saving a life -- ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, when andy wakes gomer before a fire breaks out at wally's & THE JEFFERSONS has tom save george from choking on popcorn in charlie's bar. both turn into "cancel the debt" scenarios.
was about to start a new thread on well-worn TV plots, then found this one from 20 years ago!
stuck between floors was used lots of times (edit: and already mentioned on page 1, *sigh*):
NIGHT COURT 2x10, homophobe dan is trapped in an elevator with a gay man (jack riley).
DICK VAN DYKE 4x07...