Character Relationship Map: Making Babies

Characters

• Katie Kelly (played by Eliza Coupe) — protagonist

  Katie Kelly is one half of the married couple at the center of the story, desperately trying to have a child with John. She endures repeated failed attempts, three unsuccessful IUI rounds, and the phy...

• John Kelly (played by Steve Howey) — supporting

  John Kelly is Katie’s husband and partner throughout their prolonged struggle with infertility. He defends their marriage, supports the decision to pursue fertility treatment, and refuses to disrupt I...

• Dr. Remis (played by Ed Begley Jr.) — supporting

  Dr. Remis is the doctor who prescribes Katie’s fertility medication after she and John decide to seek medical treatment. The drugs produce severe mood swings and unpredictable behavior in Katie, makin...

• Bird (played by Glenne Headly) — supporting

  Bird is Katie’s mother and an outspoken source of pressure surrounding the couple’s infertility. She has memorized Katie’s ovulation schedule and repeatedly reminds Katie and John how strongly she wan...

• Officer Powers (played by Laird Macintosh) — supporting

  Officer Powers becomes involved when John flees after being stopped while urgently transporting a semen sample to the hospital. After learning what the unusual container holds and understanding that K...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• John Kelly → Dr. Remis (Professional Patient) — John is involved in the medical treatment as Katie's fertility partner and sample provider.

  John participates with Katie in fertility treatment and must provide a semen sample for the doctors during IVF.

• Katie Kelly → Dr. Remis (Professional Patient) — Katie receives fertility-related medical care from Dr. Remis.

  Katie takes medication prescribed by Dr. Remis while pursuing fertility treatment.

• Bird → John Kelly (Family Mother-In-Law) — Bird is John's mother-in-law through his marriage to Katie.

  Bird is Katie's mother, and John is identified as Katie's husband in the same fertility storyline.

• Bird → Katie Kelly (Family Mother) — Bird is Katie's mother and is deeply invested in her becoming a grandmother.

  Bird is identified as Katie's mother and repeatedly tells Katie how much she wants a grandchild.

• Katie Kelly → John Kelly (Family Spouse) — They are married partners whose relationship is tested by infertility treatment.

  The plot identifies Katie and John as a married couple living together and describes John defending their marriage.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Officer Powers → Katie Kelly (Alliance Emergency Supporter) — His intervention directly supports Katie's IVF treatment.

  Officer Powers helps John deliver the sample intended to fertilize Katie's eggs, knowing the treatment depends on its timely arrival.

• John Kelly → Officer Powers (Conflict Traffic Adversaries) — Their encounter begins as a traffic-related confrontation.

  John flees after being stopped by Officer Powers while trying to deliver the semen sample.

Story Analysis

A married couple navigates infertility, medical pressure, family expectations, and an increasingly urgent IVF delivery.

Plot Progression

1. A House Without A Child — Katie and John struggle with repeated negative pregnancy tests while Bird intensifies the pressure for a grandchild. Their marriage begins to feel the strain of infertility.
2. Treatment And Turbulence — The couple begins fertility treatment under Dr. Remis, but Katie's medication causes severe mood swings. Katie also starts a job and tries to manage professional expectations alongside treatment.
3. The IVF Commitment — After three failed IUI rounds, Katie and John are encouraged to commit fully to IVF. They agree enthusiastically despite mounting physical and emotional pressure.
4. The Sample Crisis — The IVF process creates an urgent need for John's semen sample. The sample ends up in the vehicle dashboard while John races toward the hospital.
5. A Five-Minute Rescue — Officer Powers first stops John and then learns why the container matters. He drives John toward the hospital, where the treatment's deadline drives the immediate climax.