http://tbssuperstation.com/Shows/Story/0,8931,17|24|15|1292,00.html
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http://www.usatoday.com/life/columns/candy.htm
Theo's picture: Still tucked into my socks
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Nothing comes between me and Gordon Gartrelle.
For the past three nights, I have sacrificed sleep, regular meals and the triumphant return of Once & Again to watch reruns of The Cosby Show on Nick at Nite. Why would I knowingly do such a thing?
Two words: Theo Huxtable.
Sure, I once copied Denise's make-up techniques. I envied Rudy's dimples. I was even fascinated by Vanessa's bizarre mushroom haircut near the end of the series' run. But I spent most of the '80s nurturing an unhealthy fixation on Theo, only son of Cliff and Clair, played by the lovable Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
It didn't take long to get me hooked. The show's pilot episode gave viewers a peek into Theo's world, which included a report card littered with D's and the largest bedroom in America. Numerous adventures followed, including the time Theo came home with a pierced ear and the year he was chosen to carve the Thanksgiving turkey (and deliver a dreadful Julia Child impression). Despite his bad grades and clownish behavior, Theo seemed to have it all.
The fifth episode of The Cosby Show — a Theo showcase, of course — still stands as my favorite 30 minutes in sitcom history. In "A Shirt Story," Dr. Huxtable forces Theo to return a $95 Gordon Gartrelle designer shirt. Loopy Denise swears she can sew one just like it for a fraction of the price, and, of course, the result is hilariously disastrous. When Denise suggests Theo tuck in the misshapen shirt to improve its look, he insists, "It's tucked into my socks!"
I know it sounds nutty, but I've watched hours of Nickelodeon's Cosby Show marathon in hopes of seeing "A Shirt Story" one more time. I loved the episode so much, in fact, that I once recorded it. The tape quickly became a favorite in my freshman dormitory, where, unfortunately, someone decided to steal it. Figures.
And, speaking of crime, even the serious, moral-heavy Theo episodes are worth repeated viewings. Most people remember when a joint fell out out Theo's textbook, a storyline which ranks right up there with the time Cherry got trapped in a refrigerator on Punky Brewster. And who can forget Theo's dyslexia? Silver Spoons may have handled it better — after all, they got Bruce Jenner to guest star — but The Cosby Show maintained the plot point to the very end of the series.
The more I watched Theo, the more I yearned for a best friend named Cockroach and someone to sing the "Justine, Justine!" song to me. But sadly, as the seasons wore on (The Cosby Show ran from 1984-92), Cockroach disappeared and was replaced by forgettable sidekicks (including a guy named Smitty, played by a young Adam Sandler). Theo went to graduate school, grew some facial hair and became a teacher. As Theo's antics faded, I was forced to turn my obsession to the cast of thirtysomething.
Nevertheless, most episodes of The Cosby Show have retained their hilarity, and I'm glad to see them back on the air. (I awoke my spouse the other night after laughing too hard during the funeral for Rudy's goldfish, Lamont.) When desperate for an anecdote at a family function, I advise passing a Theo story off as your own. To this day, some of my relatives may still believe I wrote the "Shakespeare Rap."
Some may say it's too soon to add the series to Nick at Nite's lineup, but I say it happened just at the right time. Family sitcoms no longer rule prime time, and the ones that do could learn some lessons from the Huxtables. The Cosby Show combined just enough fantasy with reality and featured a fabulous cast.
So where is the cast now? Well, Lisa Bonet still loves the eyeliner; she appeared in High Fidelity a couple years ago. Keshia Knight Pulliam graduated from college last year. Tempestt Bledsoe appeared on Politically Incorrect last week. Sabrina Le Beauf — she played Sondra, in case you've forgotten — is now an interior designer. And my Malcolm-Jamal is co-starring with Luke Perry in a new Showtime series.
As for Theo's whereabouts, I'd like to think he's now married to Justine, living in a big, Huxtable-size home and forbidding his kids to pierce their ears.
Without a doubt, I'm sure he a few Gordon Gartrelles in his closet, too.