The following is a list of episodes for the third season of the NBC-TV sitcom The Cosby Show. The series aired from September 20, 1984 to April 30, 1992 with 201 episodes produced spanning eight seasons.
Series overview[]
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | DVD set release dates | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||
| 1 | 24 | September 20, 1984 | May 9, 1985 | August 2, 2005 January 21, 2014 (re-release) |
May 19, 2008 | October 4, 2006 | |
| 2 | 25 | September 26, 1985 | May 15, 1986 | March 7, 2006 January 21, 2014 (re-release) |
August 25, 2008 | February 7, 2007 | |
| 3 | 25 | September 25, 1986 | May 7, 1987 | June 5, 2007 | October 13, 2008 | April 4, 2007 | |
| 4 | 24 | September 24, 1987 | April 28, 1988 | June 5, 2007 | February 9, 2009 | November 7, 2007 | |
| 5 | 26 | October 6, 1988 | May 11, 1989 | November 6, 2007 | -- | March 5, 2008 | |
| 6 | 27 | September 24, 1989 | May 3, 1990 | November 6, 2007 | -- | July 9, 2008 | |
| 7 | 26 | September 20, 1990 | May 2, 1991 | April 8, 2008 | -- | January 13, 2010 | |
| 8 | 25 | September 19, 1991 | April 30, 1992 | April 8, 2008 | -- | January 13, 2010 | |
Season 3 (1986-87)[]
- This season comprises 25 episodes
- This season's opening sequence featured the cast dancing to Latin jazz in a gray/blue room. Once again, Bill Cosby is seen at the end of the credits dancing to the music as the production credits appear and at the end, he quickly turns his head and looks into the camera before the sequence fades to black. Two versions of this theme were used. However, the season three theme's long version had some parts cut, instead of a differently composed version of that theme.
- Phylicia Rashād was pregnant throughout much of this season, so the crew hid her stomach for most of the season, using such devices as staging the character standing behind the kitchen counter or lying in bed under the covers.
- Producer Carmen Finestra becomes Supervising Producer, as Matt Williams is now listed in the opening credits, as the new Producer.
| No. in
series |
No. in
season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production
code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 1 | "Bring 'Em Back Alive" | Jay Sandrich | Matt Williams | September 25, 1986 | 0301 |
|
The Huxtable house is thrown into chaos after Rudy finds a snake in the basement. Note: Sabrina Le Beauf does not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 51 | 2 | "Food for Thought" | Jay Sandrich | John Markus | October 2, 1986 | 0302 |
| Clair challenges Cliff to not eat any salty or fatty foods for the day. Denise leaves for her freshman year at Hillman College. | ||||||
| 52 | 3 | "Golden Anniversary" | Jay Sandrich | Carmen Finestra | October 9, 1986 | 0303 |
|
Russell (Earle Hyman) and Anna's (Clarice Taylor) 50th wedding anniversary. The family performs James Brown's "I Got the Feelin'". Guest appearance: by Frank Foster and the Count Basie Orchestra. | ||||||
| 53 | 4 | "Man Talk" | Jay Sandrich | John Markus | October 16, 1986 | 0305 |
| Though he already has a steady girlfriend, Theo wants to start dating someone else.
Note: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet both do not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 54 | 5 | "Mother, May I?" | Jay Sandrich | Susan Fales | October 23, 1986 | 0304 |
| After Clair specifically forbids Vanessa from wearing make-up till she turns 15, she does it anyway behind her mother's back.
Note: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet both do not appear. | ||||||
| 55 | 6 | "The March" | Tony Singletary | Gary Kott | October 30, 1986 | 0306 |
|
Theo writes a report on the March on Washington, but gets a poor grade and is asked to redo his project. Much to his surprise he learns more about the march from his family than he did from books. Meanwhile Vanessa is worried about asking a boy to the turn-around dance. Note: This is the first episode in the series not to be directed by Jay Sandrich. | ||||||
| 56 | 7 | "Theo's Flight" | Tony Singletary | Gary Kott | November 6, 1986 | 0307 |
|
Theo and Cockroach decide they want to learn to fly, but Cliff doesn't want to waste his money on another dream of his son's. Note: This is the first appearance of Deon Richmond as Kenny, a.k.a. "Bud". Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet | ||||||
| 57 | 8 | "Vanessa's Rich" | Tony Singletary | Margaret Beddow Hatch | November 13, 1986 | 0308 |
| Vanessa gets into a fight with a classmate who calls her a stuck-up rich girl (Essence Atkins).
Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet both do not appear. | ||||||
| 58 | 9 | "Denise Gets a D" | Jay Sandrich | Matt Geller | November 20, 1986 | 0309 |
|
Denise's college career starts with a D, but Denise is too scared to show her parents. Clair needs to rest in bed because of a pinched nerve. Rudy portrays "the wind" in a school play. Note: Rosiland Cash guest stars as Dr. Hughes. The episode is preceded by a 30-second anti-drug public service announcement featuring Bill Cosby). | ||||||
| 59 | 10 | "A Girl and Her Dog" | Jay Sandrich | Chris Auer | December 4, 1986 | 0312 |
|
Rudy and Peter find a dog and attempt to take care of it without her parents knowing. Note: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet both do not appear. | ||||||
| 60 | 11 | "War Stories" | Jay Sandrich | Matt Robinson | December 11, 1986 | 0310 |
| Cliff, Russell, and two of his friends play a game of pinochle and share World War II stories. Vanessa prepares to go to a skating party with date Tyrone Baxter, but soon finds a very cute guy crossing her path. | ||||||
| 61 | 12 | "Cliff in Charge" | Jay Sandrich | Matt Williams | December 18, 1986 | 0311 |
| Cliff is in charge when Clair leaves for ten days. | ||||||
| 62 | 13 | "Monster Man Huxtable" | Jay Sandrich | Gary Kott | January 8, 1987 | 0313 |
|
Elvin helps Theo with some wrestling moves, although he and Sondra have made plans for the weekend, and reveals that he is thinking of marrying her. Note: Lisa Bonet and Phylicia Rashād both do not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 63 | 14 | "Rudy Spends the Night" | Jay Sandrich | Carmen Finestra | January 15, 1987 | 0314 |
| Cliff establishes the Huxtable Men's Club when the women are away to help Theo get over his sadness of a lost date. Vanessa is very excited that big sister Denise is letting her go to theVillage with Denise's college friends. Rudy spends the night with Cliff's parents.
Note: Sabrina Le Beauf and Phylicia Rashād both do not appear. | ||||||
| 64 | 15 | "Say Hello to a Good Buy" | Tony Singletary | John Markus, Carmen Finestra, Matt Williams | January 22, 1987 | 0315 |
|
Cliff buys a new car. Rudy cuts some animal pictures out of Cliff's expensive books for school. Note: Guest appearances by Gilbert Gottfried and Sinbad. Watched by almost 65 million viewers when it originally aired, it is the highest-rated episode of the series. | ||||||
| 65 | 16 | "Denise Gets an Opinion" | Tony Singletary | Gary Kott | February 5, 1987 | 0316 |
|
Denise has a blind date, but is really scared. So she asks Theo to grade him for her, but this soon leads to a big hilarious mix-up. Note: Sabrina Le Beauf does not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 66 | 17 | "Calling Doctor Huxtable" | Jay Sandrich | Chris Auer | February 12, 1987 | 0317 |
|
Cliff is called to the hospital for three deliveries. Guests: Malinda Williams and Patricia Richardson | ||||||
| 67 | 18 | "You Only Hurt the One You Love" | Jay Sandrich | John Markus & Carmen Finestra | February 19, 1987 | 0318 |
|
Rudy gets hurt from Theo's rough games. She cries, and Theo gets punished. Clair goes to a doctor and gets the same advice that Cliff gave her. Cliff learns that the woman who cleans up the doctors' lounge at the hospital (Rita Moreno) has been fired. Note: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet both do not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 68 | 19 | "The Shower" | Jay Sandrich | Matt Williams | February 26, 1987 | 0319 |
|
Denise holds a bridal shower for her pregnant and bride-to-be friend Veronica (Lela Rochon), but finds out some disturbing information. Note: Sabrina Le Beauf does not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 69 | 20 | "Cliff's 50th Birthday" | Carl Lauten & Regge Life | Gary Kott | March 12, 1987 | 0320 |
|
Cliff's 50th birthday has all kinds of surprises. Guest: Gates McFadden from Star Trek:TNG (credited as "Cheryl McFadden") | ||||||
| 70 | 21 | "I Know That You Know" | Jay Sandrich | John Markus, Carmen Finestra, Matt Williams | March 19, 1987 | 0321 |
|
When Sondra and Elvin announce their engagement, Clair and the children use the news to play a practical joke on Cliff, who launches a counter-offensive of his own. Note: Lisa Bonet does not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 71 | 22 | "Andalusian Flu" | Jay Sandrich | Janet Leahy | April 2, 1987 | 0322 |
|
While Cliff and Clair have the flu, Theo tries to keep the house going. Note: Sabrina Le Beauf and Lisa Bonet both do not appear in this episode. | ||||||
| 72 | 23 | "Bald and Beautiful" | Tony Singletary | Gary Kott | April 9, 1987 | 0324 |
|
Cliff's Navy friend, Scott Kelly (Robert Culp), comes to visit. Cockroach shaves his head to be in a rock video, but is thrown into humiliation when he is not selected, and Theo is glad he didn't shave his own head yet Note: Robert Culp was Bill Cosby's co-star in the 1960s TV series I Spy. | ||||||
| 73 | 24 | "Planning Parenthood" | Jay Sandrich | Elizabeth and Oliver Hailey | April 30, 1987 | 0326 |
| Clair's sister decides she wants to be a mother. Cliff takes Rudy and her friends out to eat at a fancy restaurant—but it is nothing short of disaster, and they end up eating at a fast food restaurant, dressed in formal clothing. | ||||||
| 74 | 25 | "Hillman" | Jay Sandrich | Matt Robinson | May 7, 1987 | 0325 |
|
The Huxtable family goes to Hillman College to attend a ceremony in honor of retiring president Zachariah J. Haynes (Joe Seneca). Note: Filmed at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. The episode serves as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff series A Different World, which premiered next season. | ||||||
| Previous: Season 2 |
Next: Season 4 |
| The Cosby Show | |
| Seasons | |
| Seasons: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 | |