The Cosby Show: Monster Man Huxtable

The Cosby Show: Monster Man Huxtable
NBC
January 8, 1987
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Gary Kott story has an interesting subtext and I considered giving it a B, but like so much of this series, it's not well-plotted.  Sondra and Elvin (Geoffrey Owens) visit while Clair is still away (at Hillman), and for once they're not arguing.  In fact, they're getting closer and feel like they're, respectively, on the top of a snow-capped mountain and walking through the morning dew.  He often comes over for the breakfast that she cooks, and she gives in when he's more interested in Theo's wrestling match than in experimental theater.  They're even almost talking marriage!  It was only a few minutes into this that I thought, So Elvin got laid?  Cliff seems to be thinking that, too, but going beyond that, it's as if they were both virgins and are now in that hormone haze where sex increases love and attachment, as well as, in her case, a tendency to give in on things that used to be important.  After all, he calls her Muffin.

Anyway, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for them to either get into an argument or get engaged or something other than Elvin's wrestling tips helping Theo win.  Maybe there's a payoff in a future episode, but as a stand-alone, it's a B-.  Oh, and meanwhile Cliff and Vanessa give Rudy advice on writing a letter to her mother.