The BEST episodes of The Cosby Show season 3

Every episode of The Cosby Show season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Cosby Show season 3!

Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable was an OBGYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), and his wife Clair was a successful attorney. They had five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. Sondra was rarely seen during the first season because she was away at Princeton. She became a regular character in the second season, and was usually seen with her on-again off-again beau, Elvin. They eventually married and had twins; but not before stunning their families by announcing the fact that Elvin was dropping out of medical school to open a camping store, and Sondra was dropping out of law school to help her husband in his endeavor. Denise was the "unique" child, the black sheep of the family. She had her own way of doing things, right down to the style of clothing she wore. After graduating high school, she left for Hillman College in 1986 (a year later, this would become the setting for the spin-off A Different World), but returned two years later with news that she was dropping ou

Last Updated: 4/12/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
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Say Hello to a Good Buy
star
8.84
335 votes

#1 - Say Hello to a Good Buy

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/22/1987

Cliff buys a new car. Rudy cuts some animal pictures out of Cliff's expensive books for school. Guest appearance by Sinbad, who would later portray Walter Oakes on the Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World. Watched by almost 65 million viewers when it originally aired, "Say Hello to a Good Buy" was the series' highest rated episode.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Watch Now:Amazon
I Know That You Know
star
8.36
248 votes

#2 - I Know That You Know

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/19/1987

When Sondra and Elvin announce their engagement, Clair and the children use the news to play a practical joke on Cliff, who launches a counter-offensive of his own. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin.

Watch Now:Amazon
Rudy Spends the Night
star
7.86
214 votes

#3 - Rudy Spends the Night

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/15/1987

Cliff establishes the Huxtable Men's Club when the women are away to help Theo get over his sadnes of a lost date. Venessa is very excited that big sister Denise is letting her go to the Village with Denise's college friends.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Watch Now:Amazon
Planning Parenthood
star
7.86
179 votes

#4 - Planning Parenthood

Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/30/1987

Clair's sister decides she wants to be a mother. Cliff takes Rudy and her friends out to eat at a fancy restaurant.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Watch Now:Amazon
Food for Thought
star
7.78
290 votes

#5 - Food for Thought

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/2/1986

Clair challenges Cliff to not eat any salty food for the day. Denise leaves for her freshman year at Hillman College.

Writer: John Markus
Watch Now:Amazon
Monster Man Huxtable
star
7.73
203 votes

#6 - Monster Man Huxtable

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/8/1987

Elvin helps Theo with some wrestling moves, although he and Sondra have made plans for the weekend, and reveals that he is thinking of marrying her. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin.

Writer: Gary Kott
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Golden Anniversary
star
7.71
345 votes

#7 - Golden Anniversary

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/9/1986

Russell and Anna's 50th wedding anniversary. The family performs James Brown's "I Got the Feelin' " in this sequel to Season 2's "Happy Anniversary". Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin. Appearance by Frank Foster and the Count Basie Orchestra. First mention of Rudy's desire to have a husband named "Bud" when she grows up.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Watch Now:Amazon
Andalusian Flu
star
7.70
215 votes

#8 - Andalusian Flu

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/2/1987

While Cliff and Clair have the flu, Theo tries to keep the house going.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Janet Leahy
Watch Now:Amazon
Cliff's 50th Birthday
star
7.62
210 votes

#9 - Cliff's 50th Birthday

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/12/1987

Cliff's 50th birthday has all kinds of surprises.

Writer: Gary Kott
Watch Now:Amazon
War Stories
star
7.58
271 votes

#10 - War Stories

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/11/1986

Cliff and his father's friend play a challenging game of cards. Venesa prepares to go to a skating party with date Robert Forman, soon find a very cute guy will cross her path Earle Hyman as Russell.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Watch Now:Amazon
Bring 'em Back Alive
star
7.51
298 votes

#11 - Bring 'em Back Alive

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/25/1986

The Huxtable house is thrown into chaos after Rudy finds a snake in the basement. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach. Peter Costa as Peter.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Vanessa's Rich
star
7.49
312 votes

#12 - Vanessa's Rich

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/13/1986

Friends call Vanessa a stuck-up rich girl at school. Guest appearance by Essence Atkins.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Theo's Flight
star
7.49
277 votes

#13 - Theo's Flight

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/6/1986

Theo and Cockroach decide they want to learn to fly, but Cliff doesn't want to waste his money on another dream of his son's. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach. First appearance of Deon Richmond as Kenny, a.k.a. "Bud".

Writer: Gary Kott
Man Talk
star
7.49
256 votes

#14 - Man Talk

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/16/1986

Although he has a steady girlfriend, Theo wants to start dating someone else. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: John Markus
Cliff in Charge
star
7.47
241 votes

#15 - Cliff in Charge

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/18/1986

Cliff is in charge when Clair leaves for 10 days.

The March
star
7.46
270 votes

#16 - The March

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/30/1986

Theo writes a report on the March on Washington, but gets a poor grade and is asked to redo his project. Much to his surprise he learns more about the march from his family than he did from books. Meanwhile Vanessa is worried about asking a boy to the turn-around dance. Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna. Joe Williams as Al Hanks. Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Writer: Gary Kott
Mother, May I?
star
7.45
346 votes

#17 - Mother, May I?

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/23/1986

After Clair specifically forbids her from wearing make-up, Vanessa, behind her mother's back, does it anyway.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Susan Fales
A Girl and Her Dog
star
7.41
303 votes

#18 - A Girl and Her Dog

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/1986

Rudy and Peter find a dog and attempt to take care of it without her parents knowing. Peter Costa as Peter.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Chris Auer
Denise Gets an Opinion
star
7.40
214 votes

#19 - Denise Gets an Opinion

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/5/1987

Denise has a blind date, but is really scared. So she asks Theo to grade him for her!!!! But this soon leads to a big hilarious mix up. Dondre Whitfield as Robert. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Writer: Gary Kott
Bald and Beautiful
star
7.38
209 votes

#20 - Bald and Beautiful

Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/9/1987

Cliff's Navy friend comes to visit. Cockroach shaves his head to be in a rock video. Robert Culp (Bill Cosby's co-star from the 1960s TV series I Spy) appears as Scott Kelly.

Directors: Tony Singletary
Writer: Gary Kott
Denise Gets a 'D'
star
7.27
246 votes

#21 - Denise Gets a 'D'

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/1986

Denise's college career starts with a D, but Denise is to scared to show her parents. Clair needs to rest in bed because of a pinched nerve. Rudy portrays "the wind" in a school play. Rosalind Cash as Dr. Hughes (The episode is preceded by a 30-second anti-drug public service announcement featuring Bill Cosby).

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Matt Geller
Calling Doctor Huxtable
star
7.16
243 votes

#22 - Calling Doctor Huxtable

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/12/1987

Cliff is called to the hospital for 3 deliveries, Malinda Williams appearance, Patricia Richardson appearance.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Chris Auer
You Only Hurt the One You Love
star
6.97
210 votes

#23 - You Only Hurt the One You Love

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/19/1987

Rudy gets hurt from Theo's rough games. Rudy cries. Theo gets punished. Clair goes to a doctor and gets the same advice that Cliff gave her. Cliff learns that the woman who cleans up the Doctor's Lounge at the hospital (Rita Moreno) has been fired. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable and Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
The Shower
star
6.93
210 votes

#24 - The Shower

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/26/1987

Denise holds a bridal shower for her pregnant and bride-to-be friend Veronica, but finds out some disturbing information. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable, although mentioned.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Hillman
star
6.72
178 votes

#25 - Hillman

Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/7/1987

The Huxtable family goes to Hillman College to attend a ceremony in honor of its president's retirement. Guest appearance by Joe Seneca. Filmed at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. The episode serves as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff series A Different World, which premieres in the fall of 1987.

Directors: Jay Sandrich