Rob recounts the story of the days after Ritchie's birth. Before he and Laura can take home their bundle of joy, several clerical mix-ups at the hospital plant the suspicion that they may have been given the wrong baby.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Brick Joke: Mel's sister-in-law has just had a baby, which prompts Mel to make a switched at birth joke. Laura prods Rob into a retelling of how, a few days after Ritchie's birth, he became convinced that they took the wrong baby home from the hospital. They contact the other parents — who have the similar last name of Peters — and invite them over to discuss the possibility. The doorbell rings, Rob opens the door and is stunned at the sight of them. Then he invites the Peters in. Their entry is the brick joke. They're African-American.
- The Gadfly: Mr. Peters cheerfully comments that the main reason he came over to meet the Petries in person was because he wanted to see Rob's expression when he realized what an embarrassing mistake he'd made. His wife, despite her recent labor, likewise couldn't resist coming over to watch the moment.
- Here We Go Again!: When Laura shows off Ritchie to the other couple, Mr. Peters says he looks a lot like Rob. However, he then admits he really doesn't, but quips that he didn't see the point in setting Rob off again.
- Honorary Aunt: Rob's coworker Sally appoints herself an unofficial aunt after seeing the baby.
- Jealous Parent: When Rob, trying to break the news to Laura, asks her how much she likes the baby, she initially assumes he's jealous of the attention she's paying to their bundle of joy.
- The Reveal: The episode is a Flashback to when baby Richie came home from the hospital. Over the course of the episode, Rob convinces himself that Richie has been switched at birth with the baby from the Peters family. He invites Mr. & Mrs. Peters over to reclaim their baby, only to learn when he opens the door that that they are an African-American couple. Rob asks, "Why didn't you—?" and Mr. Peters replies, "And miss the look on your face?"
- Switched at Birth: Rob was convinced that Richie had been switched with another baby at the hospital, because the hospital kept confusing the Petries with the Peters (delivering the wrong flowers etc.) and baby Richie didn't look like either parent. That is, until he met Mr. and Mrs. Peters, who were black, resulting in one of the longest laughs in TV history.Rob Petrie: Why didn't you tell me on the phone?
Mr. Peters: And miss the expression on your face?- The end scenes had Rob say the Peters' son, Jimmy is a straight-A top student, while Richie...isn't. He then insists, "I still think we got the wrong kid!" Laura playfully hits him with a sofa pillow.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The events at the busy hospital plant the seeds, and multiple people throughout the episode make comments that inflame Rob's paranoia, such as Jerry saying that one newborn looks like another or Laura saying that Ritchie looks completely different now that he's at home in his bassinet.
- Whole Episode Flashback: Almost the entire episode is Rob telling the story of how he thought Ritchie had been mixed up with another kid.
- You Do Not Want To Know: After Mel makes a "switched at birth" joke, Laura mentions that Rob has lots of experience with that. Rob tries to pass it off as uninteresting, but the others keep pushing.
