7.4/1049 votes#1 - The Fatal Phone Call
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/14/1969
While out jogging, Chet hears the telephone ringing inside a phone booth. He hesitates, but decides to answer. As a result, Chet ends up getting involved in a dispute between an auto mechanic and his wife. In an interesting twist, a case of mistaken identity in which Chet is involved brings this episode to a close. Vic Tayback guest stars as Calvin the mechanic.
Director: Harvey Hart
Writer: N/A
- 6.3/1030 votes
#2 - Lullaby and Goodnight
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/21/1969
Chet is having difficulty sleeping at night, due to the new neighbor across the street who's dog won't stop barking.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.2/1031 votes
#3 - The Best Hook Shot in the World
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/28/1969
A short, but talented youngster with an unusual hook shot is determined to make the Holmes High School basketball team, where Chet is coach. He makes the team, after defeating Chet in a game of one on one. It's the day of the big game, Chet and the team pin their hopes on the little guy and his hook shot to win the game.
Director: Harvey Hart
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1028 votes
#4 - A Girl Named Punkin
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1969
Chet does volunteer work for the local community center, a place for underpriviledged children. He is having problems with Punkin, a young girl who is unresponsive and stays to herself. Chet eventually breaks through, and Punkin comes around. A touching scene where Chet tells Punkin a bedtime story and teaches her a lesson in love and caring at the same time is the high point of this episode.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/1027 votes
#5 - Rules is Rules
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/12/1969
Chet goes to great lengths to obtain a valve needle which he needs in order to inflate basketballs for his gym class.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/1034 votes
#6 - Let X Equal a Lousy Weekend
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1969
When Chet is forced to fill in as a substitute algebra teacher, he comes across a word problem that he is unable to solve for the class. So, he spends most of his weekend trying to find the solution.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1025 votes
#7 - To Kincaid, with Love
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/1969
Chet is receiving attention from a female student of the high school. He thinks she has a crush on him, but the girl is actually trying to set Chet up with her mother.
Director: Elliott Lewis
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1021 votes
#8 - The Killer Instinct
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/9/1969
Chet is having problems with a proud father who insists that his son make the high school football team. Trouble is, the kid just doesn't have what it takes and is not cut out to play football.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1026 votes
#9 - The Substitute
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1969
Chet starts dating a substitute teacher from the high school, and has difficulty finding time to spend alone with her.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1024 votes
#10 - Brotherly Love
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1969
Chet's brother Brian moves in with Chet after having an argument with his wife. Brian spoils Chet's plans for the evening, then hilarity ensues when they attempt to sleep in the same bed together.
Director: Ralph Senensky
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/1020 votes
#11 - Going the Route
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 11/30/1969
Chet's nephew is in bed with a cold. Chet is asked and agrees to substitute for his nephew in the morning paper route.
Director: Lee Philips
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1019 votes
#12 - A Word from Our Sponsor
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/7/1969
A chance encounter on the street leads Chet to try out, and eventually to get hired, for a job playing an athletic coach in a breakfast cereal television commercial. Chet discovers, however, that shooting 30 seconds of film isn't as simple as it appears when the final product is seen on television.
Director: N/A
Writer: Marvin Kaplan
- 7.6/1028 votes
#13 - A Christmas Ballad
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/21/1969
Chet helps a down on his luck old timer capture the spirit of Christmas. Rex Ingram guest stars.
Director: Ralph Senensky
Writer: N/A
- 6.6/1018 votes
#14 - Home Remedy
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/28/1969
Chet is home with a cold, and is unable to rest because all his relatives come over offering their cure-alls and remedies.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1020 votes
#15 - Growing Growing Grown
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 1/4/1970
Chet is asked to chaperone at a high school dance. Chet's car is not available, he ends up borrowing his brothers garbage truck to drive his date to the dance. At the dance, Chet teaches one student a lesson in the importance of physical appearance.
Director: Ralph Senensky
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/1037 votes
#16 - The Elevator Doesn't Stop Here Anymore
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/11/1970
Chet gets stuck inside an elevator at the high school along with one other faculty member and the school's cleaning lady. They entertain each other until help arrives. Henry Fonda and Elsa Lanchester guest star in this episode.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/1029 votes
#17 - Lover's Quarrel
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/18/1970
Chet tries to get his ever arguing aunt and uncle to stop fighting and treat each other with kindness and respect. Veteran actors Mantan Moreland and Jackie ""Moms"" Mabley guest star and give classic performances as the bickering old couple.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1019 votes
#18 - The Worst Crook That Ever Lived
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1/25/1970
Chet is asked to help straighten out Raymond, a youngster who has a penchant for stealing. In an effort to keep Raymond out of trouble, Chet finds a spot for him on his little league baseball team. But Raymond steals the money that Chet had saved up which was intended to buy uniforms for the team. In the end, Raymond realizes what he did was wrong and returns the money to Chet.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/1017 votes
#19 - The Gumball Incident
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/1/1970
Chet is wrongfully accused and arrested for breaking a gumball machine. Tom Bosley guest stars as Cookie Maharg.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
- 7.0/1024 votes
#20 - Goodbye Cruel World
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/8/1970
Wally Cox guest stars in this episode as a shy man lacking in self confidence. With Chet's help, he builds up the nerve to ask a woman out on a date. She rejects him, and he wants to commit suicide. Chet helps to restore the man's confidence and self esteem.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.4/1016 votes
#21 - Driven to Distraction
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/15/1970
Drivers ed instructor Chet tries to teach a nervous student how to drive. Very funny episode.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1030 votes
#22 - The Blind Date
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 3/1/1970
Chet reluctantly agrees to go on a blind date, and ends up falling in love. Cicely Tyson guest stars as Chet's love interest.
Director: Ralph Senensky
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1024 votes
#23 - How You Play the Game
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 3/8/1970
Chet is in the running for the city handball championship. He defeats his semi-final opponent, using psychological tactics. In the final match however, Chet has the tables turned on him and loses the match while being psyched out by his opponent. By losing, Chet teaches a player on the high school football team a lesson in good sportsmanship.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.4/1023 votes
#24 - The Return of Big, Bad, Bubba Bronson
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/22/1970
Big Bronson, an old high school classmate of Chet's, is coming to town for a visit. Chet recalls having a past dispute with Bronson, and fears revenge. Chet meets ex prize fighter Hurricane Smith, and asks for some boxing lessons to prepare himself for Bronson's arrival. Lou Gossett guest stars as Hurricane Smith, Don Pedro Colley guest stars as Big Bronson.
Director: Bill Cosby
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1026 votes
#25 - This Mouth Is Rated X
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 3/29/1970
Chet is unsure how to handle one of his basketball players who is constantly letting profanities slip out of his mouth.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of The Bill Cosby Show Season 1
Every episode of The Bill Cosby Show Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Bill Cosby Show Season 1!
The Bill Cosby Show is an American situation comedy that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the...
Genre:Comedy
Network:NBC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"The Fatal Phone Call" is the best rated episode of "The Bill Cosby Show" season 1. It scored 7.4/10 based on 49 votes. Directed by Harvey Hart and written by N/A, it aired on 9/14/1969. This episode is rated 1.1 points higher than the second-best, "Lullaby and Goodnight".