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Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

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TV Series

The Resume

    (September 9, 1972-August 10, 1985)
    CBS (1972–1981)
    First-run syndication (1984–1985)
    Hosted by Bill Cosby (including live-action bookend scenes)
    Featured segments include ‘The Brown Hornet’ and ‘Legal Eagle’
    The trials and tribulations of eight black youths, led by an overweight dude in a red pullover, in inner-city Philadelphia

Why Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids might be annoying:

    It began as a primetime special that had very little to do with the style familiar to its fan base — or the region from which the Cos hails (this Albert is a toothpick next to the previous draft).
    NBC and ABC were not interested in its education-based format — to their ultimate detriment.
    It generated more buzz among middle-income whites than low-income blacks.
    You have a guy who dresses like it’s winter even when it’s not (Russell)?
    The kids always kept pace while running — even with Albert’s girth.
    Don’t even ask about the 2004 live-action movie with Kenan Thompson.
    Weird that the outfits were contemporary, since the show was ostensibly based on the formative years of the Cos (about 30 years earlier).

Why Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids might not be annoying:

    Hey Hey Hey!
    The Cos himself voiced several ‘Cosby Kid’ characters, including the titular character and short skinny white-shirted dude based on himself.
    Stories got progressively more and more complex, running the gamut from simple internal conflict to family death, diseases, and even weapons.
    The kids were a resourceful lot, even using pieces of junk as musical instruments.
    Though meant to reflect the dearth of blacks in Saturday morning fare, it appealed to multiple races and even generations.
    It spawned several prime-time specials — Hallowe’en, Christmas, Easter, and even Saturday morning sneak previews.
    Though not continuous in its run (there were no new episodes in 1974, 1977, or 1978), it is the longest-running series under the Filmation banner.

Credit: Cool It All Right?


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 65 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 283 Votes: 62.19% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 22 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 114 Votes: 53.51% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 129 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 403 Votes: 50.87% Annoying