Just read this thread on my note.. Cant wait to get home and check it out again on my laptop! !
13 Ways The Cosby Show is Even Better Now Than It Was Back Then
- Thread starter WhenTheGoingGetsTtuff
- Start date
I could watch Good Times, and Sanford & Son because I could relate...
...but I've always been more of an idealist. Shows like Fresh Prince.. and The Cosby Show appealed more to me, because it reflected a more ideal life.
Homie, I'm allergic to struggle. I can deal with it if I'm working towards something far removed from it, but never-ending struggle like the Evans dealt with?
I applaud people who can deal with that...
...'cause I'm built like white folks when it come to that shit: I'd rather be dead.
Both Sanford & Son and Good Times, I felt were programs whites felt comfortable with seeing on TV. There was nothing positive about either so the shows appealed to whites. We watched because it was rare to see black people regularly on TV. I honestly hated both shows.
Cosby's show was only the 2nd show to portray a black family in a positive way. The only other show was Julia with Dianne Carol and she was a single mom. There had to be something wrong they were black.
Statements of whiteness.
Both Sanford & Son and Good Times, I felt were programs whites felt comfortable with seeing on TV. There was nothing positive about either so the shows appealed to whites. We watched because it was rare to see black people regularly on TV. I honestly hated both shows.
Cosby's show was only the 2nd show to portray a black family in a positive way. The only other show was Julia with Dianne Carol and she was a single mom. There had to be something wrong they were black.
Damn. Nothing positive?
Ive come to realize that any black show that white people rave about its probably something i wont like.
they tend to luv the shows where black folks be cooning,making fun of themselves or in an enabling position hardly addressing/confronting anything of substance out there.
My reality was a cross between these families.
where's the middle child? That's right she went up stairs and fell into an double penetration scene!
CRAVE!!!!
*two cents*
My 9yr old daughter loves The Cosby Show. I introduced her to it when she was 5. She really loved seeing Rayven as a child.
In retrospect the Cosby show was a very good show but it was basically on the same level as Family Ties or any other family sitcoms at that time. A middle class family with middle class family issues. The biggest difference IMO was how the parents particularly Claire related to the kids. She had that take no shit aura about her that anyone with a strong mother would recognize.
The highlights of Claire's rage ons:
Claire tell Denise how shit REALLY works.
Claire and Cliff deal with Sandra and Elvin and the wilderness store..CLASSIC
Claire jumps in Vanessa's shit about the Wretched concert
It was those moments that held it apart from other sitcoms at that time. Also the Cosby show had a black sheep in Denise that they unfortunately couldn't figure out what to do with. Her father was a doctor, her mother was a lawyer and she was an underachiever. They tried to roll with it for a while but Lisa Bonet's bohemian proclivities just ran totally against the image Bill Cosby wanted for his perfect nuclear family. In Cosby's vision education is first and foremost. Cliff was college educated as was his father and mother and Claire and her parents were all college grads. All the kids may grumble about schooling but they did it. Even if they didn't excel they tried hard and showed that they did. Which is why the series finale ended on Theo's collage graduation...here's the kid that got D's in middle and high school and was diagnosed as dyslexic and now he's getting his degree. In contrast Denise who did well in highschool but floundered in college, dropped out and even Claire had to admit she wasn't college material. But Denise didn't just flounder at Hillman she floundered at life itself. She had no game plan on what she wanted to do and getting married to a stable career navy man was probably the best decision she made from thier standpoint.
But ultimately all the fluddering around and indecision on her part just ran counter to idea that Bill Cosby had and they cut her character out at least a season or two before the show ended. The biggest omission of the final episode was Denise's absence. She was literally out of the country in that episode.
But what made the show just like any other at that time was the step by step tv tropes and jump the sharking things they did.
Remember Olivia? an obvious replacement for an aging gawky preteen Rudy. Remember cousin Pam? Brought in to replace the then attending real college Tempestt Bledsoe (Vanessa) and Theo. These were the same things the Brady Bunch pioneered with sudden addition of cousin Oliver and Family Ties did the same with a new baby and cast additions as the Keaton kids got older.
You knew they were running out of steam when there would be whole episodes dedicated to supporting characters (Bud) or guest stars. Remember the dream state Muppets episode? There was more than one
Cosby was a great series but it seemed like a black version of some of the top rated white sitcoms at the time.
side note the JEFFERSONS were the FIRST middle class black family on network tv..it always bugs me when they give that honor to the Cosby Show..
The highlights of Claire's rage ons:
Claire tell Denise how shit REALLY works.
Claire and Cliff deal with Sandra and Elvin and the wilderness store..CLASSIC
Claire jumps in Vanessa's shit about the Wretched concert
It was those moments that held it apart from other sitcoms at that time. Also the Cosby show had a black sheep in Denise that they unfortunately couldn't figure out what to do with. Her father was a doctor, her mother was a lawyer and she was an underachiever. They tried to roll with it for a while but Lisa Bonet's bohemian proclivities just ran totally against the image Bill Cosby wanted for his perfect nuclear family. In Cosby's vision education is first and foremost. Cliff was college educated as was his father and mother and Claire and her parents were all college grads. All the kids may grumble about schooling but they did it. Even if they didn't excel they tried hard and showed that they did. Which is why the series finale ended on Theo's collage graduation...here's the kid that got D's in middle and high school and was diagnosed as dyslexic and now he's getting his degree. In contrast Denise who did well in highschool but floundered in college, dropped out and even Claire had to admit she wasn't college material. But Denise didn't just flounder at Hillman she floundered at life itself. She had no game plan on what she wanted to do and getting married to a stable career navy man was probably the best decision she made from thier standpoint.
But ultimately all the fluddering around and indecision on her part just ran counter to idea that Bill Cosby had and they cut her character out at least a season or two before the show ended. The biggest omission of the final episode was Denise's absence. She was literally out of the country in that episode.
But what made the show just like any other at that time was the step by step tv tropes and jump the sharking things they did.
Remember Olivia? an obvious replacement for an aging gawky preteen Rudy. Remember cousin Pam? Brought in to replace the then attending real college Tempestt Bledsoe (Vanessa) and Theo. These were the same things the Brady Bunch pioneered with sudden addition of cousin Oliver and Family Ties did the same with a new baby and cast additions as the Keaton kids got older.
You knew they were running out of steam when there would be whole episodes dedicated to supporting characters (Bud) or guest stars. Remember the dream state Muppets episode? There was more than one
Cosby was a great series but it seemed like a black version of some of the top rated white sitcoms at the time. side note the JEFFERSONS were the FIRST middle class black family on network tv..it always bugs me when they give that honor to the Cosby Show..
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always felt that Urkel was a shot at Dwayne Wayne...
realize how ALL the young Black men on that show were clowns.
always felt that Urkel was a shot at Dwayne Wayne...
realize how ALL the young Black men on that show were clowns.
Lord know we shouldn't have exaggerated ridiculous acting male characters on a situation COMEDY
My reality was a cross between these families.
What ever happened to Laura?
Same here.I like the Cosby show because as someone stated it showed us in a good light but really to me was not funny or that entertaining..but Good Times is still hilarious to this day watching it.
Lord know we shouldn't have exaggerated ridiculous acting male characters on a situation COMEDY
dude I was mad sensitive to that...
anyway there were so MANY positive strong male black role models portrayed on TV then right
Exactly! Case and point whites loved the Amos & Andy show. But had nothing but hate for the Beverly Hillbillies. Bill Cosby even had a self titled sitcom The Bill Cosby Show positive only lasted one season. Basically because ignorant white people were an embarrassment to other whites. But its just comedy when the characters are black.
When black sitcoms continued to become more positive suddenly they started to disappear from the airways. Shows like Living Single, A Different World, For Your Love and a few others I can't remember off the top of my head, GONE!
living single and ADW lasted over 5 years ircc and both ran their course story wise.
In retrospect the Cosby show was a very good show but it was basically on the same level as Family Ties or any other family sitcoms at that time. A middle class family with middle class family issues. The biggest difference IMO was how the parents particularly Claire related to the kids. She had that take no shit aura about her that anyone with a strong mother would recognize.
The highlights of Claire's rage ons:
Claire tell Denise how shit REALLY works.
Claire and Cliff deal with Sandra and Elvin and the wilderness store..CLASSIC
Claire jumps in Vanessa's shit about the Wretched concert
It was those moments that held it apart from other sitcoms at that time. Also the Cosby show had a black sheep in Denise that they unfortunately couldn't figure out what to do with. Her father was a doctor, her mother was a lawyer and she was an underachiever. They tried to roll with it for a while but Lisa Bonet's bohemian proclivities just ran totally against the image Bill Cosby wanted for his perfect nuclear family. In Cosby's vision education is first and foremost. Cliff was college educated as was his father and mother and Claire and her parents were all college grads. All the kids may grumble about schooling but they did it. Even if they didn't excel they tried hard and showed that they did. Which is why the series finale ended on Theo's collage graduation...here's the kid that got D's in middle and high school and was diagnosed as dyslexic and now he's getting his degree. In contrast Denise who did well in highschool but floundered in college, dropped out and even Claire had to admit she wasn't college material. But Denise didn't just flounder at Hillman she floundered at life itself. She had no game plan on what she wanted to do and getting married to a stable career navy man was probably the best decision she made from thier standpoint.
But ultimately all the fluddering around and indecision on her part just ran counter to idea that Bill Cosby had and they cut her character out at least a season or two before the show ended. The biggest omission of the final episode was Denise's absence. She was literally out of the country in that episode.
But what made the show just like any other at that time was the step by step tv tropes and jump the sharking things they did.
Remember Olivia? an obvious replacement for an aging gawky preteen Rudy. Remember cousin Pam? Brought in to replace the then attending real college Tempestt Bledsoe (Vanessa) and Theo. These were the same things the Brady Bunch pioneered with sudden addition of cousin Oliver and Family Ties did the same with a new baby and cast additions as the Keaton kids got older.
You knew they were running out of steam when there would be whole episodes dedicated to supporting characters (Bud) or guest stars. Remember the dream state Muppets episode? There was more than one
side note the JEFFERSONS were the FIRST middle class black family on network tv..it always bugs me when they give that honor to the Cosby Show..
Did you NOT see where i said Claire Huxtable was not here for your shit!? EVER!? Claire was never about no BULL MAYNE!!! I always try to read like Claire does lol
My mom role model lol
I wasn't including those is the one year and out category.
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