The BEST Episodes of Murphy Brown
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Jul 7, 2020
Network: CBS
Murphy Brown is the star reporter of "FYI," a newsmagazine series. Murphy is sarcastic, ambitious, often self-involved and bossy - but she is also dedicated and ethical. She and her co-workers - including Jim, Frank and Corky - are often at one another's throats, even though they care about one another. This comedy series tackles some serious topics, including Murphy being a single mother and being treated for breast cancer.
#1 - Birth 101
Season 4 - Episode 26 - Aired May 18, 1992
While doing the last show of the season, Murphy starts going into labor. The FYI gang and crew panics, and don't know what to do since they're in the middle of a live show, Miles asks Jim to take Murphy to the hospital, Corky to close the show, and Frank to get Eldin and anything else Murphy needs at her house. At the hospital, Murphy is still relaxed, she's starting to feel the first contractions and they're not as painful as she thought. She even asks Jim to play cards with her. Everything is under control, but not for long, the contractions are starting to get very painful. Murphy is screaming and Jim doesn't know what to do. A nurse shows up and after examining Murphy says that it's still too early and suggests that Murphy walks a little to relieve some of the pain. And that's what Murphy does, Miles is with her trying to calm her down, because Murphy is a 'little' cranky. Later on, Murphy is screaming even more, she's holding Frank and Miles through their neck cursing and bl
8.11 #2 - Never Can Say Goodbye (2)
Season 10 - Episode 22 - Aired May 18, 1998
Jim seeks some career advice from Mike Wallace. Mike tells him he is boring and has lost his spark. Murphy begins her interview with God, who tells her she must make the best of the gifts she has been given. The surgery uncovers the abnormality was just a cyst, Murphy can go on with her life. The gang is happy for her, but unsure what to do with themselves without Murphy as a part of FYI. Frank and Julia finally get together and arrange a date. Jim prepares to leave and Murphy returns to the office. She is ready to tell everyone that she's changed her mind, when they all mention what they have in the works for their careers. Murphy confesses her selfishness, but mentions that she doesn't want to leave. After a group hug, they all get together to reminisce on memories of the past. At the end of the day, Murphy returns to her townhouse. Ten years later, Eldin makes the same entrance back into her life. Seems Avery used his mother's Sprint card to track Eldin down. Eldin proposes marriage
8.03 #3 - Never Can Say Goodbye (1)
Season 10 - Episode 21 - Aired May 18, 1998
Murphy fires her last secretary, she plans on leaving FYI, it has been six months since her last chemotherapy treatment. She wants to live the rest of her life. Jim mentions it might be time for him to go as well. The rest of the staff tries to come to grips with the situation. Meanwhile, shooting on location down the street, Julia Roberts stops by the offices of FYI hoping to meet Frank Fontana. To be free and clear of cancer, Murphy needs to get another mammogram. Unfortunately, the mammogram shows something that will require exploratory surgery to uncover its nature. Seeking comfort, Murphy reflects on the need to talk with Phil and no one is more surprised than she is when he returns from the dead. Seems he knew too much about Whitewater. Murphy goes under the knife as the gang waits outside. Murphy has an out of body experience that brings up to heaven to conduct the only person she hasn't interviewed, God.
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#4 - The Summer of '77
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired May 8, 1989
Eldin meets Corky for the first time and becomes infatuated with her. Phil reflects on the first time he met Murphy, when she first came to Washington to audition against Linda Ellerbee & Frank Fontana for FYI.
7.91 #5 - Going to the Chapel (2)
Season 2 - Episode 27 - Aired May 21, 1990
Upon returning, Corky decides to go ahead with the wedding, but the event is marred by even more last minute indecision, and then Murphy brings out the ""soul.""
7.89 #6 - Uh-Oh (3)
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired Sep 16, 1991
Jake tells Murphy he has decided he isn't ready to settle down, and they both agree they can't do it together. Murphy decides to exercise her right to choose and her choice is motherhood. Even though it's Jake's baby, Jerry knows fatherhood isn't for him. While everyone else freaks out at the news, only Eldin is truly happy for Murphy. Murphy ""Do you think I'll make a good mother."" Eldin ""No, but I will.""
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#7 - Going to the Chapel (1)
Season 2 - Episode 26 - Aired May 14, 1990
When a ""geek"" from her high school days comes to Washington, Corky's mother & his mother arrange to have them get together. They meet, fall in love, and within two weeks announce their plans to get married. Corky runs out into the night with Eldin, when she thinks that maybe she hasn't really experienced life.
7.86 #8 - Driving Miss Crazy
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired Mar 4, 1991
While the FYI staff car pool together, Murphy works on her will, Frank gets over a relationship, Corky obsesses over being right about a trivia question, Jim tries to think of an anecdote for an interview and Miles almost gets everyone killed.
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#9 - Respect
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired Nov 14, 1988
Murphy returns to FYI after ""drying out"" at the Betty Ford clinic. The show has undergone some changes while she was gone, including the addition of a beauty queen to the anchor desk and a new young executive producer. In her first week back she isn't sure whether she still has her edge.
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#10 - Funnies Girl
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired Apr 10, 1989
An on-camera slip of the tongue, makes Murphy the butt of a cartoonist's joke in ""The Adventures of Mouthy Brown,"" then the rest of the staff falls victim.
7.84 #11 - The Memo That Got Away
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired Oct 2, 1989
A high-school computer hacker stumbles onto a memo by Murphy about her co-workers, and he plans to publish it in the school paper.
7.83 
#12 - The Wheels on the Dog Go Round and Round
Season 11 - Episode 11 - Aired Dec 6, 2018
During Corky's live "National Adopt a Pet Day" segment, she guilts Murphy into adopting a dog. Also, Avery's show is moved to the Wolf Network's plum 10:00 PM timeslot, and Phyllis and Miguel get a surprise visit from Fred Noonan (Peter Scolari), an intimidating health inspector.
7.83 #13 - Rootless People
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired Nov 19, 1990
Finished early with her story, Murphy terrorizes the rest of the staff with her practical jokes. When a gang of environmental terrorists kidnap her, nobody believes her.
7.83 #14 - On Another Plane (2)
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired Feb 25, 1991
Frank and Murphy witness their wake, giving them further time for reflection on their lives.
7.80 
#15 - Moscow on the Potomac
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired Mar 13, 1989
Murphy prepares for a joint broadcast with the Soviet news equivalent of Murphy Brown.
7.80 #16 - Uh-Oh (1)
Season 3 - Episode 26 - Aired May 20, 1991
Jake resurfaces with matrimony on his mind, Murphy is caught between him and her ex-lover, Jerry Gold, when he returns unexpectedly. Later Murphy takes a home pregnancy test, the results are positive.
7.77 
#17 - My Dinner with Einstein
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired Mar 20, 1989
Murphy dates a physicist to prove looks aren't everything, but he proves to be a party guy.
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#18 - A Lifetime of Achievement
Season 11 - Episode 7 - Aired Nov 8, 2018
The “Murphy in the Morning” team, Avery and Phyllis join Jim Dial at an eventful lifetime achievement award gala in his honor, hosted by Katie Couric and attended by Murphy’s worst-ever secretary, who has a surprising new connection to Murphy. Also, Murphy discovers a kindred spirit in Judge Nate Campbell, another gala attendee,
7.75 #19 - Contractions
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired Jan 21, 1991
The Wolf network tries to woo Murphy away, something she isn't interested in until she finds out the network is taking her for granted.
7.74 #20 - The Usual Suspects
Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired May 6, 1991
Murphy goes off the deep end when a tabloid prints lies about her, one of which says she is drinking again.
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#21 - Thanksgiving and Taking
Season 11 - Episode 9 - Aired Nov 22, 2018
Murphy's reluctant Thanksgiving dinner guests fear the worst.
7.74 #22 - Q & A on FYI
Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired May 13, 1991
The FYI staff vies against Yale on a TV quiz show, but at the dress rehearsal, they realize just how much they've forgotten since their school days.
7.73 
#23 - AWOL
Season 11 - Episode 12 - Aired Dec 13, 2018
A disillusioned Avery seeks career inspiration from his extended family at "Murphy in the Morning," as the team tries to salvage a major story that hinges on a source in the Middle East who has gone silent.
7.72 #24 - Hoarse Play
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired Feb 4, 1991
Ten years ago Murphy was banned from the White House press conferences. To top off her story on the education crisis, Murphy decides she needs a quotation from the ""Education"" president. When she manages to get a pass, she loses her voice two days before the conference.
7.71 #25 - I'm As Much of a Man as I Ever Was
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired Sep 23, 1991
Gene Kinsella finds out about Murphy's pregnancy and considers the idea of taking her off the air. But Miles convinces him not to. Once that is solved, Murphy must get a quote from the president for her latest story. Frank says the only way to get this quote is jogging with him. Murphy thinks she's up for the job but Frank and Jim don't think so because of her pregnancy. So, Murphy accepts Frank's offer of getting the quote for her. When that doesn't work, Murphy tries to get it herself and ends up running over the president with her bike. Even though Murphy didn't get her quote she's happy, and concludes that her pregnancy will not make her life any more difficult, all she has to do is be a little more creative.
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