NEW Season 5 (DVD)

Wow,I don't believe this! On June 5,First Look Entertainment put out seasons 3 and 4 of NBC's The Cosby Show and on November 6,we TCS fans will once again double our pleasure with the releases of seasons 5 and 6. I'd assume the discs will be housed singly in plastic cases like the season 3 and 4 sets. In 1988,TCS made its syndication debut on various independent stations all over America and other countries. Comedian Bill Cosby,the series' star and co-creator,promoted the syndication debut in magazine/newspaper advertisement and television commercial. He said,"We'll be coming to your house five nights a week instead of just one. And if that's not enough,you should consider moving in with us.". The first station I remember syndicating TCS was Seacaucus,New Jersey-based WWOR(I had that station in my native New Jersey). WWOR probably still airs TCS today. Around summer 1988,writers for many network series went on strike until that September,the latest. So on October 6,1988,season 5 premiered with the episode TOGETHER AGAIN AND AGAIN. We see recent high school graduate Theodore Aloysius "Theo" Huxtable(Malcolm Jamal Warner) entering New York University with his girlfriend Justine(the late Michelle Thomas,recurringly). But Theo hasn't,at least not yet,left the Huxtable nest. We also see Vanessa(Tempest Bledsoe) and her friends Janet and Kara,forming a vocal group called The Lipsticks and entering a talent contest. However,their busty appearances and sexy movements shock Vanessa's mother Clair(Phylicia Rashad). Cliff(Cosby),I must admit,was a tadbit shocked himself. Fifteen-year-old Vanessa also breaks curfew by staying out ridiculously late with a boyfriend(she was just in his car with him). As for The Lipsticks,Rudy(Keshia Knight Pulliam) thought they were "hot"! Theo and two buddies throw a party in the Huxtable home in Cliff's and Clair's absence intended for only six people,Theo,his buddies and their girlfriends. Before they knew it,there were about 200 people at the party,wrecking havoc. Cliff and Clair returned home from an overnight getaway and were flabbergasted by the mess left made by those responsible. Cliff "sends away" Theo. Theo also requests permission from Cliff and Clair for a summer trip to Cairo(this is the season finale). Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable,the second of Cliff's and Clair's five children,continues to occasionally appear. She is working various jobs while still studying at Hillman College. At this time,Bonet was written out,at least as a regular,of the TCS spinoff A DIFFERENT WORLD. The most joyous moment of all this season,first aired November 10,1988,is when Cliff and Clair become first-time grandparents of twins Winnie and Nelson Tibidaux,born unto Sondra(Sabrina LeBeauf) and her husband Elvin(Geoffrey Owens). The other episodes are great. In the opening montage,there are no personal scenes. The names of the cast rapidly appear as the actors themselves. They are dressed in tropical-themed wardrobes,dancing barefoot on a veranda in a tropical setting. A symphony orchestra plays the theme this season. But in the closing montage,the theme is a little different,for it contains a style that is more like jazz. Rudy,at this time,is age 9,as is KKP. She's still sweet and lovable but no longer cute. Theo is now a man,since he had just turned 18 as did MJW. Also we'll see Clair celebrating her 46th birthday. She and Cliff indulge in strawberry shortcake. This is just another one of their romantic moments. In reality,Rashad was age 40. Guest star opera singer Placido Domingo even sings to Clair in that episode. Yes,even the cast can get moral support from real-life family members. Rashad's sister Debbie Allen,late of NBC's FAME,guest-starred as an aerobics instructor for a class Clair is taking. Clair was trying to lose some weight to fit an old dress again that she has and loves. Allen subsequently worked for NBC,directing some episodes of THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR. She directed a few FAMILY TIES episodes also. John Amos,late of CBS's GOOD TIMES,guest-starred as Cliff's physician. For the fourth time,TCS finished at #1 this season. By this time,I believe TCS was at least nominated for a multitude of Emmys.

I believe season five is my favorite season of the series. I especially love the theme song, and it's the most unique theme song from the series. And there were so many hysterical episodes, I especially love the episode "A Room With No View", Vanessa and Rudy have been fighting constantly and they on accidentally damage the roof during a big fight, and as a punishment Cliff decides to make them live in the basement until they learn to get along. And I love "Day of the Locusts", this is my favorite episode that includes Sondra, Sabrina Le Beauf plays Sondra and she did a great job in this episode. And there were also some big changes in season five, in "Out of Brooklyn" Denise decides she wants a job in Africa as a photographer's assistant, and in "The Birth" Sondra finally gives birth to twins. But as we have become accustomed to, there is no bonus material on this set. And the packaging is the same as usual, each disc is placed in a seperate slim case, and also included on the box are the episode titles but no episode descriptions. Below I'll list the episode descriptions for season five just in case someone is interested.

Together Again and Again - Airdate: 10/6/1988 - As Theo begins his freshman year at New York University, Denise announces that she is dropping out of Hillman College.

The Physical - Airdate: 10/131988 - Cliff prepares for a physical.

Rudy's All-Nighter - Airdate: 10/20/1988 - Rudy's friend sleeps over, but the two soon begin to argue.

Move It - Airdate: 10/27/1988 - Everyone wants pregnant Sondra and Elvin to find a new house.

Out of Brooklyn - Airdate: 11/3/1987 - Denise leaves Brooklyn for a job in Africa as a photographer's assistant.

The Birth (Part One) - Airdate: 11/10/1988 - Sondra goes into labor, and meanwhile Elvin is a nervous wreck.

The Birth (Part Two) - 11/10/1988 - Sondra gives birth to twins.

Cyranoise de Bergington - 11/17/1988 - Theo wants to date his friend Howard's ex-girlfriend, but he is stunned upon learning who she wants to date.

How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? - Airdate: 12/1/1988 - Vanessa and her friends want to be professional singers.

If the Dress Fits, Wear It - Airdate: 1/8/1988 - Clair secretly goes on a crash diet and exercise program to lose five pounds in a week so she can fit into a dress.

Is There a Hamster in the House? - Airdate: 12/15/1988 - Rudy takes care of a friend's hamster for the weekend, but it soon dies of disease, so Cliff decides to try to replace the hamster with a new one.

Truth or Consequences - Airdate: 1/5/1989 - Rudy lies to cover for Vanessa, who secretly goes out on a date with her boyfriend.

Cliff Babysits - Airdate: 1/12/1989 - While the family attends a Michael Jackson concert, Cliff babysits his grandchildren Nelson and Winnie.

Mrs. Huxtable Goes to Kindergarten - Airdate: 1/26/1989 - Clair appears as a panelist on a local Sunday morning talk show entitled Retrospective.

The Lost Weekend - Airdate: 2/2/1989 - With the rest of the family gone for the night, Theo throws a "small" party that gets out of control.

No Way, Baby - Airdate: 2/6/1989 - Cliff tracks down the grandfather of one of his patients; an expectant teenage mother with no other family.

Can I Say Something, Please? - Airdate: 2/9/1989 - Rudy wants to change some of her rules, so Cliff and Clair experiment by letting her stay up as late as she wants.

The Dead End Kids Meet Dr. Lotus - Airdate: 2/16/1989 - Theo consults a voodoo shopkeeper for advice on winning his girlfriend back, but the attempt fails with the ridiculously high prices.

The Boys of Winter - Airdate: 2/23/1989 - Cliff's old basketball coach comes to visit.

It Comes and Goes - Airdate: 3/9/1989 - Sondra bemoans taking care of the twins.

Theo's Women - Airdate: 3/16/1989 - After catching Theo kissing another woman in the lounge of her dormitory, Justine breaks up with him. Desperate to win her back, Theo turns to Cliff for advice.

Birthday Blues - Airdate: 3/30/1989 - It's Clair's birthday.

A Room with No View - Airdate: 4/13/1989 - Vanessa and Rudy argue and fight. After the sisters do physical damage to the house, as a punishment Cliff makes them move into the basement.

What He Did for Love - Airdate: 4/17/1989 - Theo's friend Denny finds an expensive watch and gives it to his girlfriend, but it is soon revealed to be stolen merchandise.

Day of the Locusts - Airdate: 5/4/1989 - Sondra comes down with strep throat, prompting her mother Clair and Elvin's mother Francine to "steal" the babies. Sondra then gets highly upset at both her and Elvin's mother.

57 Varieties - Airdate: 5/11/1989 - Theo wants to go to Egypt for an archaeological dig.

The Cosby Show Season five is a fantastic season and even though this is only a decent release from Urban Works it's still a highly recommended buy.

This season is when Sandra had the twins, Denise was gone to Africa, and all eyes landed on Vanessa and Theo, moreso towards Theo, and I watched some of my favorite episodes of him: from throwing a chaotic house party that was supposed to be a few friends ("I could've gone away"); dealing with a melodramatic actress/student; helping his friend get bailed out of jail for stealing a watch and giving it to the same melodramatic actress/student; and my favorite episode--the one when Cliff Huxtable taught Theo how to beg. That was one of the most standout episodes I'd ever seen on the Cosby Show. I loved watching Theo have the blues "Justine, Justine, oh baby, I'm sorry" and that howling noise he made should've been something BB King added to a song.

Guest appearances include Tichina Arnold and one guy who looks a whole lot like Don Cheadle, but I'm not sure it was him doing the martial arts impression

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