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The Cosby Show S1E8 — Play It Again, Vanessa
7.2
The Cosby Show•Season 1•Episode 8

Play It Again, Vanessa

7.2/10 · 227 votesNov 8, 198422 min

Ranked #18 of 24 in Season 1•−0.2 vs season avg

Discussion

Vanessa plays clarinet in the school's orchestra. Though she tries her best and practices daily, she simply cannot play the instrument. She plays an embarrassing solo at the school concert, but her parents support her anyway. Guest Dizzy Gillespie as Mr. Hampton, Vanessa's music teacher.

Directed byJay Sandrich
Written byJerry Ross
Previous episodeE7 · One More TimeNext episodeE9 · How Ugly Is He?
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Season 1 Episodes24

Pilot / Theo's Economic Lesson stillE1 8.0

Pilot / Theo's Economic Lesson

Mr. Fish (a.k.a. Goodbye, Mr. Fish) stillE2 7.7

Mr. Fish (a.k.a. Goodbye, Mr. Fish)

Bad Dreams stillE3 7.2

Bad Dreams

Is That My Boy? stillE4 7.2

Is That My Boy?

A Shirt Story stillE5 8.3

A Shirt Story

Breaking With Tradition stillE6 7.5

Breaking With Tradition

One More Time stillE7 7.0

One More Time

Play It Again, Vanessa stillE8 7.2Now viewing

Play It Again, Vanessa

How Ugly Is He? stillE9 7.7

How Ugly Is He?

Bonjour, Sondra stillE10 7.1

Bonjour, Sondra

You're Not a Mother Night stillE11 7.3

You're Not a Mother Night

Rudy's Sick stillE12 7.1

Rudy's Sick

Father's Day stillE13 7.3

Father's Day

Independence Day stillE14 7.9

Independence Day

Physician of the Year stillE15 7.4

Physician of the Year

Jitterbug Break stillE16 7.4

Jitterbug Break

Theo and the Joint stillE17 7.7

Theo and the Joint

Vanessa's New Class stillE18 7.1

Vanessa's New Class

Clair's Case stillE19 7.3

Clair's Case

Back to the Track, Jack stillE20 7.0

Back to the Track, Jack

The Younger Woman stillE21 7.4

The Younger Woman

Slumber Party stillE22 8.0

Slumber Party

Mr. Quiet stillE23 6.4

Mr. Quiet

Cliff's Birthday stillE24 7.6

Cliff's Birthday

Cast6

Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby

Heathcliff Huxtable

Phylicia Rashād

Phylicia Rashād

Clair Huxtable

Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Theo Huxtable

Tempestt Bledsoe

Tempestt Bledsoe

Vanessa Huxtable

Lisa Bonet

Lisa Bonet

Denise Huxtable

Keshia Knight Pulliam

Keshia Knight Pulliam

Rudy Huxtable

Crew2

J

Jerry Ross

Writer

Jay Sandrich

Jay Sandrich

Director

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Episode Summary

"Play It Again, Vanessa" is episode 8 of The Cosby Show season 1. It scored 7.2/10 from 227 votes, ranking #18 of 24 episodes this season (season average 7.4). Directed by Jay Sandrich and written by Jerry Ross, it aired on November 8, 1984.

Next: E9 · How Ugly Is He?Best of Season 1