“Murphy Brown”

Another one of my all-time favorite shows, although it lost its luster for me in the final season or two. After Grant Shaud (who played executive producer Miles Silverberg) left and Lily Tomlin came aboard, and they changed the set, it just wasn’t the same.

But, man, oh man, before that time, it was great. Set in a television newsroom, it focused on ace reporter Murphy Brown (wonderfully played by Candice Bergen).

And I don’t recall any television show garnishing attention from a vice president (Dan Quayle), who took “Murphy Brown” to task in a speech for having a baby out of wedlock and glamorizing single motherhood. In the next season’s opener, Murphy, frazzled from a crying baby and in desperate need of a shower, says to her colleague and friend, Frank (played by Joe Regalbuto), “Look at me, Frank! Am I glamorous?”

I also loved how Murphy would go through secretaries faster than I go through a bag of Herr’s barbecue potato chips (now that’s FAST!).

Check out this clip I found on YouTube. It’s part of the episode where Murphy gives birth to her son, Avery (named after Murphy’s late mother).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rqch9i8m1Y