Television executives were not sure about “The Cosby Show” when it was cautiously picked up by NBC. They weren’t convinced the public would believe the show’s premise. They were wrong. Immediately after its debut on September 20, 1984, “The Cosby Show” became the top-rated program, where it remained until 1990. “The Cosby Show” was about the well-to-do Huxtable family, who lived in Brooklyn. The father, Cliff (Bill Cosby) was a doctor. His wife, Clair (Phylicia Rashad) was a lawyer. They had five children, Sondra (Sabrina LeBeauf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam). Prior to “The Cosby Show,” few positive depictions of the two-parent, black family had appeared on TV. Cliff and Clair used warmth, humor, and discipline to raise their kids. The characters were role models faced with everyday problems. Many storylines were based on Bill Cosby’s views of parenting and education. During its eight seasons, “The Cosby Show” used small details, like displaying an anti-apartheid poster on Theo’s door and naming Sondra’s children after Nelson and Winnie Mandela, to expand cultural awareness. “The Cosby Show” ended in 1992.