National Adoption Day is Saturday, November 23rd.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of National Adoption Day, and we wanted to commemorate the holiday by honoring the best adoption storylines on television.
We’ve chosen several adoption storylines, from infant adoption to teen relinquishing a baby, to special needs adoption and stepparent adoption. We hope some of these resonate with you.
Adoption is an important topic to me because I’m adopted, so I’m excited to see stories like mine featured in shows from the 1980s like Punky Brewster and Green Gables “Anne”.
Since the 2000s, more series have reported on it.
Shows like “The OC” and “The Fosters” emphasize the importance of embracing troubled teens and accepting them as part of the family. They are a group that is often overlooked.
Kelly and Jude find their forever family (The Fosters)
Carly and Jude struggle to find their forever family, especially Carly. They had been in too many abusive foster homes and were craving some love.
Jude was easier to adapt to. Stephen and Lena almost cheered when Jude argued with Jesus for acting like an angry brother.
However, the series throws so many obstacles in the way for Kelly that it seems unimaginable, but it happens all too often in the system. Before an adoption can be formalized, the birth parents must be contacted.
Steve taught Kelly many lessons about love, including that love is unconditional. It doesn’t matter if she screws up; they’ll still love her.
When Kelly graduated, she told Steph and Lena that they were the first people to treat her like she wasn’t disposable. They are in a unique position because they treat their adopted children the same way they treat Brandon.
They work hard and show no favoritism.
Watch The Fostering Family Online
Jack and Rebecca adopt Randall (This Is Us)
On This Is Us , choosing between Randall’s adoption and Deja’s adoption isn’t easy. Still, Randall’s upbringing as the only African American in a white family was fraught with challenges and had a more lasting impact.
The series emphasizes how difficult Randall’s situation is and how frightened Rebecca is by Randall’s potential exploration of his legacy. Many adoptees have difficulty integrating into a loving home.
Jack loved his sons as much as the other triplets, and he worked hard to understand Randall’s interests, including attending a father-son initiation at a martial arts studio.
After Jack’s death, Randall felt even more lost, especially when he learned that Rebecca had been hiding his biological father for years after she knew he had questions about his identity.
This is one of the most realistic adoption stories on television because it emphasizes how it affects a family for years, not just at the beginning.
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Regina adopts Henry and becomes a better person (Once Upon a Time)
Regina in Once Upon a Time starts out evil, but becoming a mother and loving others changes her.
Spending time with her children always brought Regina joy. She loved being with Owen. Robin Hood comments that she has a soft spot for Roland when she is kind to them.
So it makes perfect sense to see Henry’s adoption story. It was originally meant to bring meaning to her life.
She was unprepared for the crying baby, but she fell in love with baby Henry and ultimately refused to give him back.
Like other mothers, she was determined to protect her son. Since it was Regina, the results were mixed, until Peter Pan kidnapped him.
That was the beginning of her transformation. She is willing to do anything or work with anyone to save her son. Her love for Henry breaks Once Upon a Time’s latest curse.
Although Once Upon a Time is a fantasy series, it shows how adoptive and biological mothers ultimately work together for the sake of their children.
Regina and Emma initially despise each other but become like family by the end of the series.
Watch Once Upon a Time online
Olivia adopts Noah (Law & Order: SVU)
Noah’s adoption story is more complicated than a typical infant adoption. Olivia and Amanda Rollins found Noah in an abandoned motel room belonging to some porn producers. Soon after, his biological mother, Ellie Porter, was attacked and killed again.
Olivia asks to be Noah’s guardian, and her every move is scrutinized. It seemed like if Noah got sick, it was her fault as a single mom.
Things get worse when SVU charges Johnny with a crime, but he wants paternity rights to Noah, who is Olivia’s worst nightmare. After Johnny D died, Olivia assumed that she and Noah would live relatively happily together without any more living relatives.
Unlike Once Upon a Time , Noah’s birth family grieves Olivia and she needs to set boundaries. This sometimes happens in real life, which is why there are closed adoptions and adoptive parents have rights.
Sheila Porter shouldn’t have been able to reach her so easily.
As Noah gets older, he becomes increasingly curious about his biological father, but we haven’t officially seen Olivia confront this delicate topic. This is unique to him.
Watch Law & Order: SVU Online
Simone stays connected with baby Shay (America/America: Homecoming)
Many TV adoption storylines are from the perspective of adoptive parents or adoptees. Simone’s arc provides an important perspective from the birth mother’s point of view.
It’s hard not to sympathize with Simone since her mother Tina basically ordered her to hand over her children or they would disown her. This was supposed to be a decision she made in high school with her life in front of her.
After she gave birth to her son, her father was the only one to show sympathy to her, barely giving him a glance. Maybe if Simone could take a moment to hold her son, she wouldn’t be suspicious.
Simone doesn’t want her son back. She wanted to make sure he was taken care of, and when she saw him smile, she knew he was happy with the Douglas family.
They are more affable than most people. I like their philosophy that Shay has two moms in her life and Simone can come over sometimes, which we saw in All American: Homecoming.
These are best-case scenarios, but they don’t happen often.
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Families come in different forms (Modern Family)
While “Modern Family” brings us a lot of laughs, it also teaches us that families come in many forms and don’t require traditional roles. One of the most important things Cam and Mitch show Lily is that they are a family because of their love for each other.
It is most important for children to love and feel like they are part of a family.
Since I have worked as a social worker and conducted home visits, I love the scene where the social worker arrives and finds the house in disarray. It looked like it was lived in and the kids looked like they were having a lot of fun.
“Modern Family” gets a lot of important things right. For example, they created a storybook about Lily’s adoption so she knew she was wanted. This is important because many children question why their other parents abandoned them.
Although Cam and Mitch encouraged Lily to learn about her Vietnamese heritage, she always seemed comfortable with her father.
Watch Modern Family Online
Impossible Allies and Punk Power (Punk Brewster)
Who would have thought that a lively little girl and a grumpy old man would be a good match? But they did it! Many of us admire Punky Brewster’s survival skills and desire to live independently, but she still requires care and supervision.
It’s easy to understand why DCFS was initially hesitant to name Henry Punkey as foster father. He was older, unmarried, and had no children.
Yet there was something about Ponky that warmed even the most disaffected heart, and the social worker saw this, as well as Ponky’s fear of the orphanage.
With Henry facing many challenges as he had to give up his space, Punky felt welcome and assured her that he would always be there. They still have to convince the system that they are a good match, which presents a number of challenges.
Punky Brewster was so popular that Peacock rebooted it in 2021, with Punky meeting and raising a little girl, Izzy, who resembles her younger self.
Punk Brewster watch online
Anne brings joy to the Cuthbert family (Anne of Green Gables)
For me, Meghan will always be followed by Anne Shirley. The Canadian version taught many viewers the importance of adopting older children and how imagination can help them navigate the darkness of foster care.
Neither Matthew nor Marilla Cuthbert married, and their parenting styles were very different, but they both loved Anne. Matthew fell in love with her as she chattered her way home.
Although Marilla was stricter, she often had to hide her laughter at some of Anne’s antics before scolding her, especially when she smashed a slate over Gilbert’s head.
Matthew is ostensibly the more affectionate, but after Matthew’s death, the two women learn how to express their love better.
Anne’s adoption story shows that older children shouldn’t lose hope. The show was so popular that Netflix remade it with a modernized version, Anne With An E.
Watch Anne of Green Gables online
The Coens adopt Ryan (OC)
Ryan’s adoption in “The OC” is similar to Callie’s adoption in “The Fosters”. He got into trouble and Sandy Cohen took him home.
Initially, Kirsten was wary of keeping Ryan, but after meeting Ryan’s biological mother, Dawn, she insisted that Ryan stay with them. Soon after, they officially became his legal family.
Soon, as Ryan and Seth become close friends, it seems like Ryan has been part of the family for years. Kirsten even commented at one point that she forgot Ryan had another family because he blended in with theirs.
Sandy Cohen is one of the best TV dads and initially made Ryan feel loved and inspired. One of the best scenes is when the pilot teaches him how to tie a tie in a father-son relationship.
However, he is present throughout the series, motivating Ryan to work harder in school and helping him find peace after Marissa’s murder.
Online OC
Arizona adopts Sophia (Grey’s Anatomy)
It’s rare for a child to take the lead in a story, but Sofia has been that way since birth. Because Callie was with Arizona at birth, Arizona legally adopted her through a second-parent adoption. She knew she wanted to stay in her life forever.
After their divorce, things got messy and Carly moved across the country, trying to take Sophia with her.
Although Grey’s Anatomy is fictional, the law states that Arizona should be treated with the same respect as Callie because she is also Sophia’s legal mother.
So when she says her choice to be Sofia’s mother was the best decision she ever made, her defense is so poignant. This is the epitome of being an adoptive parent.
In fact, although she was awarded full custody, she chose to share custody with Kelly for the sake of their daughter.
Watch Grey’s Anatomy online
Lily accepts Chuck as one of her own (Gossip Girl)
The situation with Chuck in “The Lace Master” is different. Technically, Lily adopted Bart after his death, although they discussed it when they were married.
If she is his legal guardian, he will inherit Bath Industries when he comes of age. But it doesn’t stop there.
She was the only adult who truly loved him, and often reminded him that she loved him as her own child.
Many times, Lily and Chuck’s scenes are so genuine and loving, as they plot together or support each other.
Theirs is the best family relationship in the series, highlighting the power of the stepparent and child relationship.
Watch “The Lace Master” online
These are just some of the best adoption storylines on television. Did we cover your favorite?
Let us know in the comments below.
