“Murphy Brown” isn’t playing games when it comes to politics. The revived CBS sitcom took on the Trump Administration Thursday from inside the president’s own home, crashing a Sarah Huckabee Sanders White House press conference.
The titular character, played by Candice Bergen, snuck into a fake version of the regular briefing and Q&A to ask Sanders one simple question: “Why do you lie?”
It didn’t go over well.
Also Read: Ratings: 'Murphy Brown' Has Unimpressive Return to CBS
“If you really want to talk about what’s inappropriate, how about the way that you do your job?” Brown asked Sanders, who was played by a combination of voiceover and clever edits from a real media event. “The role of the White House press secretary is to create transparency in the government and tell the American people the truth, but that’s not what happens in this room.”
“Whether it’s about a meeting with Russians in Trump Tower or a made-up mandate that requires separation between parents and children at the border, it all comes down to the same thing. So here’s my question: Why do you lie?”
“I think that’s an absolutely ridiculous question,” Sanders says.
Also Read: Teenage Candice Bergen Went on a Date With Donald Trump (Video)
Brown then tries to stage a mass media-member walkout. It doesn’t take.
Watch the video above.
“Murphy Brown” airs Thursdays at 9:30/8:30c on CBS.
Broadcast TV's Most-Watched Debuts Since 2013, From 'Blindspot' to 'Instinct' (Photos)
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As things currently stand, the Top 5 new broadcast series premieres of the 2018-19 TV season belong to "Manifest," "God Friended Me," "F.B.I.," "New Amsterdam" and "Magnum P.I."
Don't call them "hit shows" quite yet, however -- history should make you more conservative with that label.
TheWrap dug up the Top 5 new broadcast TV debuts for each of the past five years. Some of these shows and their Live + Same Day Nielsen numbers may surprise you -- as will how quickly many came back down to Earth or completely just went away.
Scroll through our gallery for a recent-history lesson.
Also Read: 12 New Fall TV Shows Ranked by Premiere Viewers: From ‘Manifest’ to ‘Rel’ (Photos)
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 30
Series: "Magnum P.I."
Debut Season: 2018-19
Net: CBS
Series Premiere Viewers: 8.12 million
Fate: TBDAlso Read: ‘Magnum PI’ Showrunner Says CBS Reboot Actually Does Have a Latinx Writer
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NBC
Rank Among Selection: 29
Series: "New Amsterdam"
Debut Season: 2018-19
Net: NBC
Series Premiere Viewers: 8.4 million
Fate: TBDAlso Read: Ratings: NBC’s ‘New Amsterdam’ Has a Healthy Debut After ‘This Is Us’ Season 3 Premiere
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 28
Series: "Instinct"
Debut Season: 2017-18
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 9.1 million
Fate: The James Patterson adaptation dipped in the ratings over its first season and was the subject of a plagiarism scandal, but CBS stuck by the drama and has picked it up for a second season. -
CBS
Rank Among Selection: 27
Series: "Limitless"
Debut Season: 2015-16
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 9.86 million
Fate: Despite a good start, the ratings for "Limitless" failed to keep pace with CBS' other dramas and the show was canceled after one season.Also Read: ‘Hannity’ Carries Fox News to Double-Digit Primetime Viewer Growth in Third Quarter
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 26
Series: "SEAL Team"
Debut Season: 2017-18
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 9.88 million
Fate: "SEAL Team" earned an early renewal from CBS, but the show's second season debuted down.Also Read: NBC Wins 7th Straight Premiere Week in Ratings, CBS Makes It 10 in a Row Among Total Viewers
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 25
Series: "F.B.I."
Debut Season: 2018-19
Net: CBS
Series Premiere Viewers: 10.08 million
Fate: TBDAlso Read: Why ‘FBI’ Landed at CBS: ‘No More Beachfront Real Estate at NBC’ Dick Wolf Says
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 24
Series: "God Friended Me"
Debut Season: 2018-19
Net: CBS
Series Premiere Viewers: 10.14 million
Fate: TBDAlso Read: Ratings: ‘God Friended Me’ Premiere (Gladly) Accepts More Than 10 Million Viewers
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NBC
Rank Among Selection: 23
Series: "Manifest"
Debut Season: 2018-19
Net: NBC
Series Premiere Viewers: 10.4 million
Fate: TBDAlso Read: ‘Manifest’ Premiere Gets Second Best Delayed-Viewing Lift Ever, Behind Only ‘Roseanne’ Revival
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ABC
Rank Among Selection: 22
Series: "American Idol" (Sunday)
Debut Season: 2017-18
Net: ABC
Series Premere Viewers: 10.49 million
Fate: ABC picked up a second season of "Idol," with host Ryan Seacrest and judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie all set to return.Also Read: ABC Wins Broadcast Battle for Kavanaugh Hearing Viewers, NBC Tops Key Demo
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 21
Series: "Superior Donuts"
Debut Season: 2016-17
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 10.54 million
Fate: The show was canceled by CBS after its second season failed to live up to its post-"Big Bang Theory" debut.Also Read: ‘South Park’ Season 22 Premiere: ‘Dead Kids’ Bags 1.5 Million Viewers on Wednesday
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NBC
Rank Among Selection: 20
Series: "Blindspot"
Debut Season: 2015-16
Net: NBC
Series Premere Viewers: 10.6 million
Fate: "Blindspot" was moved to Friday nights for its third season, where it proved to be a reliable performer for NBC, and was renewed for a fourth.Also Read: HGTV’s ‘My Lottery Dream Home’ Season 5 Premiere Cashes In With Record Ratings
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 19
Series: "MacGyver"
Debut Season: 2016-17
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 10.7 million
Fate: "MacGyver" has declined in the ratings across its first two seasons, with the third debuting even lower.Also Read: NBC’s Emmy Awards Sink to Record-Low 10.2 Million Viewers
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 18
Series: "Kevin Can Wait"
Debut Season: 2016-17
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 11.1 million
Fate: A showrunner swap and a somewhat casting shake-up led to steep declines for "Kevin Can Wait" and the show was canceled after two seasons.Also Read: NBC Seizes 5th Straight 52-Week Ratings Win, Takes Total Viewers for First Time in 16 Years
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 17
Series: "Life in Pieces"
Debut Season: 2015-16
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 11.3 million
Fate: The ensemble comedy managed to survive being moved out from after "The Big Bang Theory" and has grown into a reliable performer for CBS.Also Read: ‘NBC Nightly News’ Suffers Lowest-Rated Year Ever
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ABC
Rank Among Selection: 16
Series: "The Good Doctor"
Debut Season: 2017-18
Net: ABC
Series Premere Viewers: 11.4 million
Fate: "The Good Doctor" was a big hit in its first season on ABC, though its sophomore run is currently performing way down in the early going.Also Read: Tiger Woods Win Scores Highest-Rated FedExCup Playoffs Telecast Ever
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 15
Series: "Hunted"
Debut Season: 2016-17
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 11.8 million
Fate: The reality competition show ran for seven episodes, but was not picked up for a second season. -
NBC
Rank Among Selection: 14
Series: "The Blacklist"
Debut Season: 2013-14
Net: NBC
Series Premere Viewers: 12.6 million
Fate: One of NBC's biggest scripted success stories of recent seasons, "The Blacklist" is currently in its sixth season and inspired one short-lived spinoff.Also Read: ‘America’s Got Talent’ to ‘Celebrity Family Feud': 15 Highest-Rated TV Shows of Summer 2018 (Photos)
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 13
Series: "Supergirl"
Debut Season: 2015-16
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 13 million
Fate: "Supergirl" eventually was moved to The CW, where it was reunited with the network's other DC superhero shows. It is currently heading into Season 4.Also Read: 12 Lowest-Rated TV Shows of 2017-18 Season (Photos)
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 12
Series: "The Millers"
Debut Season: 2013-14
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 13.1 million
Fate: "The Millers" suffered a steep ratings drop after losing its "Big Bang Theory" lead-in, and was canceled after its second season.Also Read: 11 Highest-Rated TV Shows of 2017-18 Season (Photos)
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ABC
Rank Among Selection: 11
Series: "Resurrection"
Debut Season: 2013-14
Net: ABC
Series Premere Viewers: 13.5 million
Fate: Despite a premiere buoyed by its Oscars lead-in, the supernatural drama flamed out in its second season and was canceled.Also Read: 17 Highest-Rated Canceled or Ending TV Shows of 2017-18 Season – So Far (Photos)
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 10
Series: "The Odd Couple"
Debut Season: 2014-15
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 13.6 million
Fate: "The Odd Couple" ran for three seasons before it settled in as the network's least-watched comedy and was given the axe.Also Read: 14 Lowest-Rated TV Shows of the 2017-18 Season That Have Been Renewed… So Far (Photos)
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 9
Series: "Scorpion"
Debut Season: 2014-15
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 13.9 million
Fate: "Scorpion" was on the bubble for much of its run, and CBS held out for weeks before ultimately opting not to pick up a fifth season of the procedural.Also Read: HGTV Greenlights ‘Mediterranean Life,’ Orders 68 More Episodes of Sunday Beach Shows
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ABC
Rank Among Selection: 8
Series: "How to Get Away With Murder"
Debut Season: 2014-15
Net: ABC
Series Premere Viewers: 14.1 million
Fate: The Shondaland drama earned some awards attention for lead Viola Davis and has become a staple of ABC's Thursday-night line-up. It is currently entering Season 5. -
CBS
Rank Among Selection: 7
Series: "Madam Secretary"
Debut Season: 2014-15
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 14.8 million
Fate: The Tea Leoni-led political drama has declined steadily in the ratings across its four-season run, but CBS nonetheless renewed the series for a fifth outing.Also Read: ‘American Gods’ Creator Neil Gaiman Signs Overall TV Deal at Amazon
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NBC
Rank Among Selection: 6
Series: "Little Big Shots"
Debut Season: 2015-16
Net: NBC
Series Premere Viewers: 14.9 million
Fate: The Steve Harvey game show showcasing children's talents was moved to summer for part of its most recent third season and saw viewership suffer as a result. -
CBS
Rank Among Selection: 5
Series: "The Crazy Ones"
Debut Season: 2013-14
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 15.5 million
Fate: Robin Williams' return to television received mixed reviews and fizzled in the ratings, leading to its cancellation after one season.Also Read: ‘Murphy Brown’ Revival: Here’s Where It Picks Up as CBS Sitcom Returns After 20 Years
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 4
Series: "Bull"
Debut Season: 2016-17
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 15.6 million
Fate: Across its first two seasons, "Bull" grew into one of CBS' top performers and was quickly picked up for a third by the network.Also Read: Ratings: ‘Big Bang Theory’ Final Season Premiere Plummets 41 Percent From Last Year’s Start
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 3
Series: "Intelligence"
Debut Season: 2013-14
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 16.5 million
Fate: Starring "Lost" alum Josh Holloway as a spy with a computer in his brain, "Intelligence" failed to make a mark with viewers across its 13-episode first season and was cancelled.Also Read: Fall TV Premieres: Here’s When All Your Favorite Shows Will Return (Photos)
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 2
Series: "Young Sheldon"
Debut Season: 2017-18
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 17.2 million
Fate: The "Big Bang Theory" spinoff was one of CBS' earliest successes last season, becoming the first new series to be renewed by the network.Also Read: Not Fall TV: Here Are All the Broadcast Shows That Won’t Premiere Until Midseason
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CBS
Rank Among Selection: 1
Series: "NCIS: New Orleans"
Debut Season: 2014-15
Net: CBS
Series Premere Viewers: 17.4 million
Fate: The "NCIS" spinoff lost some viewers after it was moved out from after the flagship franchise, and the show has since suffered some behind-the-scenes turmoil, but it remains one of the network's most-watched dramas.Also Read: James Lipton Exits ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ After 25 Years
You’re not crazy: We all forgot about ”The Crazy Ones“
As things currently stand, the Top 5 new broadcast series premieres of the 2018-19 TV season belong to "Manifest," "God Friended Me," "F.B.I.," "New Amsterdam" and "Magnum P.I."
Don't call them "hit shows" quite yet, however -- history should make you more conservative with that label.
TheWrap dug up the Top 5 new broadcast TV debuts for each of the past five years. Some of these shows and their Live + Same Day Nielsen numbers may surprise you -- as will how quickly many came back down to Earth or completely just went away.
Scroll through our gallery for a recent-history lesson.
Also Read: 12 New Fall TV Shows Ranked by Premiere Viewers: From ‘Manifest’ to ‘Rel’ (Photos)