Murphy Brown

24min

Comedy

Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) is a recovering alcoholic who returns to the fictional newsmagazine FYI for the first time following a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic residential treatment center. Over 40 and single, she is sharp tongued and hard as nails. In her profession, she is considered one of the boys, having shattered many glass ceilings encountered during her career. Dominating the FYI news magazine, she is portrayed as one of America's hardest-hitting (though not the warmest or more sympathetic) media personalities.

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Television

Shukovsky English Entertainment

Episodes

Cast

Respect

1. Respect

30min

14th Nov 1988

Murphy returns to FYI after ""drying out"" at the Betty Ford clinic. The show has undergone some changes while she was gone, including the addition of a beauty queen to the anchor desk and a new young executive producer. In her first week back she isn't sure whether she still has her edge.

Devil With a Blue Dress On

2. Devil With a Blue Dress On

30min

21st Nov 1988

Miles assigns Corky to work with Murphy on a big story about a corporate big shot. Corky inadvertently uncovers the fact that he is a drug smuggler, this isn't immediately apparent to her. Murphy almost feels guilty about taking credit for the story, but she doesn't get the chance, Corky ""grabs the brass ring.""

Nowhere to Run

3. Nowhere to Run

30min

28th Nov 1988

Murphy investigates a federal prosecutor who's linked to mob-run prostitution, Miles fears for his life when he receives his first death threat.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

4. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

30min

5th Dec 1988

Miles schedules Murphy to interview her radical ex-husband. Murphy & Jake's feelings for one another begin to ruin the chance of a professional interview.

Murphy's Pony

5. Murphy's Pony

30min

11th Dec 1988

During the Christmas holidays, a mother abandons her children to the care of Murphy Brown. Murphy goes all out to help them out.

Baby Love

6. Baby Love

30min

12th Dec 1988

Murphy feels maternal pangs after visiting with a pregnant friend. She considers in vitro fertilization and talks Frank into being the donor. When that option doesn't pan out, they consider a physical union.

Set Me Free

7. Set Me Free

30min

19th Dec 1988

Murphy's having a rotten day, complicated by a gunman who interrupts the show and demands they read his statement on the air and it gets capped off by the painter she hired to do her kitchen sticking around to finish ""extending myself.""

And So He Goes

8. And So He Goes

30min

2nd Jan 1989

Murphy's long time nemesis asks for her to deliver the eulogy at his funeral, and Murphy sees it as her chance to have the last laugh or so she thinks.

I Would Have Danced All Night

9. I Would Have Danced All Night

30min

9th Jan 1989

Murphy is perplexed and angry when everyone on the staff is invited to the inaugural ball of President-elect Bush. Was it something she reported? Miles debates about asking a taller woman to the ball.

Kyle

10. Kyle

30min

16th Jan 1989

Murphy's story wins freedom for an innocent man; when the rest of the team realizes he has a problem adjusting with the outside world, Miles offers him a job as Murphy's secretary.

Off the Job Experience

11. Off the Job Experience

30min

23rd Jan 1989

Miles suspends Murphy for her handling of an interview. So she leaves the office for two weeks and becomes miserable.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

12. Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

30min

13th Feb 1989

Cupid strikes the staff when Murphy reluctantly fixes Frank up on the condition he finds someone for her. Murphy's latest secretary has a crush on Jim.

Soul Man

13. Soul Man

30min

20th Feb 1989

Murphy tries to gain entry into Washington's last exclusive club, trouble is, it's for men only. Murphy tries to get Jim to sponsor her, when she discovers a loophole in the by-laws.

It's How You Play the Game

14. It's How You Play the Game

30min

27th Feb 1989

To get the public to see Frank's piece on the homeless, the FYI team competes with Jerry Gold's show on its level, with surprising results.

Mama Said

15. Mama Said

30min

6th Mar 1989

Murphy's overbearing mother comes to visit for an unspecified length of time.

Moscow on the Potomac

16. Moscow on the Potomac

30min

13th Mar 1989

Murphy prepares for a joint broadcast with the Soviet news equivalent of Murphy Brown.

My Dinner with Einstein

17. My Dinner with Einstein

30min

20th Mar 1989

Murphy dates a physicist to prove looks aren't everything, but he proves to be a party guy.

Funnies Girl

18. Funnies Girl

30min

10th Apr 1989

An on-camera slip of the tongue, makes Murphy the butt of a cartoonist's joke in ""The Adventures of Mouthy Brown,"" then the rest of the staff falls victim.

The Unshrinkable Murphy Brown

19. The Unshrinkable Murphy Brown

30min

1st May 1989

While Murphy is grilling him on the show, a judge dies of a heart attack. This causes Murphy to lose her edge, so she attends a group therapy session.

The Summer of '77

20. The Summer of '77

30min

8th May 1989

Eldin meets Corky for the first time and becomes infatuated with her. Phil reflects on the first time he met Murphy, when she first came to Washington to audition against Linda Ellerbee & Frank Fontana for FYI.

The Bickners

21. The Bickners

30min

15th May 1989

A minor traffic accident, with a sweet elderly couple, results in a 1.5 million dollar lawsuit for Murphy.

The Morning Show

22. The Morning Show

30min

22nd May 1989

During an off week at FYI, Murphy & Corky co-anchor the network's morning show, and Murphy finds it's a job she just isn't made for. Murphy's new secretary has a passing resemblance to a ""dead"" celebrity.

First air date

14th Nov 1988

Last air date

18th May 1998

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks