Ep 10. Babies

Lou Grant season 2 episode 10, titled "Babies," delves into a controversial topic- adoption. The episode is centered around a couple, the Landers, who are fighting to adopt a baby that they have been caring for for almost a year. The baby, whose mother abandoned her at birth, is in the custody of the Children's Service Society and they are not willing to let her go so easily.

The Landers, who have been trying to have a baby of their own for years, fell in love with the little girl, named Julie, as soon as they started taking care of her. But, due to the bureaucracy surrounding adoption, they have been fighting to get her for months. The episode opens with a scene in which the Landers are waiting eagerly for the decision of the court regarding Julie's adoption.

Meanwhile, Lou Grant is preparing to work on a story about adoptions, and is seeking out information from various people, including a lawyer who specializes in adoption cases. The lawyer, however, is not very forthcoming, as she has a case against her contemporaries in the adoption business and cannot share much information.

As the episode progresses, Lou and his team discover that adoption is a big business, with people getting rich from the fees that they charge hopeful adoptive parents. The team also comes across instances of babies being snatched away from their biological mothers without their consent, simply because they were young and unmarried.

Lou is outraged by the treatment of unwed mothers, and decides to pursue the story further. He learns about a group of women who have formed an organization to help unwed mothers, and decides to interview them. During the interview, he discovers that the problem of adoption runs deeper than he ever thought, and that many biological mothers are coerced into giving up their children for adoption.

Back at the Landers' case, the judge has ruled in favor of the Children's Service Society, and Julie is to be placed in foster care until a decision can be made about her future. The Landers are heartbroken, and decide to fight the ruling. They manage to get a court date, but soon discover that they are up against an intransigent judge who has already made up his mind.

The ending of the episode is poignant, with the Landers losing their fight to adopt Julie, and Lou finishing his story on adoption, which includes both the joy of adoption for some, and the tragic consequences for others. The audience is left to ponder the ethics of the adoption industry and whether it truly serves the best interests of the children and families involved.

Overall, "Babies" is an emotional and thought-provoking episode that tackles a difficult subject with sensitivity and nuance. It highlights the pain and struggle that adoptive parents go through, as well as the injustices faced by biological mothers. The episode is a powerful reminder that adoption should be about finding loving homes for children in need, rather than a profit-driven industry.