Series synopsis
Murphy Brown is an American comedy television series that premiered on CBS on September 27, 2018. It ended on December 20, 2018. It was created by Diane English. It stars Candice Bergen, Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto and Grant Shaud.
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 sympat ...
Premise
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.
Premise: Comedy's Back In The News.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown
- Faith Ford as Corky Sherwood
- Joe Regalbuto as Frank Fontana
- Grant Shaud as Miles Silverberg
- Jake McDorman as Avery Brown
- Nik Dodani as Pat Patel
- Tyne Daly as Phyllis
- Adan Rocha as Miguel Gonzales
Supporting cast
- Andre Ward as Julius - Stage Manager
Guest cast
- Hillary Clinton as Hillary
- Ashley Austin Morris as Addie
- Joseph Kamal as Ahmed Zahir
- Erika Olson as Ashley
- Charles Kimbrough as Jim Dial
- Tess Goldwyn as Sophie
- Kevin Sebastian as Geoffrey
- Eric van Alstyne as Wolf Stage Manager (voice)
- Roy Shuler as White House Reporter Fred (uncredited)
Episodes
This series spans 12 seasons with 240 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 2 | ||
| Season 1 | 13 | September 27, 2018 | December 20, 2018 |
| Season 2 | 27 | September 18, 1989 | May 21, 1990 |
| Season 3 | 26 | September 17, 1990 | May 20, 1991 |
| Season 4 | 26 | September 16, 1991 | May 18, 1992 |
| Season 5 | 25 | September 21, 1992 | May 17, 1993 |
| Season 6 | 25 | September 20, 1993 | May 16, 1994 |
| Season 7 | 26 | September 19, 1994 | May 22, 1995 |
| Season 8 | 24 | September 18, 1995 | May 20, 1996 |
| Season 9 | 24 | September 16, 1996 | May 18, 1997 |
| Season 10 | 22 | October 1, 1997 | May 18, 1998 |
| Season 11 | 0 | September 27, 2018 | December 20, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | An FYI Exclusive | |
| 2 | Cast Reunited |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Fake News Back in the game after a brief retirement, and faced with a world of 24-hour cable, social media, “fake news” and a vastly different political climate, Murphy is determined to draw the line between good television and honest reporting, proving that the world needs Murphy Brown now more than ever. |
September 27, 2018 |
| 2 |
I (Don't) Heart Huckabee After decades of being banned, Murphy and the team devise an elaborate ruse to sneak her into a White House press briefing. Also, Phyllis hires an enthusiastic college “Dreamer,” Miguel, to help out at the bar. |
October 4, 2018 |
| 3 |
#MurphyToo After Murphy attends a sexual harassment seminar for the “Murphy in the Morning” staff, she is surprised to find herself reeling from the long-repressed memory of her own #MeToo moment. |
October 11, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Brothers Silverberg When Miles arrives to the office, the whole gang makes fun of his new suit. He says he bought it because his older brother is coming to town so he wants to look good. At Murphy's office, Miles asks her to join them for lunch, Murphy reluctantly agrees. At Phil's Miles' brother Josh and Murphy really hit it off, which makes Miles a little uncomfortable. They also agree to go all to dinner together at a fancy italian restaurant. Miles brings his date Audrey Cohen, they all have a nice time at first but then Miles starts embarassing Murphy. The next day, Miles apologizes to Murphy about the way he behaved at the restaurant. One night Miles, Murphy and Josh arrive at her house after dinner, Murphy and Josh want to be alone but Miles is always getting in the middle, so they politely ask him to leave. Miles shows up in the middle of the night just to tell Murphy that he does not like the idea of her dating his brother at all. Josh arrives after being looking for Miles for hours, they sta |
September 18, 1989 |
| 2 |
Anchors Away The network sends Jim to Libya for two weeks, so they can audition a handsome new anchor for FYI; they don't count on the retaliation of Murphy and the gang. |
September 25, 1989 |
| 3 |
The Memo that Got Away A high-school computer hacker stumbles onto a memo by Murphy about her co-workers, and he plans to publish it in the school paper. |
October 2, 1989 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The 390th Broadcast With the start of the 13th season, Miles decides it's time to change the image of FYI, so he hires a consultant. |
September 17, 1990 |
| 2 |
Brown and Blue Murphy wants to interview a controversial comic, but after seeing some tapes of his act she changes her mind. Miles sets up the interview so Murphy decides to go ahead with it, the result of which makes for interesting viewing. |
September 24, 1990 |
| 3 |
Loco Hero Frank rescues people trapped in a hostage situation, but falls to pieces when his parents come to town for the celebration of 50th their wedding anniversary bash. A party Frank forgot to plan. |
October 1, 1990 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Uh-Oh (2) Murphy begins to ponder her fate, tells Frank her suspicions and tries more tests (all positive). Murphy tells Jake the news. |
September 16, 1991 |
| 2 |
Uh-Oh (3) Jake tells Murphy he has decided he isn't ready to settle down, and they both agree they can't do it together. Murphy decides to exercise her right to choose and her choice is motherhood. Even though it's Jake's baby, Jerry knows fatherhood isn't for him. While everyone else freaks out at the news, only Eldin is truly happy for Murphy. Murphy ""Do you think I'll make a good mother."" Eldin ""No, but I will."" |
September 16, 1991 |
| 3 |
I'm As Much of a Man as I Ever Was Gene Kinsella finds out about Murphy's pregnancy and considers the idea of taking her off the air. But Miles convinces him not to. Once that is solved, Murphy must get a quote from the president for her latest story. Frank says the only way to get this quote is jogging with him. Murphy thinks she's up for the job but Frank and Jim don't think so because of her pregnancy. So, Murphy accepts Frank's offer of getting the quote for her. When that doesn't work, Murphy tries to get it herself and ends up running over the president with her bike. Even though Murphy didn't get her quote she's happy, and concludes that her pregnancy will not make her life any more difficult, all she has to do is be a little more creative. |
September 23, 1991 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato (1) After the delivery, Murphy goes through her ""period of adjustment"" including the sleepless nights, finding a suitable nanny, name for the baby, then Dan opens his mouth. |
September 21, 1992 |
| 2 |
You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato (2) Murphy is angry over the Vice President's comments about her choice of ""family values,"" while trying to deal with her choice. |
September 21, 1992 |
| 3 |
Life After Birth During her first day back at FYI, Murphy discovers just how hard it is to leave the baby at home with a nanny. |
September 28, 1992 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The More Things Change An arrogant new colleague threatens everyone on the staff, especially Murphy who's just reduced her role on FYI resulting from the pressures of motherhood. Their relationship hits it off real well just as the show is ready to air. |
September 20, 1993 |
| 2 |
Angst For the Memories Murphy gets an interview with a reclusive '60s literary idol, but times and people have changed. |
September 27, 1993 |
| 3 |
Black and White and Read All Over After going to a function with Mitchell, Murphy begins to date him. Is there anything there, or do they just like it when heads turn? |
October 4, 1993 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Brown vs. the Board of Education Murphy tries to impress the board members of the prestigious ""Ducky Lucky Pre-School,"" by inviting them to a celebrity filled party. |
September 19, 1994 |
| 2 |
Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? A media frenzy ensues when famous ex-astronaut ""Danger Duke"" Robinson is wanted for questioning in the murder of his brother. |
September 26, 1994 |
| 3 |
Loose Affiliations Murphy bad mouths the network's new fall line-up and the staff is forced to attend an affiliate's meeting. |
October 3, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Altered States With her marriage to Peter canceled, Murphy is skeptical at the sudden marriage of Miles and Corky. |
September 18, 1995 |
| 2 |
The Awful Truth Lansing's nephew becomes Vice President of Current Affairs and he lures Murphy into a new hard news show he's created featuring Walter Cronkite; however, soon Cronkite becomes Redfield and the hard news becomes infotainment. |
September 25, 1995 |
| 3 |
Fearless Frank Frank escapes death while interviewing a mass murderer. Frank would like to cover less action stories; however, Lansing, hoping for a ratings boost, wants Frank to cover even riskier stories. Frank starts doing the stunts and then Lansing wants him to jump off the building, live. |
October 2, 1995 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Executive Decision Andrew moves in as the executive producer and the staff moves him out. They try to interview replacements, but Andrew keeps getting in the way. Lansing makes a decision that puts the executive producer of a game show in charge of FYI and she lays down one of the rules of her game. |
September 16, 1996 |
| 2 |
Power Play Kay begins to wield her power. She starts with the wardrobe policy, the coffee island and holding the story meetings in her office. Murphy fights back and the rest of the staff joins her, even though they like the story assignments she's given them. She stands fast as they all cave in. She confronts Kay and lets her know who's in charge; however we discover who's really the master manipulator. Murphy takes Kay's story idea (moderating the Presidential debates) and finds out the rest have killed their stories. Kay offers to help them get them back as Murphy declares war. |
September 23, 1996 |
| 3 |
A Comedy of Eros Frank is getting one of his plays produced. When he gets an out of country assignment, he leaves Murphy in charge of looking after his interests in the production. Busy with her own story, Murphy takes a hands off approach to the production, leaving the director to make his own decisions. The director, decides on a major casting change; Murphy finds out about it, just before the curtain rises. |
September 30, 1996 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Murphy Redux Murphy says her goodbyes to the gang of FYI. She takes a month off before her new job at the White House starts. On her first day, Murphy enters the gate of the White House and forty minutes later she makes her exit. She goes back to FYI looking for her old job; though Joan Lunden is a prime candidate. When she does return, her first show back features a report by Corky on breast cancer. Appalled by the fact that neither Murphy nor Kay has had a recent mammogram, Corky insists they each get one. Kay's test is negative, but Murphy has to speak to the doctor. |
October 1, 1997 |
| 2 |
A Butcher, A Faker a Bummed-Out Promo Maker Murphy needs a biopsy, which she reluctantly gets right away and must wait to hear the results at the end of the next day. In the morning of the next day the staff fights the network lawyers who want to kill their grocery chain story. As a comprise with the network they can do their story if they have a legal consultant with them in the remote unit and Jim must do promos for all the local affiliates. When their undercover operative isn't going to work out and Frank is convinced he is to well known to pull it off, Kay volunteers. Meanwhile, Jim makes his promos. Just before going to dinner that evening, Murphy gets the results of her test and tells Frank the news. |
October 8, 1997 |
| 3 |
Ectomy, Schmectomy When Murphy and Frank don't show up for dinner, Kay speculates they have are a having a relationship. Murphy drops the bomb on the rest of the staff. Jim is speechless. Frank tries to help in every way that he can. Murphy faces a tough decision with the myriad of treatment options for her breast cancer. |
October 15, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Fake News Back in the game after a brief retirement, and faced with a world of 24-hour cable, social media, "fake news" and a vastly different political climate, Murphy is determined to draw the line between good television and honest reporting, proving that the world needs Murphy Brown now more than ever. |
September 27, 2018 |
| 2 |
I (Don't) Heart Huckabee After decades of being banned, Murphy and the team devise an elaborate ruse to sneak her into a White House press briefing. Also, Phyllis hires an enthusiastic college "Dreamer," Miguel, to help out at the bar. |
October 4, 2018 |
| 3 |
#MurphyToo After Murphy attends a sexual harassment seminar for the "Murphy in the Morning" staff, she is surprised to find herself reeling from the long-repressed memory of her own #MeToo moment. |
October 11, 2018 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | CBS |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 27, 2018 |
| Last aired | December 20, 2018 |
| Runtime | 24 minutes |
| Status | canceled |
| Schedule | Thursday at 21:30:00 |