The Great Computer Caper (6 Nov. 1982)

Ricky's expertise in computers attracts the attention of Arnold Jackson (from "Diff'rent Strokes"), school reporter at P.S. 98 in New York City. Ricky impresses Arnold by hacking into a ... See full summary »

Director:

Jack Shea

Writers:

David W. Duclon (developer), Ron Leavitt (developer),

Stars:

Ricky Schroder, Erin Gray, Leonard Lightfoot

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Ricky Schroder	...	Ricky Stratton
Erin Gray	...	Kate Summers
Leonard Lightfoot	...	Leonard Rollins
Joel Higgins	...	Edward Stratton III
Gary Coleman	...	Arnold Jackson
John Anderson	...	Captain Stark
Peter Jason	...	McConnell
James Staley	...	Ferguson
Robert Tessier	...	Jack Emish
Jim Baker	...	Highway Hank (as Jim B. Baker)
Stan Ross	...	Peeping Tom

Storyline

Ricky's expertise in computers attracts the attention of Arnold Jackson (from "Diff'rent Strokes"), school reporter at P.S. 98 in New York City. Ricky impresses Arnold by hacking into a military computer system, but when Arnold publishes their discoveries in the school paper it attracts the attention of the FBI.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1982 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 37, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lightkeeper Productions, Embassy Television

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References Diff'rent Strokes (1978)

User Reviews

80's "Hacker" Culture-silver spoons style

This episode is one of my top ten favs from season one. It is known as a crossover episode-in which a character from another show(in this case-Gary Coleman's character "arnold Jackson" from different Strokes)appears in another show. Here, Arnold is a reporter for his school newspaper "the PS 89 weekly woodpecker" Who has somehow found out about his top notch computer skills{keep in mind that this was 1982-Windows and the Internet as know it today was years away}and that he has won an award at a computer camp.

Ricky uses a rather complex code-consisting of a series of numbers and letters-to hack into a military computer file that has blueprints of a fighter jet. Arnold then publishes them in his paper-and is paid a visit by the FBI. They then stow away on a ship that is helm-ed by caption Stark{John Anderson}-he tells them what's it like on the high seas and they decide to go home and face the music-see episode to see how things work out.

This episode is an example of why Ricky Stratton is one of my favorite characters in any TV show-Even though he is very smart-he is not portrayed as a nerd nor a smart Alec know it all. I can not tell you how many TV shows and movies portray computer whiz kids as computer geeks or nerds. This show is a refreshing departure from that.