The Cosby Show was a benchmark series. It was an enormous hit from almost the first moment it aired. Everyone watched it, I mean everyone, but does it still hold up?
Cosby Show, The: Season One
Directors: Jay Sandrich
Producers: Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner
Writers: Created by Ed Weinberger, Michael Leeson and Dr. William H. Cosby Jr., Ed.D
Features: *Look Back Special * 20 page booklet
Characters:
Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable...Bill Cosb
Clair Olivia Hanks Huxtable...Phylicia Rashad
Denise Huxtable Kendall...Lisa Bonet
Theodore Aloysius 'Theo' Huxtable...Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Vanessa Huxtable...Tempestt Bledsoe
Rudith Lillian 'Rudy' Huxtable...Keshia Knight Pulliam
Genre: Comedy
Review:
The Cosby Show was a benchmark series. It was an enormous hit from almost the first moment it aired. Everyone watched it, I mean everyone. There was this strong draw to it that wrangled in viewers like bugs to sugar. But the big question on everyone’s mind is surly this: Does the show still hold up?
Yes and no. Yes, in that the show still remains as funny now and when it aired. No, in that the message Cosby was trying to convey to his viewers was somehow lost either by socio or political shifts in trends.
The pilot episode is a perfect example of current trends versus 1984 trends. There is a famous bit where Theo and his father Cliff are discussing the importance of college. Theo argues that it’s okay to skip college and be ‘average people’ whereas Cliff believes it’s not. In 1984, college was so much more important. It really did mean the difference between a high paying job and a menial one. But now, with jobs as tight as they are, it’s harder to find a high paying job and 'college people' have become the ‘average people’ Theo longed to be. I have several friends with degrees from very respectable universities working low paying, menial jobs just to get by.
The truth is, with The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby tried to infuse his own personal ideology into African American culture. He still does it today and he’s often criticized for it, even though his thoughts are not really that ‘out there’. In fact, Cosby argues that African American culture is in a downward shift, straying from their hard working ancestors. I’m not talking about slaves, but revolutionaries of the late 60s. This sort of argument doesn’t necessarily hold well with a culture that doesn’t want to hear the truth, but Cosby’s right. The one thing Cosby misses though is that it’s not just African American culture, it’s everyone that’s doing this.
I’d guess that today, The Cosby Show wouldn’t last more than one or two seasons. The ideology just wouldn’t sit well with today’s society. The cultural trends and political motives have drowned the true purpose of an American, which is to work hard and be rewarded. Nowadays though, that ideology has changed—Work hard and barely stay above water. And because of this, people have succumbed to apathy and, in effect, laziness.
Regardless, The Cosby Show still has all the great laughs it once had and fans of the series, and there are many, should rejoice that this gem has finally made its way to DVD.
*Show Scorecard*
As entertainment: * * * *
As a show: * * * *
Overall:
DVD REVIEW:
Video:
Presented in Full Frame, The Cosby Show looks pretty bad. The show is fuzzy and washed over. It’s not the fault of the DVD producer, though I’d guess there are better versions of these episodes out there somewhere. My guess is that they were shot on a very inexpensive video format, Betacam presumably, which just doesn’t hold up over time. Later seasons should look better, but not by much. This show was created during Betacam’s era.
Audio:
Presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo. Not surprising. Not that good, but fair enough for a sitcom.
Extras:
The box is a little deceiving when advertising the special features. There’s actually only one, the Look Back Special which runs over 90 minutes. This is a really nice extra feature, but some may have already seen it. It actually aired on NBC a few years ago. Everything you could ever want to know about The Cosby Show is presented here.
The set also comes with a nicely put together 20 page booklet. The boxset itself, like the show, is very classy and aesthetically appealing.
I can’t help but wonder where Cosby himself is during all of this. A commentary or interview would have been a nice addition.
Final Thoughts:
This is a no-brainer. If you’re a fan of the show, get this set. Anyone who hasn’t seen the show, and I don’t know how you didn’t, should check it out. The Cosby Show was and is one of the greatest sitcoms ever produced.
*DVD Scorecard*
Video: 3
Audio: 4.5
Extras: 6
Value: 8.5
UNRATED
* Running Time: 575 minutes
* List Price: $49.99
* Available on DVD August 2nd 2005.
----R. L. Shaffer