- The Cosby Mysteries
-
The Cosby Mysteries 
IntertitleFormat Comedy-drama, Mystery Created by David Black
William LinkStarring Bill Cosby
Robert Stanton
James Naughton
Rita MorenoComposer(s) Craig Handy, David Weiss Country of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 1 No. of episodes 20 (18 + pilot) Production Running time 60 minutes per episode Broadcast Original channel NBC Original run January 31, 1994 – April 12, 1995 The Cosby Mysteries is a American television mystery series that starred Bill Cosby. It was the first television series to star Cosby since The Cosby Show (which ended in the spring of 1992) and lasted only one season (1994–1995)[1]. Actor/Rapper Mos Def appeared in several episodes (credited as Dante Bezé)[2].
Contents
Premise
Cosby played Guy Hanks, a New York City Police Department criminalist who retired from the force after winning $44 million in the lottery. However, his peaceful retirement was frequently interrupted since he was called in as a consultant on tough cases by his old partner, Adam Sully (James Naughton). As Hanks used his wits and his forensics knowledge to solve crimes, he dealt with his holistic housekeeper Angie (Rita Moreno) and his girlfriend Barbara Lorenz (Lynn Whitfield).[3]
The show was created by David Black and William Link. Link's previous series included Columbo and Murder, She Wrote. Link developed the series at Cosby's request, as Cosby wanted to do an intelligent, character-driven mystery series that did not rely on graphic violence.
The show began in January 1994 as a two-hour movie, and regular episodes began airing on NBC in September. Critics expressed hope that The Cosby Mysteries would fare better than the two shows he produced after The Cosby Show,[4] Here and Now and the game-show remake, You Bet Your Life. However, it only lasted 18 episodes, and was never successful.
The Cosby Mysteries has been re-run in the UK, on digital channel ITV1, and in the US, on A&E and TVOne.
In popular culture
- In The Simpsons episode "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?", Homer laments the cancellation of The Cosby Mysteries, saying "That show had limitless possibilities!"
- Saturday Night Live did a parody sketch of the Cosby series on the February 5, 1994 episode. Adam Sandler played Cosby as a buffoonish character who rambles on incoherently with dialog full of made-up nonsense words.
- In February 2010, as a promotion for the show Glee, character Rachel Berry (RachelBerryGLEE) used Twitter to show her lament and surprise at the show's cancellation, exclaiming "Wait, "The Cosby Mysteries" was cancelled?!?!" (Rachel Berry is played in real life by Lea Michele).
References
- ^ "The '95 TV Season: Who's Gone? Who's New? Who's Back?". Ebony 50 (12): 94. 1995. ISSN 0012-9011. http://books.google.com/books?id=I-KxzqNt4uEC&pg=PA94. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ "The Cosby Mysteries (1994) (TV)". The Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109486/. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ Johnson, Robert E. (1994). "Bill Cosby Begins TV Season With New Mystery Series Co-Starring Lynn Whitfield". JET 86 (21): 60–63. ISSN 0021-5996. http://books.google.com/books?id=9MEDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA60. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
- ^ Randolph, Laura B. (1994). "Activist-Actor Celebrates 30 Years of Wedded Bliss, Continues Fight Against Black Stereotypes on TV". Ebony 49 (7): 104. ISSN 0012-9011. http://books.google.com/books?id=1HhtOI8Lw7EC&pg=PA104. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
External links
- Official Bill Cosby Site
- The Cosby Mysteries at the Internet Movie Database
- The Cosby Mysteries at TV.com
- Cosby Mysteries, an external wiki
Comedy albums Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (1963) • I Started Out as a Child (1964) • Why Is There Air? (1965) • Wonderfulness (1966) • Revenge (1967) • To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With (1968) • 200 M.P.H. (1968) • 8:15 12:15 (1969) • It's True! It's True! (1969) • Sports (1969) • Live: Madison Square Garden Center (1970) • When I Was a Kid (1971) • For Adults Only (1971) • Inside the Mind of Bill Cosby (1972) • Fat Albert (1973) • My Father Confused Me... What Must I Do? What Must I Do? (1977) • Bill's Best Friend (1978) • Bill Cosby: Himself (1982) • Those of You with or Without Children, You'll Understand (1986) • OH, Baby (1991)Music albums Silver Throat: Bill Cosby Sings (1967) • Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band! (1968) • Badfoot Brown & the Bunions Bradford Funeral & Marching Band (1971) • Bill Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs (1971) • Bill Cosby Presents Badfoot Brown & the Bunions Bradford Funeral Marching Band (1972) • At Last Bill Cosby Really Sings (1974) • Bill Cosby Is Not Himself These Days (1976) • Disco Bill (1977) • Where You Lay Your Head (1990) • My Appreciation (1991) • Hello Friend: To Ennis, With Love (1997) • Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby - The Original Jam Sessions 1969 (2004) • Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby - The New Mixes Vol. 1 (2004) • State of Emergency (2009) • Keep Standing (2010)Compilations The Best of Bill Cosby (1969) • More of the Best of Bill Cosby (1970) • Bill (1973) • Down Under (1975) • Cosby and the Kids (1986) • At His Best (1994) • 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Bill Cosby (2001) • The Bill Cosby Collection (2004)Singles "Little Ol' Man (Uptight—Everything's Alright)" (1967) • "Grover Henson Feels Forgotten" (1970) • "I Luv Myself Better Than I Luv Myself" (1976) • "Yes, Yes, Yes" (1976)Television I Spy (1965-1968) • The Bill Cosby Show (1969-1971) • The Electric Company (1971-1977) • The New Bill Cosby Show (1972) • Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1985) • The Cosby Show (1984-1992) • A Different World (1987-1993) • The Cosby Mysteries (1994-1995) • Cosby (1996-2000) • Little Bill (1999-2004) • Fatherhood (2004-2005)Books Fatherhood (1986) • Time Flies (1987) • Love and Marriage (1989) • Childhood (1991) • Kids Say the Darndest Things (1998) • Congratulations! Now What?: A Book for Graduates. (1999) • American Schools: The $100 Billion Challenge (2000, w/ Allen, Dwight William) • Cosbyology: Essays and Observations from the Doctor of Comedy (2001, w/ Booth, George) • I Am What I Ate ... and I'm Frightened!!!: And Other Digressions from the Doctor of Comedy (2003) • Friends of a Feather: One of Life's Little Fables (2003, w/ Cosby, Erika) • Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors (2007, w/ Poussaint, Alvin F.) • I Didn't Ask to be Born, But I'm Glad I Was (2011)Categories:- 1990s American television series
- 1994 American television series debuts
- 1995 American television series endings
- American comedy-drama television series
- Black television drama series
- English-language television series
- Fictional portrayals of the New York City Police Department
- Forensic science in popular culture
- Mystery television series
- NBC network shows
- Television series by Sony Pictures Television
- Television shows set in New York City
- United States television program stubs
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