'Murphy Brown' Revival: Here's Where It Picks Up as CBS Sitcom Returns After 20 Years

After 20 years, Candice Bergen’s irascible news journalist Murphy Brown will return to CBS for its “11th season” on Thursday.

The revival of “Murphy Brown” reunites Bergen, also an executive producer, with series creator and executive producer Diane English and original series co-stars Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto and Grant Shaud.

It picks up as Murphy, following a brief retirement, is back hosting a cable news morning show, “Murphy in the Morning.” She is joined by her “FYI” team, including lifestyle reporter Corky Sherwood (Ford), investigative journalist Frank Fontana (Regalbuto), and her former news producer Miles Silverberg (Shaud). Shaud left “Murphy Brown” after eight seasons and his character left town for a new job.

Also Read: 'Murphy Brown': Candice Bergen's TV Son Works at the Wolf Network, Which Is Definitely Fox News

Helping the “FYI” gang learn how to use social media is social media director Nik Dodani (Pat Patel). Murhpy’s now-adult son, Avery (Jake McDorman), will be a regular cast member this season. The last time we saw Avery, he was played by Haley Joel Osment, and used Murphy’s Sprint phone card — it was the ’90s after all — to track down Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli), Murphy’s live-in-painter-turned-nanny who left the show after its sixth season.

Though Avery is now an adult, he still lives with his mother. Needless to say it’s a bit awkward these days. Not only is Avery an adult, he is also a competitor to “Murphy in the Morning” on a rival news show. Avery is employed by the Wolf Network, which is definitely the sitcom’s take on Fox News Channel.

Sadly, Pastorelli died in 2004, as did Pat Corley in 2006, who played Phil, the owner of Phil’s Bar, a frequent hangout for the “FYI” gang. The “Murphy in the Morning” crew still frequents Phil’s Bar, which is now run by Phil’s sister, Phyllis (Tyne Daly).

Also Read: 'Murphy Brown' Revival Will Have #MeToo Episode; Diane English Addresses Les Moonves Accusations

As it did in the original run, “Murphy Brown” will tackle the current political climate, which will include references to President Donald Trump, his press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and a “Steve Bannon-esque” character, among others. English also said the show will do a #MeToo inspired storyline in the fourth episode.

“Murphy Brown” will premiere on CBS on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 9:30 p.m.

9 Stars Who Couldn't Cut It as Murphy Brown's Secretary, From Hillary Clinton to JFK Jr (Photos)

"Murphy Brown" has returned to television on CBS for 13 episodes, with the new season premiere airing to modest ratings on Thursday. While a lot has changed in media since Candice Bergen's Brown hosted the fictional news broadcast "FYI," one thing that hasn't changed is how hard it is to find good help. One of the show's longest recurring gags was how nearly every week Brown had a wacky and incompetent new secretary, everyone from a man with a Hitler mustache to a pleasant looking woman who worshiped Satan. More than 90 people sat in that assistant's chair over the show's 10 seasons, including some celebrity cameos, but not one of them lasted.
Paul Reubens

Pee-Wee Herman himself helped out Murphy Brown, appearing in six episodes of the show as Stan Lansing's nephew.
CBS
Marcia Wallace

Before Marcia Wallace was Edna Krabappel on "The Simpsons," Wallace had a part on "The Bob Newhart Show" as Bob Hartley's dynamo of a receptionist Carol Bondurant. During a special crossover episode of "Murphy Brown," Carol proved to be Brown's best secretary ever, a real keeper. But at the end of the episode, Bob rushes into the office and begs for Carol to come back and work for him, despite Brown's pleading.
Getty Images
John Kennedy Jr.

You can hear the women in the live audience swooning when it's revealed that John John is Brown's latest secretary. "I guess the lawyer thing didn't work out," Brown jokes. He wasn't there to work, but to drop off a "wedding present" that was just a fake cover of the magazine he edited, "George."
CBS
Kramer

When Kramer (Michael Richards) heads out to Los Angeles on an episode of "Seinfeld," Jerry and Elaine spot him on an episode of "Murphy Brown" as another new secretary. His rapid-fire typing is hysterical, and the show even teases that she has "a good feeling" about him.
NBC
Sally Field

Murphy Brown would've been lucky to have fellow single-mother Norma Rae as her secretary, or better yet her "Absence of Malice" journalist Megan Carter, but instead she got Kathleen Dubek, secretary 91.
Getty Images
Rosie O'Donnell

The final season of "Murphy Brown" featured a cavalcade of celebrity cameos, including Rosie O'Donnell as a particularly annoying singing secretary.
Getty Images
Don Rickles

Rickles would've been in his 70s by the time he stepped into the secretary job during the show's final season.
Getty Images
Bette Midler

In the show's stellar finale, Bette Midler took charge as secretary Caprice Feldman. "Caprice! With two Cs, interlocking like Chanel!" Her wealthy socialite type was always told by her (dead) husband that she could never hold down a job. Well, she picked one with quite the track record.
CBS
Hillary Clinton

At least the former First Lady has some experience as a "secretary," telling Murphy Brown in the revival's season premiere that she worked as one for four years in a "very large organization." Not only that, she boasted that she's "qualified, and I'm ready on day one." She even joked she has "some experience with emails."
CBS

1 of 10

No matter how famous, no secretary lasted long on the CBS sitcom

"Murphy Brown" has returned to television on CBS for 13 episodes, with the new season premiere airing to modest ratings on Thursday. While a lot has changed in media since Candice Bergen's Brown hosted the fictional news broadcast "FYI," one thing that hasn't changed is how hard it is to find good help. One of the show's longest recurring gags was how nearly every week Brown had a wacky and incompetent new secretary, everyone from a man with a Hitler mustache to a pleasant looking woman who worshiped Satan. More than 90 people sat in that assistant's chair over the show's 10 seasons, including some celebrity cameos, but not one of them lasted.

View In Gallery

9 Stars Who Couldn't Cut It as Murphy Brown's Secretary, From Hillary Clinton to JFK Jr (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL