Murphy Brown Returning to CBS - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevearino · 01-24-2018, 06:21 PM

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/li...isodes-1078071

Earlier today, it was announced that a 13-episode Series Order was given by the CBS Television Network to a revival of the hit '80s sitcom "Murphy Brown," with series creator Diane English and star Candy Bergen to return to the show.

Originally airing on CBS from November 14, 1988 - May 18, 1998, spanning 247 half-hour episodes in a 10-year run, "Murphy Brown" starred Candy Bergen as the titular character of Murphy Brown, who at the start of the series had returned to work in Washington, D.C. after a month at the Betty Ford Clinic.

Murphy's colleagues at the Washington-based fictional weekly newsmagazine show "F.Y.I." included Jim Dial (Charlie Kimbrough), the stiff anchorman, a newsman for 25 years who NEVER developed a sense of humor; Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), the bald Investigative Reporter who, in earlier episodes, wore a Toupee on the air; and Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), a former Miss America who at the start of the series joined "F.Y.I." on a permanent basis after filling in for Murphy while Murphy was in Rehab.

The original producer, Arvid, retired and was succeeded as executive producer by 25-year-old Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), whose only prior working background was 3 years in Public Television.

A running gag on "Murphy Brown" was Murphy's inability to hold on to secretaries, having 93 over the course of the 10-year run of the show; also, though it didn't have a former opening montage like other shows of the '80s like "Mr. Belvedere" to name an example, several episodes (less common after the 2nd season) featured Motown songs while the opening credits rolled at the start of the first scene of the show.

On a personal note, I'm very lucky (besides the 1st-season DVD as well as a handful of episodes taped from the original CBS Television Network broadcasts WITH Original Commercials, as well as an episode from the series taped from Australia's 111 Hits Channel that was unremastered, uncut, AND unedited as well as complete) to own the complete series library of "Murphy Brown" and wish Candy Bergen a huge success to the series revival.

Among the many real-life journalists who made guest appearance throughout the original 10-year run of the show included Walter Cronkite, Linda Ellerbee, Paula Zahn, and Katie Couric to name but a few examples.

During the 2nd season, the recently-deceased Jay Thomas (who died last August of Cancer at age 69) joined the cast as Jerry Gold, a rival Anchor for a fictional tabloid news show titled "Headline News" (NOT to be confused with CNN's sister network now knows as HLN), who eventually joined the "F.Y.I." team; in late 1991, Diane English created a spin-off vehicle for Jay called "Love and War," with Jerry Gold re-tooled as Jack Stein, a fictional New York Post columnist who hung out regularly at the local bar/restaurant called the Blue Shamrock, which was bought on impulse by Wally Porter (Susan Dey), a former high-class Restaurant Chef who bought the restaurant/bar from Ike Johnson (John Hancock), the burly bartender. (FYI: John Hancock died of a Massive Heart Attack on October 12, 1992 at age 51. His death was subsequently written into "Love and War," with former "Night Court" actor Charlie Robinson joining mid-season as Ike's brother, Abe, a former Detroit auto worker who became owner after Wally left Jack for Paris and Annie Potts subsequently replaced the fired Susan Dey as Dana Palladino, Jack's new love). "Love and War" lasted 3 full seasons on CBS from 1992-1995.

In 1997, midway through Season 10, Diane English and Candy Bergen mutually decided to end "Murphy Brown," with an hour-long finale telecast that had Murphy given the all-clear after a season-long battle with Breast Cancer. Also featuring were a Plethora of guest stars bidding Murphy a fond farewell such as Julia Roberts, Mike Wallace, Alan King and George Clooney.

Reruns continue to flourish thanks to Syndicated stations as well as cable networks such as Lifetime, Nick at Nite, TV Land, and Antenna TV.

Ryan Chamberlain · 01-24-2018, 07:05 PM

Better have Miles! I need Miles!!!

vampirevsrobot · 01-25-2018, 07:27 AM

That's interesting.

I was just thinking if CBS has decided to bring back (no reboot included/without the original cast) a television series, "Murphy Brown" was the only one I could come up with.

Unless someone suggest otherwise???

Had TNT NOT brought back Dallas some years back...what else is there?

"Murphy Brown" in this political environment is both a risky and logical choice.

CBS has very few choices:

FOX has "The X-Files" and a few others to dabble with.
ABC has "Roseanne" and a rather big grab bag to reach.
NBC has a massive (and costly) list of shows that could easily be done..

But CBS?

Well, it has to be "Murphy Brown".

"Touched, By An Angel" could be done without Della Reese and there's a massive audience ridiculously staving for it.

That's my own personal pick, but I've only seen perhaps two episodes.

There's the "been there done it" "Dallas"...

"Murphy Brown" seems like a good choice.

I don't know, "Knots Landing"??

That could be something...

But that would be more of a reboot and how much of that debut would it garner an audience and even more important, retain?

lakesgirl · 01-25-2018, 01:01 PM

I'm interested.

loaferman · 01-25-2018, 02:40 PM

Meh. TV is turning into the same rut that movies are. Endless sequels and reboots. Besides political jokes half of the country doesn't want to watch, why bring this one back?

HuntingtonM15 · 01-25-2018, 04:11 PM

I couldn't be anymore thrilled for this. Other than the Roseanne revival, this is the one I'm looking forward to most.

80sTrivia · 01-25-2018, 06:51 PM

Awesome. With the Murphy Brown, Roseanne and X Files reboots, I can pretend it's the 90s again! Loved Candice in this show and can't wait to see it!

TV Guy · 01-25-2018, 10:21 PM

This will be the revival that kills the trend. No one other than the die-hards want it. The show flopped in syndication and has rarely been seen. Candice Bergen, whom I love, is old to be a series lead.

As vampire pointed out above, CBS is doing this because they want to get in on the reboots, and they don’t have many choices. Its hit sitcoms from the 70s and 80s pretty much can’t be revived, and CBS hits during the 90s were few and far between.

I’m surprised they didn’t try a Raymond reboot. Maybe they did and the cast isn’t interested.

Svenfan1234 · 01-25-2018, 10:26 PM

I'm skeptical. I love the show, but a reboot? Probably won't do well. I wonder how many original actors, if any besides Candice Bergen, will be on board.

icecream · 01-26-2018, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

This will be the revival that kills the trend. No one other than the die-hards want it. The show flopped in syndication and has rarely been seen. Candice Bergen, whom I love, is old to be a series lead.

As vampire pointed out above, CBS is doing this because they want to get in on the reboots, and they don’t have many choices. Its hit sitcoms from the 70s and 80s pretty much can’t be revived, and CBS hits during the 90s were few and far between.

I’m surprised they didn’t try a Raymond reboot. Maybe they did and the cast isn’t interested.

Raymond is a show that should not be revived. It would not be nearly the same without Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle.

LeeBlue · 01-27-2018, 11:42 AM

I will watch at least an episode or two of the new Murphy Brown.

It will certainly help if all of the original cast comes back.

However, I'm not sure I like the idea of reboots -- why can't Hollywood come up with some original ideas??

TV Guy · 01-27-2018, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catsrule

Raymond is a show that should not be revived. It would not be nearly the same without Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle.

Very good point. I forgot that Doris Roberts is no longer with us. I could still imagine it with a widowed Marie butting into everyone’s lives. But not without both parents - there would be no conflict.

stevea · 01-27-2018, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

...I’m surprised they didn’t try a Raymond reboot. Maybe they did and the cast isn’t interested.

A lot of the cast is dead. Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle are gone, and one of the Sweeten twins committed suicide. Roberts kind of made the show.

(Edit - sorry, I should have read on...)

TV Guy · 01-28-2018, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeBlue

However, I'm not sure I like the idea of reboots -- why can't Hollywood come up with some original ideas??

They do, but the good ideas are mostly on premium cable or streaming services, and that’s where most of the decent creative talent has gone. Broadcast network TV is dying, and their new - mostly undistinguished - shows aren’t attracting much attention. This reboot fever is a symptom of that - an existing brand will at least attract some attention.

But this trend is going to die out soon, because there is too much good programming out there for people to waste their time on nostalgia, which will only attract the die-hard fans.

Ryan Chamberlain · 02-01-2018, 11:15 AM

Watching reunion interviews on YouTube. No sign of Lily Tomlin. Grant was in every one of them.

Miles...you all. He better be invited back. Or, I am gonna scream. Nine year old me shut the show off in season 8 when he left. 31 year old me may do the same.

I'm still hiding in Miles Silverburg's closet. And, I may never come out.

01-24-2018, 06:21 PM	#1
stevearino Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 249	Murphy Brown Returning to CBS https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/li...isodes-1078071 Earlier today, it was announced that a 13-episode Series Order was given by the CBS Television Network to a revival of the hit '80s sitcom "Murphy Brown," with series creator Diane English and star Candy Bergen to return to the show. Originally airing on CBS from November 14, 1988 - May 18, 1998, spanning 247 half-hour episodes in a 10-year run, "Murphy Brown" starred Candy Bergen as the titular character of Murphy Brown, who at the start of the series had returned to work in Washington, D.C. after a month at the Betty Ford Clinic. Murphy's colleagues at the Washington-based fictional weekly newsmagazine show "F.Y.I." included Jim Dial (Charlie Kimbrough), the stiff anchorman, a newsman for 25 years who NEVER developed a sense of humor; Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), the bald Investigative Reporter who, in earlier episodes, wore a Toupee on the air; and Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), a former Miss America who at the start of the series joined "F.Y.I." on a permanent basis after filling in for Murphy while Murphy was in Rehab. The original producer, Arvid, retired and was succeeded as executive producer by 25-year-old Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), whose only prior working background was 3 years in Public Television. A running gag on "Murphy Brown" was Murphy's inability to hold on to secretaries, having 93 over the course of the 10-year run of the show; also, though it didn't have a former opening montage like other shows of the '80s like "Mr. Belvedere" to name an example, several episodes (less common after the 2nd season) featured Motown songs while the opening credits rolled at the start of the first scene of the show. On a personal note, I'm very lucky (besides the 1st-season DVD as well as a handful of episodes taped from the original CBS Television Network broadcasts WITH Original Commercials, as well as an episode from the series taped from Australia's 111 Hits Channel that was unremastered, uncut, AND unedited as well as complete) to own the complete series library of "Murphy Brown" and wish Candy Bergen a huge success to the series revival. Among the many real-life journalists who made guest appearance throughout the original 10-year run of the show included Walter Cronkite, Linda Ellerbee, Paula Zahn, and Katie Couric to name but a few examples. During the 2nd season, the recently-deceased Jay Thomas (who died last August of Cancer at age 69) joined the cast as Jerry Gold, a rival Anchor for a fictional tabloid news show titled "Headline News" (NOT to be confused with CNN's sister network now knows as HLN), who eventually joined the "F.Y.I." team; in late 1991, Diane English created a spin-off vehicle for Jay called "Love and War," with Jerry Gold re-tooled as Jack Stein, a fictional New York Post columnist who hung out regularly at the local bar/restaurant called the Blue Shamrock, which was bought on impulse by Wally Porter (Susan Dey), a former high-class Restaurant Chef who bought the restaurant/bar from Ike Johnson (John Hancock), the burly bartender. (FYI: John Hancock died of a Massive Heart Attack on October 12, 1992 at age 51. His death was subsequently written into "Love and War," with former "Night Court" actor Charlie Robinson joining mid-season as Ike's brother, Abe, a former Detroit auto worker who became owner after Wally left Jack for Paris and Annie Potts subsequently replaced the fired Susan Dey as Dana Palladino, Jack's new love). "Love and War" lasted 3 full seasons on CBS from 1992-1995. In 1997, midway through Season 10, Diane English and Candy Bergen mutually decided to end "Murphy Brown," with an hour-long finale telecast that had Murphy given the all-clear after a season-long battle with Breast Cancer. Also featuring were a Plethora of guest stars bidding Murphy a fond farewell such as Julia Roberts, Mike Wallace, Alan King and George Clooney. Reruns continue to flourish thanks to Syndicated stations as well as cable networks such as Lifetime, Nick at Nite, TV Land, and Antenna TV.

01-24-2018, 07:05 PM	#2
Ryan Chamberlain Return Of The Silverburg 2018! Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 10, 2011 Location: Still hiding in Miles Silverburg's closet. Posts: 663	Better have Miles! I need Miles!!!
	__________________ *Despite my username. I am a chick. I go chirp. But, what does the fox say?* Night Court, The Simpsons, Pre-Cartini General Hospital, Step By Step, Murphy Brown, Three's Company and Perfect Strangers fan forever! "You can't put a porcupine in a barn, set it on fire, and expect to make licorice" -Dana Carvey *You robbed an international house of pancakes. How waffle-Harry T. Stone. <3* Goodnight, sweet prince. Harry Anderson 1952-2018

01-25-2018, 07:27 AM	#3
vampirevsrobot Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2014 Posts: 170	That's interesting. I was just thinking if CBS has decided to bring back (no reboot included/without the original cast) a television series, "Murphy Brown" was the only one I could come up with. Unless someone suggest otherwise??? Had TNT NOT brought back Dallas some years back...what else is there? "Murphy Brown" in this political environment is both a risky and logical choice. CBS has very few choices: FOX has "The X-Files" and a few others to dabble with. ABC has "Roseanne" and a rather big grab bag to reach. NBC has a massive (and costly) list of shows that could easily be done.. But CBS? Well, it has to be "Murphy Brown". "Touched, By An Angel" could be done without Della Reese and there's a massive audience ridiculously staving for it. That's my own personal pick, but I've only seen perhaps two episodes. There's the "been there done it" "Dallas"... "Murphy Brown" seems like a good choice. I don't know, "Knots Landing"?? That could be something... But that would be more of a reboot and how much of that debut would it garner an audience and even more important, retain?
	__________________ *"I vaguely have a feeling that at one point I delivered a pizza to the Eisenhower's"*

01-25-2018, 06:51 PM	#7
80sTrivia Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 23, 2002 Posts: 21,715	Awesome. With the Murphy Brown, Roseanne and X Files reboots, I can pretend it's the 90s again! Loved Candice in this show and can't wait to see it!
	__________________ Perfect Gift Books for Pop Culture Fanatics: Thank You for Being a Friend: A Golden Girls Trivia Book The Bouquet Residence: A Keeping Up Appearances Trivia Book Cooking With the Golden Girls: Fun & Delicious Recipes from a Hilarious Miami Kitchen Love in the Afternoon: The Ultimate Soap Opera Trivia Book The Last Great Decade: The Ultimate 90s Trivia Book Betty White: A Celebration

01-25-2018, 10:26 PM	#9
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	I'm skeptical. I love the show, but a reboot? Probably won't do well. I wonder how many original actors, if any besides Candice Bergen, will be on board.
	__________________ [

01-25-2018, 01:01 PM	#4
lakesgirl Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2014 Posts: 2,116	I'm interested.

01-25-2018, 02:40 PM	#5
loaferman Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 23, 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 642	Meh. TV is turning into the same rut that movies are. Endless sequels and reboots. Besides political jokes half of the country doesn't want to watch, why bring this one back?

01-25-2018, 04:11 PM	#6
HuntingtonM15 That Bothers Me Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 11,059	I couldn't be anymore thrilled for this. Other than the Roseanne revival, this is the one I'm looking forward to most.

01-25-2018, 10:21 PM	#8
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	This will be the revival that kills the trend. No one other than the die-hards want it. The show flopped in syndication and has rarely been seen. Candice Bergen, whom I love, is old to be a series lead. As vampire pointed out above, CBS is doing this because they want to get in on the reboots, and they don’t have many choices. Its hit sitcoms from the 70s and 80s pretty much can’t be revived, and CBS hits during the 90s were few and far between. I’m surprised they didn’t try a Raymond reboot. Maybe they did and the cast isn’t interested.

01-27-2018, 11:42 AM	#11
LeeBlue Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 16, 2006 Location: NYS Posts: 871	Murphy Brown Returning to CBS I will watch at least an episode or two of the new Murphy Brown. It will certainly help if all of the original cast comes back. However, I'm not sure I like the idea of reboots -- why can't Hollywood come up with some original ideas??

02-01-2018, 11:15 AM	#15
Ryan Chamberlain Return Of The Silverburg 2018! Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 10, 2011 Location: Still hiding in Miles Silverburg's closet. Posts: 663	Watching reunion interviews on YouTube. No sign of Lily Tomlin. Grant was in every one of them. Miles...you all. He better be invited back. Or, I am gonna scream. Nine year old me shut the show off in season 8 when he left. 31 year old me may do the same. I'm still hiding in Miles Silverburg's closet. And, I may never come out.