The Cosby Show

Season
  • Gone Fishin'

    Gone Fishin' Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 24 - Aired 04/28/1988

    When the Huxtable men go fishing, Theo catches a dead body, and soon attracts attention from the media. This success goes to his head, while Rudy and Kenny find a nest of baby birds, but the mother bird is missing. The two stories eventually cross in a surprising-and rather humiliating-lesson for Theo. Deon Richmond as Kenny.

  • The Prom

    The Prom Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 23 - Aired 03/24/1988

    Theo, Denny and Smitty go to great lengths to impress their dates for the senior prom but fail disastrously; Cliff and Clair relive their own prom. Troy Winbush as Denny. Adam Sandler as Smitty. First appearance of Michelle Thomas as Justine. Phylicia Rashād appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.

  • Home for the Weekend

    Home for the Weekend Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 22 - Aired 03/17/1988

    Denise comes home from college, but seems to have more time for her friends than for the family.

  • Trust Me

    Trust Me Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 21 - Aired 03/03/1988

    A friend of Clair's has marital problems; Cliff takes a "mini-vacation" in the house as Theo, Rudy, and Vanessa try to stump each other with riddles.

  • Petanque

    Petanque Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 20 - Aired 02/25/1988

    Cliff and a friend play pétanque. First appearance of Sullivan Walker as Dr. James Harmon.

  • Once Upon a Time

    Once Upon a Time Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 19 - Aired 02/18/1988

    Rudy writes a fairy tale, and the colorful story is acted out in her fantasy. Members of the family play the roles of a village full of happy people and a mean group that ruins their fun. At the end of the episode, Rudy declares that when she becomes "president of the world", she will put a stop to all mean people. Cliff and Clair proceed to watch news reports of weapons' testing and bombings, and urge her to "hurry, because we need you right now." Earle Hyman as Russell.

  • Waterworks

    Waterworks Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 18 - Aired 02/11/1988

    Clair tries to stop Cliff from fixing a leaky pipe by hiring a team of professionals: friends of Sondra and Elvin from Princeton.

  • The Drum Major

    The Drum Major Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 17 - Aired 02/04/1988

    Vanessa tries out for the drum major at school. Theo playfully mocks her efforts, but learns from friends that Vanessa is the target of sexism and intervenes on her behalf. Meanwhile, Cliff cooks up a batch of extremely spicy chili as Russell tries to pay off a loan from an old friend. Deon Richmond as Kenny. Troy Winbush as Denny. Guest appearance by Dub Taylor.

  • The Visit

    The Visit Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 16 - Aired 01/21/1988

    Theo visits a friend in the hospital who has cancer. Troy Winbush as Denny. Adam Sandler as Smitty. Special appearance by Armand Hammer.

  • Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

    Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 15 - Aired 01/14/1988

    Rudy has to play the violin in music class at school, but gets jealous because she thinks her classmates' instruments are more fun. Deon Richmond as Kenny. Naoka Nakagawa as Kim.

  • Bookworm

    Bookworm Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 14 - Aired 01/07/1988

    Clair drags Cliff to her book club meeting, and he's the lone male there. Much to Clair's surprise, Cliff knows quite a bit about the book in question! Meanwhile, the kids attempt a sleepover at Sondra and Elvin's run-down studio apartment, but are overwhelmed by the noise and lack of utilities. Appearances by Angela Bassett and S. Epatha Merkerson.

  • The Show Must Go On

    The Show Must Go On Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 13 - Aired 12/17/1987

    Vaudeville is shown to Rudy and her friends, who are unimpressed. Deon Richmond as Kenny.

  • The Locker Room

    The Locker Room Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/1987

    Theo and his classmates brag about their dates with girls in the locker room, but Theo's mood changes when one of the guys goes out with Vanessa and brags about it the next day. Troy Winbush as Denny. Adam Sandler as Smitty.

  • Dance Mania

    Dance Mania Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 11 - Aired 12/03/1987

    Theo and Cockroach have tickets to appear on television on the dance show "Dance Mania", but are told that only one of them can enter the studio during the filming because of fire laws. Theo miscalculates by offering to let Cockroach go in (thinking he'll refuse) and gets angry when Cockroach takes him up on the offer. First appearances of Troy Winbush as Denny, and Adam Sandler as Smitty. Final appearance of Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach. Bill Cosby appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.

  • Where's Rudy?

    Where's Rudy? Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 10 - Aired 11/19/1987

    Theo and Vanessa lose track of Rudy in a mall while Clair enters a squash exhibition. Earle Hyman (Russell) appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.

  • Looking Back (2)

    Looking Back (2) Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 9 - Aired 11/12/1987

    Flashbacks are shown while history is shared with Elvin.

  • Looking Back (1)

    Looking Back (1) Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 8 - Aired 11/12/1987

    Sondra and Elvin have their first marital fight, and Elvin comes to the Huxtable house for comfort and support. Clair shares about the difficulties in their house as flashbacks are shown.

  • Autumn Gifts

    Autumn Gifts Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 7 - Aired 11/05/1987

    Rudy goes to an older widowed lady's house each afternoon to have tea and play cards, but notices that she refuses to take her daily medication for diabetes. She tells Cliff, who devises a plan to try to convince her that she needs the meds to live. Eileen Heckart appearance. Keshia Knight Pulliam appears on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.

  • That's Not What I Said

    That's Not What I Said Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/1987

    Cliff and Clair have a marital argument after Theo gets detained by police for riding in a car with an unlicensed driver.

  • Shakespeare

    Shakespeare Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1987

    Christopher Plummer and Roscoe Lee Browne appear. Theo must read Julius Caesar for school, but complains that it is boring. Russel and his friends read scenes from the play aloud, and Theo is enthralled. Later, the men read from a different work of literature-a story Rudy wrote!

  • Cliff's Mistake

    Cliff's Mistake Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/1987

    While setting up the house as a "haunted house" for Halloween, Cliff discover's he's lost a power drill that his neighbor loaned to him. First appearance of Wallace Shawn as Jeffrey Ingalls.

  • It's Not Easy Being Green

    It's Not Easy Being Green Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 3 - Aired 10/08/1987

    Rudy wants to wear summer clothes in winter to a party, while Cliff tries to get rid of an old water heater.

  • Theogate

    Theogate Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 2 - Aired 10/01/1987

    Theo and Cockroach come home unusually late from a track meet, and the Huxtables got a phone message earlier from the track coach. They both deny anything out of the ordinary happened, but attorney Clair knows better. A mock trial is held for Theo and Cockroach at the Huxtables' for Clair to get to the bottom of the situation. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach. Bill Cosby and Keshia Knight Pulliam appear on the episode of A Different World which airs later that evening.

  • Call of the Wild

    Call of the Wild Edit this episode

    Season 4, Episode 1 - Aired 09/24/1987

    The newlywed Sondra and Elvin return from their honeymoon with shocking news for Cliff and Clair: they want to abandon their dreams of being a lawyer and doctor and open an outdoorsman's "wilderness store." Geoffrey Owens (Elvin) becoms a regular cast member.