Cos for Concern

I read “Cos and Effect,” by Rick Du Brow (April 26), with some hope that it would describe “The Cosby Show” in some kind of historic context. Instead, Du Brow neatly danced around the most important criticism of the show and set up nonexistent ones in order to knock them down.

He uses a quote by Bill Cosby that inaccurately compares “Cosby” with “Murphy Brown.” Any fair comparison of the way the two shows dealt with current issues would clearly leave “Cosby” seriously wanting.

I do agree with Du Brow’s statement that “it all came together at the right time.” Yes, America in 1984 really needed to see the black family as being just like all other families. In an era of fictional safety nets, it was important for TV to provide a black family led by two professionals dealing with ordinary problems. Unlike “Murphy Brown,” which has sought to educate the public with risk-taking episodes, “Cosby” played to the desire of Americans to believe everything is OK.

The real problem with “Cosby” is the signal it sends to large networks. Feel-good shows about blacks in America during an era in which racists are achieving political legitimacy permit minimally informed people to ignore the rise of racism. This is the true legacy of “The Cosby Show.”

RICH GOODSELL

Carlsbad