Silver Spoons

When a carefree, wealthy businessman discovers he has a 12-year-old son showing up at his door, his orderly life gets shaken up. Edward Stratton III is cheerful and indulgent, while Ricky Stratton is brash, curious, and ready to claim a place in his new father's world. After an initial impulse to send Ricky away, Edward lets him move into his mansion with Kate, his earnest secretary and romantic interest. The show sets up a string of family and workplace comic situations as Ricky tests boundaries, Edward adapts to parenthood, and the household learns to make room for a kid who changes routines and expectations.

The series premiered in 1982 and was created by Ben Starr. It starred Rick Schroder as Ricky, Joel Higgins as Edward, Erin Gray as Kate, Franklyn Seales as Dexter, and Alfonso Ribeiro as Alfonso, establishing several young performers in network television sitcom roles.

The program did not rack up major Emmy or Golden Globe wins, yet it did earn attention for its young cast and kept a steady audience during its run. Performances by Rick Schroder and Alfonso Ribeiro drew notice from critics and viewers interested in youth actors on television at the time.

Silver Spoons left a recognizable mark on 1980s pop culture, often brought up in conversations about sitcoms that mixed wealth, childhood mischief, and sentimental family moments. Its style and setup contributed to nostalgic references in later decades, and a number of viewers remember the show as part of their Saturday or after-school TV habits.

Critical reception was mixed to positive, reflected in audience scores around the midrange, such as a 6.29/10 from 49 votes. The series leans on themes of fatherhood, class contrast, and the gap between adult ego and childlike needs, using humor to show how relationships shift when someone new moves into a household.