Murphy Brown

1988

Seasons & Episodes

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6.9| TV-PG| en| More Info
Released: 14 November 1988 Ended
Producted By: Warner Bros. Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

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.

Genre

Comedy

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Director

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Warner Bros. Television

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Murphy Brown Audience Reviews

Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!
Blake Rivera If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
Aspen Orson There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.
Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.
planetbloom Correction: Murphy Brown's pregnancy was the result of one-time sex with a lover from her past. I remember this distinctly because she is also an older mom. I believe she is supposed to be 42 at the time. She talks about friends at her age desperately going to fertility clinics to get pregnant and says something like: "And I do it one time...ONE TIME" It was natural conception. Dan Quayle didn't like the fact she was a single mother. There was no insemination about it as bluethunder35 states. Murphy's pregnancy season also had some of the funniest (because they struck chords of truth about the amazing process of becoming a mother) scenes in the annals situation comedy -- such as Murphy buying a whole slew of home pregnancy tests. Then you see them all lined up in her bathroom as they all indicate positive and she is stunned. Or when she attends a birthing class and comes to the conclusion "this is really going to happen."
policy134 This was perceived as something of a sensation back in the late 80's and early 90's. What is strange is that while other sitcoms who were pushing the envelope got virtually no attention, like Married with Children, Murphy Brown was considered cutting edge.What the sitcom actually introduced was that you could portray a woman, who was successful in her job, even though she was pushing middle age and to top it all of she was single. In that respect you can say that the sitcom was out of the ordinary. Just think of Claire Huxtable without 5 children.What was not so great about this was the fact that Murphy Brown relied heavily on stereotypes, at least in the beginning of its run. Aside from Murphy Brown herself there was Phil, the understanding but gruff bartender, the airhead journalist who usually got by on her looks and the jealous co-worker who was as stiff on camera as William Shatner.Oh, yeah. In case you forgot this took place in a newsroom and was one of dozens of shows that aired in the 90's that did. Starting with the feature film "Broadcast News" TV-shows milked this setting for all it was worth in the 90's.Every once in a while they found an interesting hook in this show like having Murphy Brown get a new secretary (this was before the term assistant became the right term) every week. Of course, this was spoofed on Seinfeld but in itself this was the most funny thing about this show.The show was famous for tackling issues but usually it was done in such a straightforward manor that you could just as easily have made this a 50 minute drama series instead.So not that this was the worst sitcom ever, but I couldn't get many laughs out of the situations portrayed here. Just to name a few Murphy Brown was a recovering alcoholic, she gave birth as a single mother (ha-ha), her best friends were a bartender and a man she hired to paint her house.
sfree10097 I have to agree with Tommy-92. The programs dealing with Murphy's breast cancer were amazing. I have a very dear friend now going through chemo treatment for ovarian cancer and I truly wish I could give her these episodes. It would be so nice to give her something to make her laugh and see that what she is not alone in what she is going through. The writers were amazing in the way they dealt with this. Murphy was one of the class shows on television, they dealt with current topics and didn't shy away from controversial subjects. The other thing about the show was that Murphy was a strong woman, that was so rare at that time and not common today. Candance Bergan portrayed someone that I would be proud to be a friend with or have my daughter emulate. Feminine and strong.
Tommy-92 I only started watching this show in its last season. I laughed a lot, which is pretty hard to do with so many of the other shows these days. Candace Bergen is a great actress working with great scripts and a great cast. The breast cancer story line was handled very well, both in poignant and humorous ways. The finale was a fitting way to end it.

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