Murphy Brown: Season 1

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Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Ratings

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5.8

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5.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

CBS | Season Premiere Date: November 14, 1988

Starring: Jane Leeves, Joe Regalbuto, Lily Tomlin

Summary: Murphy Brown was created by Diane English. Murphy is the star reporter on a news magazine show called FYI. The show is based in Washington DC, which gives the FYI team more than enough material to work with. Murphy lives in a townhouse that she has been having repainted for the duration of the series, Eldin the painter may never finish theMurphy Brown was created by Diane English. Murphy is the star reporter on a news magazine show called FYI. The show is based in Washington DC, which gives the FYI team more than enough material to work with. Murphy lives in a townhouse that she has been having repainted for the duration of the series, Eldin the painter may never finish the job, but Murphy doesn't seem to mind. Murphy owes her Betty Ford trip to Phil, he owns the local bar & restaurant where the staff and the rest of the political scene have lunch. Phil knows about everything going on in Washington. Jim Dial is the uptight senior anchor, a seasoned veteran, who accompanied Murphy on her trip to the Betty Ford Clinic. Frank is a single guy and constantly looking for a girlfriend, he is also Murphy's best friend. Corky is a former Miss America turned news person, she covers all the "hard" news. Miles is a young Harvard graduate, whose first "real job" out of school is as executive producer of FYI.
Murphy has trouble keeping a secretary, in this guide the actors that play this small part has their appearance number placed after their names, take note of the increasing number after the character name of Secretary. Some secretaries had no dialog and did not get credited, others wound up on the cutting room floor, this accounts for holes in the numbering scheme. When Murphy became a new mother, she began to run through nannies the same way, they are also numbered after the character name of Nanny. After running through 6 of them, she makes the obvious choice for a nanny, Eldin, who prefers the term "Big Guy." It also takes Murphy four months to give the baby his name.
After nine seasons in the newsroom, the series looked like it might take a different direction in the 10th season. Murphy may change careers and become a White House senior advisor. Amazing since in the past she had been banned from the White House press room on several occassions. True to form, when she does, it is only for a short time. When a commercial for the series aired during the 49th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards, it seemed to indicate that Murphy's life would take a different turn. It certainly does when she faces her own mortality when she is diagnosed with breast cancer.
Murphy Brown has done well with the Prime Time Emmy Awards with nominations in many categories and numerous awards for Candice Bergen as "Best Actress in a Comedy Series." So many in fact that she declined the nomination for 1996, allowing Helen Hunt to get the Emmy that Candice thought she deserved a few years earlier.

First air date: November 14, 1988
Last air date: May 18, 1998
Original air time: Monday 9:00:00 pm (Eastern)

Episodes: 247 Color Episodes + 1 Special

Nielsen Ratings:
(Top 30 or Better)
#27 in the 1989–1990 Season
#6 in the 1990–1991 Season
#3 in the 1991–1992 Season
#4 in the 1992–1993 Season
#9 in the 1993–1994 Season
#16 in the 1994–1995 Season
#20 in the 1995–1996 Season… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E22. The Morning Show
Air Date: May 22, 1989
tbd
S1:E21. The Bickners
Air Date: May 15, 1989
tbd
S1:E20. The Summer of '77
Air Date: May 8, 1989

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

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Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

Steve Sonsky

Jul 23, 2013

It's very, very funny. ... The ingredients are all here (neat star, clever writing, a talented, well-defined supporting ensemble) for a classy comedy hit in the Cheers or Mary Tyler Moore Show mold. [14 Nov 1988]

John J. O'Connor

Jul 23, 2013

The supporting cast... is strong. And the star is wonderful. ... There's a nice urban, smart-alecky tone to ''Murphy Brown.'' Now it's up to the scriptwriters. Read full review

Clifford Terry

Jul 23, 2013

Appearing in her first TV series, Bergen brings in a full-court-press performance-stylish, sardonic and funny. Couple that with English's crisp dialogue, which consistently veers off just at the point it seems to be settling for the formulaic, and "Murphy Brown" comes up as a bright, promising half-hour. [14 Nov 1988]

Joe Stein

Jul 23, 2013

It's all great fun, and the idea of putting a hard-nosed, highly competent journalist into situations where she must deal with neophytes and no-talents is rife with possibilities, especially since Bergen plays Murphy Brown as a complex, intriguing neurotic. Not everything works in the debut episode, but enough to mark this as a sitcom with possibilities. [14 Nov 1988]

Marvin Kitman

Jul 23, 2013

Heretofore, I have never thought of Candice Bergen as a major comedienne like Andrea Martin or Catherine O'Hara. But I like her as Murphy Brown. She has the addictive personality of the character she plays, and can grow on you. [14 Nov 1988]

Harry F. Waters

Jul 23, 2013

There's lots to love about the CBS sitcom "Murphy Brown," even though Candice Bergen works too hard at grabbing her share. ... This sitcom sparkles with acerbic intelligence, though its fascination with the real TV world occasionally gets out of hand. [28 Nov 1988]

John Haslett Cuff

Jul 23, 2013

It can't quite decide whether to reach for the smaller, literate audience or appeal to the crowd that needs a laugh track to appreciate a Chevy Chase pratfall. ... Still, there are some good sharp laughs despite the more obvious digs. [14 Nov 1988]

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User Reviews

Shelley-55

Dec 4, 2015

Murphy Brown was the Baby Boomer's easy, entertaining way that even though we wanted it all...remember the saying, "Man makes plans, and God laughs"/ That pretty much sums it up. We could make a valiant effort to have/be/want it all, juggling all those balls of responsibility; but weMurphy Brown was the Baby Boomer's easy, entertaining way that even though we wanted it all...remember the saying, "Man makes plans, and God laughs"/ That pretty much sums it up. We could make a valiant effort to have/be/want it all, juggling all those balls of responsibility; but we would, without a doubt, drop at least 1 of the activities/responsibilities we were trying to keep in the air. Murphy Brown, besides being able to cut Dan Quayle to size (the guy who thought Murphy was a real person, not a tv character, ;also did not know how to spell potato), which made it ok for the rest of us to not feel utterly defeated, since we were among others who couldn't keep juggling all those darn balls , keeping them in the air.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TNF1343

Feb 15, 2014

There's little doubt that this show was enjoyed by many back in the late 80s. However, as a 17 year-old male living in the 21st century, I felt very disconnected from this show. What was humorous then has now become comedy tropes, unfortunately.

I could only bear to watch 5 episodes, so IThere's little doubt that this show was enjoyed by many back in the late 80s. However, as a 17 year-old male living in the 21st century, I felt very disconnected from this show. What was humorous then has now become comedy tropes, unfortunately.

I could only bear to watch 5 episodes, so I honestly haven't completed the whole Season. Murphy Brown's a decent character herself but by now, all of her episodic plot-lines have been done to death. And Miles, the co-star, comes off as a pretty flat character. Otherwise, the ensemble did nothing but irritate me.

Comedies can more or less get away with weaker elements if the humour is still there, but it's sadly not the case here. I probably laughed only about one time per episode, which was a slight relief from mostly boring TV. Again, this may have been funny in the 80s, but all I see now is out of date references and overused jokes.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Rich33331

Nov 24, 2018

Very predictable, stiff and boring. The old BAD Dan Quail jokes seem hilarious compared to this stuff! Gonna be one and done she is an old irrelevant broad. She couldn’t do a weekend overnight fill in as a reporter in bum-f Egypt! Boring and tired like the cast.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Seasons & Episodes

76

Series Overview
Season 10

tbd
- Season 10 Overview
  Air Date: October 1, 1997
Season 9

tbd
- Season 9 Overview
  Air Date: September 16, 1996
Season 8

tbd
- Season 8 Overview
  Air Date: September 18, 1995
Season 7

tbd
- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: September 19, 1994
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: September 20, 1993
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: September 21, 1992
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 16, 1991
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 17, 1990
Season 2

100
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 18, 1989
Season 1

72
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: November 14, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E22. The Morning Show
  Air Date: May 22, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E21. The Bickners
  Air Date: May 15, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E20. The Summer of '77
  Air Date: May 8, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E19. The Unshrinkable Murphy Brown
  Air Date: May 1, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E18. Funnies Girl
  Air Date: April 10, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E17. My Dinner with Einstein
  Air Date: March 20, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E16. Moscow on the Potomac
  Air Date: March 13, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E15. Mama Said
  Air Date: March 6, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E14. It's How You Play the Game
  Air Date: February 27, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E13. Soul Man
  Air Date: February 20, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E12. Why Do Fools Fall in Love?
  Air Date: February 13, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E11. Off the Job Experience
  Air Date: January 23, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E10. Kyle
  Air Date: January 16, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E9. I Would Have Danced All Night
  Air Date: January 9, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E8. And So He Goes
  Air Date: January 2, 1989
- tbd
  S1:E7. Set Me Free
  Air Date: December 19, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E6. Baby Love
  Air Date: December 12, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E5. Murphy's Pony
  Air Date: December 11, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E4. Signed, Sealed, Delivered
  Air Date: December 5, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E3. Nowhere to Run
  Air Date: November 28, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E2. Devil With a Blue Dress On
  Air Date: November 21, 1988
- tbd
  S1:E1. Respect
  Air Date: November 14, 1988