Murphy Brown: Season 05 (1992)

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In the weeks just prior to the opening episode of Murphy Brown's fifth season, the series, and its star Candice Bergen, were at the center of a controversy largely stirred up by then Vice President Dan Quayle. Commenting on the fact that season four had ended with an unmarried Murphy giving birth to a baby, Mr. Quayle decried the series' lack of "family values." In response -- or rather, in protest -- series producer Diane English saw to it that the fifth-season opener made several pointed satirical references to the vice president's verbal attack, capping this skewering by titling the episode "You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" (a swipe at Mr. Quayle's questionable spelling skills). Once that's over with, Murphy returns home with her new son, Avery, in her arms, quickly going through a series of nannies whom she finds unsuitable. Eventually, Murphy's live-in house painter, Eldin (Robert Pastorelli), proves to be the perfect choice to care for little Avery, a job which, of course, distances Eldin even farther from ever finishing the decorating job for which he was originally hired...five years ago. Back on the set of "FYI," anchorman Jim Dial (Charles Kimbrough) is in for his share of headaches when his wife launches her own showbiz career, while executive producer Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud) dreads the arrival of his '60s-activist parents for a demonstration on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Also, author Will Forest's (Scott Bryce) childish reaction to a series of financial setbacks drives the final nail in the coffin so far as his marriage to Murphy's co-worker Corky (Faith Ford) is concerned. And in the episode "Bump in the Night," otherwise fearless investigative reporter Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto) is a bundle of nerves while preparing for an appearance on David Letterman's talk show. Season five ends with Murphy seriously considering giving up her career for the sake of her son; and at last count, the number of secretaries hired and summarily fired by our heroine has reached 58. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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