Silver Spoons

Review

Common Sense Media says

Cute '80s comedy sometimes touches on serious issues.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this 1980s sitcom is pretty mild compared to today’s comedy options, but calls attention to some serious issues, including bullying, child abuse, teen pregnancy, peer pressure, and alcoholism. It also contains positive messages about parenthood (especially between fathers and sons), and non-traditional family.

  • Positive messages3
    Offers a positive image of single-fatherhood and non-traditional family, plus the series is clearly designed to teach positive lessons about how to handle normal tween and teen experiences, like bullies and being offered alcohol.
  • Positive role models2
    Edward Stratton III is a single father, and tries to be a good and responsible parent. Ricky often helps friends with their problems, and/or turns to his father for additional help. He sometimes gets into trouble with his friends, but faces some negative consequences as a result.
  • Violence1
    Contains some minor pushing, shoving, etc. One episode features Edward hiring a bodyguard for Ricky to protect him from a school bully. Others discuss violent issues like child abuse and child kidnapping.
  • Sex1
    Edward Stratton III fathered his son during a week-long marriage. In a later episode Ricky has a classmate who becomes pregnant.
  • Language0
    Not applicable.
  • Consumerism1
    The LaCoste label is visible on some cast members' shirts. Other popular 1980's logos, video games (like Pac Man), etc. are occasionally audible/visible.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking2
    One episode features Ricky being pressured into drinking. Alcoholism is discussed.
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What's the story?

SILVER SPOONS is a 1980s classic comedy series featuring then-child actor Ricky Shroder as Ricky Stratton, a young boy who is sent to military school after his mother remarries. The young Stratton finds his estranged father, millionaire Edward Stratton III (Joel Higgins), in the hopes of moving in and building a relationship with him. The naïve and rather irresponsible Edward finds himself trying to figure out how to be a dad and a positive role model for the son he never knew he had. It isn’t always easy, but luckily they have the help of Edward’s assistant, Kate Summers (Erin Gray), his lawyer Leonard Rollins (Leonard Lightfoot), and occasionally his own father (played by John Houseman), to help him along the way.

Is it any good?

 

The lighthearted comedy features the traditional and often-silly humor one expects from 1980s sitcoms. But it does address some serious issues surrounding school-age boys that remain relevant today, like bullying, child abuse, teen pregnancy, and coping with learning disabilities.

Some folks may find the series a little dated, but classic TV fans will get a kick out watching actors like Shroder, Jason Bateman, and Alfonso Ribeiro during their early careers. Others may appreciate some of the positive messages about the father-son relationship and non-traditional family that it offers. Overall, it’s a fun viewing choice for older tweens and up.

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about what their favorite classic TV sitcoms are. Which do you think are better: older sitcoms or what’s on the air today? Why? Why do some sitcoms remain popular years after they originally aired, even if some of what they show is outdated?

  • Talk about the issues the show brings up. Do you think the show's messages about the problems tweens and teens encounter are still relevant?

This review was written by Melissa Camacho

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This review was written by Melissa Camacho
TV rating:NR
Cast:Erin Gray, Joel Higgins, Rick Schroder
Genre:Comedy
This review was written by Melissa Camacho
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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