Adopt-me-not
A character (or couple) wants to adopt a child, but it doesn't work out.
Night Court
Appearances
- The Bob Newhart Show: Season 1, episode 9, "P-I-L-O-T" (1972). Bob and Emily have been unable to have a child, so they decide to adopt. They get approved by the adoption agency, but when they find out how long it will be before a child is available, they change their minds.
- Sanford and Son: Season 6, episode 10, "Aunt Esther Has a Baby" (1976). Aunt Esther and Uncle Woody want to adopt a child, but they're afraid they'll be turned down because of Woody's drinking problem, so they ask Fred to pose as him for their interview.
- Taxi: Season 2, episode 16, "Tony and Brian" (1980). Tony wants to adopt an orphan he's befriended named Brian, but he has to compete with a rich couple. At first, Brian chooses the rich people, but then he changes his mind and decides to stay with Tony. However, inexplicably Brian is never seen or spoken of again after that.
- Night Court: Season 3, episode 16, "Leon, We Hardly Knew Ye" (1986). Harry has been fostering Leon, the orphaned shoeshine boy, for only three weeks when social services says they found a family for him. Harry wants to adopt Leon permanently, but he knows he'd be better off with a real family.
- Seinfeld: Season 8, episode 19, "Yada Yada" (1997). Beth Lookner and her new husband, Arnie, want to adopt a child, and they ask Elaine to be a reference for them, but she accidentally lets is slip that Arnie has a bad temper, and the agency turns them down.