Murphy Brown (season 11)

Murphy Brown (season 11)
Promotional poster
Starring
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 3
Release
Original network CBS
Original release September 27, 2018 (2018-09-27) – present (present)

The eleventh season of the American television sitcom Murphy Brown follows news anchor Murphy Brown and the cast and crew of the morning news show Murphy in the Morning as they combat the rise of misinformation and fake news from their studio in Washington D.C. The season was produced by Warner Bros. Television and Bend in the Road Productions, with Diane English and Candice Bergen serving as executive producers.

Bergen stars as Murphy Brown and is joined by principal cast members Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto, and Grant Shaud, who reprised their roles from the previous seasons, with Jake McDorman, Nik Dodani, Tyne Daly, and Adan Rocha joining them.

Cast and characters

Main

  • Candice Bergen as Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI. Following a brief retirement, Brown returns to television in her own morning news show Murphy in the Morning.
  • Faith Ford as Corky Sherwood, a reporter hired by FYI to replace Murphy during her stay at the Betty Ford Clinic. Years later, she joins Murphy in the Morning as a co-host after getting fired from her job on another morning talk show.
  • Joe Regalbuto as Frank Fontana, an investigative reporter on FYI and later Murphy in the Morning.
  • Grant Shaud as Miles Silverberg, an executive producer at FYI and later Murphy in the Morning.
  • Jake McDorman as Avery Brown, Murphy's son, a journalist and a liberal commentator on the conservative-leaning Wolf Network.
  • Nik Dodani as Pat Patel, the director of social media for Murphy in the Morning.
  • Tyne Daly as Phyllis, the sister of Phil and the current owner of Phil's Bar.
  • Adan Rocha as Miguel, a college student working at Phil’s Bar in order to make extra money for his school tuition.

Recurring

  • Charles Kimbrough as Jim Dial, the former veteran news anchor for FYI.
  • Merle Dandridge as Diana Macomber, the head of cable news network CNC, which airs Murphy in the Morning.

Guest

  • Hillary Rodham Clinton as Hilary Clendon ("Fake News"), an applicant for the position of Murphy's secretary.
  • Ashley Austin Morris as Addie Abrams ("I (Don't) Heart Huckabee"), one of Murphy's secretaries, who arrives to work hung over.

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
season		Title [1]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [1]Prod.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
2481"Fake News"Pamela FrymanDiane EnglishSeptember 27, 2018 (2018-09-27)T36.010017.50[2]
2492"I (Don't) Heart Huckabee"Pamela FrymanTom PalmerOctober 4, 2018 (2018-10-04)T36.010027.12[3]
2503"#MurphyToo"Don ScardinoGina Ippolito & Skander HalimOctober 11, 2018 (2018-10-11)T36.010046.76[4]
2514"Three Shirts to the Wind"Don ScardinoLaura KrafftOctober 18, 2018 (2018-10-18)T36.01003TBD
2525"The Girl Who Cried About Wolf"Don ScardinoNorm GunzenhauserOctober 25, 2018 (2018-10-25)TBATBD

Production

Development

On January 24, 2018, in the wake of rival broadcast networks reviving their own popular classic series (Will & Grace on NBC, Roseanne on ABC, and The X-Files for Fox), CBS announced it had given a series order to a thirteen episode revival of Murphy Brown for the 2018–2019 season. The series will be set in "a world of cable news, social media, fake news and a very different political and cultural climate," according to CBS. Candice Bergen and series creator Diane English are set to return as executive producers.[5] On February 27, 2018, it was announced that Pam Fryman would direct the revival's pilot episode.[6]

On May 16, 2018, it was announced during the CBS upfronts presentation that the revival would now have Murphy anchoring a cable morning show, Murphy In the Morning, with her old team, lifestyle reporter Corky Sherwood, investigative journalist Frank Fontana, and producer Miles Silverberg, while Murphy’s son Avery works as a conservative anchor host for a rival cable morning show that airs opposite his mother’s program.[7] On July 9, 2018, it was announced that the series would premiere on September 27, 2018.[8] On September 21, 2018, it was reported that CBS had extended the running time of the premiere episode of the revival by five minutes.[9]

Casting

Alongside the initial announcement of the revival, it was confirmed that Candice Bergen would reprise her role as Murphy Brown.[5] On February 26, 2018, it was announced that Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto, and Grant Shaud were joining the main cast and reprising their roles from the series' original run. It was also reported Charles Kimbrough might make a guest appearance in the revival.[10] On March 16, 2018, it was announced that Jake McDorman and Nik Dodani had also joined the main cast. McDorman is set to assume the role of Murphy Brown's now adult son Avery.[11] On April 19, 2018, it was announced that Tyne Daly had joined the main cast in the role of Phyllis, the sister of the deceased bar owner Phil from the series' original run.[12] On August 5, 2018, it was announced during the Television Critics Association's annual summer press tour that Charles Kimbrough would reprise his role from the series' original run in a three episode story arc.[13] On September 13, 2018, it was reported that Adan Rocha had been cast in a series regular role.[14] On October 11, 2018, it was announced that Merle Dandridge had joined the cast in a recurring capacity.[15]

Before the premiere of the season, it was reported that the first episode would feature a guest appearance from a prominent individual. The identity of the guest was being kept secret until the episode aired with the network going so far as to not include the scene in which they appeared in screeners for the press. Upon the episode's release, it was revealed that the guest star was in fact former secretary of state and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[16]

Release

Marketing

On April 6, 2018, the first photograph of the cast of the new season was released.[17] On May 16, 2018, the first trailer for the series was released.[18] On August 5, 2018, a promo for the season was released featuring the cast going through the table read of the season premiere.[19] On August 23, 2018, another promo for the series was released featuring Brown and Fontana mocking President Donald Trump.[20]

Distribution

In Canada, the season premiered on September 27, 2018, on CityTV.[21]

Reception

Critical response

The season has been met with a mixed response from critics upon its premiere. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds an approval rating of 39% with an average rating of 5.73 out of 10, based on 39 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "This just in: while the nostalgia and wit are welcome, Murphy Brown's dated messaging tactics feel heavy-handed and smug, leaving this formerly formidably timely series feeling like a reboot reaching for the headlines."[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 53 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[23]

Ratings

While the first episode of the season showed a marked improvement in ratings in its time slot in comparison to the previous year, the series fell short of the ratings of two other recently-revived sitcoms from the 1980s and 90s, Roseanne and Will & Grace.[24][25]

No. Title Air dateRating/share
(18–49)		Viewers
(millions)		DVR
(18–49)		DVR viewers
(millions)		Total
(18–49)		Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Fake News" September 27, 20181.1/47.50[2]0.73.641.811.15[26]
2 "I (Don't) Heart Huckabee" October 4, 20181.0/47.12[3]TBDTBDTBDTBD
3 "#MurphyToo" October 11, 20181.0/46.76[4]TBDTBDTBDTBD

References

  1. 1 2 "Shows A-Z - murphy brown on cbs | TheFutonCritic.com". The Futon Critic. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Welch, Alex (September 28, 2018). "'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Big Bang Theory,' and 'Thursday Night Football' adjust up: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Welch, Alex (October 5, 2018). "'Thursday Night Football' adjusts up: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Welch, Alex (October 12, 2018). "'Big Bang Theory' and 'Thursday Night Football' adjust up, 'I Feel Bad' adjusts down: Thursday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (January 24, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' Revival Set At CBS With Star Candice Bergen & Creator Diane English". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  6. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 28, 2018). "'Murphy Brown': Pam Fryman To Direct Pilot Episode For CBS Revival Series". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  7. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (May 16, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' Revival To Take On Cable Morning Show Wars: More Details". Deadline. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  8. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie; Pedersen, Erik (July 9, 2018). "CBS Fall 2018 Premiere Dates: 'Big Bang' & 'Young Sheldon' To Help Launch 'Magnum PI' & 'Murphy Brown' Revival". Deadline. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  9. ↑ Evans, Greg (September 19, 2018). "CBS Gives 'Murphy Brown' Premiere A Five-Minute Bonus". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  10. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 26, 2018). "'Murphy Brown': Faith Ford, Joe Regalbuto & Grant Shaud To Reprise Roles On CBS Revival; Charles Kimbrough May Appear". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  11. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 16, 2018). "'Murphy Brown': Jake McDorman To Play Son Avery In CBS Revival; Nik Dodani Cast". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  12. ↑ Petski, Denise (April 19, 2018). "'Murphy Brown': Tyne Daly Joins Cast Of CBS Revival". Deadline. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  13. ↑ de Moraes, Lisa (August 5, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' Creator Diane English Says She May Need Protection As Series Returns To CBS – TCA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  14. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (September 13, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' To Tackle Trump's Wall & ICE, Casts Adan Rocha As DACA Dreamer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  15. ↑ Petski, Denise (October 11, 2018). "'Murphy Brown': Merle Dandridge Joins Season 1 Of CBS Revival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  16. ↑ Patten, Dominic (September 28, 2018). "Hillary Clinton Is 'Murphy Brown's Secret Guest Star, Another CBS Cameo To Come". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  17. ↑ Petski, Denise (April 6, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' Revival: Candice Bergen & Cast Reunite In First Photo". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  18. ↑ Otterson, Joe (May 16, 2018). "CBS Fall 2018-2019 Trailers: 'Magnum PI,' 'Murphy Brown,' 'God Friended Me' (Watch)". Variety. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  19. ↑ Evans, Greg (August 5, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' First-Look Video: Candice Bergen Leads Cast In Table Read". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  20. ↑ Rice, Lynette (August 23, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' mocks Donald Trump in latest promo". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  21. ↑ Wong, Tony (June 5, 2018). "Murphy Brown will take on Donald Trump this fall on City | The Star". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Murphy Brown: Season 11". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Murphy Brown: Season 11". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  24. ↑ Hibberd, James (September 28, 2018). "'Murphy Brown' returns to low ratings (and far from 'Roseanne')". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  25. ↑ Porter, Rick (September 28, 2018). "TV Ratings: 'Murphy Brown' Falls Short of 'Roseanne,' 'Will & Grace' Debuts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  26. ↑ Pucci, Douglas (October 10, 2018). "Live+7 Weekly Ratings: 'Manifest' is Most-Watched NBC Drama Series Premiere in 19 Years". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
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