Cosby

Overall the short four-year run of this series was enjoyable. This is due in large part to an excellent cast, including (of course) Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, and the late Madeline Kahn. The supporting cast, including Doug E. Doug and T'Keyah Crystal Keymah, was also wonderful. The show was clean, hip, and classic Cosby. Some classic moments in the beginning; after Madeline Kahn left the series (and sadly passed away shortly afterward), it was never the same. Darien Sills-Evans is a good enough actor, but he was no substitute for "Pauline." In addition, COSBY unfortunately became CBS's dumping ground for government-sponsored "public service messages" disguised as sitcom plots. In COSBY's last days, the scripts weren't as good anymore either; uneven writing in the end was what did the show in, leaving behind some classic moments from the first few years.

CBS finally stumbled into a younger market several years ago, inspite of itself...before that, prior to '01, CBS bought and played place-holders, especially, played out staples from other networks.

Cosby was one of the best of these. Freely lifted, barely re-tooled, and name-changed from the NBC run, this show was a genial, even less wavemaking showcase than the 80s Cosby run (which made no waves in reality beyond Brady Bunch-style safety).

Stage-bound, and essentially a verbal play between 2.5 avg sets, this was Cos' and whoever, coming in several times a week for coffee, and a filmed reading. It had it's nice comforts...currently, very comfortable and genial about 4am in synd if you channel it up by chance, and need encouragement to sleep.

Bad = Televised airspace placeholder....Good = Cosby, and light-hearted lullaby and drone. Venerable late-night/very early morning fare when you're trying to sleep.

This show is incredible. PAX TV shows reruns every weekday afternoon, and I can't get enough! :) The casting is simply perfect, the plots are so hysterical and enjoyable, and, best of all: It's clean!!! It proves that family-friendly comedy still sells these days. If only more shows were like this one!!

Cosby made a decent comeback after such failures like The Cosby Mysteries (hey, it worked for Angela Lansbury, Dick Van Dyke and Andy Griffith!) and You Bet Your Life (an adaptation to the classic Groucho Marx game show. Cosby had some funny moments, but overall Cosby is weak with keeping up improvisation for a sustained amount of time)

Madelyn Khan was great on the show, but you could see during her final weeks on the show that she looked ill.

Someone else was supposed to play Cosby's wife in the series, but something didn't work out, so Phylicia Rashad was called on to replace her.

Cosby thankfully didn't go the route of adding younger children to the cast to keep the show going. That was the start of the downfall of the original Cosby Show.

I loved this show, and I happen to believe it was BETTER than its' predecessor. Several elements have lead me to this conclusion. The show's dialogue leads you to believe that the show is scripted, but improvised as well. Take a look at some of the conversations between Hilton & Griffin. Especially my favorite on the airline freebies & "Tiny Wine". I also loved the asides Cosby's "Hilton" took to the audience on set & at home. It helped you get your bearings into the upcoming scene. These blend into a believeable atmosphere. The Late Madeline Kahn was great as Pauline in her rambling, eccentric role. I'm just grateful this show is back on in syndication in Houston on UPN 20 for 1 Hour, and on TBS at 11:30E/10:30C