Media Analysis and the Cosby Show

Media Analysis and The Cosby Show 1

Media Analysis and The Cosby Show

Marissa Mathis

Culture and Society / SOCS185

June 17, 2012

Professor Beth Stewart

Media Analysis and The Cosby Show 2

In choosing The Cosby Show for my research paper I wanted to cover a show with a variety of views. The Cosby Show in my opinion was a first of its kind. It was a break through show for African American families in that although they faced problems like everyone else they portrayed a positive black family. Within the years they ran the show they covered a wide range of sociological concepts such as; class, labels, gender roles, race, and culture.

The setting for the show is an upper middle class family. Yes for the average person there is nothing spectacular about that. However, for the mid 1980’s it was the first time an African American family was shown to have a strong family unit that had both parents to be highly educated with very affluent jobs. Clair is a lawyer and Heathcliff is an obstetrician. Together they have five children, Sondra, Denise, Theodore, Vanessa, and Rudith. Their children face adversities that we can see in our own lives. Prior to this show African American families were portrayed as broken or poverty stricken. Or when shows had a black actor in the storyline they were often servants, criminals, pimps, or single parents. Even though prior to the Cosby’s there were the Jefferson’s, George Jefferson was a business owner, they weren’t

Media Analysis and The Cosby Show 3

portrayed to be a well rounded family that was loving and real. George was always rude and very racial. Then there was Good Times. This show was about a family that lived in the projects and very poor. They often struggled to keep the electricity or gas on because they didn’t have enough money to pay for utilities. One episode they even had what was called a rent party where they charged people to come and party at their apartment and used that money...