Murphy Brown: Season 01  (1988)

Theatrical Release Information:
Murphy Brown: Season 01

Fresh from a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic, hard-driving (but no longer hard-drinking) TV personality Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) launches the first season of the CBS sitcom bearing her name. Returning to her job as star reporter of the Washington-based TV magazine show "FYI," Murphy is none too thrilled to discover the changes made in her absence, specifically the addition to the on-air staff of ditsy ex-beauty queen Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), and the hiring of greenhorn executive producer Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud). Miles' inability to make a decision drives Murphy up a wall, but not nearly as much as Corky's gushing hero worship. At least Murphy still has her longtime associates, stuffy "FYI" anchorman Jim Dial (Charles Kimbrough) and gonzo investigative reporter Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto) to kick around -- er, kick around with. And back in her own townhouse, Murphy can occasionally bounce her innermost thoughts off house painter Eldin (Robert Pastorelli), who from the looks of things will never finish redecorating her living room. In the course of season one, Murphy is faced with the challenge of interviewing her radical-activist former husband, Jake Lowenstein (Robin Thomas); she carries on a love-hate (and sometimes hate-hate) relationship with her journalistic rival Jerry Gold (Jay Thomas); she tries to talk Frank into donating his sperm for her artificial insemination; the inauguration of president-elect Bush is occasion enough for Murphy to be permanently banned from covering the White House; Jim is used as Murphy's "beard" when she tries to break down the gender barriers of Washington's last men-only club; disaster reigns when Murphy co-anchors an international broadcast with her Russian counterpart Vladia (Robin Strasser); and, just to get off the topic of Murphy Brown (which she never seems able to do), Eldin falls in love with Corky. Meanwhile, the first of many secretaries marches into Murphy's office, only to march right out again; by season's end, our heroine has run through 20 secretaries -- and the series is only one year old! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide