The BEST episodes of Cosby
Every episode of Cosby ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Cosby!
Bill Cosby stars as Hilton Lucas, a former airline worker forced into early retirement after a mass layoff. Other characters in this CBS sitcom include Hilton's wife Ruth, his daughter Erica and family friends Griffin and Pauline.
#1 - Mud
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/2/1998
A plate that Hilton made as a gift for Ruth has been switched for one made by a famous abstract artist. It's worth some $15,000, and now, thanks to Pauline, it's missing.
#2 - Superstar, Part 1
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/17/1999
Griffin has a dream in which teachers are given the same elite status & salary as professional athletes or actors.
#3 - Lucas Raymondicus
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/1997
Frank Barone has been telling his son about sinking the winning shot in the 1955 Queens hampionship since the day he was born. So when Frank pleads with Hilton to help him save face with his son by lying for him, Hilton reluctantly agrees. But then Gwendolyn Brooks High plans a ceremony honoring Frank - and he tells the school that Hilton can't come because he's dead - Hilton decides that enough is enough and goes forward to set the record straight.
#4 - Older and Out
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/1997
Hilton is overjoyed when he meets new friends Chuck and Larry and joins their "Older and Out" team, since he's also older and he's "out" keeping busy. Ruth discovers that Chuck is gay, and she mistakenly believes that her husband of more than 30 years may have feelings for a man! Blaming herself for letting the spark go out of the marriage, Ruth sets off to win him back before a surprised Hilton discovers the real meaning of "Older and Out."
#5 - A Very Nice Dance
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/8/1999
Hilton and Ruth recall their first date many years ago. Their flashbacks are done through animated sequences, and of course, both of them have widely different versions of what happened.
#6 - Judgment Day
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1998
Hilton's steaming when a klutzy customer spills coffee on her dress, admits it's her own fault---and then sues the Flower Cafe for $3000.
#7 - The Awful Truth
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/11/1999
Del's new girlfriend Karen agonizes over a secret she's worried about sharing with him: the youth who passes as her kid brother is actually her son.
#8 - The Vesey Method
Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/3/1999
When Griffin finds himself face to face with the group of tough, unmotivated students, he struggles to find a way to reach them and open their minds to the wonders of learning -- something fellow teacher Mr. Fleming lost enthusiasm for a long time ago. Meanwhile, Hlton's car breaks down and he stumbles into the waiting room of Dr. John Becker.
#9 - Refrigerator Logic
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/18/1999
Hilton is beyond frustrated when his newly purchased state-of-the-art refrigerator breaks down and he can't get any customer satisfaction. His repeated attempts to reach a human customer service representative fail, and then he's told it will take an eternity to get the necessary refrigerator part. Hilton takes matters into his own hands and becomes a one-man consumer crusader.
#10 - Lucas Absentia
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/25/1999
Griffin contemplates quitting the teaching profession when his first day as a substitute teacher is a disaster. The Lucases lend themselves out as mock students so that Griffin can practice his teaching techniques on them -- although their misguided attempt to help might just turn him off teaching forever.
#11 - False Alarm
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/1/1999
After the Lucas home is burglarized, Hilton invests in a security system -- only to discover that the thief is someone he knows.
#12 - Ol' Betsy
Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/15/1999
While searching for a rare part for his beloved turntable, Hilton bumps into an old friend from his bachelor days, Fred. When Hilton and Fred start reminiscing about how they double-dated sisters Mattie and Roberta Singleton, Hilton decides to play matchmaker and prompts Fred into learning whatever became of Mattie. Even now, years later, Fred can't help wondering what might have happened if they remained a couple.... and, thanks to Hilton, he may finally get a chance to find out.
#13 - Afterschool Delight
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/22/1999
Jurnee is aghast when she finds out that her dad intends to date the “meanest” teacher at her school. Del is so troubled by Jurnee’s reaction to his interest in Ms. Malone that he’s ready to call off their date. But Hilton reminds him that almost every person can remember a teacher who was too strict, gave too much homework or expected too much of a student – and usually ended up being the one who made the greatest impact on the student later in life.
#14 - Will Power
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/1/1999
Hilton is attempting to help Jurnee with her "Romeo and Juliet" homework assignment when his true feelings about The Bard come out: Why couldn't Shakespeare simply speak in plain English rather than using all of that fancy, confusing language? Alas, Shakespeare showeth up in the Lucas kitchen to tutor Hilton personally. Will it be "all's well that ends well?"
#15 - Lucas Illuminus
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/17/1999
Hilton volunteers as a reader for a retired, blind English literature professor and, upon realizing his gift for teaching, urges him to return to the classroom. Anthony Quinn guest stars as Professor Christo, whose failing eyesight and advanced age caused him to leave behind the profession he loves so much.
#16 - Timerity
Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/5/1999
Hilton is caught in the middle when his curmudgeonly friend, Tim, stages a rent strike against his landlord.
#17 - The Party's Over
Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/26/1999
Hilton is stunned when 11-year old Jurnee, left in his care while her father is away, returns from a friend's birthday party drunk. Hilton and Ruth are adamant about finding out who spiked the birthday punch and caused several of the children to awaken to wicked hangovers the following morning. But, Jurnee is not budging for fear that she will be labeled a squealer among her friends. Hilton is determined to make Jurnee understand that protecting the guilty person is sometimes just as bad as being guilty yourself.
#18 - The First Gentleman
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/18/1998
Ruth is President of the Businessmen's Roundtable, and Hilton the Ladies auxiliary.
#19 - This Old Friend
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/14/1998
Hilton becomes nervous when, after a two-year silence, he hears from an old friend who only makes contact when he needs a handout.
#20 - Turkey Day
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1998
When Hilton offers to make Jurnee's Thanksgiving Day Parade turkey costume from scratch, it comes out to be just that.... a turkey of a costume. So imagine Hilton's joy when the queen of domesticity, Martha Stewart, shows up at the coffee shop bearing the most realistic looking turkey outfit that anyone's ever seen and leaves it behind by mistake. But, when Martha Stewart returns asking if anyone has seen the costume, will Hilton's guilt get the best of him... or will Jurnee be the best-dressed turkey in the parade?
#21 - The Episode Episode
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/9/1998
Hilton is sentenced to a life without pork chops, barbeque ribs and bacon when a doctor's visit reveals a too-high cholesterol count. A mouth-watering meal for Hilton now consists of tofu, steamed broccoli and "not-wurst" imitation hot dogs. New Jersey Nets player Jayson Williams guest stars as Jurnee's teacher, who adds his two-cents on the subject of of Hilton's eating habits.
#22 - Playground Scar
Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/1998
After Jurnee expresses her fondness for schoolmate Kevin and he retaliates by shoving her on the school playground, amateur psychologist Hilton explains his theory of how "playground scarring" can affect a woman for life. According to Hilton, when women are unable to trust, unable to commit, their problems can always be traced back to a bad playground experience when they were deeply humiliated by a boy they liked. To this day, Ruth has problems with trust because of a certain Kenneth P. Watson, who purposely teetered when he should have tottered, requiring a young Ruth to get stitches. When it comes to Jurnee, however, Hilton is determined not to have history repeat itself.
#23 - Lucas Matriculus
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1998
When Griffin accompanies Hilton to "Grandparents Day" at Jurnee's school and adds his two cents to the science lesson, it quickly becomes apparent that he is a natural at teaching and holding the kids' interest. Who would have thought?? Hilton is thrilled that Griffin has uncovered a talent for this most noble profession, while Erica is more than ticked off when she learns that Griffin achieved a higher GPA than she did in college. At first resistant to the idea of working hard for little pay and loads of responsibility, Griffin is ultimately swept up with the idea of molding the minds of America's young -- heaven help them.
#24 - The Greatest Gift
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/1998
A major argument erupts when Ruth accidentally discovers that Erica has been hiding all the gifts she has given her over the years. When Ruth confronts Erica about only pretending to like the gifts that Ruth put so much time and care into buying, it sparks the disagreement. On the one hand, Ruth feels that she doesn't know her own daughter, and on the flip side, Erica feels that her mother doesn't bother to learn about her likes and dislikes. Although Hilton desperately wants to stay out of their argument, he is left with no alternative and attempts to coerce the women into a joint shopping trip. The goal -- buy something that is pleasing to them both without driving him over the edge.
#25 - Lucas Discordia
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1998
Petty differences about irritating personal habits threaten to escalate into a major brawl when Ruth and Pauline plan a "girls' night out" in Manhattan, and Hilton insists on acting as their chauffeur