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Breathe a sigh of relief. This is not the well-known '80s Cosby Show, thank the Lord. OK, some might have pleasant memories of that monumental hit sitcom which brought Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Lisa Bonet and Raven-Symone into our lives. But long before that —1969 to be exact—the title performer had another sitcom under his name, in which he did more then sit on a couch in an ugly sweater barking bon mots.
TBCS was actually Cosby's second prime-time series, after the successful action drama I Spy. Overlook the fact that it was groundbreaking, as one of the first network shows created and anchored by a black star—it was just as groundbreaking creatively, as one of the first "sitcoms" shot as a one-camera filmed production, written without any punch lines, mugging or laugh track.
That last factor, according to a new interview with Cos on this 4-disc set, was a particularly high hurdle within the network, NBC, and one which he claims hastened its cancellation after two seasons despite solid ratings (NB: this was the same NBC which had cancelled the original
Whatever the case, the show was clearly overdue for reappreciation. Cosby, who created the show with Ed. Weinberger, (later producer of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and the '80s Cosby Show) enjoyed the rare position of being an executive producer, frequent episode director, and even co-writer of the funky theme song "Hicky Burr" (with Quincy Jones). He chose to play a college-educated high school p.e. teacher, he says, to emphasize the importance of education, and covertly mixed meaningful topics—sex education, advertising—with typical sitcom scenarios, delivering them without preaching. Though the cast leaned about 70/30 towards black actors, none of whom disguised their cultural roots, race was regardless never made an issue. At least not out loud. Yet the show isn't all health food—Cosby's Chet Kincaid drives a bitching red Shelby Cobra, and most of his "dates" still look plenty foxy.
Guest performers include Happy Days' Tom Bosley (as a drunk!), Motown vet Kim Weston, Cicely Tyson, Vic Tayback (Alice), Lou Gossett Jr., Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H), Wally Cox and veteran heavy Rex Ingraham. In one very special episode, legendary comics "Moms" Mabley, and Mantan Moreland play a cantankerous couple, and in another Cos gets stuck in an elevator with Henry Fonda and Elsa Lanchester.
Seen today, the dry-witted show seems more like a precursor to Curb Your Enthusiasm than to the modern shuck-n-jive sitcoms we see from most black comedians on networks today. Some of the 26 half hour (i.e. 22 minute) episodes only bring a warm chuckle or two; others leave you spasming with laughter. You should check it out.
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