This volume chronicles the phenomenon of a television program that has commanded first place since its premiere in September 1984. Each week in the United States it has consistently drawn a loyal audience of more than 60 million people, breaking all records for ratings and shares. The show is ...
This volume chronicles the phenomenon of a television program that has commanded first place since its premiere in September 1984. Each week in the United States it has consistently drawn a loyal audience of more than 60 million people, breaking all records for ratings and shares. The show is credited with lifting a third-place network into commanding leadership, advancing the image of black families, being the object of the greatest syndication barter deal in history, and regenerating the sitcom genre. Approached from a systems-theoretical perspective, this book considers The Cosby Show historically, economically, politically, legally, and socioculturally.