MovieChat Forums > The Bill Cosby Show (1969) Discussion > show questions.

show questions.

posted 17 years ago by mactach
13 replies | jump to latest

I know there really no good answer why a show lasts as long or as short as it does other than rating or in some cases if the producers decide to cease production.

Though it lasted 2 years which I wouldn't call that unsuccessfull it's not all that long either. But from what I understand it was in the list of top 20 shows though I don't know what number it was at and the fact in was rated so high and canceled the following year makes me think something went wrong.

any changes that might of led up its cancelation?

[–] Whitetd12000 17 years ago

According to Cosby, he and his producers were in constant conflict with NBC over Cosby's deccision not to include a laugh track. He felt that a laugh track would be insulting to the audience. The network eventually decided to end the show at the conclusion of Cosby's contract.

[–] mactach 17 years ago

That's strange. Most sitcoms have a laugh track or a studio audience.

I saw a few reruns of it was on CBN which has since become The Family Channel and was suprised by this.

[–] angelapeavy 17 years ago

Although a laugh track can be seen as insulting, I believe that the lack of the laugh track was the undoing of the very funny and smart comedy, "Frank's Place" with Tim Reid.

[–] jabogg 17 years ago

It is almost always a fight for a show not to include a laugh track. There was much debate if The Office would have a laugh track or not. Network executives think that an audience is not going to know when to laugh if a laugh track is not included. People laugh at film comedies in the privacy of their own homes and there is not someone telling them when to laugh. Executives are like most politicians, absolutely f ucking useless.

[–] rockmail 14 years ago

Most do, some do not. The ones that do, have no bearing on the ones that don't, it's not important for some shows.

[–] mactach 15 years ago

It's kind of ashame.

Inspite is success with The Electric Company and his own Fat Albert he wasn't all that successful in the Prime Time market.

[–] jeffster67 14 years ago

I wouldn't say that, mactach..."The Cosby Show" was in the top 10 during its entire run from 1984 to 1992...and "Cosby," which he did with Phylicia Rashad again as his wife (except they played a couple named Hilton and Ruth Lucas) had a three-year run, which was pretty successful. The downfall of that show was the untimely death of one of the regulars, Madeline Kahn.

"I'd be very happy to be myself if I could remember who I am. Who am I?"

[–] mactach 14 years ago

What I meant Prior to The Cosby Show.

Didn't make myself clear enough.

[–] sweet1310452 15 years ago

Youtube has 4 episodes of Diahann Carroll's NBC comedy Julia from the same seasons as Bill Cosby's series and none of them has a laugh track. I wonder if the real conflict was that Cosby's show was the first prime time series that came about because of an African American production company, or simply something personal between Cosby and the network. Julia, though it had a black star, was produced by non-blacks who were well regarded in the Hollywood community.

[–] mactach 15 years ago

Why would Cosby being black has anything to do with it?

This was not his first series and it did last 2 years which is better than 1.

[–] sweet1310452 15 years ago

Cosby only acted in I:Spy. His production company produced The Bill Cosby Show.

[–] librachashjesu 13 years ago

The conflict that Cosby had with the producers at NBC was over the fact that a laugh track was insulting to viewers. He wanted the viewer to find the humor for him/herself, instead of being "told when to laugh" by a laugh track. It was sort of a novel concept then. Frankly, I think it's a good idea and it was one of the things that made Bill Cosby truly unique.

[–] cind5 10 years ago

He was a man before his time. Now every show does it. He was proven right. He was the Thomas More of sitcoms.

Readiness is all.