. Sondra makes plans for she & Elvin to help friends move, but Elvin just wants to join the guys to watch the football playoff game. When they arrive to help with the move, their friends have not even started to pack. Theo has one last final the next day, and he wants to pass so he gets on the dean's list. He has plans for constant study, until he meets Cheryl and is besotted. She is leaving town in the morning. Does he study or go out with Cheryl? Pam has to study for tests but is easily distracted. Theo tells her she has to study without dancing and music in order to get good grades. Pam wants to go to college, but does not have the money. Her grades are not enough for scholarships. Cliff's patient & her husband are having a baby any day now and tell Cliff they have everything under control as they read books and watched videos to prepare for the birth. Everything is fine until the actual event starts. Cliff and Dr Harmon attend a pinochle tournament with their wives. They play a round against each other, and the wives win. Martin & Denise need a babysitter for Olivia and Rudy begs to be the one. Rudy does fine until they watch a scary movie. It is Cliff & Clair's 27th wedding anniversary. He plans to recreate the Caribbean restaurant where they dined on their honeymoon, in their home. He hires a band, chef, and decorations for atmosphere. The day arrives - and Cliff is sick. Clair gets a visit from a high school friend and her husband. Theo and Denny's girlfriend Ellen are organizing a surprise party for Denny's birthday, but things get complicated when Ellen gets sick and Denny shows up up unexpectedly believing she's having an affair with another guy. Olivia is not feeling well, so several people come up with different remedies to help her feel better. Olivia and Rudy have nightmares about Olivia taking control of the house and nobody listening to Rudy. Cliff goes bowling with his father, Elvin, and friends. After the game, with Cliff having a very low score, they go to a bar and make fun of him. The older men reminiscence about the old Negro League. Rudy & Olivia play a joke on Clair. The daughter of an acquaintance asks Cliff to help her father make peace with someone whom he's been having a long standing grudge with over a car accident. Because she's been seeing the man's son and would like to get married. Cliff attempts to fix the kitchen sink. Theo starts a volunteer job as an intern at a community center. He helps children with their homework and craft activities after school. He realizes one student has studying problems just like he had. At the community center, Theo deals with a student that might have dyslexia, another who has a crush on him, one who has to get a job to support his parents, all the while they test their limits with Theo. Theo does his best to help them. 

season 8 - 

Vanessa brings home a boyfriend she has kept secret from her family. Cliff and Claire plan to build and extra room for their house, but there are some unforeseen issues. Theo is nervous about his first parent/counselor meetings and student art exhibit. Cliff and family go to the exhibit. Rudy is smitten by one of Theo's students and Theo is smitten by a single mother of a student. Charmaine is applying to colleges and talks to Pam about attending the same one since they are best friends. Pam realizes she has to get better grades in order to get accepted into any college. Rudy wants to see a rapper that is performing at a club for older teens. Rudy and her friends lie to their parents in order to get out that evening. When Cliff & Clair find out, they ask Pam to go to the club to keep an eye on Rudy. Sondra & Elvin are excited about finding a home of their own. The twins Nelson and Winnie are getting on Cliff & Clair's nerves. Cliff's parents find out that Cliff & Clair are meeting Vanessa's fiancé for dinner and insist of meeting him as well. They want to make sure the guy is good enough for their granddaughter. Cliff is a chaperon for Olivia's field trip to a museum and he is not looking forward to it. Theo has a fund-raiser plan for the community center - selling silk screened t-shirts. But the t-shirts are not what he expected. At the community center, Clair gives a legal clinic and Cliff gives a Men's Only clinic. Cliff's clinic teaches etiquette, getting a job, and more. His job session becomes more about being a responsible parent and preventing pregnancies. Olivia is sad because her father has to return to his ship for duty and Denise is going into town as well. Singer Miriam Makeba visits the Huxtable house. Cliff & Clair plan a day at home alone, but Vanessa returns from college for the weekend, then her fiancé comes to find Vanessa. Rudy's friend Kenny comes to visit Rudy. They all talk to Cliff & Clair about their relationship issues. Cliff builds a room just for Clair, her own special place for work and retreat. Everyone, except Cliff, is upset that she wants to be alone and not spend time with them. Cliff tries to explain the purpose of a special room. Theo attends a corporate mixer for The Tartan Company, a leading soup manufacturer who boasts that they're "not just soup anymore." His views on how the company should present its image impress the bosses so much that he is offered a job interview in San Francisco. Pam and her friends help a group of senior citizens demonstrate against unfair prices at a supermarket. Pam starts working as an assistant for Cliff. Cliff deals with an impatient pregnant patient who tends to misinterpret the instructions he gives her. Meanwhile, Kenny tries to make Rudy jealous by pretending he is dating someone. Clair goes away for the weekend and tells Cliff he has to behave and not eat a lot of food that is not on his diet. No one believes he will stick to his diet. Rudy and her friends want to take the subway to a dance. Sondra and Elvin prepare to move to their own home in New Jersey, but Cliff is still hesitant to believe it will really happen. But the movers arrive and boxes are packed on the truck. Sandra & Elvin hold a house warming party - but it is held at Cliff & Clair's house. Vanessa breaks the news that she and Dabnis have broken their engagement. Cliff is more upset than Vanessa. Olivia's school project is to write about an adult when they were a child, and she writes about Cliff. Theo turns down a corporate job in California so he can finish graduate school in New York. One of Theo's students finds $600. Clair and her college friends get together to discuss their school days and to plan an honor for a retiring professor. Now that Rudy is a teenager, she starts to stretch her rights and independence, wants to be her own person. Sondra & Elvin are writing their wills and need to select guardians for their children. Willie Colón and Mario Bauzá, legendary Salsa and Latin music performers, play themselves to perform a concert on a local radio station. Clair, who represents them, and Cliff, a big-time fan, go to the station to watch the performance. As tax day approaches, Cliff tries to get deductions for extended family members, but Claire rebuffs him. Meanwhile, Kenny organizes a surprise birthday party for his girlfriend Deirdre because he's ashamed that he only bought her socks as a gift. Theo graduates from college, and Cliff thinks back to an earlier time at the ceremony; the series end with Cliff and Claire dancing away off the studio.