The best episodes of Murphy Brown
Ranked by viewer rating, highs first. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
Jerry Gold joins FYI where in a new feature he goes ""Nose to Nose"" with Murphy and the sparks fly, then the fire is rekindled and the sparks fade away.
- 02
Avery comes to stay with Murphy when she decides it's time to ""change the scenery of my existence""; Murphy suggests she gets a boyfriend. Two hours later she has a double date for herself and Murphy.
- 03
Jim goes into hiding after losing control on the air, fearing the only thing people will remember about him is that one moment in his long career.
- 04
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.
- 05
For Murphy's 42nd birthday present, Frank hires an actress to be Murphy's sister for a full twelve hours. The novelty wears off quickly for Murphy, when her ""sister"" keeps turning up.
- 06
On a ""suggestion"" from Murphy, Will and Corky throw a dinner party to feign togetherness. The event turns into a disaster.
- 07
Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way
After Murphy gets the staff to agree to no presents this year, Murphy's little gifts for the rest of the staff causes a last-minute Christmas gift-buying frenzy.
- 08
When Murphy throws a party, Eldin's artistic talent is discovered. Three weeks later Eldin has a showing at a premiere art gallery. Eldin's mural causes a stir that turns his life upside down.
- 09
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.
- 10
After completing treatment at the Betty Ford Center, celebrated investigative reporter Murphy Brown returns to FYI determined to resume her career. She discovers that the program is now run by young executive producer Miles Silverberg and that former beauty queen Corky Sherwood has joined the reporting team. At home, Murphy hires philosophical house painter Eldin Bernecky, whose work promises to take much longer than expected.
- 11
Murphy investigates a businessman suspected of involvement in drug smuggling, but Miles insists that Corky accompany her. Murphy expects the inexperienced former beauty queen to be a hindrance until Corky unexpectedly obtains the evidence needed to break the story. Murphy must then decide whether she is prepared to share the credit.
- 12
Murphy is assigned to interview radical activist Jake Loewenstein, whom she briefly married years earlier. Their unresolved feelings and conflicting accounts of the relationship make it increasingly difficult for Murphy to conduct an impartial interview.
- 13
Shortly before Christmas, a desperate mother unexpectedly leaves her children in Murphy’s care. Completely unprepared for instant parenthood, Murphy tries to look after the children while searching for their mother and attempting to give the family a proper holiday.
- 14
Spending time with a pregnant friend causes Murphy to question whether she wants a child of her own. She begins investigating artificial insemination and approaches Frank about becoming the biological father, leading to an increasingly awkward discussion about friendship, parenthood and their future responsibilities.
- 15
An armed man enters the FYI studio and demands that the program broadcast his grievances. Murphy attempts to control the dangerous situation while Miles and the rest of the staff struggle to respond. At home, Eldin transforms what was supposed to be a routine painting job into an extensive and apparently endless renovation.
- 16
Murphy is asked to deliver the eulogy for a longtime professional rival. She initially regards the assignment as an opportunity to settle old scores, but reflecting on their contentious history forces her to recognize the respect and affection hidden beneath years of competition.
- 17
Murphy is outraged when everyone at FYI except her receives an invitation to George H. W. Bush’s inaugural ball. Determined to identify the person responsible for excluding her, she launches an investigation of her own. Meanwhile, Miles hesitates over inviting a woman who is taller than he is.
- 18
Murphy’s investigative reporting helps exonerate Kyle, a man who has spent years in prison for a crime he did not commit. After his release, Kyle struggles to adjust to ordinary life, and Miles gives him an opportunity to work as Murphy’s latest secretary.
- 19
Miles suspends Murphy after she disregards his instructions during an interview. Murphy initially welcomes the forced vacation, confident that she can enjoy a life away from television, but soon discovers that her identity and sense of purpose are inseparable from her work.
- 20
Murphy and Frank agree to arrange romantic dates for one another, only to discover that each has badly misjudged what the other wants in a partner. Meanwhile, Murphy’s newest secretary develops an obvious attraction to the happily married Jim Dial.
- 21
Murphy challenges an exclusive Washington club that refuses to admit women. After discovering a possible loophole in its membership rules, she pressures Jim into sponsoring her application and prepares to confront the institution on its own terms.
- 22
Murphy’s formidable mother, Avery Brown, arrives for an open-ended visit. Avery’s relentless criticism quickly revives the arguments and insecurities that have long defined their relationship, leaving Murphy desperate to regain control of her home and emotions.
- 23
Murphy prepares for a joint American-Soviet television broadcast and meets Soviet journalist Vladimir Tishenko. She is startled to discover that her counterpart’s personality, interviewing style and professional reputation closely resemble her own.
- 24
Murphy begins dating brilliant physicist Dr. Victor Rudman to prove that intelligence matters more to her than physical attraction. Her supposedly reserved intellectual companion soon reveals that he has a far more active and adventurous social life than she anticipated.
- 25
An insulting remark Murphy makes near an open microphone inspires a newspaper cartoonist to create a caricature called “Mouthy Brown.” Murphy’s attempts to suppress or retaliate against the cartoon only give the artist more material and draw the rest of the FYI staff into the satire.
Shows like Murphy Brown
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
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Shameless is a fiercely engaging and fearlessly twisted series.
