Cosby

Hilton feels cheated that his company laid him off without even a goodbye party, but Ruthie tells him hes being childish. Hilton lands a job interview on Long Island, but when he tries to pick up his car at the repair shop, he encounters severe language barriers and the news that the car is beyond help. He grudgingly takes a senior citizens shuttle van to the interview, but it breaks down and hes stranded for hours. Hilton, with Pauline as his assistant, works on a magic act for a childrens charity event as he continues to obsess about the party he isnt going to get. Later, on his way to another rehearsal at the childrens center, which Ruthie has urged him to attend, he begins imagining that a surprise party is about to happen, but it doesnt. And when his company sends him a tacky pocket calendar, thats the final blow, but Ruthie presents him with a watch inscribed to her husband, ""who worked like a dog for his family for thirty years"".

The airline company that dismissed Hilton is now rehiring, and hes fired up to go back to work. But his impatience and confrontational attitude simply wont cut it. When the airline for which Hilton worked announces that it is hiring back thousands of laid-off employees, Hilton eagerly prepares for an interview, hoping to get his old job back. Wearing his best suit and armed with an album full of career highlights, Hilton is overjoyed at the prospect of working again. He spends the hours before his interview doing what he thinks are ordinary errands. However, he manages to get into a fight over fruit at the grocery, turn an eye exam at the HMO into a four ring circus, and witness a hit-and-run car accident -- that comes back to haunt him.

Deceit weaves a tangled web around Hilton, who tells ""one little lie"" and then, to keep up the ruse, finds that he must pretend hes someone else -- and not married to Ruth. In order to avoid attending a wedding, Hilton fibs about needing brain surgery -- and pays a high price. Hilton is always frustrated by everyday deceits, including truth in advertising. Nevertheless, he makes up the lie to avoid attending the Sunday wedding of the son of Ruths friends, Elaine and Dave, which interferes with his watching sports on television. Pretty soon, hes ensnared in a tangled web of his own making..

Hiltons cousin Earl has secretly checked himself into the hospital for a colonoscopy procedure, not telling his wife Lillian because he doesnt want her to worry. Hilton is going to visit Earl, and he warns Ruth and Pauline to keep Earls secret from Lillian, whos coming over to visit. Erica is sorting through some of her childhood possessions and finds her jacks, which leads to an impromptu jacks tournament among the women. At the hospital, Hilton tells Earl not to worry, Hilton wont leave his side. When Hilton accidentally spills coffee on himself and puts on a hospital robe while his clothes dry, he gets taken into the operating theater by mistake. When Pauline slips and reveals where Earl is, both Lillian and Ruth head for the hospital.

When Hilton and Griffin attend a Nets/Magic professional basketball game, Hilton has the lucky ticket and gets the chance to win a million dollars if he can make a free-throw from half-court. As Hilton prepares for ""the shot of a lifetime,"" word spreads that he may become a millionaire and everyone wants a piece of the action. First, Griffin insists on his share, then some crazy cousins from Baltimore show up and try to con the Lucases into investing in their wacky hair replacement systems, and finally, the endorsements start rolling in. When the time comes to make the shot, Hilton gets additional last-minute advice -- from Orlando Magic player Penny Hardaway.

Due to a hospital mix-up, Hilton gets the colonoscopy that was meant for his cousin. When Hiltons cousin, Earl Lucas, goes to the hospital for a colonoscopy, Hilton decides to be at his side for support. But when the nurses confuse the two men, Hilton ends up in a most uncompromising position in full view of medical students and an internet audience. Meanwhile, back at the Lucas house, Erica finds her childhood set of jacks in an old box and she, Ruth and Pauline keep Earls wife, Lillian, busy with some rather fierce competition.

In a White House public relations move, Hilton is chosen as the ideal ""common man"" to dine with the president. When Hilton calls in to a radio talk-show, the presidents deputy communications director hears him and tracks him down to ask him if his family would like to have dinner with the president--on a date that conflicts with Ruths plans for a relaxing weekend in the Poconos. As the Lucases get their home in tip-top shape for the visit, the media converges on them, and Pauline, Griffin, Singh and New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani try to convince Hilton that, as ""extended family,"" they really should be included in the evenings festivities.

After Griffin and Erica attend their high school reunion, Griffin realizes that their relationship is going nowhere and decides to make a clean break from her. When Griffins old friends help him to see that his puppy-dogging after Erica has gotten him nowhere for almost 10 years, he decides that hes sick of being taken for granted and ready to move on with his life. But when he moves out of their apartment building, Erica has some realizations of her own. Meanwhile, ever-thrifty Hilton tries to install a personal satellite dish himself and encounters difficulties along the way

When Hilton and Ruth return to the blizzard-like conditions of New York City, after visiting friends in sunny Florida, they decide to put their house on the market and move south for good. After making the decision to buy a condo in the sunshine state, they both start feeling sentimental about leaving their home full of memories, but neither says anything for fear of disappointing the other. Meanwhile, the house next door goes up for sale and Griffin decides to buy it with the money hes saved over the years.

When Ruth and Pauline ""just happen"" to spot a used pregnancy test in Ericas garbage and then ""just happen"" to see the positive results, they assume that Erica is expecting, but Hilton comes to another conclusion. Its bad enough that Erica has temporarily moved in with her folks while her new Manhattan apartment is being renovated, but Hilton is allergic to her cat. Then, when her married friend Stephanie comes to visit and leaves her positive pregnancy test in the garbage can -- everyone reacts in the wrong way. Ruthie and Pauline think that Ericas having the baby, Hilton is proud that he and Ruth are going to be parents again, and Ruth and Hilton end up thinking that Griffin is actually the father of Ericas nonexistent child.

When Ruths high school friend Charlene comes to town for a visit during her worldwide singing tour, she gives Ruth the chance to sing with ""The Charlites"" at a charity function and accomplish her unfulfilled dream of a glamorous night in showbiz. Years earlier, Ruth passed on a chance to join Charlene in trying to make it big as a singer. Charlene went on to become an international superstar -- and Ruth stayed at home with Hilton. But now that Ruth has a chance for a turn in the spotlight, she plans to seize the moment -- that is, if she can get out of bed after the painful dancing rehearsals. Meanwhile, Hilton has begun his latest business venture -- putting together craft kits to make the Bunny in the Hutch.

Erica brings Julius, her boyfriend of three months who stars in a kids TV show, home to meet Hilton and Ruth; Hilton is unimpressed and gives Julius a hard time. Hilton goes with Erica to watch Julius program and inadvertently becomes part of the show. Erica desperately wants her parents to like Julius, but Ruth doesnt have much to say; Hilton announces that Julius wants him to be a regular on the show and introduces Happy Haliday, an actor he met there, who used to have his own kids show. He tells Hilton that hes been cheated out of all his royalties and Julius is responsible. Hilton tells Erica who angrily confronts Julius and breaks up with him. Hilton, whos now playing Cowboy Bob on the show, assumes Julius will fire him, but Julius assures him that he and Erica have only had a little tiff, and he begins driving Erica crazy with his attempts to reconcile. Hilton decides to help Erica with her problem and confronts Julius during a show and locking him in a trunk. But Happy has

The walls come tumbling down this year for Hilton Lucas more ways than one. First, theres the so-called ""fourth wall,"" the theatrical term for the imaginary line that separates actors from the audience. Starting with tonights second-season opener, Cosby crosses that line as Hilton addresses viewers, takes them into his confidence and even mugs at the camera over plot developments. And hes got a lot to react to, beginning with two new tenants. Daughter Erica moves back home; and neighbor Griffin loses his shirt in a record deal and takes up residence in the Lucas attic, which he begins to renovate. There goes another wall. After Hilton encourages Erica and Griffin to ""take risks and pursue their dreams,"" they do just that and the results become Hiltons nightmare. Erica quits her high-paying job at the law firm and moves home to save money and study to become a chef, and Griffin has to move into the Lucas attic after a business deal goes bad -- forcing him to rent out the lovely hous

When Hilton realizes that Griffin and Ericas friends are taking over his house -- watching his television and eating all his food, he decides that if they live in his house, Griffin and Erica will have to live by his rules. Reluctantly, Griffin and Erica agree to abide by Hiltons strict new set of house rules, including Rule #5 -- thou shall not alloweth men upstairs. So when Ericas boyfriend, Julius (guest star Darryl M. Bell, reprising the role), shows up in her bedroom, Erica attempts to keep it a secret from her father. Meanwhile, Hilton is busy on a mission to kill a stray mouse -- although Julius mistakenly believes that he is the target of Hiltons assassination plans.

Hilton is overjoyed when he meets new friends Chuck and Larry and joins their ""Older and Out"" team, since hes also older and hes ""out"" keeping busy. Ruth discovers that Chuck is gay, and she mistakenly believes that her husband of more than 30 years may have feelings for a man! Blaming herself for letting the spark go out of the marriage, Ruth sets off to win him back before a surprised Hilton discovers the real meaning of ""Older and Out.""

A doctor places Hilton under strict quarantine after he catches the stomach flu. Griffin warns Hilton not to escape quarantine, but he doesnt listen and, one by one, everyone in the household drops, leaving Hilton to don his nurses uniform. As he runs from sickbed to sickbed tending to his patients needs, Hilton discovers that the members of his household are not at their best when they are sick - but hes determined to maintain his excellent bedside manner.

Fasten your seat belts. When Griffin tries to back out of a lucrative out-of-state concert gig because of a flying phobia, Hilton vows that he will get Griffin on the plane - no matter what it takes. When the commercial airline is grounded, Hilton calls on an old airline buddy with a private plane, and theyre joined by Jack, who volunteers to underwrite the flight. But thanks to Jack, the pilot passes out, and its up to Hilton to bring the plane down -- safely.

Ruth surprises Hilton when she enrolls him in tap dancing classes as a birthday gift. He skips the classes, but tells Ruth that he is making remarkable progress. When Ruth announces that she is going to attend the dance recital, Hilton must take a crash course in fancy footwork, or risk having his deception exposed. The coffee shop hosts its first poetry night.

Ruth must deal with a bunch of know-it-alls. Her husband Hilton ""knows"" that his community center boys basketball team could beat her girls team, and her star player Nikki ""knows"" that the game should be only about scoring the points. So when Ruth challenges Hilton to a boy/girl game, he has a lot to do to get his star players in shape, and Ruth must teach Nikki about teamwork. Hilton gets a lesson in what girls can do when WNBA ""New York Liberty"" team members Teresa Weatherspoon and Kym Hampton show-up at the gym for a clinic and run a couple of their finest plays.

Despite Ruths insistence that family and friends should never work together, Hilton goes to work for Griffin narrating childrens stories. He just cant refuse the tempation for some creative rewriting, and Hilton puts his own spin on some classic kids tales. Will he have his poetic license revoked? Meanwhile, Pauline is so captivated by the handsome young man temporarily working at the coffee shop that she cant bring herself to fire him.

When Hilton is working at the coffee house, he meets two people from the ""David Letterman Show"". He talks them in to letting him be on a show.

Pauline tries her hand at playwriting for a course shes taking at the community center. Following Hiltons advice about writing about something ""real,"" she turns out a thinly-disguised comedy about the Lucas family. Hilton is the only one who cant see who the lead character is based on - until he volunteers to play the part on stage. Broadway veteran Philip Bosco is Paulines flamboyant playwriting teacher, who casts Hilton in her comedy as a sarcastic, irascible coot. Talk about typecasting....

Erica and her girlfriends, unable to find ""Mr. Right,"" take Ruths advise about changing their dating habits and set out on ""The Great American Manhunt."" As the girls despair about their single state, Ruth tries to explain that men are like old cars - youve just got to find one that works, and if you take care of it long enough, eventually itll be worth something! Taking her advice, the ladies set out in search of the guy least likely to turn into a lemon!

The Lucases play cupid for smitten Griffin

Hiltons new responsibility, looking after 11-year-old Jurnee while her dad is at work, becomes a little too hot to handle when Jurnee asks him a complicated question about the birds and bees. Not wanting to interfere in Jurnees upbringing, and looking for a way to avoid having to answer himself, Hilton suggests that the curious Jurnee go to her dad for an explanation. No matter how difficult it is for Del to face the fact that Jurnee is growing up (perhaps a bit faster than he had hoped), with coaching from Hilton, he finally appears ready to have ‘the talk.

Hilton is devastated to learn that Erica is breaking up with her latest boyfriend, Gil -- a handsome, well-educated jazz musician who is everything that Hilton could ever want in a guy and more. When Erica and Gil mutually decide to call it quits, its Hilton who takes the news the hardest since hes developed his own meaningful relationship with Gil -- primarily because he represents the jazzman Hilton always wanted to be. How will Hilton go on? All he does is sit by the phone and wait for Gil to call! Its true that break-ups can be hard -- but usually for the two people involved.

A major argument erupts when Ruth accidentally discovers that Erica has been hiding all the gifts she has given her over the years. When Ruth confronts Erica about only pretending to like the gifts that Ruth put so much time and care into buying, it sparks the disagreement. On the one hand, Ruth feels that she doesnt know her own daughter, and on the flip side, Erica feels that her mother doesnt bother to learn about her likes and dislikes. Although Hilton desperately wants to stay out of their argument, he is left with no alternative and attempts to coerce the women into a joint shopping trip. The goal -- buy something that is pleasing to them both without driving him over the edge.

After Jurnee expresses her fondness for schoolmate Kevin and he retaliates by shoving her on the school playground, amateur psychologist Hilton explains his theory of how ""playground scarring"" can affect a woman for life. According to Hilton, when women are unable to trust, unable to commit, their problems can always be traced back to a bad playground experience when they were deeply humiliated by a boy they liked. To this day, Ruth has problems with trust because of a certain Kenneth P. Watson, who purposely teetered when he should have tottered, requiring a young Ruth to get stitches. When it comes to Jurnee, however, Hilton is determined not to have history repeat itself.

Hiltons steaming when a klutzy customer spills coffee on her dress, admits its her own fault---and then sues the Flower Cafe for $3000.

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After the Lucas home is burglarized, Hilton invests in a security system -- only to discover that the thief is someone he knows.

While searching for a rare part for his beloved turntable, Hilton bumps into an old friend from his bachelor days, Fred. When Hilton and Fred start reminiscing about how they double-dated sisters Mattie and Roberta Singleton, Hilton decides to play matchmaker and prompts Fred into learning whatever became of Mattie. Even now, years later, Fred cant help wondering what might have happened if they remained a couple.... and, thanks to Hilton, he may finally get a chance to find out.

Hilton is attempting to help Jurnee with her ""Romeo and Juliet"" homework assignment when his true feelings about The Bard come out: Why couldnt Shakespeare simply speak in plain English rather than using all of that fancy, confusing language? Alas, Shakespeare showeth up in the Lucas kitchen to tutor Hilton personally. Will it be ""alls well that ends well?""

Hilton is caught in the middle when his curmudgeonly friend, Tim, stages a rent strike against his landlord.

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Griffins trust in his new girlfriend Anita is put to the test when her job as a conference planner puts her smack in the middle of a young millionaires convention, on the season finale. Rather than heeding Hiltons advice to give Anita some space, Griffin decides to pop in on the convention and find out for himself how loyal Anita is -- which prompts Hilton to reminisce about the anxious time he spent away from Ruth, soon after they first met, agonizing over whether or not she was thinking of him as often as he was of her. ""Prequel Monday"" kicks off with an animated flashback sequence of Hilton as an enlisted Navy man.

Hilton has to pay the wedding organizers for their services as Ericas wedding nears, but Ruth is more concerned with why the bride isnt falling apart yet.

When Griffin tries to prepare for Y2K by installing a generator, he causes a premature blackout for the entire neighborhood.

A strange woman comes to the shop under the impression that Hilton is her husband, Charlie.

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Ruth and Pauline try to help save a friends failing bookstore by annexing it to the Flower Cafe.

Dariens late arrival to an important family dinner causes a fight between Hilton and Ruth.

Hilton finds himself in the middle of a Bank Heist.

For a school paper, Keisha discovers intriqing facts about Ruths past.

Hilton discovers that a former high school buddy is now homeless.

Griffin tries to encourage both his students and the Lucases to eat healthier foods.

Hilton passes his advice along to Erica and Darien on how to keep the romance alive in marriage.