I know people cite Olivia as the "jump the shark" moment for the show, but IMO, Cosby was still very good in the 1989-1990 season, then suddenly once Pam came in the fall of 1990, it became an unfamiliar show and the characters we knew and loved took a second seat to Pam and her friends. Vanessa was probably in five episodes total in seasons 7 and 8, and lets not forget the disrespectful way Denise left (one episode she was there, next episode she was never seen again) and not even invited for the series finale, etc....

If season 7 and 8 had less Pam and more Huxtables, do you think they would've been better?

Yea I do. It would have focused more on the family . Although I didn't like the way Denise was written out, I don't think she would have been on anyway. I believe she had a falling out with Bill Cosby around that time.

Yea I do. It would have focused more on the family . Although I didn't like the way Denise was written out, I don't think she would have been on anyway. I believe she had a falling out with Bill Cosby around that time.

I know Lisa and Bill were at odds with each other, but I think instead of just being phased out of the show, they should've written a real "finale" episode for her, maybe a season finale of sorts. It would've been better for the fans because Denise was an important character no matter how much Bill hates Bonet.

The Bonet-Cosby Saga had Went on for many years. It all Started when A Different World started for Denise's Character. The Following Year Denise Complained About It not Being Her And She Wanted Back In On TCS but only on a part time Basis After Awhile Cosby wanted To Introduce new characters through denise and bonet didnt like that and after a season and a half asked to be written out. also tempest Bloodsett was going to collage at this time so cosby brought in pam pretty much to fill in the wholes. I dont think it would have survived as long with out pam... if you want anymore info you should check out the E! ths.

I dont think it would have survived as long with out pam... if you want anymore info you should check out the E! ths.

it survived with Pam? The ratings didn't plummet until she came along. Season 8 worked a little better than 7 because Sondra and Elvin moved back home for awhile. It was tied with Roseanne as the #1 show of the 1989-1990 season, in 1991-1992, it was #18. The ratings plunged the last two seasons and Pam was a big cause of that.

it survived with Pam? The ratings didn't plummet until she came along. Season 8 worked a little better than 7 because Sondra and Elvin moved back home for awhile. It was tied with Roseanne as the #1 show of the 1989-1990 season, in 1991-1992, it was #18. The ratings plunged the last two seasons and Pam was a big cause of that.

But If Pam Didn't Come Would It Have Stayed At # One Or Would It Still Have Plummited...?

But If Pam Didn't Come Would It Have Stayed At # One Or Would It Still Have Plummited...?

I think it would've stayed top 10. Everybody I know who watched Cosby in 89-90 had changed the channel to The Simpsons on Thursdays by 91, because Cosby lost a lot of its appeal in the last two seasons. I still loved watching the show in season 6, but I ended up quitting around midway into season 7 and the only season 8 episode I watched first-run was the series final.

I know people cite Olivia as the "jump the shark" moment for the show, but IMO, Cosby was still very good in the 1989-1990 season, then suddenly once Pam came in the fall of 1990, it became an unfamiliar show and the characters we knew and loved took a second seat to Pam and her friends. Vanessa was probably in five episodes total in seasons 7 and 8, and lets not forget the disrespectful way Denise left (one episode she was there, next episode she was never seen again) and not even invited for the series finale, etc....

If season 7 and 8 had less Pam and more Huxtables, do you think they would've been better?



I think so because the show started being about Pam and her dumb friends

Personally instead of adding new characters, I would have rather enjoyed them recasting Vanessa & Denise, sort of like what they did with Becky on Roseanne. I mean it would still focus on the central family & I know the new characters would take time to get used to.. but if they got two good actor, they could have made the characters their own.

Personally instead of adding new characters, I would have rather enjoyed them recasting Vanessa & Denise, sort of like what they did with Becky on Roseanne. I mean it would still focus on the central family & I know the new characters would take time to get used to.. but if they got two good actor, they could have made the characters their own.


I don't why new characters needed to be added. I think it would have more sense to just focus on the Huxtable kids like Vanessa and Rudy. Why add Oliva, Pam, Lance, Charmaine???????

Personally instead of adding new characters, I would have rather enjoyed them recasting Vanessa & Denise, sort of like what they did with Becky on Roseanne. I mean it would still focus on the central family & I know the new characters would take time to get used to.. but if they got two good actor, they could have made the characters their own.

I am unsure about it, I can't see anybody besides Lisa Bonet playing Denise.

I wouldnt like having the cast members who could not be there recast, but rather just have them focus on the kids still around. Theo, Sondra and Rudy were still pivatol characters and should have had more story lines written around them instead of bringing in so many new people. It was like a new show. Charmaine was a lame interpretation of Vanessa's friend who talked real fast (forgot her name) and Pam was just lame.
The Huxtable's (original cast) were still there but the show divereted away from what formula made them so successful. They could have still did episodes that revolved around the other Huxtables and dealt with Vanessa being away at College, like they did on Roseanne when Sara Gilbert went to college.
Olivia was cute the first season then she just got annoying. They should have wrote her out of the show when they wrote out Martin and Denise. They should have sent her to live with her mother or something. IMO, I think Rudy was peaking at the age where they could have focused on her more and if they wanted to add kiddie cuteness just focussed on the offsprings that Sondra and Elvin had and left Olivia out of the show after Denise left.
The show went downhill badly and overran its course.

I don't why new characters needed to be added. I think it would have more sense to just focus on the Huxtable kids like Vanessa and Rudy. Why add Oliva, Pam, Lance, Charmaine???????

I agree, RetroTVCollector! Although I did like Pam, Charmaine, and Lance, it seemed like too many of the later episodes were about her and her friends when there could've been more about the remaining Huxtable kids and the parents for that matter.
That's why I prefer the earlier episodes. :)

The language changed a bit when Pam and Co. came along. They started to talk in the stereotypical African-American language - something that Bill just denounced within the last year (I dont know if you saw his quotes). We never heard this language nearly as much with Vanessa, Denise, or Theo.

The language changed a bit when Pam and Co. came along. They started to talk in the stereotypical African-American language - something that Bill just denounced within the last year (I dont know if you saw his quotes). We never heard this language nearly as much with Vanessa, Denise, or Theo.

I agree, I think that was the main thing, Cosby was so "whitebread" the first six seasons and suddenly he tried to be street and the show was just an embarassment instead. I don't think Erika Alexander is a bad actress at all, I thought she was excellent on Living Single. However, she was at Living Single from the beginning and wasn't a newcomer character that just happened well after the show had been beyond established, I think that's the case with every long-running show, the new characters don't replace the old ones after the shows been on for a really long time and has been established.

right. nothing against alexander or the actors for lance and charmane.

and pam was a very swift change - especially the one where she gets the birth control pills

I agree, I think that was the main thing, Cosby was so "whitebread" the first six seasons and suddenly he tried to be street and the show was just an embarassment instead. I don't think Erika Alexander is a bad actress at all, I thought she was excellent on Living Single. However, she was at Living Single from the beginning and wasn't a newcomer character that just happened well after the show had been beyond established, I think that's the case with every long-running show, the new characters don't replace the old ones after the shows been on for a really long time and has been established.



Yeah never understood why TCB went STREET especially since the show was the complete opposite for 6 years.

The word sex was said once in the entire series before the birth control episode aired. Now I know that isn't street talk and I know that the word sex wasnt said in the birth control ep, but its something to think about.

Yes, I could have done without the Pam character and all her friends. The show wasn't about the family anymore, you rarely saw any of them. Did't like the last season at all. But will buy it to make my collection complete.