Back To Index Murphy Brown - The Complete First Season
 Barnes & Noble Stripped to its basics, Murphy Brown was an updated version of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, complete with the newsroom setting and the combination of smart wisecrackers and bumbling egotists. In the 11 years between Mary’s farewell and Murphy’s arrival, though, TV sitcoms had evolved to the point where Murphy Brown creator Diane English could put a more realistic edge on the proceedings, beginning with a pilot that introduces the title character as a woman on the rebound after a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic. It was also overtly political and unambiguously liberal, aiming sarcastic and belittling remarks at real-life Republican officeholders, up to and including President George H. W. Bush. But Murphy Brown got away with its potentially divisive humor by being funny -- uproariously funny, in some cases. The show would eventually inspire heated controversy, but that really isnt present in Season 1. Right from the beginning, Candice Bergen was sensational as the brilliant, acerbic newsmagazine reporter who gets out of rehab to find her show, FYI, in the hands of neurotic, insincere producer Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), whose idea for boosting ratings is to hire former Miss America Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford) as a reporter. Murphys pals -- stuffy lead anchor Jim Dial (Charles Kimbrough) and segment producer Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto) -- are also part of the mix. On the home front, Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli) is forever repainting Brown’s apartment and providing weekly counterpoint to the FYI crew, occasionally puncturing the show’s media-elite bubble with salt-of-the-earth eccentricity. Among the best episodes of a uniformly solid first season are "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," in which an unwitting Miles schedules Murphy to do an on-air interview with her radical ex-husband (Robin Thomas); "Baby Love," which finds Murphy experiencing maternal urges and asking Frank to be a sperm donor (she would eventually get pregnant, but not this time around); and "Mama Said," guest-starring Colleen Dewhurst as Murphys abrasive mother, in town for a visit of undetermined length. Probably the best show of the 1988-89 year was "I Would Have Danced All Night," an episode that has Murphy wondering why shes the only FYI staffer who hasnt received an invitation to the Bush inaugural. Ed HulseCustomer ReviewsWrite your own online review >Number Of Reviews: 1 Average Rating: Toni LoTempio, an author, A SPY IN THE HAND, March 22, 2005 STILL GOOD AFTER ALL THESE YEARSMurphy Brown was always my favorite and this 4 disc set reminds me why--there is nothing to match this ensemble performance, capped off by the always wonderful Candice Bergen as the irrepressible Murphy Brown. This set should attract a whole new group of fans. Who cant get enough on Nick at Nite. Interested in the song lyrics? - Check out themostlyrics.com! Looking For A DVD? - Check out dvd-a-rama.com! |
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