Hollywood has once again dipped into the nostalgia well, bringing back yet another series from the late 80s/early 90s. This time around it’s Murphy Brown. The series, which ran from 1988-1998 on CBS, starred Candice Bergen as a hard-hitting journalist, who emerges from rehab to take over news magazine FYI.
In January, CBS announced a 13 episode revival. The series had its political undertones, as Murphy went toe-to-toe with then Vice President Dan Quayle, when her character decided to have a child out of wedlock. Quayle spoke out, accusing the show of contributing to the decline of family values. Given the current political climate, Murphy has many more issues to tackle. The time is right for this show to return.
Candace, 71, shared a photo with the cast on Friday. The shot includes returning stars Faith Ford (Corky Sherwood), Joe Regalbuto (Frank Fontana) and Grant Shaud (Miles Silverberg), writer and executive producer Diane English, and newcomer Nik Dodani, who plays the social media director of FYI.
Not included on Candace’s photo is actor Jake McDorman from CBS’s Limitless, who is playing the role of Murphy’s now-adult son, Avery. According to Deadline, the character who was last seen as a six-year-old in 1998’s final episodes is now “following in his mother’s footsteps, perhaps too closely, and has his mother’s competitive spirit and quick wit.” The network is promising that the revival, which is set to premiere in the 2018-19 season, will “return to a world of cable news, social media, fake news, and a very different political and cultural climate.” I think, of all of the shows that have returned recently, this one looks really promising, and I can’t wait to see the feisty fictional journalist take on #45.
Photos: WENN.com, Getty Images, Insragram
I’m curious to see how this does. The hit shows of when I was a wee babe (ok not so wee) was due to the show pushing the boundaries. Those boundaries are no longer there. Curious to see how the show will be adjusted. Now a days, a single working mom is no big deal.
Love Candace. Will watch.
Same here. I. CANNOT. WAIT for this show! I loved this show growing up; this is one reboot that makes sense to me 😊
I’ll watch, but often I’m often disappointed when shows/films I liked are ‘updated’. This program was more than political commentary..it was well-written comedy about a strong woman, and I’m glad I can still view and enjoy the original today.
Personally, I am tired of all the reboots. The TV shows and movies that I have always found the most interesting are original creative works, not revivals or rehashes.
Now this is a reboot I am interested in! I really loved that show growing up, and I’m real curious to see how they handle it in the current climate.
Did the actor who played Jim pass away?
ETA answered my own question, he passed away in 2015. It must be sad to come back, missing some cast members who have died.
Eldin died too.
Won’t be the same without Jim and Eldin (especially Jim) but I’ll watch.
Yes I remembered that, couldn’t remember about Jim.
I remembered the actor who played Eldin died of a drug overdose, but I just looked it up, apparently he was a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend a few years before! It was originally classified a suicide, but was re- investigated and the police were looking to talk with him.
The actor who played Jim, Charles Kimbrough, seems to be very much alive.
Oh wow! I see that now, I wonder what I saw this morning, I think it was wikipedia and showed him passing away in 2015. Glad he’s still alive, I hope he signs on if he can.
Jim was the best. I will def watch this. They have got a hell of a lot of material to work with.
YES I am excited. I loved this show growing up. I have high hopes this will be exactly what I need to cope with this mess of a world we are living in (please don’t be like Gilmore Girls reboot, please don’t be like Gilmore Girls reboot…).
Me too!! I’m really looking forward to it
Loved this show in its heyday but as has been said upthread…..it pushed boundaries that don’t exist today. I hope for something that deals with the pervasive ageism in in our culture.
I suspect Candace will be quite willing to explore that. On the first series, they actually did deal with her feeling that she was being pushed aside for the younger Corky in the earlier years.
I follow her on Instagram she is quite funny.
Me too! My only comment was going to be to recommend following her. 😀
I watch the reruns and that show is still hilarious. Great cast and great writing. That said, I am not a fan of remakes of movies or TV shows. Remakes seldom live up to the original so just let the original be remembered for the amazing production it was. Also, it seems creatively lazy to recycle like that. I will watch the new Murphy Brown, but don’t have high expectations that it can live up to its past glory.
Please please please please pleeeeease let it come to Australia, too!
I want Murphy Brown to reboot. This is a comeback against Roseanne. Stick it to them and I hope they come really hard.
I’m curious about it. I will watch if it’s good. I have been watching Will and Grace and they can still crack me up.
I loved that show as a child. I usually don’t like reboots, but I’ll probably watch! Those faces are unexpectedly dear to me.
If any show has the DNA for a revival, it’s “Murphy Brown.” Such a great ensemble. I can’t wait. Maybe now this means it will be available to stream somewhere; it’s amazing that it’s not available.
Charles Kimbrough will make a guest appearance, but, for me, Jim was the glue that held the insanity together. Very understated and underrated.
I am thrilled. Can’t wait. It will be a nice antidote to Roseanne. Am loving Will and Grace too while I never watched the first time around. Wit and satire never get old even if the vehicle does. Murphy was a real feminist role model back in the dark ages; I hope she continues to be.
The series, which ran from 1988-1998 on CBS, starred Candice Bergen as a hard-hitting journalist…
Never saw this show but if nostalgia and reboots are needed to remind us of real journalism, to crave it back and get a new generation in love with facts…then so be it!
I wonder if the opening scene in the first episode will start with Murphy exiting the elevator with a suitcase? That would be great!
Heck yea, I’m going to watch that!
I still remember when Murphy was going through Chemo and Eldin got her some weed to help with the nausea. That was a big deal at the time.
And Miles blew his nose and said, “I’m so sick! I think I just lost the part of my brain that does Algebra!” LOL!
Jim is precious. I’d forgotten Lily Tomlin – hope she appears – and about a million guest stars:
Walter Cronkite, Julia Roberts, G. Clooney, H. Joel Osmont, Paul Reubens, Colleen Dewhurst (loved her) Cleo King,…so many.