Ep 10. Opie Finds a Baby

Opie Finds a Baby is the tenth episode of the seventh season of The Andy Griffith Show, a classic American sitcom that ran from 1960 to 1968. The episode first aired on November 12, 1967, and is known to be one of the most heartwarming and memorable episodes of the series.

The episode begins with Opie, the lovable son of Sheriff Andy Taylor, finding a baby abandoned on a doorstep. Opie, being the kind-hearted and responsible boy he is, decides to take care of the baby until they can find its parents. Andy and his girlfriend, schoolteacher Helen Crump, work together to figure out who the baby belongs to. However, their search leads to dead ends and they begin to worry that the baby may have been intentionally abandoned.

Meanwhile, Opie becomes attached to the baby and is reluctant to give it up. He begins to take on the responsibility of caring for the baby, feeding it, changing its diapers, and even singing it a lullaby. Opie's dedication to the baby leads to some comical moments, as he struggles to keep up with its constant demands.

As the search for the baby's parents continues, the townspeople begin to take notice of Opie's devotion to the baby. They offer to help out, bringing over food and supplies, and even volunteering to take turns caring for the baby. Mayberry becomes a close-knit community, coming together to support Opie and the baby.

Despite the town's efforts, the search for the baby's parents proves unsuccessful. As time goes on, Opie starts to become more attached to the baby and worries about what will happen if they never find a home for it. Andy and Helen begin to understand Opie's attachment to the baby and worry about the impact it will have on him if they have to give it up.

In the end, the baby's parents are finally found, and they are revealed to be a young couple who were struggling to make ends meet. They explain that they didn't mean to abandon the baby, but they were unable to take care of it. Andy and Helen help the couple find the resources they need to provide for their child, and Opie tearfully says goodbye to the baby.

Opie Finds a Baby is a touching episode that explores themes of love, responsibility, and community. It shows the power of coming together to support one another and the impact that caring for another human being can have on a person. The episode also highlights the challenges of parenting and the tough decisions that sometimes need to be made for the well-being of a child. Overall, it is a heartwarming and relatable episode that has stood the test of time as a classic sitcom moment.