SHOUT! Factory DVD Request: "Murphy Brown: The Complete Series"

[stevearino]

Dear Brian Ward,

I have a propsal for SHOUT! Factory: to make a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution for SHOUT! Factory to issue and release, for the first time EVER on DVD, "Murphy Brown: The Complete Series," a loving showcase of all 247 half-hour episodes of the hit 1988-1998 sitcom "Murphy Brown" 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, 100% Unremastered AND 100% Unedited, just the way that each and every episode originally aired on the CBS Television Network, each episode lovingly sourced from the original CBS Television Network Film Prints.

Created by Diane English, "Murphy Brown" was a hit '80s sitcom that originally aired for 10 seasons on CBS from November 14, 1988 - May 18, 1998; the show starred Candy Bergen (who'll be 79 years young tomorrow) as the titular character, Murphy Brown, a 40-year-old news veteran of the show-within-the-show "F.Y.I." who, at the start of the series, had just returned from a month at the Betty Ford Clinic; during Murphy's Betty Ford stay, her fill-in was Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), who joined Murphy permanently upon her return, along with her long-time "F.Y.I." news colleagues Jim Dial (Charlie Kimbrough), the long-time "F.Y.I." News Anchor, and Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), Murphy's best friend and "F.Y.I." Investigative Reporter.

An interesting F.Y.I. Tidbit: in the "F.Y.I." Tidbit, although openly Balding in real life, Joe Regalbuto, as his "Murphy Brown" character Frank Fontana, wore a Toupee in the first 2 seasons in the "F.Y.I." news segments because his character was required to do so until Frank burned the toupee and the network relented in allowing Frank to be openly Balding along with Joe; other principal characters included Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), the executive producer of "F.Y.I." who joined the "F.Y.I." team at the start of the series, replacing the original showrunner Arvid (played in flashback sequences during the first season by character actor James Karen).

Set in Washington, D.C., "Murphy Brown" both parodied AND celebrated journalism at the same time, with many real-life journalists making appearances as themselves--among them Walter Cronkite, Linda Ellerbee, Leslie Stahl, and more.

In May 1996, after 8 seasons, Grant Shaud (who ironically is NOT Jewish, but rather Irish Catholic by way of Radnor, Pennsylvania, where he grew up soon after he was born in Evanston, Illinois on October 17, 1960) left "Murphy Brown" for further career opportunities, with his Miles Silverberg character relocating to New York City, New York to head the entire Network News Division; his showrunner role was replaced for the final 2 seasons by Lily Tomlin, joining the show as Kay Carter Sheply.

In May 1998, after 10 seasons, Candy Bergen and Diane English (who by this time had returned to the "Murphy Brown" family after she initially left in 1992 to create the "Murphy Brown" spin-off "Love & War," starring Jay Thomas) mutually decided to end "Murphy Brown," with the Hour-Long Series Finale telecast on May 18, 1998 in which Murphy Brown, after a season-long bout with Breast Cancer, getting a clean bill of health after interviewing God (Alan King). Edward R. Murrow (who died in the 1960s) was CGI'd into the Finale. Mike Wallace also appeared in a cameo in the finale, along with Julia Roberts and Bette Midler, who served as her 93rd & last secretary.

Also returning for the finale was Pat Corley as Phil, who previously had been killed off 2 years earlier when Pat left for further career opportunities (it was explained that he knew too much about Watergate and was whisked away, only to be whisked away AGAIN for knowing too much about the Monica Lewinsky scandal), as well as Robert Pastorelli, who returned as Eldin Bernecky, a role he'd played for 6 seasons until he left for his own sitcom vehicle, the short-lived "Double Rush," with his character Eldin written out as having to study in Spain in Art School.

In the years since then, reruns of "Murphy Brown" aired in Syndication, as well as on the Lifetime Cable Channel during the early 2000s, on Nickelodeon as part of its Nick at Nite cable lineup from January 24, 2005 - October 28, 2007, and most recently on Digital Over-the-air channels Antenna TV and sister channel Rewind TV.

Tentatively, SHOUT! Factory shall issue and release, for the first time EVER on DVD, "Murphy Brown: The Complete Series" on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at a cost of ONLY $59.99 wherever DVDs are sold.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino