Tonight, Candice Bergen could bring home her third Golden Globe award for her title role in Murphy Brown. It’s a nice tip of the hat to a revival that had some brilliant moments, but didn’t quite live up to the…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×13 Review: ‘Happy New Year’
“Happy New Year” was supposed to have some tension about what’s happening to Avery in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, no one told that to the CBS promotions team. They’d included a shot of Avery home safe on New Year’s Eve in the…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×12 Review: ‘AWOL’
At first glance, the title “AWOL” refers to Murphy’s planned story about Afghanistan. But it also applies to what’s missing from network news these days: a sense of independence, willingness to take risks, and faith that audiences can pay attention…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×11 Review: ‘The Wheels On The Dog Go Round And Round’
Before I get into Murphy the dog owner or Avery the man of principles, let me clarify something reported in other media. Murphy Brown IS NOT canceled. Some media outlets presumed it was, based on CBS’ spring schedule. But show runner…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×08 Review: ‘The Coma And The Oxford Comma’
I’d originally looked forward to Murphy Brown for biting political humor at a time when government seems like a circus. But that hasn’t been the show’s strong point. Instead, the show’s funniest moments have dealt with the absurdities of the…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×05 Review: ‘The Girl Who Cried About Wolf’
Murphy Brown bounced back this week. While last week’s jokes fell flat or felt like they were lifted from a Twitter war, this week’s edition felt much sharper and more focused on the characters we love. We say it all…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×04 Review: ‘Three Shirts To The Wind’
The Murphy Brown revival promised the nostalgia of an old favorite, and the promise of sharp, topical humor. Four episodes in, neither of those factors are as appealing as the mother/son dynamic of Murphy and Avery. Sadly, we got little…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×03: ‘#MurphyToo’
The saddest thing about the #MeToo movement is the vast number of us who can say those words. In “#MurphyToo,” Murphy Brown joins that army of women and men who have been victims of those more powerful than us. I…
‘Murphy Brown’ 11×02 Review: “I (Don’t) Heart Huckabee”
Jake McDorman’s Avery Brown is quickly becoming my favorite part of the Murphy Brown revival. His episode-closing scene with Candice Bergen’s Murphy made up for some early flat notes. It’s not that they didn’t try. But many of the lines…
