Adoption in Film and TV

[Tennyson]

Can anyone think of positive, realistic or troubled adoption storylines that they have seen in the media ... it pops up every now and again (Sex and the City, Friends) but I wonder if you have seen any recently or have any thoughts about them.

The trouble is fiction thrives on conflict. So I'm not sure I can think of any fictional programmes but there is a thread somewhere on here with all the documentaries about adoption.

There was a pilot of a comedy a couple of years ago, which was done well. However, adoption done well is a niche area, adoption isn't that common.

Trying to find the name of that, I was reminded of Mark Steel's "Who do I think I am, which was good.

The Coppers vs The Rest.

Adoption is challenging. It challenges what people mean by family, rights and responsibilities, identities. Instead of portraying that, it's easier to go for tropes about "real" families and "long lost relatives" . Portraying adoption positively appears to be uncomfortable for TV writers. Perhaps because families doing well is boring?!

There was a nice adoption story in modern family.
The 2 dad's after adopting their daughter from Vietnam decided to adopt a boy but after a lot of stress and disappointment they gave up on the idea. It was really well done and showed a little bit of how hard it can be and how it often just wears people out.

I certainly wouldn’t describe the Friends storyline as realistic. Ok, so it’s the States so they do have the being picked by a BM thing that we don’t, but it was the approval that was ridiculous. It was like one afternoon!

There was Kiri recently.

Kiri was appalling as a representation of adoption! They fostered because adoption takes too long, the parents were barking mad, and the father murdered her! Not positive, or realistic.

Doc McStuffins is supposed to be good. Once upon a time is set in the US, and fairy land, but the emotions of the adoptive and birth mothers are done well.

@thomasmuggit the OP did also say "or troubled".

OP why do you ask?

The film ‘Lion’ is a true story about adoption.

Just recently stumbled across the fantastic "Anne with an E" on netflix. It's a new adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables story with a lot of adoption related themes in it. I absolutely loved it for lots of reasons and while it's not a reflection of how adoption is "done" today there were enough themes in it that it provided a great programme to watch with my 11 year old AD. Apparently season 2 is on its way. For similar reasons have liked watching Modern Family for the diversity it paints.

Anne with an e was fantastic. That nonsense chatter!

This is a blog which features pretty much any recent film with an adoption theme:
www.adoptionlcsw.com/

Does anyone know of any books/films that would be suitable for a 9 year old boy? Just thinking about ways to open my eldest sons eyes to it all in an age appropriate way. There seems to be plenty of books about for early primary/preschool aged kids, but not a lot for older primary school aged boys.

Have a look here:
www.goodreads.com/list/show/110965.children_s_books_about_adoption_age_8

My children have read many, many of these and liked them all. Some of them could be triggering (my children always coped fine though) and you will need to talk some things over with your child.

The War That Saved My Life was my daughters' favourite. However, it describes abuse and neglect and the reason given in the first book (there is a sequel), is that the mother didn't not love the children. Apart from that it is a great book. The sequel, The War I finally Won, is equally great. The Diddakoi is another really good one.

Thanks yolande!