Murphy Brown Episode Rating Graph
Nov 1988 - May 1998
Nov 1988 - May 1998
7.0
Browse episode ratings trends for Murphy Brown. Simply click on the interactive rating graph to explore the best and worst of Murphy Brown's 247 episodes.
S10 Ep6
8.1
5th Nov 1997
Murphy begins her chemotherapy treatments. The treatments make her uncomfortable and take a lot out of her. She confronts Jim about his avoidance of her and her condition. In an effort to help her out, Jim purchases some marijuana to help ease her pain. They light up and deal with their issues.
S8 Ep24
7.9
20th May 1996
The unemployed staff members decide it would be a slap in the face to the network if they helped Jim and his team out. Miller wants to move into Murphy's office. Miles fills Lansing in on the state of things. Lansing offers advice to Miles, which he declines. Lansing concedes, FYI is back, complete with Jim; the network is going to let them run the tobacco story. Charles Kuralt takes over Jim's responsibilities at ICN. Impressed with Miles' hardball tactics, Lansing offers him a big job in New York City and he accepts.
S4 Ep26
7.9
18th May 1992
While doing the last show of the season, Murphy starts going into labor. The FYI gang and crew panics, and don't know what to do since they're in the middle of a live show, Miles asks Jim to take Murphy to the hospital, Corky to close the show, and Frank to get Eldin and anything else Murphy needs at her house. At the hospital, Murphy is still relaxed, she's starting to feel the first contractions and they're not as painful as she thought. She even asks Jim to play cards with her. Everything is under control, but not for long, the contractions are starting to get very painful. Murphy is screaming and Jim doesn't know what to do. A nurse shows up and after examining Murphy says that it's still too early and suggests that Murphy walks a little to relieve some of the pain. And that's what Murphy does, Miles is with her trying to calm her down, because Murphy is a 'little' cranky. Later on, Murphy is screaming even more, she's holding Frank and Miles through their neck cursing and bl
S7 Ep26
7.9
22nd May 1995
The first seven seasons of the show are highlighted by Lesley Stahl of CBS's 60 Minutes including interviews with the cast and Diane English, the series creator.
S10 Ep22
7.9
18th May 1998
Jim seeks some career advice from Mike Wallace. Mike tells him he is boring and has lost his spark. Murphy begins her interview with God, who tells her she must make the best of the gifts she has been given. The surgery uncovers the abnormality was just a cyst, Murphy can go on with her life. The gang is happy for her, but unsure what to do with themselves without Murphy as a part of FYI. Frank and Julia finally get together and arrange a date. Jim prepares to leave and Murphy returns to the office. She is ready to tell everyone that she's changed her mind, when they all mention what they have in the works for their careers. Murphy confesses her selfishness, but mentions that she doesn't want to leave. After a group hug, they all get together to reminisce on memories of the past. At the end of the day, Murphy returns to her townhouse. Ten years later, Eldin makes the same entrance back into her life. Seems Avery used his mother's Sprint card to track Eldin down. Eldin proposes marriage
S5 Ep2
7.8
21st Sep 1992
Murphy is angry over the Vice President's comments about her choice of ""family values,"" while trying to deal with her choice.
S10 Ep21
7.8
18th May 1998
Murphy fires her last secretary, she plans on leaving FYI, it has been six months since her last chemotherapy treatment. She wants to live the rest of her life. Jim mentions it might be time for him to go as well. The rest of the staff tries to come to grips with the situation. Meanwhile, shooting on location down the street, Julia Roberts stops by the offices of FYI hoping to meet Frank Fontana. To be free and clear of cancer, Murphy needs to get another mammogram. Unfortunately, the mammogram shows something that will require exploratory surgery to uncover its nature. Seeking comfort, Murphy reflects on the need to talk with Phil and no one is more surprised than she is when he returns from the dead. Seems he knew too much about Whitewater. Murphy goes under the knife as the gang waits outside. Murphy has an out of body experience that brings up to heaven to conduct the only person she hasn't interviewed, God.
S4 Ep2
7.7
16th Sep 1991
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.""
S4 Ep25
7.7
11th May 1992
Murphy relents when Corky wants to throw her a baby shower and the guests that arrive give her the low down on child birth and children.
S7 Ep10
7.7
21st Nov 1994
Eldin's mother stops by to visit (she's a hit with the FYI staffers) and she has a letter for Eldin. The letter contains a chance for Eldin to study with a famous muralist in Spain, but it means he must leave Murphy and Avery, something he's reluctant to do, so Murphy fires him.
S10 Ep13
7.7
14th Jan 1998
The chemotherapy begins to take its toll on Murphy's hair. She begins to wear a wig and attend support group meetings.
S1 Ep19
7.7
1st May 1989
While Murphy is grilling him on the show, a judge dies of a heart attack. This causes Murphy to lose her edge, so she attends a group therapy session.
S2 Ep14
7.6
1st Jan 1990
Corky is having a New Year's Eve party, and Murphy wants to avoid it. Everyone challenges her to be able enjoy the occasion without the her old vice. Sober, Murphy can still bring life to a dull party.
S4 Ep9
7.6
11th Nov 1991
Murphy's chance to interview the "Queen of Soul" is in jeopardy when her train arrives late and the limo gets detoured and the staff struggles to fill the air time.
S8 Ep23
7.6
13th May 1996
Murphy celebrates her 8th year of sobriety, but she has a few steps to go. Making amends is her next step, an awfully big one but she tries really hard; everyone else is concerned about rumors of FYI moving its time slot. Murphy decides to confront Stan about the rumor. She finds out more than she wants to (and even more from Phil) then have to keep it a secret, especially from Corky and Frank. Murphy decides to quit FYI, Frank and Corky join her.
S1 Ep2
7.6
21st Nov 1988
Miles assigns Corky to work with Murphy on a big story about a corporate big shot. Corky inadvertently uncovers the fact that he is a drug smuggler, this isn't immediately apparent to her. Murphy almost feels guilty about taking credit for the story, but she doesn't get the chance, Corky ""grabs the brass ring.""
S2 Ep10
7.6
27th Nov 1989
Murphy is set to receive the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, so the rest of the staff convince her that at least one of her estranged parents should attend. She concedes and invites her father, but the sparks fly when her father arrives with his new young wife and child and later her mother shows up.
S3 Ep26
7.6
20th May 1991
Jake resurfaces with matrimony on his mind, Murphy is caught between him and her ex-lover, Jerry Gold, when he returns unexpectedly. Later Murphy takes a home pregnancy test, the results are positive.
S1 Ep4
7.5
5th Dec 1988
Miles schedules Murphy to interview her radical ex-husband. Murphy & Jake's feelings for one another begin to ruin the chance of a professional interview.
S2 Ep7
7.5
6th Nov 1989
Jerry Gold bets the staff that they can't be environmentally responsible for a two week period, if they lose Murphy must appear on his show.
S1 Ep3
7.5
28th Nov 1988
Murphy investigates a federal prosecutor who's linked to mob-run prostitution, Miles fears for his life when he receives his first death threat.
S2 Ep13
7.5
18th Dec 1989
While Murphy is throwing a birthday party for Gene Kinsella, Miles recognizes a woman he had a one-night stand with at a broadcaster's convention, Mrs. Kinsella. However, Kinsella thinks that his wife is having an affair with Frank.
S2 Ep5
7.5
23rd Oct 1989
While on vacation, Miles' return flight is delayed by an Air Force pilot who has hijacked an F15-Eagle loaded with nuclear warheads.
S6 Ep13
7.5
13th Dec 1993
Murphy gets invited to the White House by the Clintons. Once she gets back to the office, she finds out she has a furry stowaway.
S6 Ep11
7.5
29th Nov 1993
To improve upon her image, Murphy gets a publicist and makes an appearance on a children's puppet show.
S5 Ep11
7.5
7th Dec 1992
After finishing his book The Little Dutch Boy and the movie's screenplay, Will gets hit with a plagiarism suit at the premiere. The stress of the situation exposes Corky and Will's marital problems.
S3 Ep20
7.5
4th Mar 1991
While the FYI staff car pool together, Murphy works on her will, Frank gets over a relationship, Corky obsesses over being right about a trivia question, Jim tries to think of an anecdote for an interview and Miles almost gets everyone killed.
S10 Ep14
7.5
21st Jan 1998
Murphy battles insomnia and the gang helps her to get through the night. Frank, while he is on a stakeout with a SWAT team. Jim, while he is working on getting back together with Doris. Corky, while she is going through her storage locker of memories. Kay, who was up anyway, helps Murphy make and bake cookies from scratch, over the phone.
S1 Ep22
7.5
22nd May 1989
During an off week at FYI, Murphy & Corky co-anchor the network's morning show, and Murphy finds it's a job she just isn't made for. Murphy's new secretary has a passing resemblance to a ""dead"" celebrity.
S1 Ep7
7.5
19th Dec 1988
Murphy's having a rotten day, complicated by a gunman who interrupts the show and demands they read his statement on the air and it gets capped off by the painter she hired to do her kitchen sticking around to finish ""extending myself.""
S1 Ep1
7.5
14th Nov 1988
Murphy returns to FYI after ""drying out"" at the Betty Ford clinic. The show has undergone some changes while she was gone, including the addition of a beauty queen to the anchor desk and a new young executive producer. In her first week back she isn't sure whether she still has her edge.
S1 Ep21
7.5
15th May 1989
A minor traffic accident, with a sweet elderly couple, results in a 1.5 million dollar lawsuit for Murphy.
S1 Ep20
7.5
8th May 1989
Eldin meets Corky for the first time and becomes infatuated with her. Phil reflects on the first time he met Murphy, when she first came to Washington to audition against Linda Ellerbee & Frank Fontana for FYI.
S5 Ep8
7.5
9th Nov 1992
Murphy leaves Eldin as nanny when she must fly to Paris for a European Summit Conference. She also decides on the baby's name, Avery and a full time nanny, Eldin.
S2 Ep23
7.4
9th Apr 1990
A series of outrageous practical jokes, which start with a visit from ""Deep Throat,"" get out of hand.
S3 Ep14
7.4
21st Jan 1991
The Wolf network tries to woo Murphy away, something she isn't interested in until she finds out the network is taking her for granted.
S2 Ep21
7.4
5th Mar 1990
On a publicity jaunt, Murphy and Jim find themselves snowbound in Kansas. While killing time in the bar Murphy challenges Jim's ability to flirt, something Jim may later regret.
S1 Ep12
7.4
13th Feb 1989
Cupid strikes the staff when Murphy reluctantly fixes Frank up on the condition he finds someone for her. Murphy's latest secretary has a crush on Jim.
S8 Ep16
7.4
12th Feb 1996
Stuart Best is now a tobacco lobbyist but he has a change of heart when he decides that smoking really stinks. He gives FYI the memos and etc. that will expose the tobacco industry. He becomes a little nervous and meets with the network lawyers where a little detail reveals they could all be sued. Murphy contemplates her future in journalism, but Jim makes the move.
S1 Ep13
7.4
20th Feb 1989
Murphy tries to gain entry into Washington's last exclusive club, trouble is, it's for men only. Murphy tries to get Jim to sponsor her, when she discovers a loophole in the by-laws.
S2 Ep2
7.4
25th Sep 1989
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.
S1 Ep18
7.4
10th Apr 1989
An on-camera slip of the tongue, makes Murphy the butt of a cartoonist's joke in ""The Adventures of Mouthy Brown,"" then the rest of the staff falls victim.
S6 Ep22
7.4
28th Mar 1994
When Murphy take Miles shopping for a new suit, he becomes humiliated when she ""sees it"" and then everyone else finds out. Later, everyone else lets out their most embarrassing moment.
S2 Ep4
7.4
16th Oct 1989
An FYI inspired sitcom sends its star to Washington to research her part, Murphy Brown.
S2 Ep16
7.4
29th Jan 1990
Miles asks the staff to be mentors for a group of young reporters who will be doing a pilot for FYI For Kids; Murphy over helps her protégé.
S1 Ep10
7.4
16th Jan 1989
Murphy's story wins freedom for an innocent man; when the rest of the team realizes he has a problem adjusting with the outside world, Miles offers him a job as Murphy's secretary.
S8 Ep1
7.4
18th Sep 1995
With her marriage to Peter canceled, Murphy is skeptical at the sudden marriage of Miles and Corky.
S6 Ep17
7.4
24th Jan 1994
Jim decides to open an English pub called ""The Anchorman"" and it turns out to be a big success as a gay bar.
S2 Ep8
7.4
13th Nov 1989
Murphy & Frank lose the Humboldt Award to Corky. Then to ride the PR wave, the network brass decide to give next week's lead story to the award winner.
S6 Ep16
7.4
17th Jan 1994
Murphy's report and comments about modern art lead to her appearance on a PBS talk show, defending her views against art critics. Later she takes one of Avery's paintings and puts it on display to show them what they really know about art.
S3 Ep15
7.3
4th Feb 1991
Ten years ago Murphy was banned from the White House press conferences. To top off her story on the education crisis, Murphy decides she needs a quotation from the ""Education"" president. When she manages to get a pass, she loses her voice two days before the conference.
S3 Ep18
7.3
25th Feb 1991
When their plane gets in trouble: Murphy and Frank's lives flash before their eyes.
S1 Ep15
7.3
6th Mar 1989
Murphy's overbearing mother comes to visit for an unspecified length of time.
S1 Ep9
7.3
9th Jan 1989
Murphy is perplexed and angry when everyone on the staff is invited to the inaugural ball of President-elect Bush. Was it something she reported? Miles debates about asking a taller woman to the ball.
S4 Ep1
7.3
16th Sep 1991
Murphy begins to ponder her fate, tells Frank her suspicions and tries more tests (all positive). Murphy tells Jake the news.
S1 Ep11
7.3
23rd Jan 1989
Miles suspends Murphy for her handling of an interview. So she leaves the office for two weeks and becomes miserable.
S3 Ep25
7.3
13th May 1991
The FYI staff vies against Yale on a TV quiz show, but at the dress rehearsal, they realize just how much they've forgotten since their school days.
S1 Ep16
7.3
13th Mar 1989
Murphy prepares for a joint broadcast with the Soviet news equivalent of Murphy Brown.
S1 Ep14
7.3
27th Feb 1989
To get the public to see Frank's piece on the homeless, the FYI team competes with Jerry Gold's show on its level, with surprising results.
S3 Ep8
7.3
19th Nov 1990
Finished early with her story, Murphy terrorizes the rest of the staff with her practical jokes. When a gang of environmental terrorists kidnap her, nobody believes her.
S3 Ep24
7.3
6th May 1991
Murphy goes off the deep end when a tabloid prints lies about her, one of which says she is drinking again.
S7 Ep15
7.3
16th Jan 1995
Murphy is the only one who can't remember Jack, a crew member who's just died; everyone else can, but Murphy is the one who's been asked to give the eulogy.
S4 Ep10
7.3
18th Nov 1991
Murphy has an appointment with a gynecologist for a test she can't drive to, when no one else is available, Jim must take her. The results of the test are normal with one exception, it's a boy.
S3 Ep16
7.3
11th Feb 1991
Jim's new novel, seems to uncover his affection for Murphy, when the central character meets a blonde female reporter.
S2 Ep12
7.3
11th Dec 1989
To start a significant dialog, Murphy decides she will break the technicians' strike by bringing both sides together for cake and conversation.
S1 Ep8
7.3
2nd Jan 1989
Murphy's long time nemesis asks for her to deliver the eulogy at his funeral, and Murphy sees it as her chance to have the last laugh or so she thinks.
S10 Ep4
7.3
22nd Oct 1997
Murphy worries about how she is going to tell Avery about the trip to the hospital she is making to treat a word she can't yet bring herself to say. The gang plans to help Murphy keep the nature of her surgery from an annoying member of the paparazzi. Kay, disguised as Murphy, Jim and Corky try to keep the photographer diverted while Murphy is prepared for the procedure, but are the doctors prepared for her? Despite the efforts, the photographer gets photos and the real information about Murphy's visit. Frank deals with that issue. Meanwhile in recovery Murphy meets a woman whose words help her to say the word, cancer.
S2 Ep3
7.3
2nd Oct 1989
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.
S5 Ep1
7.3
21st Sep 1992
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.
S4 Ep6
7.3
14th Oct 1991
After learning about her mother's death, Murphy doesn't seem to be that upset, which makes the FYI gang think that she's hiding her true feelings. She claims it's because of a letter her mother left to her saying that she must not cry, and if it's allowed she'll make one last visit to Murphy at the end of the night. So, Murphy and the Phil crowd decide to celebrate Avery's spirit. Murphy's father, Bill Brown shows up and suggests that they go home so they can talk about the good times the three of them had together. At Murphy's townhouse, Eldin is grieving Avery's passing and refuses to actually believe it. After he's gone, Murphy and her father decide to open the big trunk Avery left to Murphy containing a photo album, Murphy's indian blanket among other things. After arguing with her father over things from the past, Murphy finds a little box inside of the trunk, with one of Avery's hats, which Murphy tries on, also in that box there's a smaller one wrapped up as a present with a
S2 Ep20
7.3
26th Feb 1990
When Murphy learns things about Jerry Gold that no one else is privy to, she looks at him in a different light. They begin to have an affair that shocks everyone at FYI.
S10 Ep8
7.3
19th Nov 1997
While acting as chaperone for one of Avery's field trips, Murphy meets a younger man who wants to take her out on a date. The staff worry about nominations for the upcoming Humboldt Awards; no one is nominated, except Murphy who is to receive the lifetime achievement award. She is honored but concerned that her illness might be the reason for receiving the honor at this point in her career. Murphy decides to accept the young man's offer and begins to enjoy herself. The gang is reluctant to accept him and even Murphy feels she would be embarrassed to be seen with him when she plans to take him to the Humboldt Awards.
S8 Ep2
7.3
25th Sep 1995
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.
S5 Ep9
7.3
16th Nov 1992
Miles is embarrassed when his activist parents come to Washington for a large demonstration.
S9 Ep5
6.1
14th Oct 1996
Murphy begins to redecorate her bedroom into an office with a few extra amenities. Jim insists that she get a permit and have the job done properly, she'd already started. To get a permit, she has to get permission from her neighbor, Old Man Swenson. Eventually an agreement is reached, but will Murphy endure him long enough to keep up her end of the bargain.
S9 Ep14
6.1
6th Jan 1997
When Kay and Murphy are the only ones to make it into the office during a snowstorm. Kay seizes the opportunity to get an evaluation of her performance. Instead, she gets Murphy giving her several examples of how she acted in a variety of situations.
S8 Ep20
6.2
11th Mar 1996
Miles gets to use the new T-2000 bus to cover a primary campaign stop in Madison. The bus breaks down before they get there, so they decide to do their coverage from a local diner. GOP aides and other networks discover the broadcast and descend on the diner, turning it into just another campaign story. Meanwhile, Jim and his team get to Madison and get the real story.
S6 Ep10
6.3
22nd Nov 1993
Murphy is obsessed with the need to try to explain death to Avery and bothers everyone for their perspective.
S9 Ep19
6.3
17th Feb 1997
To combat against some radical changes that Kay is proposing, Murphy enlists the aid of Andrew J. Lansing III, who has been recuperating in a Buddhist monastery.
S10 Ep12
6.4
7th Jan 1998
Murphy's new secretary makes a great cup of coffee, but doesn't have time for much else. Murphy receives a call from a former Wall Street trader who has just been released from his prison sentence for insider trading and he wants to be interviewed on the show. During the on camera interview, he proposes to use some of his money to hold a benefit run for breast cancer research, which he would like Murphy endorse. Later, off camera, she does and really thinks that he might have changed when everything seems to go right with the event. Until he tells her that he doubled the million dollars they rose. She also discovers that public opinion is split, not on what she did, but who she did it with.
S8 Ep8
6.4
6th Nov 1995
Andrew comes down to Murphy with a story idea, for a profile of a business mogul. She rejects the idea. Frank takes the idea but doesn't do anything with it. Andrew provides the dirt & Murphy and Frank do a big expose at the same time that this mogul buys the network.
S8 Ep15
6.4
5th Feb 1996
Murphy misses a social event and tries to pull an all-nighter to work on her latest story. Peter drops by unexpectedly (he's only in town for 24 hours). Murphy wants to keep working on her story; instead she falls asleep. She begins dreaming that she's on trial for all her relationship sins, and begins facing all her previous suitors in court.
S9 Ep22
6.5
5th May 1997
Stuart Best is dubbed a hero at a fire. Murphy's probing questions lead the authorities to think he may have actually set the fire.
S10 Ep17
6.5
13th Apr 1998
Jerry Gold returns from Germany and it seems just like old times for Murphy and Jerry and the gang. Even Kay sees it as she tells the gang how she thinks there perfect for each other. Murphy and Jerry take the day off from work and feel the old sparks again. He inquires on her health Jerry: Did it hurt. Murphy: At first yes, but it doesn't hurt now Jerry: I can't think of anything hurting you Jerry and Murphy end up in bed together and Murphy tells him she does not want a relationship. Jerry says like wise because he's getting married. After Murphy tries to kick Jerry out of her house he tells her he wants her to be his best man because he cares so much about her. Murphy agrees with much begrudging. Murphy pretends she's not hurt, but Kay can see it. She even goes so far as to say Jerry is in town so she will stop the wedding. Murphy: Kay, Jerry Gold is not the man who got away. Kay: Really, because I would have guessed you two ended up in bed yesterday. Do you want to tell me or
S10 Ep18
6.5
20th Apr 1998
For a birthday present, Murphy helps her friend Lisa, from the canccer support group, to meet her high school crush. The gang decides to return the same favor for Murphy when Murphy mentions the name of boy she had a crush on; he was the lead in a high school production of ""The Music Man."" They set up a surprise meeting and they discover that Murphy's old crush is now a lounge singer.
S9 Ep11
6.5
25th Nov 1996
In an attempt to divert Kay's attention from FYI Murphy suggests that Kay produce a new afternoon talk show that she also convinces Stan that he can host. Frank even gets to play the saxophone in the house band. The premiere show starts out real bad and guest Tom Hanks escapes. Murphy becomes the replacement guest.
S6 Ep18
6.5
31st Jan 1994
The team travels to Lillehammer, and Murphy, who's more interested in getting free stuff, has a ""fluff piece"" interview with a skater, which results in a disaster for Norway.
S7 Ep11
6.5
28th Nov 1994
A series of incidents, while Doris is away, make Jim the subject of a tabloid article and his co-workers begin to doubt the credibility of his side of the story.
S7 Ep13
6.5
2nd Jan 1995
Stuart Best returns to Washington as a congressman and he humiliates Murphy at an inaugural party. To get her revenge, Murphy gets him on FYI to see where he stands on the issues, only Stuart didn't find out who was contributing to his campaign.
S7 Ep19
6.5
20th Feb 1995
Miles begins to split his time with another show that features Miller Redfield, who is still interested in Corky. Murphy takes over FYI meanwhile, Miles is too busy for a relationship with Corky.
S8 Ep21
6.5
29th Apr 1996
A secret admirer fills Murphy's office with flowers, candy and other gifts. It's obvious who the admirer is, Andrew J. Lansing III. Andrew gets her to his place (under false pretenses), Frank rescues her; however, they discover the hideous truth.
S8 Ep22
6.5
6th May 1996
Frank, smitten with a real estate agent, buys a 5 million dollar mansion that he can't afford.
S9 Ep3
6.5
30th Sep 1996
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.
S9 Ep8
6.5
4th Nov 1996
Murphy is ready to anchor the election coverage. However all her former secretary have formed a support group. The Eastern branch is lead by Robert (Secretary #2) and they all try to show Murphy the error of her ways.
S8 Ep19
6.5
4th Mar 1996
Murphy is coordinator of the Press-capades and is set on playing the role of Hillary Clinton in a sketch she's written. The rest of the cast wants her out and she concedes; however, Katie Couric has an accident before the show, so guess who gets the role.
S9 Ep10
6.5
18th Nov 1996
Frank thinks that Dana may finally be the one. He asks Murphy to have lunch with her and give her approval. When she does, he hesitates, but then moves he moves in with her. At their first dinner party, some truths about Dana are revealed. She keeps a menagerie in her apartment, has a son, her furniture is being repossessed and her ex-husband has broken out of prison and is looking for a place to stay.
S10 Ep1
6.5
1st Oct 1997
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.
S5 Ep14
6.6
11th Jan 1993
Miles and Audrey decide to live together, but he finds the living arrangements a little too crowded for his liking when her ex-boyfriend stays for a night and then doesn't leave.
S8 Ep3
6.6
2nd Oct 1995
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.
S9 Ep9
6.6
11th Nov 1996
Murphy's former agent, Steve, gives her a copy of TV Q ratings. She discovers that Miller's ratings are very low and she sees an opportunity to finally get rid of him. So she hooks Miller up with her former agent and insists it would be a great time for him to renegotiate his contract using the ""underdog theory."" He is fired and ironically all the other networks start a bidding war for his services.
S9 Ep23
6.6
12th May 1997
Miller's overbearing mother is going to write him off as her son since he is an idiot and not married yet. To impress her, Miller claims that he and Murphy are friends. Because Murphy is uncomfortable around Miller, his mother suspects they might be more than friends. Something he doesn't readily deny.
S5 Ep19
6.6
21st Feb 1993
A major story gets Frank a booking on Late Night With David Letterman, and Murphy becomes jealous. Frank invites Murphy to come with him and she causes trouble in the green room with the other guests, causing their performances to be off.
S7 Ep8
6.6
7th Nov 1994
After her story falls apart, Peter & Murphy try to have a romantic weekend in the Cayman Islands. Just after arriving, Murphy gets word that the story is back on and Peter stumbles onto a lead and then their competition begins.
S9 Ep16
6.6
20th Jan 1997
When Kay isn't sure about the accuracy of Murphy's source, she wants to meet him. To keep her source's anonymity Murphy and Frank decide to hire an impostor. Unfortunately they both hire someone for the part. The guy Frank hires, a video store clerk, seizes the opportunity to be on television when he tells Kay he'll appear to be on the show.
S10 Ep15
6.6
28th Jan 1998
Kay's idea to take the show to Paris turns into the network's idea of airing old stories on a cable special. The staff tries to decide upon which of their old stories to show. Murphy sees herself side-by-side, then and now and that causes her to return to her childhood home in Philadelphia in an attempt to recapture something from her childhood.
S3 Ep21
6.6
18th Mar 1991
Suffering from ""3rd year burnout,"" Miles asks for a positive uplifting story. When everyone else fails, Murphy takes on the challenge. She gets a perfect story, until the interview is on the air.
S9 Ep4
6.6
7th Oct 1996
Dottie invites Avery to her son Harrison's birthday party, despite the fact that Murphy tells her she doesn't like her. Corky finds some interesting information on Dottie's clothing line, Murphy makes a deal and trades stories; then she dishes the dirt on Dottie. Even that doesn't initially keep Dottie away. Finally she hates her; however, Murphy discovers that Avery still wants to go to the party. Murphy sneaks him in, but Dottie still demands an apology.
S8 Ep14
6.6
22nd Jan 1996
Lansing asks Jim to turn Miller into a real newsman. The rest of FYI is shocked to find out that Jim is responsible for the change in Miller. Jim is shocked to find out that a similar thing was done for him many years ago.
S7 Ep1
6.7
19th Sep 1994
Murphy tries to impress the board members of the prestigious ""Ducky Lucky Pre-School,"" by inviting them to a celebrity filled party.
S7 Ep12
6.7
12th Dec 1994
Murphy joins the frenzied masses of toy shoppers, when she overhears Avery tell Santa that he wants the hottest toy on the market for Christmas. This holiday season is turning into a bummer for Corky, when nothing seems to go right.
S4 Ep16
6.7
20th Jan 1992
Murphy returns from a trip feeling a little ill, turns out she is having pre-term labor pains, common for pregnant women over forty. Jerry Gold offers to move in with Murphy to help her out and they both learn about having a live-in relationship.
S7 Ep18
6.7
13th Feb 1995
There is a rat running amok at FYI as they move to their new ground level studio, with a ""Window on America""; however, the animal rights activists react when Murphy is seen catching a rat on camera.
S8 Ep18
6.7
26th Feb 1996
Elizabeth Taylor cancels her interview with Murphy, because the police have a lead on her stolen pearls. Jim stops by for a chance to meet Miss Taylor. Meanwhile, Miles wants the team to stop torturing Miller. Miles asks Jim for a bit of advice and he suggests a retreat. So Miles takes the team north to get them to work together as a team.
S4 Ep12
6.7
9th Dec 1991
After being nominated every year, for ten years straight, Frank wins the Humboldt Award and it brings out the worst in him.
S9 Ep6
6.7
21st Oct 1996
Phil passes away. When Phyllis announces her intention to sell, the gang decides to buy the bar. Trouble begins when each has their own idea how to improve the place. Finally they decide that they should keep one tradition.
S5 Ep13
6.7
4th Jan 1993
Though she thinks she knows how to relate to Avery, Murphy is swayed into giving him some ""quality time"" by playing games and singing children's songs with a group of other mothers.
S6 Ep3
6.7
4th Oct 1993
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?
S7 Ep9
6.7
14th Nov 1994
Unbeknownst to Miles, Corky classifies a Saturday night dinner with him as a date. When he does find out, first he isn't interested, but then changes his mind.
S8 Ep4
6.7
9th Oct 1995
Murphy's appearance in traffic court and her need to not get special treatment, because of her celebrity status, gets her a fine and 40 hours of community service. The judge demands that she reappear in court when it is reported that didn't serve her time by getting special treatment, the network hires a high-power ""defense team.""
S8 Ep13
6.7
15th Jan 1996
Murphy is the reluctant winner of an interview with a celebrity who's never given one. Just as she gets into doing the whole ""fluff"" piece, a real news story breaks out. The network decides they want to continue with the ""fluff"" but will Murphy sacrifice her journalistic integrity?
S8 Ep6
6.7
23rd Oct 1995
Murphy fears that she is losing her touch when she loses an important interview to Miller Redfield; however, his touch is a little different.
S8 Ep10
6.7
20th Nov 1995
An ungrateful Miller wins the Humboldt Award for a story that the entire FYI staff works on in a pinch for him on Front and Center. The staff waits anxiously for Murphy's retaliation.
S9 Ep1
6.7
16th Sep 1996
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.
S6 Ep7
6.8
1st Nov 1993
Murphy works reluctantly on a story the network brass wants on ""The Beltway Madam,"" a high priced call girl who's just been exposed and is the hottest story in town.
S7 Ep14
6.8
9th Jan 1995
Murphy and Peter find out how much they don't know; when they go out on a double date with Frank and a quick blind date that Peter finds for him. Corky and Miles relationship begins to gel.
S7 Ep3
6.8
3rd Oct 1994
Murphy bad mouths the network's new fall line-up and the staff is forced to attend an affiliate's meeting.
S8 Ep9
6.8
13th Nov 1995
Murphy fires her agent and then the rivalry begins when she signs with Jim's agent and gets everything she wants. Jim's jealously builds and is revealed during an airing of the McLaughlin Group.
S9 Ep2
6.8
23rd Sep 1996
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.
S9 Ep15
6.8
13th Jan 1997
Jim is going to the hospital for a hernia operation. Frank and Murphy both fight to do the commentary during his absence. Kay leaves the decision up to them. They decide to ask Jim, despite the fact that Jim is just regaining consciousness from his operation. Corky gets a protégé, who's a lot like she was years ago; it slowly drives her nuts.
S4 Ep15
6.8
13th Jan 1992
When Corky gets an invitation to a Barbara Bush luncheon, Murphy tries to scam her so she can get back into the White House, a placed she has been banned from.
S8 Ep7
6.8
30th Oct 1995
A truck crashes through the studio window, so the team accompanies Murphy back to her alma mater where she is receiving an honorary doctorate. However, the students in the women's studies program she helped establish think she is out of touch with women in the '90s.
S10 Ep10
6.8
10th Dec 1997
Corky is working to help the zoo with their charity auction. Murphy's bout with cancer has made her realize there may not another chance to do some of the things she'd like to do. When the one item goes up for bid that she is interested in, it's Murphy Brown vs. Olivia Newton-John for the right to conduct a symphony orchestra. Meanwhile, Doris tells Jim that it is time to file the divorce papers; Murphy encourages him to fight for her.
S6 Ep19
6.8
28th Feb 1994
After her car is stolen out of her driveway, Murphy joins the neighborhood watch, but discovers that her neighbors are borderline vigilantes.
S9 Ep12
6.8
2nd Dec 1996
Everyone tries to come up with an excuse to miss Jim and Doris's annual party. This year's festivities are anything but boring when their fight turns into a separation.
S9 Ep21
6.8
28th Apr 1997
A billionaire media mogul proposes marriage to Murphy while she is conducting an on-air interview with him. Murphy doubts the sincerity of the proposal, then the gift of an 8+ carat diamond ring arrives. She declines the invitation, but that doesn't keep Briggs from trying, by using Frank and the other FYI staffers. He even buys her contract from Lansing, then Kay steps in.
S5 Ep17
6.8
8th Feb 1993
Following his dog's death, Jim delivers a commentary on the animal during his commentary. The staff throws a memorial service to help him overcome the loss.
S4 Ep13
6.8
16th Dec 1991
Feeling neglected by her husband, Corky considers ""moving down the food chain,"" when she becomes involved with Miller Redfield.
S7 Ep16
6.8
23rd Jan 1995
While Lansing is in the hospital for a ""heart attack,"" he decides to bring youth and cute animals into the CBS schedule, this includes the addition of a former MTV veejay to FYI. Murphy likes the new anchor, but during a White House press conference, her politics come out.
S9 Ep13
6.8
16th Dec 1996
Murphy suspects that Kay has ulterior motives when Kay says the network is sending the staff to a retreat in Mexico. Instead, while there, she must contend with filling all her free time avoiding a group of employees from a corporation that she exposed for their corrupt practices. Corky faces being without Miles, yet again. Jim discovers a ""short""-age when he packs his own suitcase for the first time. Frank fearing the worst when Kay wants to talk with him gets the courage to confront her.
S4 Ep8
6.8
4th Nov 1991
When Murphy looks after a friend's 18-year-old daughter she begins to learn about what being a mother is all about.
S7 Ep2
6.8
26th Sep 1994
A media frenzy ensues when famous ex-astronaut ""Danger Duke"" Robinson is wanted for questioning in the murder of his brother.
S7 Ep21
6.8
13th Mar 1995
Murphy is forced to hire Lansing's nephew as her new secretary. He proves to be the best one she's ever had, but only at the expense of the rest of the staff.
S8 Ep11
6.8
27th Nov 1995
Lansing wants Murphy to apologize publicly about a comment she made about a popular talk-show host. She tries, but things only get worse.
S3 Ep3
6.8
1st Oct 1990
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.
S9 Ep20
6.8
25th Feb 1997
Frank announces that he's taken the plunge; he bought a new Jaguar XK8. Corky comes in with a story about Walter Cronkite. Only she can't tell them what he said, only she does but can't elaborate on the grunt he made about Murphy. Not knowing what he thinks begin to affect her performance. Frank tries to help out with help from Tom Snyder and Phil Jr.. Murphy goes to confront Walter.
S5 Ep15
6.9
18th Jan 1993
The staff try to rustle up a date for Murphy when she gets invited to the inaugural ball. Murphy finds her own date, Eldin's friend, who did a sketch of Avery. Later Murphy has second thoughts about going out on a date.
S5 Ep20
6.9
1st Mar 1993
Murphy gets the car pool to make a ""quick"" side trip to the market, just so she pick up a quick jar of baby food; also while there she meets up with ex-secretary #37. Corky finds a picture of Will and Cher together, so she starts to shop for a binge. Miles tries to buy a female item for Audrey. Frank tries to pick up another shopper, but he gets ""nun."" Jim tries to get the deli guy to make him a sandwich.
S6 Ep9
6.9
15th Nov 1993
Peter, Frank & Murphy are all nominated for the Humboldt Award. While at the ceremony, Murphy can't understand how disinterested Peter is in the award and Frank hears a rumor about a network having to make cutbacks.
S1 Ep1
7.5
14th Nov 1988
Murphy returns to FYI after ""drying out"" at the Betty Ford clinic. The show has undergone some changes while she was gone, including the addition of a beauty queen to the anchor desk and a new young executive producer. In her first week back she isn't sure whether she still has her edge.
S1 Ep2
7.6
21st Nov 1988
Miles assigns Corky to work with Murphy on a big story about a corporate big shot. Corky inadvertently uncovers the fact that he is a drug smuggler, this isn't immediately apparent to her. Murphy almost feels guilty about taking credit for the story, but she doesn't get the chance, Corky ""grabs the brass ring.""
S1 Ep3
7.5
28th Nov 1988
Murphy investigates a federal prosecutor who's linked to mob-run prostitution, Miles fears for his life when he receives his first death threat.
S1 Ep4
7.5
5th Dec 1988
Miles schedules Murphy to interview her radical ex-husband. Murphy & Jake's feelings for one another begin to ruin the chance of a professional interview.
S1 Ep5
7.2
11th Dec 1988
During the Christmas holidays, a mother abandons her children to the care of Murphy Brown. Murphy goes all out to help them out.
S1 Ep6
7.1
12th Dec 1988
Murphy feels maternal pangs after visiting with a pregnant friend. She considers in vitro fertilization and talks Frank into being the donor. When that option doesn't pan out, they consider a physical union.
S1 Ep7
7.5
19th Dec 1988
Murphy's having a rotten day, complicated by a gunman who interrupts the show and demands they read his statement on the air and it gets capped off by the painter she hired to do her kitchen sticking around to finish ""extending myself.""
S1 Ep8
7.3
2nd Jan 1989
Murphy's long time nemesis asks for her to deliver the eulogy at his funeral, and Murphy sees it as her chance to have the last laugh or so she thinks.
S1 Ep9
7.3
9th Jan 1989
Murphy is perplexed and angry when everyone on the staff is invited to the inaugural ball of President-elect Bush. Was it something she reported? Miles debates about asking a taller woman to the ball.
S1 Ep10
7.4
16th Jan 1989
Murphy's story wins freedom for an innocent man; when the rest of the team realizes he has a problem adjusting with the outside world, Miles offers him a job as Murphy's secretary.
S1 Ep11
7.3
23rd Jan 1989
Miles suspends Murphy for her handling of an interview. So she leaves the office for two weeks and becomes miserable.
S1 Ep12
7.4
13th Feb 1989
Cupid strikes the staff when Murphy reluctantly fixes Frank up on the condition he finds someone for her. Murphy's latest secretary has a crush on Jim.
S1 Ep13
7.4
20th Feb 1989
Murphy tries to gain entry into Washington's last exclusive club, trouble is, it's for men only. Murphy tries to get Jim to sponsor her, when she discovers a loophole in the by-laws.
S1 Ep14
7.3
27th Feb 1989
To get the public to see Frank's piece on the homeless, the FYI team competes with Jerry Gold's show on its level, with surprising results.
S1 Ep15
7.3
6th Mar 1989
Murphy's overbearing mother comes to visit for an unspecified length of time.
S1 Ep16
7.3
13th Mar 1989
Murphy prepares for a joint broadcast with the Soviet news equivalent of Murphy Brown.
S1 Ep17
7.2
20th Mar 1989
Murphy dates a physicist to prove looks aren't everything, but he proves to be a party guy.
S1 Ep18
7.4
10th Apr 1989
An on-camera slip of the tongue, makes Murphy the butt of a cartoonist's joke in ""The Adventures of Mouthy Brown,"" then the rest of the staff falls victim.
S1 Ep19
7.7
1st May 1989
While Murphy is grilling him on the show, a judge dies of a heart attack. This causes Murphy to lose her edge, so she attends a group therapy session.
S1 Ep20
7.5
8th May 1989
Eldin meets Corky for the first time and becomes infatuated with her. Phil reflects on the first time he met Murphy, when she first came to Washington to audition against Linda Ellerbee & Frank Fontana for FYI.
S1 Ep21
7.5
15th May 1989
A minor traffic accident, with a sweet elderly couple, results in a 1.5 million dollar lawsuit for Murphy.
S1 Ep22
7.5
22nd May 1989
During an off week at FYI, Murphy & Corky co-anchor the network's morning show, and Murphy finds it's a job she just isn't made for. Murphy's new secretary has a passing resemblance to a ""dead"" celebrity.
The first episode of Murphy Brown aired on November 14, 1988.
The last episode of Murphy Brown aired on May 18, 1998.
There are 247 episodes of Murphy Brown.
There are 10 seasons of Murphy Brown.
No.
Murphy Brown has ended.