The Cosby Show wasn’t just a hit TV show—it was a cultural reset. Premiering in 1984, it redefined how Black family life was portrayed on television, introducing audiences to the Huxtables: educated, successful, and deeply relatable. It wasn’t about struggle—it was about joy, intelligence, and dignity.

But what happens when the man behind the legacy falls?

In this High and Low Retrospective, we rewind to examine The Cosby Show’s revolutionary impact and the long shadow cast by Bill Cosby’s downfall. From its groundbreaking portrayal of Black excellence through the performances of Phylicia Rashad, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Lisa Bonet, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keshia Knight Pulliam to the devastating betrayal of its central figure, we explore how the show became both a symbol of progress and a case study in complicated nostalgia.