# How "Cosby Show" should've ended **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113 "2011-03-01T22:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/1 "2011-03-01T22:32:27Z")
IMO, the show should’ve ended before Denise returned with a Navy officer hubby and step daughter. Failing that, when Pam came around the show TOTALLY “Jumped the Shark”. If the series finale ahd been the last season finale before Denise returned, how would the show have ended? ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/2 "2011-03-02T04:52:28Z")
I agree, I couldn’t stand Olivia and I guess I missed the episode when Cousin Pam came on the scene because I remember watching, saying, “Who the fuck is this new kid?” This is going to sound horrible but Rudy was a cute kid, but not such a cute preteen. It seemed ridiculous after getting Sandra, Denise, Theo, and Vanessa out of those, they were saddled with Rudy left in the house. I wish Vanessa had married Dabney and ended up being the ones that got their own place and never returned to the Huxtable household. I kind of did like how the writers always threw a spanner in the works about whatever plans we thought would happen. I thought Cosby was at his best dealing with teenagers. I found the Bill Cosby pals around with little kids stuff too much. I think they should have done a reunion show - I know they did a documentary, but one final show where Cliff and Claire are living alone, they’ve got multiple grandkids, and we see how everyone turned out. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/3 "2011-03-02T04:53:04Z")
I don’t like Olivia or Pam ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/4 "2011-03-02T04:56:02Z")
BTW, Keshia Knight Pulliam turned out to be a [gorgeous young woman](http://images.google.com/images?q=keshia%20knight%20pulliam&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&biw=1020&bih=468). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/5 "2011-03-02T12:45:51Z")
It should’ve ended with Cosby waking up in bed next to Robert Culp and telling him the very long and detailed dream he’d had about being a successful doctor and family man. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/6 "2011-03-02T13:39:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It should’ve ended with Cosby waking up in bed next to Robert Culp and telling him the very long and detailed dream he’d had about being a successful doctor and family man. “What beautiful Black woman?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/7 "2011-03-02T13:46:00Z")
It should have ended where the characters all went upstairs, never to be seen again. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/8 "2011-03-02T14:52:57Z")
It should have ended with [Peter](http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_gifs/1075606/funniest+bill+cosby+gif/) staring into a snow globe with the Huxtable’s brownstone inside. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/9 "2011-03-02T15:58:28Z")
Dr Huxtable finally snaps, picks up a semi-automatic rifle, wastes the family, and barricades himself in the house, sniping random people until he’s bought down 17 hours and 35 deaths later… yeah I hated that show. why? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/10 "2011-03-02T16:20:25Z")
Dr. Bob Hartley wakes up… ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/11 "2011-03-02T16:23:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Dr. Bob Hartley wakes up… Look up to post #5 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/12 "2011-03-02T17:43:00Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > BTW, Keshia Knight Pulliam turned out to be a [gorgeous young woman](http://images.google.com/images?q=keshia%20knight%20pulliam&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&biw=1020&bih=468). I had dinner with her last December. Seriously. She’s a lovely brilliant ( scary smart focused brilliant ) actress and producer/director. Met with her and her partner to discuss a project they were working on. She clearly made it through the “child star” stuff intact and with a career and goals to work on. Nice to see. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/13 "2011-03-02T17:58:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Look up to post #5 D’Oh! Also, I still think it should be with Newhart/Pleshette. In fact IMO, _every_ show’s final episode should end with Newhart/Pleshette. Including _60 Minutes_. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/14 "2011-03-02T18:06:24Z")
You want Dan Rather to wake up in bed, roll over and nudge Diane Sawyer ? :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/15 "2011-03-02T18:08:29Z")
No, I want a fade to black from Rather/Sawyer, and a cut to Newhart and Pleshette. Probably need to CGI poor Suzanne, though… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/16 "2011-03-02T18:15:38Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Also, I still think it should be with Newhart/Pleshette. In fact IMO, _every_ show’s final episode should end with Newhart/Pleshette. Unfortunately Pleshette’s been dead since 2008, so that’s going to give Newhart a lot of awkward silence to fill, in these scenes you propose. Come to think of it, he’s good at that. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/17 "2011-03-02T18:34:52Z")
In a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/18 "2011-03-02T19:47:08Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > In a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day. Good Year? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/19 "2011-03-02T19:47:49Z")
One of Cosby’s sweaters finally goes critical and blows up seven blocks of Brooklyn Heights. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113/20 "2011-03-02T20:10:24Z")
It should’ve ended by revealing that Cliff and Clair had BOUGHT their degrees from a diploma mill and were conning all their clients and patients into thinking they were actually an MD and laywer. Then they go to jail for fraud, thus destroying the parents “goody-goody” image [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-cosby-show-shouldve-ended/573113.md?page=2)