More adventures of the Huxtables!
andy8047 | Nokomis,Florida | 08/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wow,I don't believe this! On June 5,First Look Entertainment put out seasons 3 and 4 of NBC's The Cosby Show and on November 6,we TCS fans will once again double our pleasure with the releases of seasons 5 and 6. I'd assume the discs will be housed singly in plastic cases like the season 3 and 4 sets. In 1988,TCS made its syndication debut on various independent stations all over America and other countries. Comedian Bill Cosby,the series' star and co-creator,promoted the syndication debut in magazine/newspaper advertisement and television commercial. He said,"We'll be coming to your house five nights a week instead of just one. And if that's not enough,you should consider moving in with us.". The first station I remember syndicating TCS was Seacaucus,New Jersey-based WWOR(I had that station in my native New Jersey). WWOR probably still airs TCS today. Around summer 1988,writers for many network series went on strike until that September,the latest. So on October 6,1988,season 5 premiered with the episode TOGETHER AGAIN AND AGAIN. We see recent high school graduate Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable(Malcolm Jamal Warner) entering New York University with his girlfriend Justine(the late Michelle Thomas,recurringly). But Theo hasn't,at least not yet,left the Huxtable nest. We also see Vanessa(Tempest Bledsoe) and her friends Janet and Kara,forming a vocal group called The Lipsticks and entering a talent contest. However,their busty appearances and sexy movements shock Vanessa's mother Clair(Phylicia Rashad). Cliff(Cosby),I must admit,was a tadbit shocked himself. Fifteen-year-old Vanessa also breaks curfew by staying out ridiculously late with a boyfriend(she was just in his car with him). As for The Lipsticks,Rudy(Keshia Knight Pulliam) thought they were "hot"! Theo and two buddies throw a party in the Huxtable home in Cliff's and Clair's absence intended for only six people,Theo,his buddies and their girlfriends. Before they knew it,there were about 200 people at the party,wrecking havoc. Cliff and Clair returned home from an overnight getaway and were flabbergasted by the mess left made by those responsible. Cliff "sends away" Theo. Theo also requests permission from Cliff and Clair for a summer trip to Cairo(this is the season finale). Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable,the second of Cliff's and Clair's five children,continues to occasionally appear. She is working various jobs while still studying at Hillman College. At this time,Bonet was written out,at least as a regular,of the TCS spinoff A DIFFERENT WORLD. The most joyous moment of all this season,first aired November 10,1988,is when Cliff and Clair become first-time grandparents of twins Winnie and Nelson Tibidaux,born unto Sondra(Sabrina LeBeauf) and her husband Elvin(Geoffrey Owens). The other episodes are great. In the opening montage,there are no personal scenes. The names of the cast rapidly appear as the actors themselves. They are dressed in tropical-themed wardrobes,dancing barefoot on a veranda in a tropical setting. A symphony orchestra plays the theme this season. But in the closing montage,the theme is a little different,for it contains a style that is more like jazz. Rudy,at this time,is age 9,as is KKP. She's still sweet and lovable but no longer cute. Theo is now a man,since he had just turned 18 as did MJW. Also we'll see Clair celebrating her 46th birthday. She and Cliff indulge in strawberry shortcake. This is just another one of their romantic moments. In reality,Rashad was age 40. Guest star opera singer Placido Domingo even sings to Clair in that episode. Yes,even the cast can get moral support from real-life family members. Rashad's sister Debbie Allen,late of NBC's FAME,guest-starred as an aerobics instructor for a class Clair is taking. Clair was trying to lose some weight to fit an old dress again that she has and loves. Allen subsequently worked for NBC,directing some episodes of THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR. She directed a few FAMILY TIES episodes also. John Amos,late of CBS's GOOD TIMES,guest-starred as Cliff's physician. For the fourth time,TCS finished at #1 this season. By this time,I believe TCS was at least nominated for a multitude of Emmys."
All About Theo
Shamontiel L. Vaughn | Chicago | 11/30/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This season is when Sandra had the twins, Denise was gone to Africa, and all eyes landed on Vanessa and Theo, moreso towards Theo, and I watched some of my favorite episodes of him: from throwing a chaotic house party that was supposed to be a few friends ("I could've gone away"); dealing with a melodramatic actress/student; helping his friend get bailed out of jail for stealing a watch and giving it to the same melodramatic actress/student; and my favorite episode--the one when Cliff Huxtable taught Theo how to beg. That was one of the most standout episodes I'd ever seen on the Cosby Show. I loved watching Theo have the blues "Justine, Justine, oh baby, I'm sorry" and that howling noise he made should've been something BB King added to a song.
Guest appearances include Tichina Arnold and one guy who looks a whole lot like Don Cheadle, but I'm not sure it was him doing the martial arts impression"
Life Goes On - and Adds On!
Eric B. Gordon | Indianapolis, IN (USA) | 07/10/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Hee we are at the fifth Cosby Show go-round. And, if the viewing audience thought things changed the year before, this season brought changes - to the changes. Lisa Bonet has left the cast of A Different World, and her character, Denise Huxtable struggles with dead end jobs and ends up hopping a plane to Africa as a photographer's assistant. (All this to allow her to give birth to her daugher with Lenny Kravitz, Zoe below the radar.) Also, Theo starts his college degree at NYU but neglects to turn in his dorm fee.
But, why did I mention that first? The biggest change of all is the arrival of the next generation. At the season's opening, Sondra is nine months pregnant. Not with one child, as everyone thought, but with TWINS, Winnie and Nelson. (Only Sondra, Elvin and their doctor know this one piece of information prior to the birth.) Those two babies bring plenty of fun, drama and surrealistic comedy to the 5th season of The Cosby Show.
[Also of note is the re-appearance of Clarice Taylor as Grandma Anna Huxtable; she didn't appear once in Season 4, even though we see plenty of Earl Hyman as Grandpa Russell.]"