It's fun to watch the first season of "Silver Spoons" as an adult, and this first episode is a classic example of why.
Edward Stratton III (Joel Higgins) is a grown up who refuses to grow up. His house is like a playground, with a train you can ride, video games everywhere, silly looking dummies dressed up like soldiers - basically anything a kid would like. That's lucky for him, because a kid he didn't know he had (Ricky Schroeder) shows up and declares that he'd like to live with his dad. Being a completely irresponsible millionaire toy manufacturer, Edward just doesn't think he's up to the task, but luckily for Ricky, he discovers that his father's irresponsibility has caused him to overlook the fact that his business manager (Robert Picardo) is robbing him blind. Ricky makes Edward aware, and the elder Stratton can't resist - he now has a precocious son, and the rest is sitcom history.
What I think sets the pilot and first season of "Silver Spoons" apart from other 39 year old shows as of this writing is that to me it held up well. Despite being squeaky clean, the jokes in its early going actually made me laugh. I attribute that to a the writing of future "Married... With Children" creators Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye, who were clearly masters of the sitcom before they deconstructed it with "Married." More than that, the series was blessed with noteworthy supporting cast members that later went on to do bigger and better things. Jason Bateman and John Houseman appeared reguarly in the early going, and later Alfonso Ribeiro did too. I thought Erin Gray was also surprisingly good in a comedic role, and proved not to be just another pretty face. This pilot itself moves fast, is simple enough that a kid can understand it, but has great dialogue and a charming premise. Though it declined towards its end of its run, it's nice to watch "Silver Spoons" in syndication, and the pilot well-illustrates why it lasted as long as it did.
Edward Stratton III (Joel Higgins) is a grown up who refuses to grow up. His house is like a playground, with a train you can ride, video games everywhere, silly looking dummies dressed up like soldiers - basically anything a kid would like. That's lucky for him, because a kid he didn't know he had (Ricky Schroeder) shows up and declares that he'd like to live with his dad. Being a completely irresponsible millionaire toy manufacturer, Edward just doesn't think he's up to the task, but luckily for Ricky, he discovers that his father's irresponsibility has caused him to overlook the fact that his business manager (Robert Picardo) is robbing him blind. Ricky makes Edward aware, and the elder Stratton can't resist - he now has a precocious son, and the rest is sitcom history.
What I think sets the pilot and first season of "Silver Spoons" apart from other 39 year old shows as of this writing is that to me it held up well. Despite being squeaky clean, the jokes in its early going actually made me laugh. I attribute that to a the writing of future "Married... With Children" creators Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye, who were clearly masters of the sitcom before they deconstructed it with "Married." More than that, the series was blessed with noteworthy supporting cast members that later went on to do bigger and better things. Jason Bateman and John Houseman appeared reguarly in the early going, and later Alfonso Ribeiro did too. I thought Erin Gray was also surprisingly good in a comedic role, and proved not to be just another pretty face. This pilot itself moves fast, is simple enough that a kid can understand it, but has great dialogue and a charming premise. Though it declined towards its end of its run, it's nice to watch "Silver Spoons" in syndication, and the pilot well-illustrates why it lasted as long as it did.