7.1/10159 votes#1 - Bring 'em Back Alive
Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 9/25/1986
The Huxtable house is thrown into chaos after Rudy finds a snake in the basement.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Matt Williams
7.2/10148 votes#2 - Food for Thought
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 10/2/1986
Clair challenges Cliff to not eat any salty food for the day. Denise leaves for her freshman year at Hillman College.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
7.3/10167 votes#3 - Golden Anniversary
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/9/1986
Russell and Anna's 50th wedding anniversary. The family performs James Brown's "I Got the Feelin' " in this sequel to Season 2's "Happy Anniversary". Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin. Appearance by Frank Foster and the Count Basie Orchestra. First mention of Rudy's desire to have a husband named "Bud" when she grows up.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Carmen Finestra
7.1/10152 votes#4 - Man Talk
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/16/1986
Although he has a steady girlfriend, Theo wants to start dating someone else.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
7.1/10151 votes#5 - Mother, May I?
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/23/1986
After Clair specifically forbids her from wearing make-up, Vanessa, behind her mothers back does it anyways.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
7.2/10157 votes#6 - The March
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 10/30/1986
Theo writes a report on the March on Washington. But gets a poor grade and is asked to redo his project. Much to his surprise he learns more about the march from his family than he did from books. Meanwhile Vanessa is worried about asking a boy to the turn-around dance. Earle Hyman as Russell. Clarice Taylor as Anna. Joe Williams as Al Hanks. Ethel Ayler as Carrie Hanks.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10148 votes#7 - Theo's Flight
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 11/6/1986
Theo and Cockroach decide they want to learn to fly, but Cliff doesn't want to waste his money on another dream of his son's. Carl Anthony Payne II as Cockroach. First appearance of Deon Richmond as Kenny, a.k.a. "Bud".
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10149 votes#8 - Vanessa's Rich
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/13/1986
Friends call Vanessa a stuck-up rich girl at school. Guest appearance by Essence Atkins.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10152 votes#9 - Denise Gets a D
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/1986
Denise's college career starts with a D, but Denise is to scared to show her parents. Clair needs to rest in bed because of a pinched nerve. Rudy portrays "the wind" in a school play. Rosalind Cash as Dr. Hughes (The episode is preceded by a 30-second anti-drug public service announcement featuring Bill Cosby).
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
6.9/10145 votes#10 - A Girl and Her Dog
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/1986
Rudy and Peter find a dog and attempt to take care of it without her parents knowing. Peter Costa as Peter.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
6.8/10150 votes#11 - War Stories
Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 12/11/1986
Cliff and his father's friend play a challenging game of cards. Venesa prepares to go to a skating party with date Robert Forman, soon find a very cute guy will cross her path Earle Hyman as Russell.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
6.8/10147 votes#12 - Cliff in Charge
Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 12/18/1986
Cliff is in charge when Clair leaves for 10 days.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Matt Williams
6.9/10141 votes#13 - Monster Man Huxtable
Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 1/8/1987
Elvin helps Theo with some wrestling moves, although he and Sondra have made plans for the weekend, and reveals that he is thinking of marrying her. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
7.1/10147 votes#14 - Rudy Spends the Night
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 1/15/1987
Cliff establishes the Huxtable Men's Club when the women are away to help Theo get over his sadnes of a lost date. Venessa is very excited that big sister Denise is letting her go to the Village with Denise's college friends.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Carmen Finestra
7.1/10149 votes#15 - Say Hello to a Good Buy
Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 1/22/1987
Cliff buys a new car. Rudy cuts some animal pictures out of Cliff's expensive books for school. Guest appearance by Sinbad, who would later portray Walter Oakes on the Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World. Watched by almost 65 million viewers when it originally aired, "Say Hello to a Good Buy" was the series' highest rated episode.
Director: N/A
Writer: Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra
6.9/10144 votes#16 - Denise Gets an Opinion
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 2/5/1987
Denise has a blind date, but is really scared. So she asks Theo to grade him for her!!!! But this soon leads to a big hilarious mix up.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/10139 votes#17 - Calling Doctor Huxtable
Season 3 Episode 17 - Aired 2/12/1987
Cliff is called to the hospital for 3 deliveries, Malinda Williams appearance, Patricia Richardson appearance.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
6.9/10138 votes#18 - You Only Hurt the One You Love
Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 2/19/1987
Rudy gets hurt from Theo's rough games. Rudy cries. Theo gets punished. Clair goes to a doctor and gets the same advice that Cliff gave her. Cliff learns that the woman who cleans up the Doctor's Lounge at the hospital (Rita Moreno) has been fired. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable and Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Carmen Finestra
6.9/10141 votes#19 - The Shower
Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 2/26/1987
Denise holds a bridal shower for her pregnant and bride-to-be friend Veronica, but finds out some disturbing information. Absent: Sabrina Le Beauf as Sondra Huxtable, although mentioned.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Matt Williams
7.0/10145 votes#20 - Cliff's 50th Birthday
Season 3 Episode 20 - Aired 3/12/1987
Cliff's 50th birthday has all kinds of surprises.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/10172 votes#21 - I Know That You Know
Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 3/19/1987
When Sondra and Elvin announce their engagement, Clair and the children use the news to play a practical joke on Cliff, who launches a counter-offensive of his own. Geoffrey Owens as Elvin.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra
7.1/10148 votes#22 - Andalusian Flu
Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 4/2/1987
While Cliff and Clair have the flu, Theo tries to keep the house going.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Janet Leahy
7.1/10159 votes#23 - Bald and Beautiful
Season 3 Episode 23 - Aired 4/9/1987
Cliff's Navy friend comes to visit. Cockroach shaves his head to be in a rock video. Robert Culp (Bill Cosby's co-star from the 1960s TV series I Spy) appears as Scott Kelly.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/10148 votes#24 - Planning Parenthood
Season 3 Episode 24 - Aired 4/30/1987
Clair's sister decides she wants to be a mother. Cliff takes Rudy and her friends out to eat at a fancy restaurant.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Oliver Hailey
6.1/10194 votes#25 - Hillman
Season 3 Episode 25 - Aired 5/7/1987
The Huxtable family goes to Hillman College to attend a ceremony in honor of its president's retirement. Guest appearance by Joe Seneca. Filmed at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. The episode serves as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff series A Different World, which premieres in the fall of 1987.
Director: Jay Sandrich
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of The Cosby Show Season 3
Every episode of The Cosby Show Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Cosby Show Season 3!
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:NBC
Season 3 Ratings Summary
"Bring 'em Back Alive" is the best rated episode of "The Cosby Show" season 3. It scored 7.1/10 based on 159 votes. Directed by Jay Sandrich and written by Matt Williams, it aired on 9/25/1986. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Food for Thought".