TV series
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Jul 22, 2026
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The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an upper middle-class African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.
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Episode 1
The newlywed Sondra and Elvin return from their honeymoon with shocking news for Cliff and Clair: they want to abandon their dreams of being a lawyer and doctor and open an outdoorsman's "wilderness store." Geoffrey Owens (Elvin) becoms a regular cast member.
Directed by Jay Sandrich
Episode 2
Theo and Cockroach come home unusually late from a track meet, and the Huxtables got a phone message earlier from the track coach. They both deny anything out of the ordinary happened, but attorney Clair knows better. A mock trial is held for Theo and Cockroach at the Huxtables' for Clair to get to the bottom of the situation.
Directed by Jay SandrichGuest stars Peter Costa, Deon Richmond, Carl Anthony Payne II
Episode 3
Rudy wants to wear summer clothes in winter to a party, while Cliff tries to get rid of an old water heater.
Written by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Dondré Whitfield
Episode 4
While setting up the house as a "haunted house" for Halloween, Cliff discover's he's lost a power drill that his neighbor loaned to him. First appearance of Wallace Shawn as Jeffrey Ingalls.
Written by Janet LeahyGuest stars Peter Costa, Deon Richmond, Wallace Shawn, Penni Penniman
Episode 5
Christopher Plummer and Roscoe Lee Browne appear. Theo must read Julius Caesar for school, but complains that it is boring. Russel and his friends read scenes from the play aloud, and Theo is enthralled. Later, the men read from a different work of literature-a story Rudy wrote!
Directed by Jay SandrichGuest stars Lisa Bonet, Carl Anthony Payne II, Earle Hyman, Roscoe Lee Browne, Christopher Plummer
Episode 6
Cliff and Clair have a marital argument after Theo gets detained by police for riding in a car with an unlicensed driver.
Directed by Jay SandrichWritten by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Freda Foh Shen, Ron Foster
Episode 7
Rudy goes to an older widowed lady's house each afternoon to have tea and play cards, but notices that she refuses to take her daily medication for diabetes. She tells Cliff, who devises a plan to try to convince her that she needs the meds to live. Eileen Heckart appearance. Keshia Knight Pulliam appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.
Written by Matt WilliamsGuest stars Earle Hyman, Eileen Heckart
Episode 8
Sondra and Elvin have their first marital fight, and Elvin comes to the Huxtable house for comfort and support. Clair shares about the difficulties in their house as flashbacks are shown.
Directed by Jay SandrichWritten by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Lisa Bonet, Earle Hyman, Clarice Taylor
Episode 9
Theo and Vanessa lose track of Rudy in a mall while Clair enters a squash exhibition. Earle Hyman (Russell) appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.
Guest stars Louis Nye, Conrad McLaren, Naoka Nakagawa, Ronald Yamamoto, Marina Durell, Marc Hardy
Episode 10
Theo and Cockroach have tickets to appear on television on the dance show "Dance Mania", but are told that only one of them can enter the studio during the filming because of fire laws. Theo miscalculates by offering to let Cockroach go in (thinking he'll refuse) and gets angry when Cockroach takes him up on the offer.
Written by Matt WilliamsGuest stars Carl Anthony Payne II, Adam Sandler, Troy Winbush, Robert Gossett, Khalif Bobatoon
Episode 11
Theo and his classmates brag about their dates with girls in the locker room, but Theo's mood changes when one of the guys goes out with Vanessa and brags about it the next day. Troy Winbush as Denny. Adam Sandler as Smitty.
Directed by Jay SandrichWritten by Janet LeahyGuest stars Adam Sandler, Troy Winbush, Pam Potillo, Dennis Singletary, Brian K. Grant
Episode 12
Vaudeville is shown to Rudy and her friends, who are unimpressed.
Directed by Jay SandrichWritten by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Peter Costa, Deon Richmond, Carmen Finestra, Carl Ballantine, Bill Irwin, Jeff Pope, Dondré Whitfield, Pam Potillo
Episode 13
Clair drags Cliff to her book club meeting, and he's the lone male there. Much to Clair's surprise, Cliff knows quite a bit about the book in question! Meanwhile, the kids attempt a sleepover at Sondra and Elvin's run-down studio apartment, but are overwhelmed by the noise and lack of utilities. Appearances by Angela Bassett and S. Epatha Merkerson.
Directed by Jay SandrichWritten by Janet LeahyGuest stars Kathleen Doyle, Angela Bassett, S. Epatha Merkerson, Susan Bigelow, Alva Chinn, Helen Gumpel
Episode 14
Rudy has to play the violin in music class at school, but gets jealous because she thinks her classmates' instruments are more fun. Deon Richmond as Kenny. Naoka Nakagawa as Kim.
Directed by Chuck VinsonWritten by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Deon Richmond, Melba Moore, Naoka Nakagawa
Episode 15
Theo visits a friend in the hospital who has cancer. Troy Winbush as Denny. Adam Sandler as Smitty. Special appearance by Armand Hammer.
Written by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Deon Richmond, Adam Sandler, Troy Winbush, Khalif Bobatoon, Dennis Singletary, Brian K. Grant, Christopher Collet, Gwen McGee
Episode 16
Vanessa tries out for the drum major at school. Theo playfully mocks her efforts, but learns from friends that Vanessa is the target of sexism and intervenes on her behalf. Meanwhile, Cliff cooks up a batch of extremely spicy chili as Russell tries to pay off a loan from an old friend. Deon Richmond as Kenny. Troy Winbush as Denny. Guest appearance by Dub Taylor.
Guest stars Deon Richmond, Earle Hyman, Troy Winbush, Dub Taylor, Eddie Castrodad, Claude Brooks, Hazen Gifford
Episode 17
Clair tries to stop Cliff from fixing a leaky pipe by hiring a team of professionals: friends of Sondra and Elvin from Princeton.
Written by Janet LeahyGuest stars Erica Gimpel, Josh Pais, Kevin Rock, Laura Hill, Helen Lee
Episode 18
Rudy writes a fairy tale, and the colorful story is acted out in her fantasy. Members of the family play the roles of a village full of happy people and a mean group that ruins their fun. At the end of the episode, Rudy declares that when she becomes "president of the world", she will put a stop to all mean people. Cliff and Clair proceed to watch news reports of weapons' testing and bombings, and urge her to "hurry, because we need you right now." Earle Hyman as Russell.
Written by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Peter Costa, Deon Richmond, Earle Hyman, Alex Germain
Episode 19
Cliff and a friend play pétanque. First appearance of Sullivan Walker as Dr. James Harmon.
Written by Matt WilliamsGuest stars Sullivan Walker, Michele Shay, Laurie Morrison
Episode 20
A friend of Clair's has marital problems; Cliff takes a "mini-vacation" in the house as Theo, Rudy, and Vanessa try to stump each other with riddles.
Directed by Jay SandrichWritten by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Meg Foster, Joel Fabiani, Jodi Long
Episode 21
Denise comes home from college, but seems to have more time for her friends than for the family.
Written by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Lisa Bonet, Susan Diol, Nina Zoie Lam, Colin Quinn, Belinda Sawyer, Wynonna Smith
Episode 22
Theo, Denny and Smitty go to great lengths to impress their dates for the senior prom but fail disastrously; Cliff and Clair relive their own prom. Troy Winbush as Denny. Adam Sandler as Smitty. First appearance of Michelle Thomas as Justine. Phylicia Rashād appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.
Written by Janet LeahyGuest stars Adam Sandler, LaChanze, Troy Winbush, Michelle Thomas, Robert Weil, Brian K. Grant, Stacey Williams
Episode 23
When the Huxtable men go fishing, Theo catches a dead body, and soon attracts attention from the media. This success goes to his head, while Rudy and Kenny find a nest of baby birds, but the mother bird is missing. The two stories eventually cross in a surprising-and rather humiliating-lesson for Theo. Deon Richmond as Kenny.
Written by Carmen FinestraGuest stars Deon Richmond, Alanna Davis, Darrell Echols
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Bill CosbyHeathcliff Huxtable
Phylicia RashādClair Huxtable
Malcolm-Jamal WarnerTheo Huxtable
Tempestt BledsoeVanessa Huxtable
Lisa BonetDenise Huxtable
Keshia Knight PulliamRudy Huxtable
Sabrina Le BeaufSondra Huxtable
Geoffrey OwensElvin Tibideaux
NBCUnited States
Carsey-Werner CompanyUnited States
