List of The Cosby Show episodes

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This is a complete list of episodes for the popular American sitcom The Cosby Show.

Contents 1 Season 1: 1984-1985 2 Season 2: 1985-1986 3 Season 3: 1986-1987 4 Season 4: 1987-1988 5 Season 5: 1988-1989 6 Season 6: 1989-1990 7 Season 7: 1990-1991 8 Season 8: 1991-1992

[edit] Season 1: 1984-1985

The first season opening credits featured the Huxtable family playing sports in Central Park. Two versions of the show's theme song were used in this sequence. A long version of the show's theme was heard in the first two episodes, but a shortened version with a few bars taken out and with a different, though similar, style was used for the rest of the season. The show's theme, titled "Kiss Me", was composed by Stu Gardner and Bill Cosby.

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
1	0101	September 20, 1984	Pilot	Cliff and Clair deal with the daily pressures of having children. Denise goes on a date with an older boy, while Theo gets four D's on his report card. When he tries to reason with his father about loving him regardless of his grades, Cliff responds by saying, "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life!" Theo resolves to do better in school.
2	0102	September 27, 1984	Mr. Fish (a.k.a. Goodbye, Mr. Fish)	When Rudy's pet fish, Lamont, dies, Cliff tries to bring the family together for a funeral in the bathroom. The festivities end when Rudy gets bored and leaves to watch TV.
3	0103	October 4, 1984	Bad Dreams	Vanessa claims that she is old enough to watch a scary movie, but Clair still forbids it. Vanessa sneaks out anyway, but ends up having nightmares as a result.
4	0105	October 11, 1984	Is That My Boy?	Freshman Theo tries out for the football team and makes it. Cliff is overjoyed, but his pride falters when he discovers his son will never be a star. Theo, however, is just happy being on the team.
5	0108	October 18, 1984	A Shirt Story	Theo thinks a girl will like him if he wears an expensive designer shirt. His parents deny him the money, so Denise decides to make a copy of it for him. The copy turns out hideous, but the girl likes that Theo is "original."
6	0106	October 25, 1984	Breaking With Tradition	Cliff's father, Russell, pays a visit and begins questioning Cliff about the kids' college choices. He asks Denise about Hillman, his and Cliff's alma mater. Denise is dead-set against it at first, until Russell tells her that the males outnumber the females there. First appearance of Earle Hyman as Russell Huxtable, Cliff's father.
7	0107	November 1, 1984	One More Time	While Clair cares for a friend's baby, she begins to consider having another. Cliff desperately tries to talk her out of it, claiming that babies are "false advertising." Claire's mother, Carrie, then reminds her that the older you are when you have kids, the older you'll be if they end up having to come back and live at home. First appearance of Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks, Clair's mother.
8	0109	November 8, 1984	Play It Again, Vanessa	Vanessa plays clarinet in the school's orchestra. Though she tries her best and practices daily, she simply cannot play the instrument. She plays an embarrassing solo at the school concert, but her parents support her anyway. Guest Dizzy Gillespie as Mr. Hampton, Vanessa's music teacher.
9	0110	November 15, 1984	How Ugly Is He?	Denise has a new boyfriend, David, but is reluctant to bring him home. She fears that Cliff will, like always, make fun of the boy and ruin her chances with him. Cliff and Clair are initially impressed with David until he expresses some unwanted opinions about medicine and the law at dinner. Kristoff St. John (Neil from Young and the Restless) plays boyfriend David.
10	0111	November 22, 1984	Bonjour, Sondra	Sondra, the eldest Huxtable child makes her first appearance when she visits home for Thanksgiving. She plans on going to Paris for the summer, and hopes that her parents will support the decision.
11	0104	December 6, 1984	Your Not A Mother Tonight	Clair is exhausted from constantly caring for the children. Cliff decides to take her out on the town for "You're Not a Mother Night." They go to a fancy restaurant and hotel. While there, some of Clair's motherly instincts start kicking in-but they stop in time for a romantic evening.
12	0113	December 13, 1984	Rudy's Sick	Clair could be named partner at her law firm if an interview goes well-but Rudy is sick! Cliff vows to take care of her while Clair works, and engages in some unique doctoring methods. Clair is named partner and Rudy is fine by the end.
13	0112	December 20, 1984	Father's Day	Cliff complains about the poor quality of his annual Father's Day gifts. He challenges the children to find some better presents for a December Father's Day. They give him thoughtful-if not quite attractive-presents. Suzee Pai as Mrs. Lee, Doris Belack as Saleslady, Tzi Ma as Ben Lee
14	0114	January 10, 1985	Independence Day	Theo gets his ear pierced to impress a girl-but Denise thinks it might be infected. She is correct, and Theo must go to Cliff. Cliff hopes that Grandpa Huxtable will punish Theo, but the old man instead relates the story of how Cliff tried to slick back his hair to impress Clair, but ended up burning it off! Russell brags, and Anna reminds him of the time that he had a tattoo of her name placed on his chest, but ended up with a huge scar on his chest when he tried to remove it after Anna found out he was actually trying to impress another girl! First appearance of Clarice Taylor as Anna Huxtable, Cliff's mother. Anna refers to Cliff as "Heathcliff" several times, contradicting previous evidence that his full name is Clifford.
15	0115	January 17, 1985	Physician of the Year	Cliff is set to receive an important award, but a woman goes into labor right before the ceremony. Theo delivers his speech for him. Aleta Mitchell as Mrs. Randall, Elisa de la Roche as Nurse, Sheldon Leonard as Dr. Wexler
16	0116	January 31, 1985	Jitterbug Break	Cliff tries to impress Denise's friends by teaching them how to jitterbug. Some of Clair's friends also show off their dance moves. Soon, the whole house is full of dancers. Blair Underwood as Denise's boyfriend, Judith Jamison as Marie, Donald McKayle as Ralph, Gerard Cooper as Guy, Christine Langner as Girl
17	0117	February 7, 1985	Theo and the Joint	Clair discovers a marijuana joint in one of Theo's school books. She and Cliff confront him about it, and accept his explanation-another boy slipped it in. Theo confronts the boy and brings him home to confess in order to remove any uncertainty from his parents about his telling the truth. Theo and the boy actually start to become friends. Stephen Thompson as Anthony Braxton, Iman as Mrs. Montgomery. Rudy says her full name in this episode, Rudith Lillian Huxtable.
18	0118	February 14, 1985	Vanessa's New Class	Vanessa is placed in an advanced science class. She creates a model of the solar system, but learns that she will have to work harder than ever if she hopes to succeed. First appearance of Pam Potillo as Vanessa's friend Janet Meisner. William Christian as Mr. Robertson), Kim Hauser as Girl #1, Audrey Wong as Girl #2, Rado Randriamamonjy as Leon Haywood.
19	0119	February 21, 1985	Clair's Case	A sneaky mechanic tries to swindle Sondra. It's Clair to the rescue as the two battle in court. David Langston Smyrl as Man in Court, Shawn Elliott as Mr. Wilson, Alan North as Judge
20	0120	February 28, 1985	Back to the Track, Jack	Cliff's college track coach contacts him and asks to run in a charity event between Hillman and its rival, Norton College. Heathcliff "Combustible Huxtable" trains, but soon learns that he is not the runner he was all those years ago. Al Freeman, Jr. as Coach Ernie Scott, 1968 Olympic medalist Joshua Culbreath as Col. Sanford B. "Tailwind" Turner, Dhamiri Abayomi as Himself
21	0121	March 14, 1985	The Younger Woman	Cliff and Clair receive a visit from an old friend-and he has a new girlfriend that is half his age. They are initially suspicious, but learn that judging by appearances isn't always right. Terry Farrell as Nicki Phillips, Robert King as Dr. Mike Newcomb
22	0122	March 28, 1985	Slumber Party	Rudy invites all of her friends over for a slumber party. It's Cliff's job to watch over them, and he demonstrates some unique games to wrangle the youngsters. In the end, Russell drops by and demonstrates the perfect way to deal with kids-bribe them! First appearance of Peter Costa (actor) as Peter. Earle Hyman as Russell. With Dana Bryant, Kyle Bryant, Alicia Keys, Naoka Nakagawa, Desiree Scott, Sing Smith-Stewart as Rudy's friends. The show opened with a brief voiceover from Keshia Knight Pulliam explaining that this episode was meant specifically for kids.
23	0125	May 2, 1985	Mr. Quiet	Cliff, Clair, and the Huxtable clan volunteer at a local community center. There, a battered boy tries to find help, and the owner-Tony Castillo-does his best to lend assistance. David Langston Smyrl as Chester, Alexis Cruz as Enrique Tarron, Tony Orlando as Tony Castillo, Ada Maris as Selena Cruz, Pearl Tama as Sonia Tarron, Emmet O'Sullivan as Old Man, Raymond Rosario as Kid, Angela Bassett as Mrs. Mitchell, Olga Merediz as Mrs. Rodriguez, Lisa Mordente as Expectant Mother #1, Alva Chinn as Expectant Mother #2. This episode was a pilot for a proposed spin-off series featuring Tony Orlando's character and the community center, which never came to fruition. Also the first episode in which Clair is shown to be fluent in Spanish.
24	0124	May 9, 1985	Cliff's Birthday	Cliff is turning 48, and as usual, he is trying to find out what his birthday present is ahead of time. Clair, with the help of the kids, orchestrates a huge trick. Cliff is fooled, and doesn't find about what is birthday surprise is: a visit to Lena Horne's private club. Lena Horne as Herself, Clarence Williams III as Clarence Thornehill. In episode 12, Cliff says his birthday is in October.

[edit] Season 2: 1985-1986

For the second season, the opening credits changed from the Huxtables in the park to a gray room with the cast dancing. The song was changed for the first time keeping the show's theme signature and featured a sort of jazz tone. Each cast member, in descending age of their characters, dances alongside Cosby as his/her name is shown in the credits. Bill Cosby is seen at the end of the credits "dancing" to the music as the producer credits appear and at the end, he quickly turns his head and looks into the camera before the sequence cuts to black. Two versions of this theme were also used. Much like the season one theme, both versions of season two's theme song were completely different in sound than the other. The long version featured more of a synth beat than the short. Midway through the season, following Phylicia Rashad's marriage to Ahmad Rashad, Phylicia's credit changed from "Phylicia Ayers-Allen" to "Phylicia Rashad". Producer Caryn Sneider's (who also got married) credit was also changed to read "Produced by Caryn Sneider Mandabach."

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
25	0201	September 26, 1985	First Day of School	Cliff and Clair are overjoyed with the arrivial of the new school year, as their children are finally out of the house.
26	0204	October 3, 1985	The Juicer	Cliff, who has a fetish for electronic appliances, buys a juicer. Rudy and Peter, bored from Vanessa's inattentive baby-sitting, decide to go to the kitchen for a snack. They decide to have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with jelly made by Cliff's juicer, which they were ordered not to touch. They load grapes into the juicer, which explodes into a big mess in the kitchen. David Langston Smyrl as Mr. Lucas. Peter Costa (actor) as Peter.
27	0203	October 10, 1985	Happy Anniversary	It's Russell and Anna's 49th wedding anniversary. The family commissions a portrait of the two of them as young people, and offer a cruise to Europe as a surprise. They are reluctant to take the trip. Later in the evening, the whole family performs Ray Charles' "Night Time Is the Right Time", with Theo, Rudy and Cliff singing solos. In the end, Russell and Anna decide to be adventurous and take the cruise. Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna.
28	0205	October 17, 1985	Cliff in Love	First appearance of Geoffrey Owens as Elvin. Sondra breaks up with Elvin and is depressed, taking it out on the family. Cliff and Clair aren't exactly unhappy; they find Elvin rather annoying. Later, he appears at the house with flowers and tries to apologize. While there, he offers some of his sexist rhetoric to Clair, who quickly becomes annoyed. Joseph C. Phillips as Daryl. Trivia: Joseph C. Phillips later returned as Denise's husband Martin Kendall starting in Season Six.
29	0202	October 24, 1985	Theo and the Older Woman	When friend Suzanne accompanied Denise to observe the Huxtables' normal behavior, a smitten Theo behaves far from normally. Robin Givens as Suzanne, Blair Underwood as Mark.
30	0206	October 31, 1985	Halloween	Vanessa has a Halloween party. When her crush, Robert Foreman, shows up, she drops an entire tray of glasses and embarrasses herself in front of the guests. It's Cliff and Clair to the rescue as usual. Pam Potillo as Janet. Dondre Whitfield as Robert.
31	0208	November 7, 1985	Rudy Suits Up	Rudy plays football and becomes a star, much to the chagrin of Clair, who worries she'll get hurt. Clair reluctantly goes to a game, but gets excited when Rudy has a great game. The excitement turns to anger when Rudy is held in check in her next game against a better opponent. Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks. Peter Costa (actor) as Peter.
32	0207	November 14, 1985	Denise Drives	Denise wants to buy a car. She plans to use her savings to do so, but Cliff and Clair quickly point out flaws in her plan. The answer to everyone's problems comes from friend Mr. Lucas, who has an old car he is willing to sell. Denise proves herself a good driver, and the car is hers. David Langston Smyrl as Mr. Lucas.
33	0209	November 21, 1985	Clair's Sister	Clair's sister Sarah gets engaged. First appearance of Joe Williams as Clair's father. Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks. Mario Van Peebles as Garvin.
34	0211	December 5, 1985	Clair's Toe	While preparing to go out on a proposal anniversary dinner, Clair breaks her toe, but tries not to let it upset her routine. In the end, she develops a unique piece of footwear to hide her cast.
35	0213	December 12, 1985	Denise's Friend	Denise asks Cliff to talk to her friend, who has a medical problem. Cliff diagnoses the girl as having a mild bladder infection, but learns that she was wary of telling her parents without certainty. Cliff and Clair decide to show the kids that they can tell them anything, but the children quickly point out that their parents will just get angry. Cliff admits that anger is part of problems, but tells the children that no matter what, they will be loved.
36	0210	January 2, 1986	Mrs. Westlake	Theo's math teacher comes for dinner, to Theo's extreme consternation. He thinks she plans to tell his parents of a bad grade on a math test. To his surprise, Mrs. Westlake comes to dinner looking young, attractive, and even with a sense of humor; she's also pregnant! Mrs. Westlake also gives Theo his test-he actually gets an 89, and he proceeds to embrace her, much to his shock. Sonia Braga as Mrs. Westlake.
37	0214	January 9, 1986	The Auction	Clair bids $11,000 for a painting that her great-grandmother had once owned. Elvin, in one of his many attempts to win Mrs. Huxtabe's favor, offers to cook dinner after the auction.
38	0212	January 16, 1986	Vanessa's Bad Grade	Vanessa steals a sweater from Denise. The two soon begin to fight. In the end, Rudy's choice of TV watching-the "I Have A Dream" speech-reminds the whole family of what a real problem is. Excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech featured at the end of the episode.
39	0215	January 30, 1986	Theo and Cockroach	Theo and Cockroach scheme to pass a test on William Shakespeare's "Macbeth", which neither one has read. First appearance of Cockroach (Carl Anthony Payne II). (Phylicia changes her last name from Ayers-Allen to Rashad, after marrying Ahmad Rashad)
40	0216	February 2, 1986	The Dentist	Peter goes to the dentist, but has Rudy come along for moral support. Danny Kaye (in one of his last appearances) as Dr. Burns.
41	0217	February 13, 1986	Play It Again, Russell	Russell plays in a tribute with the band he played in years ago.
42	0218	February 20, 1986	A Touch of Wonder	After his limo collides with Denise's car, Stevie Wonder (as himself) invites the Huxtables to a recording session.
43	0219	February 27, 1986	Full House	Cliff has a full house of children; Classic scene: Denise's boyfriend sings reggae in front of living room TV.
44	0220	March 13, 1986	Close to Home	A close friend of Cliff's, played by Samuel E. Wright, is overcome with sadness due to his daughter's recurring drug addiction. His feelings are set off as he observes the close relationship between Cliff, Claire, and Denise, who is his daughter's age.
45	0222	March 20, 1986	An Early Spring	Theo's math teacher has a baby and Cockroach shows a different side. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach. Sonia Braga as Mrs. Westlake. Cockroach's real name, Walter Bradley, is revealed in this episode.
46	0221	April 3, 1986	Theo's Holiday	After saying he'll have no problem making it in the real world, the Huxtables convert their house in the "Real World Apartments" and show Theo about the "real world"; i.e., needing employment and references to get an apartment, income to get a bank loan, having to pay for his meals, etc.
47	0224	April 10, 1986	The Card Game	Cliff plays cards with his father, a former teacher, and a friend. Theo buys a cheap ring for his girlfriend Tanya. Earle Hyman as Russell. Roscoe Lee Browne as Dr. Foster.
48	0225	May 8, 1986	Off to the Races	In a charity run, Cliff races in a relay with "Tailwind" Turner and, as apparent payback for the race a year prior, ends up having to run the final leg against Olympic medalist Valerie Brisco-Hooks. Josh Culbreath as Col. Sanford "Tailwind" Turner. Valerie Brisco-Hooks as Herself.
49	0223	May 15, 1986	Denise's Decision	Denise gives her decision on the college she will go to at dinner. Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna.

[edit] Season 3: 1986-1987

Season three's opening sequence featured the cast dancing to Latin jazz in a gray/blue room. Once again, Bill Cosby is seen at the end of the credits dancing to the music as the producer credits appear and at the end, he quickly turns his head and looks into the camera before the sequence cuts to black. Two versions of this theme were used. However, the season three theme's long version had some parts cut, instead of a differently composed version of that theme. Phylicia Rashad was also pregnant throughout much of this season; so the crew hid her stomach for most of the season.

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
50	0302	September 25, 1986	Bring 'em Back Alive	A snake is found in the house.
51	0301	October 2, 1986	Food for Thought	Clair warns Cliff not to eat salty foods. Denise leaves for her freshman year at Hillman College.
52	0303	October 9, 1986	Golden Anniversary	Russell and Anna's 50th wedding anniversary. The family performs James Brown's "I Got the Feelin' " in this sequel to Season 2's "Happy Anniversary". Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna.
53	0305	October 16, 1986	Man Talk	Theo and Tanya break up for other people.
54	0304	October 23, 1986	Mother, May I?	Vanessa puts on make-up after Clair tells her not to.
55	0306	October 30, 1986	The March	Theo writes a report on "The March" on Washington. Meanwhile Vanessa is worried about asking a boy to the turn-around dance. Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna. Joe Williams as Al Hanks. Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks.
56	0307	November 6, 1986	Theo's Flight	Theo and Cockroach decides they want to fly. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach.
57	0308	November 13, 1986	Vanessa's Rich	Friends call Vanessa a stuck-up rich girl at school.
58	0309	November 20, 1986	Denise Gets a D	Denise's college career has an inauspicious start, Claire needs to rest in bed because of a pinched nerve, Rudy acts as the "wind" in a school play.
59	0312	December 4, 1986	A Girl and Her Dog	Rudy and Peter adopt a dog. Peter Costa as Peter.
60	0310	December 11, 1986	War Stories	Cliff and friends play cards. Earle Hyman as Russell.
61	0311	December 18, 1986	Cliff in Charge	Cliff is in charge when Clair leaves for 10 days.
62	0313	January 8, 1987	Monster Man Huxtable	Elvin helps Theo with his wresling moves. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin.
63	0314	January 15, 1987	Rudy Spends the Night	Cliff establishes the Huxtable Men's Club when the women are away.
64	0315	January 22, 1987	Say Hello to a Good Buy	Cliff buys a new car. Rudy cuts some animal pictures out of Cliff's expensive books for school. Sinbad as Mr. Sarette.
65	0316	February 5, 1987	Denise Gets an Opinion	Denise has a blind date. Dondre Whitfield as Robert.
66	0317	February 12, 1987	Calling Doctor Huxtable	Cliff is called to the hospital for 3 deliveries, Malinda Williams appearance, Patricia Richardson appearance.
67	0318	February 19, 1987	You Only Hurt the One You Love	Rudy gets hurt from Theo's rough games. Rudy cries. Theo gets punished. Clair goes to a doctor and gets the same advice that Cliff gave her. Cliff learns that the woman who cleans up the Doctor Lounge was fired.
68	0319	February 26, 1987	The Shower	Denise holds a bridal shower for her pregnant and bride-to-be friend Veronica, but finds out some disturbing information.
69	0320	March 12, 1987	Cliff's 50th Birthday	Cliff's 50th birthday has all kinds of surprises.
70	0321	March 19, 1987	I Know That You Know	Clair and the kids attempt to use Elvin and Sondra's engagement to fool Cliff, culminating in a classic scene. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin.
71	0322	April 2, 1987	Andalusian Flu	While Cliff and Clair have the flu, Theo tries to keep the house going.
72	0324	April 9, 1987	Bald and Beautiful	Cliff's Navy friend comes to visit. Cockroach shaves his head to be in a rock video. Robert Culp appearance.
73	0326	April 30, 1987	Planning Parenthood	Clair's sister decides she wants to be a mother. Cliff takes Rudy and her friends out to eat at a fancy restaurant.
74	0325	May 7, 1987	Hillman	Hillman College dean Dr. Haynes is retiring. The episode serves as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff series A Different World, which premiered in the fall of 1987.

[edit] Season 4: 1987-1988

In the fourth season, the opening sequence featured the cast dancing happily to vocal funk/jazz. The vocals were sung by Bobby McFerrin. Bill Cosby is seen at the end of the credits dancing to the music as the producer credits appear and at the end, he quickly turns his head, takes off his top hat and looks into the camera before the sequence cuts to black. Unlike the first three seasons, the opening credits featured the cast wearing some formal '30s-style clothing with Bill Cosby wearing a top hat and tails, Tempestt Bledsoe wearing a Navy uniform similar to what performers would wear when performing to the troops in the USO. Malcolm-Jamal Warner wore a business suit and is seen looking at his watch then starts tapping his feet, and etc. Geoffrey Owens (Elvin Tibideaux) is introduced to the regular cast by Cosby leading him into Sabrina LeBeauf's credit scene, symbolizing Heathcliff Huxtable "giving away" his daughter Sondra to her new husband. Before the producer credits appear, Bill Cosby is briefly seen holding a picture of Lisa Bonet (Denise). Bonet does not appear as a regular this season since starring in the spinoff series, A Different World. This theme was the theme meant to represent this show when released in 1996 as part of Television's Greatest Hits: Volume 7: Cable Ready.

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
75	0402	September 24, 1987	Call of the Wild	Sondra and Elvin come back from their honeymoon and have 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."
76	0401	October 1, 1987	Theogate	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. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach.
77	0408	October 8, 1987	It's Not Easy Being Green	Rudy wants to wear summer clothes in winter to a party, while Cliff tries to get rid of an old water heater.
78	0405	October 15, 1987	Cliff's Mistake	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.
79	0323	October 22, 1987	Shakespeare	Christopher Plummer and Roscoe Lee Browne appearance. Russell and his friends convince Theo and Cockroach that Shakespeare is intresing.
80	0403	October 29, 1987	That's Not What I Said	Cliff and Clair have a marital argument after Theo gets detained by police for riding in a car with an unlicensed driver.
81	0404	November 5, 1987	Autumn Gifts	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.
82	0413A	November 12, 1987	Looking Back (1)	Sondra and Elvin have their first marital fight, and Elvin comes to the Huxtable's house for comfort and support. Clair shares about the difficulties in their house as flashbacks are shown.
83	0413B	November 12, 1987	Looking Back (2)	Flashbacks are shown while history is shared with Elvin.
84	0409	November 19, 1987	Where's Rudy?	Rudy gets lost in a mall while Clair enters a squash exhibition.
85	0410	December 3, 1987	Dance Mania	Theo and Cockroach have tickets to appear on television in 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, meaning Cockroach will appear on TV and he won't. First appearance of Adam Sandler as Smitty. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach.
86	0406	December 10, 1987	The Locker Room	Theo and his classmates brag about their dates with girls in the locker room, but Theo's mood changes when one the guys goes out with Vanessa and brags about it the next day. Adam Sandler as Smitty.
87	0414	December 17, 1987	The Show Must Go On	Vaudeville is shown to Rudy and her friends, who are unimpressed. Deon Richmond as Kenny.
88	0411	January 7, 1988	Bookworm	Clair drags Cliff to her book club meeting, and he's the lone male there. Meanwhile, the kids attempt a sleepover at Sondra and Elvin's run-down studio apartment.
89	0407	January 14, 1988	Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star	Rudy plays the violin for school. Deon Richmond as Kenny. Naoka Nakagawa as Kim.
90	0416	January 21, 1988	The Visit	Theo visits a friend in the hospital who has cancer. Adam Sandler as Smitty.
91	0412	February 4, 1988	The Drum Major	Vanessa tries out for the drum major at school.
92	0417	February 11, 1988	Waterworks	Clair tries to stop Cliff from fixing a leaky pipe by hiring a team of professionals.
93	0415	18 February 1988	Once Upon a Time	Rudy writes a fairy tale, and it comes to life. Earle Hyman as Russell.
94	0418	February 25, 1988	Petanque	Cliff and a friend play petanque.
95	0420	March 3, 1988	Trust Me	A friend of Clair's has marital problems.
96	0421	March 17, 1988	Home for the Weekend	Denise comes home from college.
97	0422	March 24, 1988	The Prom	Theo's prom. Adam Sandler as Smitty.
98	0419	April 28, 1988	Gone Fishin'	When Theo and Cliff go fishing, Theo catches a dead body.

[edit] Season 5: 1988-1989

The opening sequence in the fifth season featured the cast dancing on a veranda to music performed by The Oregon Symphony Orchestra, in Hawaiian-style clothes. Geoffrey Owens (Elvin) does more of his dance in the sequence with Tempestt Bledsoe (Vanessa) than with Sabrina LeBeauf (Sondra). This opening credit sequence is the only sequence during the entire series that featured the whole cast dancing together in the whole run of the show. At the end, the entire cast fans their hands covering Bill Cosby's face and then quickly they take their hands away from his face.

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
99	0501	October 6, 1988	Together Again and Again	Denise drops out; first appearance of pregnant Sondra.
100	0502	October 13, 1988	The Physical	Cliff prepares for a physical.
101	0505	October 20, 1988	Rudy's All-Nighter	Rudy's friend sleeps over.
102	0503	October 27, 1988	Move It (a.k.a. The Baby Game)	Everyone wants pregnant Sondra and Elvin to find a new house.
103	0504	November 3, 1988	Out of Brooklyn	Denise leaves Brooklyn for Africa (last app. of Season 5).
104	0506A	November 10, 1988	The Birth (1)	Sondra goes into labor.
105	0506B	November 10, 1988	The Birth (2)	Births of Nelson and Winnie.
106	0507	November 17, 1988	Cyranoise de Bergington	Theo wants to date another girl. Naomi Campbell appearance.
107	0508	December 1, 1988	How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?	Vanessa and friends want to be singers. Guest star Betty Carter.
108	0509	December 8, 1988	If the Dress Fits, Wear It	Clair goes on a secret diet to fit into a new dress, voice-over by Ahmad Rashad (Phylicia's husband), Debbie Allen appearance (Phylicia's sister).
109	0510	December 15, 1988	Is There a Hamster in the House?	Rudy takes care of a friend's hamster for the weekend.
110	0512	January 5, 1989	Truth or Consequences	Theo and Rudy lie for Vanessa.
111	0511	January 12, 1989	Cliff Babysits	Cliff babysits his grandchildren.
112	0514	January 26, 1989	Mrs. Huxtable Goes to Kindergarten	Clair goes on a TV show entitled "Retrospective". First appearance of new couch. Cliff tries to keep the old one, but eventually succumbs.
113	0513	February 2, 1989	The Lost Weekend	The house gets trashed at Theo's party.
114	0517	February 6, 1989	No Way, Baby	Sammy Davis, Jr. appearance.
115	0516	February 9, 1989	Can I Say Something, Please?	Rudy wants to change some of her rules.
116	0515	February 16, 1989	The Dead End Kids Meet Dr. Lotus	Theo consults
117	0519	February 23, 1989	The Boys of Winter	Cliff's old basketball friend comes to visit.
118	0518	March 9, 1989	It Comes and It Goes	Sondra bemoans taking care of The twins. Denise thinks it is easy to take care of them.
119	0520	March 16, 1989	Theo's Women	Theo and Justine break up. First appearance of Vanessa A. Williams as Jade.
120	0521	March 30, 1989	Birthday Blues	Clair's 46th birthday.
121	0522	April 13, 1989	A Room With No View	Vanessa and Rudy argue and fight.
122	0523	April 27, 1989	What He Did for Love	Theo's friend gives a stolen watch to his girlfriend. Vanessa A. Williams appears as Jade.
123	0524	May 4, 1989	Day of the Locusts	Sondra gets strep throat.
124	0525	May 11, 1989	57 Varieties	Theo wants to go to Egypt.

[edit] Season 6: 1989-1990

In the sixth and seventh seasons, the opening sequence featured the cast dancing to classical saxophone jazz at the Apollo Theater, located in Harlem, New York, NY. The saxophone was performed by Craig Handy. At the end of the sequence, instead of Bill Cosby looking at us, he would walk off and we would hear him say, "This is the best elevator music I've ever heard." This line was cut out of the credits when they were re-used in the seventh season. Also in season seven, Erika Alexander, who joined the cast as Cousin Pam, was added to the credits but didn't appear in the sequence herself since they were filmed before she started appearing on the show.

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
125	0601	September 21, 1989	Denise: The Saga Continues	Intro Martin & Olivia. Last appearance of Peter. Denise comes back from Africa.
126	0602	September 28, 1989	Surf's Up	Theo and his friends get kicked out of their apartment.
127	0603	October 5, 1989	I'm 'In' With the 'In' Crowd	Vanessa and her friends get drunk.
128	0605	October 12, 1989	Denise Kendall: Navy Wife	Denise forgets to send a letter to the Navy confirming that she and Martin have accepted housing in Rhode Island.
129	0604	October 19, 1989	Theo's Gift	Theo learns he has dyslexia.
130	0606	October 26, 1989	Denise Kendall: Babysitter	Denise and Olivia babysit Winnie and Nelson (Sondra and Elvin's twins).
131	0607	November 2, 1989	Shall We Dance?	Rudy has a crush on a classmate, and ends up dancing with him.
132	0608	November 9, 1989	The Day the Spores Landed	Cliff dreams he, Theo, Elvin, and Martin are pregnant.
133	0610	November 16, 1989	Cliff's Wet Adventure	Thanksgiving Episode. Paula, Martin's ex-wife --- played by Victoria Rowell (Dru from Young and the Restless) -- is invited for Thanksgiving dinner.
134	0609	November 30, 1989	Grampy and Nu-Nu Visit the Huxtables	Martin's parents (Olivia's grandparents) come for a visit. Actor Moses Gunn and Jazz singer Nancy Wilson guest star as Martin's parents.
135	0611	December 7, 1989	Cliff la Dolce	Cliff is in charge while Clair and Denise are out of town.
136	0612	December 14, 1989	Getting to Know You	Cliff and Martin get to know each other, Ceremony for Martin & Denise; Christmas episode.
137	0613	January 4, 1990	Elvin Pays for Dinner	Elvin takes two female college friends to dinner to reminisce and Sondra becomes very upset.
138	0526	January 11, 1990	Cliff's Nightmare	Guest appearance by The Muppets (Performed by Jerry Nelson, Dave Goelz, Richard Hunt, and Kevin Clash.)
139	0614	January 18, 1990	Denise Kendall: Singles Counselor	Denise causes trouble while trying to help Vanessa get a date.
140	0615	January 25, 1990	The Birthday Party	Olivia's 4th birthday.
141	0616	February 1, 1990	Not Everybody Loves the Blues	Theo thinks about proposing to Justine. B.B. King guest stars.
142	0617	February 8, 1990	Rudy's Walk on the Wild Side	Rudy steals money to buy a sweatshirt.
143	0618	February 15, 1990	Mr. Sandman	Rudy is forced to take tapdancing lessons for school.
144	0619	February 22, 1990	Isn't It Romantic?	Cliff, Elvin and Martin compete for most romantic husband.
145	0620	March 15, 1990	Theo's Dirty Laundry	Cliff and Clair discover that Theo has moved in with Justine.
146	0621	March 22, 1990	What's It All About?	Clair is burned out from work and family pressures and hurries off to the woods.
147	0622	April 5, 1990	Off to See the Wretched	Vanessa and her friends sneak off to a concert in Baltimore. Olivia tries to tell jokes.
148	0623	April 19, 1990	The Moves	The Huxtables' nerdy neighbor (Wallace Shawn) reinvents himself after a divorce.
149	0624	April 26, 1990	Live and Learn	Denise wants to be a teacher.
150	0625	May 3, 1990	The Storyteller	Gram Tee makes an appearance.

[edit] Season 7: 1990-1991

The seventh season's credit sequence was to use a mural entitled "Street of Dreams," painted by inner-city youth from the Creative Arts Workshop in Harlem, for the opening credits. The producers wound up discarding the idea when their lawyers said that in order to use the mural they would have to get permission from all 63 young artists first. Instead, the show developed its own mural which combined some of the elements and used many of the colors of the actual one. The owners of the mural threatened to sue and denounced the show for ripping off the children. Carsey-Werner tried to negotiate a settlement with Creative Arts Workshop, but Bill Cosby decided to replace the theme with the 6th season's opening credits. Only four episodes featured the original opening credits, and only a few cities saw this version.[1] In all other areas in first-run and repeats as well as in syndication, only the replaced sequence was used. Lisa Bonet and Joseph C. Phillips were in the credits still but they only appeared in less than a handful of episodes during the season.

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
151	0701	September 20, 1990	Same Time Next Year	Denise takes classes locally at Medgar Evers College, while Vanessa enrolls at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Rudy starts sixth grade. Olivia starts kindergarten.
152	0702	September 27, 1990	Bird in the Hand	Cliff tries to win an old jazz record at an auction.
153	0704	October 4, 1990	The Last Barbecue	The Huxtables engage in a battle of the sexes because of Theo's stripper idea at Martin's bachelor party.
154	0703	October 11, 1990	Period of Adjustment	Clair's second cousin, Pam, moves in with the family. Intro to Pam. First appearance of Karen Malina White as Charmaine, Allen Payne as Lance, and Mushond Lee as Slide.
155	0706	October 18, 1990	It's All in the Game	Cliff and Clair complain about the various small disasters the children have caused them, and the children fight back by complaining about ways Cliff and Clair have embarrassed them.
156	0705	October 25, 1990	Getting the Story	Rudy and Kenny do a video project.
157	0707	November 1, 1990	Just Thinking About It (1)	Pam considers starting birth control.
158	0708	November 1, 1990	Just Thinking About It (2)	Pam and her boyfriend argue over whether they should become sexually active.
159	0712	November 8, 1990	The Infantry Has Landed (and They've Fallen Off the Roof)	Rudy gets her first period. Clair plans "Women's day" where she goes out alone with Rudy and answers any questions she has, but she refuses to talk.
160	0709	November 15, 1990	You Can Go Home Again	Denise and Martin look for their own apartment for privacy.
161	0710	November 29, 1990	It's a Boy	The husband of one of Cliff's patients worries that he will be a poor father because he has no athletic ability.
162	0713	December 6, 1990	Clair's Liberation	Clair begins menopause.
163	0714	December 13, 1990	It's Your Move	Elvin and Sondra help friends move during a football game. Voice over by Ahmad Rashad (Phylicia's husband).
164	0715	January 3, 1991	Theo's Final Final	Theo will make the dean's list if he gets an A on his final, but a beautiful girl distracts him.
165	0717	January 10, 1991	Attack of the Killer B's	Pam's grades have improved, but she worries that she will not be able to afford college.
166	0718	January 31, 1991	Total Control	Cliff's patient and her husband are convinced that they are prepared for every scenario... and then labor begins. John Ritter guest stars.
167	0719	February 7, 1991	Adventures in Babysitting	Rudy begs Martin to let her babysit Olivia, and later that night the two girls get spooked after watching a scary movie.
168	0716	February 14, 1991	27 and Still Cooking	Cliff and Clair's 27th wedding anniversary. Cliff recreates the Calilou Pot Restaurant for Clair.
169	0720	February 21, 1991	The Return of the Clairettes	Old friends of Clair visit. Rudy plans for her first date.
170	0711	February 28, 1991	No More Mr. Nice Guy	Theo's friend Denny thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him.
171	0722	March 7, 1991	Home Remedies	Everyone tries to cure Olivia's cold, and Russell and Anna celebrate another wedding anniversary. Cliff, Rudy and Olivia perform Koko Taylor's "I'm A Woman".
172	0723	March 21, 1991	Nightmare on Stigwood Avenue	Rudy has a nightmare about Olivia always getting her way.
173	0721	April 4, 1991	There's Still No Joy in Mudville	Cliff goes bowling with his friends. Voice-over by Ahmad Rashad (Phylicia's husband).
174	0626	April 11, 1991	Cliff and Jake	Clair tries to prevent Cliff from buying a new appliance from his friend Jake. Lost episode from season 6.
175	0724	April 25, 1991	Theo and the Kids (1)	Theo begins as junior counselor at the community center; he thinks one of his kids is dyslexic. First appearance of Merlin Santana as Stanley.
176	0725	May 2, 1991	Theo and the Kids (2)	Theo continues his attempts to help Stanley.

[edit] Season 8: 1991-1992

The mural "Street of Dreams," painted by inner-city youth from the Creative Arts Workshop in Harlem, was finally used full-time in season eight. The cast now danced in the sequence to a drum/trumpet blend performed by Lester Bowie. The scenes of Bonet and Phillips in the original opening sequence were removed. After the controversy from the previous season, the producers gave recognition to the painters of the original mural in the closing credits. Malcolm-Jamal Warner wore glasses in this set of opening credits, but not in any episodes. At the end of the theme song, Bill Cosby walks off saying, "Come on, man! Chill out! Don't put your face in the mud!"

Episode	Production	Airdate	Title	Notes
177	0801	September 19, 1991	With This Ring?	Vanessa gets engaged.
178	0802	September 26, 1991	There's No Place Like This Home	Cliff is trying to create a soundproof room for Clair.
179	0804	October 3, 1991	Particles in Motion	Theo prepares for his first parent-teacher meeting. Rudy meets Stanley, much to Kenny's chagrin.
180	0803	October 10, 1991	Pam Applies to College	Pam wants to go to the same college with her friend Charmaine.
181	0808	October 17, 1991	Warning: A Double-Lit Candle Can Cause a Meltdown	Rudy and her friends try to sneak into a club to see a famous rapper (Special Ed).
182	0805	October 24, 1991	It's Apparent to Everyone	Winnie and Nelson drive Cliff and Clair crazy around the house while Elvin and Sondra wait to move into their new house.
183	0807	October 31, 1991	The Iceman Bricketh	Vanessa's grandparents Russell Huxtable and Carrie Hanks are desperate to meet her fiance Dabnis.
184	0806	November 7, 1991	Olivia's Field Trip	Cliff goes on Olvia's field trip to the museum.
185	0809	November 14, 1991	For Men Only	Cliff teaches a men-only class at the youth center.
186	0812	November 21, 1991	Olivia Comes Out of the Closet	Last App. for Martin.
187	0810	December 5, 1991	Two Is a Crowd	Vanessa and Dabnis have relationship problems, as do Rudy and Stanley.
188	0813	December 19, 1991	Clair's Place	Clair gets her own room, Christmas references.
189	0814	January 2, 1992	Theo's Future	Theo is accepted to graduate school.
190	0815	January 9, 1992	The Price Is Wrong	Pam, Lance, Charmaine, and a group of senior citizens protest a grocery chain that gives preferential treatment to wealthy customers.
191	0816	January 16, 1992	Bring Me the Lip Gloss of Deirdre Arpelle	Kenny plays off going out with a girl name Deidre to get Rudy jealous.
192	0726	January 30, 1992	Eat, Drink and Be Wary	Rudy and her friends want to go on the subway.
193	0817	February 6, 1992	The Getaway	Sondra and Elvin move into their own place. Special Guest: Dick Vitale & Jimmy Valvano.
194	0818	February 6, 1992	Cliff Gets Jilted	The family set up a warm engagement party for Vanessa and Dabnis.
195	0819	February 13, 1992	Cliff and Theo Come Clean	Theo decides to go to graduate school.
196	0820	February 20, 1992	Clair's Reunion	Clair and her college friends plan a retirement party for a teacher.
197	0821	February 27, 1992	Rudy's Retreat	Cliff and Clair see Rudy changing. Charmaine and Lance prepare to visit Hillman College (The couple appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening).
198	0811	March 26, 1992	You Can't Stop the Music	Cliff and Clair go to a local radio station for a live salsa performance. Kenny babysits Olivia.
199	0822	April 23, 1992	Some Gifts Aren't Deductible	Cliff and Clair work on their taxes.
200	0823	April 30, 1992	And So We Commence (1)	Theo's college graduation.
201	0824	April 30, 1992	And So We Commence (2)	The Final episode.