The BEST episodes of The Bill Cosby Show

Every episode of The Bill Cosby Show ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Bill Cosby Show!

Bill Cosby plays Chet Kincaid, a physical education teacher at a Los Angeles high school who gets involved in various comedic adventures with his students and fellow teachers.

Last Updated: 2/25/2025Network: NBCStatus: Ended
star
10.00
1 votes

#1 - Goodbye Cruel World

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/8/1970

Wally Cox guest stars in this episode as a shy man lacking in self confidence. With Chet's help, he builds up the nerve to ask a woman out on a date. She rejects him, and he wants to commit suicide. Chet helps to restore the man's confidence and self esteem.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
10.00
1 votes

#2 - The Generation Gap

Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 1/31/1971

Chet's mother is going out of town, so Chet's father comes to stay with him while she is away. As they spend time together, they discover that things have changed and they don't have as much in common anymore.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
10.00
1 votes

#3 - Tobacco Road

Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/7/1971

Chet aids a fellow teacher from the high school who's trying to quit smoking. Herb Edelman guest stars as Mr. Maher, the teacher who's trying to kick the habit.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
10.00
1 votes

#4 - The Worst Crook That Ever Lived

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/25/1970

Chet is asked to help straighten out Raymond, a youngster who has a penchant for stealing. In an effort to keep Raymond out of trouble, Chet finds a spot for him on his little league baseball team. But Raymond steals the money that Chet had saved up which was intended to buy uniforms for the team. In the end, Raymond realizes what he did was wrong and returns the money to Chet.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#5 - Growing Growing Grown

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/4/1970

Chet is asked to chaperone at a high school dance. Chet's car is not available, he ends up borrowing his brothers garbage truck to drive his date to the dance. At the dance, Chet teaches one student a lesson in the importance of physical appearance.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#6 - There Must Be a Party

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/4/1970

A female student at the high school is convinced she is destined to be an actress and is certain she will win an acting contest she has entered. Chet then tells her about the time he missed his own surprise birthday party to try and teach her a lesson about anticipation and being overconfident.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#7 - The Artist

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/1/1970

Chet helps out a talented youngster who wants to become an artist. Chet disputes however, when the youngster chooses Chet as subject matter for his painting which will be on display at the art fair.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#8 - March of the Antelopes

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/8/1970

Chet is in charge of a group of youngsters and is supposed to take them on an overnight camping trip. They set out to their destination, but mishaps occur, and they end up staying over at Chet's apartment.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#9 - Teacher of the Year

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/27/1970

Upon winning the award for Teacher of the Year, Chet has a difficult time convincing the other teachers to attend the banquet where he will receive the award.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#10 - A Dirty Business

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/14/1971

Chet is at odds with a student at the high school who wants to be a spy. Because the student is a fast runner, Chet wants him to join up with the school's track team. But the student wants no part of it, preferring to remain out of the spotlight.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#11 - Power of the Trees

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 2/28/1971

Elsa Lanchester guest stars as an eccentric woman who recruits Chet to help save a tree from being cut down at a construction site.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#12 - The Green-Eyed Monster

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/7/1971

A male student from the high school seeks Chet's advice regarding love and jealousy. As it turns out, Chet could use a lesson or two himself and does not seem to practice what he preaches.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#13 - The Long Road Back

Season 2 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/14/1971

John Marley guest stars in this episode as a wealthy, eccentric man who wants to relive his childhood. He seeks Chet's help to have his wish come true.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
9.00
1 votes

#14 - The Saturday Game

Season 2 - Episode 26 - Aired 3/21/1971

A young Jewish boy joins Chet's little league baseball team. Saturday is the day of the big game, and the boy is forced to decide between playing in the game, or sitting out due to his religious beliefs, Saturday being the Jewish sabbath.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.50
2 votes

#15 - A Girl Named Punkin

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1969

Chet does volunteer work for the local community center, a place for underpriviledged children. He is having problems with Punkin, a young girl who is unresponsive and stays to herself. Chet eventually breaks through, and Punkin comes around. A touching scene where Chet tells Punkin a bedtime story and teaches her a lesson in love and caring at the same time is the high point of this episode.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.50
2 votes

#16 - Swann's Way

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/13/1970

Don Knotts guest stars in this episode as a shifty repossessor who's trying to repossess Chet's television set.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.50
2 votes

#17 - Lover's Quarrel

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/18/1970

Chet tries to get his ever arguing aunt and uncle to stop fighting and treat each other with kindness and respect. Veteran actors Mantan Moreland and Jackie "Moms" Mabley guest star and give classic performances as the bickering old couple.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.50
2 votes

#18 - Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1969

Chet is asked to be substitute teacher in an algebra class. Chet and the students have a difficult time arriving at the answer for one particular problem involving candy being sold at varying amounts per pound. Chet spends the weekend trying to solve the problem, he even visits a candy store to try and purchase the correct amounts of candy.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
3 votes

#19 - Rules is Rules

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/12/1969

Chet goes to great lengths to obtain a valve needle which he needs in order to inflate basketballs for his gym class.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
1 votes

#20 - Home Remedy

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/28/1969

Chet is home with a cold, and is unable to rest because all his relatives come over offering their cure-alls and remedies.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
2 votes

#21 - The Gumball Incident

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/1/1970

Chet is wrongfully accused and arrested for breaking a gumball machine. Tom Bosley guest stars as Cookie Maharg.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
3 votes

#22 - The Runaways

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/25/1970

Chet is sent out to track down and find a runaway boy. He succeeds, and they spend the day together. After sharing a few adventures, Chet helps the boy decide he should go back home.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
2 votes

#23 - The Poet

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/20/1970

A male student at the high school enjoys writing poetry, but doesn't want his friends to find out, fearing ridicule. Chet (who has also written some poetry) tells the student he shouldn't be concerned with what other people think, to go ahead and do what he enjoys doing. Chet then gets in a bind when he is mistaken as the author of a poem he copied in his youth, and the poem is scheduled to be published in the school newspaper.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
1 votes

#24 - Viva Ortega

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/10/1971

Chet tutors a Mexican immigrant who is studying to become a United States citizen.

Watch Now:Amazon
star
8.00
2 votes

#25 - Miraculous Martin

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/17/1971

Dick Van Dyke guest stars in this episode as Miraculous Martin, an out of work magician who's trying to stay sober and planning to get married.

Watch Now:Amazon