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The Best Episodes of Murphy Brown Season 1

Every episode of Murphy Brown Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Murphy Brown Season 1!

Murphy Brown (Candice Bergen) is a recovering alcoholic who returns to the fictional newsmagazine FYI for the first time following a stay at the Betty...
Genre:Comedy
Network:CBS

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Respect" is the best rated episode of "Murphy Brown" season 1. It scored 7.7/10 based on 151 votes. Directed by Barnet Kellman and written by Diane English, it aired on 11/14/1988. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Devil With a Blue Dress On".

  • Respect
    7.7/10151 votes

    #1 - Respect

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 11/14/1988

    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.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Diane English

  • Devil With a Blue Dress On
    7.6/10122 votes

    #2 - Devil With a Blue Dress On

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 11/21/1988

    Miles assigns Corky to work with Murphy on a big story about a corporate big shot. Corky inadvertently uncovers the fact that he is a drug smuggler, this isn't immediately apparent to her. Murphy almost feels guilty about taking credit for the story, but she doesn't get the chance, Corky ""grabs the brass ring.""

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Korby Siamis

  • Nowhere to Run
    7.5/10113 votes

    #3 - Nowhere to Run

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 11/28/1988

    Murphy investigates a federal prosecutor who's linked to mob-run prostitution, Miles fears for his life when he receives his first death threat.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Russ Woody

  • Signed, Sealed, Delivered
    7.3/10101 votes

    #4 - Signed, Sealed, Delivered

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 12/5/1988

    Miles schedules Murphy to interview her radical ex-husband. Murphy & Jake's feelings for one another begin to ruin the chance of a professional interview.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Diane English

  • Murphy's Pony
    7.2/1099 votes

    #5 - Murphy's Pony

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 12/11/1988

    During the Christmas holidays, a mother abandons her children to the care of Murphy Brown. Murphy goes all out to help them out.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Diane English

  • Baby Love
    6.9/1092 votes

    #6 - Baby Love

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 12/12/1988

    Murphy feels maternal pangs after visiting with a pregnant friend. She considers in vitro fertilization and talks Frank into being the donor. When that option doesn't pan out, they consider a physical union.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Korby Siamis

  • Set Me Free
    7.2/1094 votes

    #7 - Set Me Free

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 12/19/1988

    Murphy's having a rotten day, complicated by a gunman who interrupts the show and demands they read his statement on the air and it gets capped off by the painter she hired to do her kitchen sticking around to finish ""extending myself.""

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Diane English

  • And So He Goes
    7.3/1092 votes

    #8 - And So He Goes

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 1/2/1989

    Murphy's long time nemesis asks for her to deliver the eulogy at his funeral, and Murphy sees it as her chance to have the last laugh or so she thinks.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Sy Dukane, Denise Moss

  • I Would Have Danced All Night
    7.2/1092 votes

    #9 - I Would Have Danced All Night

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 1/9/1989

    Murphy is perplexed and angry when everyone on the staff is invited to the inaugural ball of President-elect Bush. Was it something she reported? Miles debates about asking a taller woman to the ball.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Steven Peterman, Gary Dontzig

  • Kyle
    7.3/1094 votes

    #10 - Kyle

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/16/1989

    Murphy's story wins freedom for an innocent man; when the rest of the team realizes he has a problem adjusting with the outside world, Miles offers him a job as Murphy's secretary.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Russ Woody

  • Off the Job Experience
    7.0/1085 votes

    #11 - Off the Job Experience

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/23/1989

    Miles suspends Murphy for her handling of an interview. So she leaves the office for two weeks and becomes miserable.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Norm Gunzenhauser, Tom Seeley

  • Why Do Fools Fall in Love?
    7.3/1084 votes

    #12 - Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/13/1989

    Cupid strikes the staff when Murphy reluctantly fixes Frank up on the condition he finds someone for her. Murphy's latest secretary has a crush on Jim.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Korby Siamis

  • Soul Man
    6.9/1083 votes

    #13 - Soul Man

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/20/1989

    Murphy tries to gain entry into Washington's last exclusive club, trouble is, it's for men only. Murphy tries to get Jim to sponsor her, when she discovers a loophole in the by-laws.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Norm Gunzenhauser, Tom Seeley

  • It's How You Play the Game
    7.1/1086 votes

    #14 - It's How You Play the Game

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/27/1989

    To get the public to see Frank's piece on the homeless, the FYI team competes with Jerry Gold's show on its level, with surprising results.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Russ Woody

  • Mama Said
    7.5/1090 votes

    #15 - Mama Said

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/6/1989

    Murphy's overbearing mother comes to visit for an unspecified length of time.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Diane English

  • Moscow on the Potomac
    7.2/1079 votes

    #16 - Moscow on the Potomac

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/13/1989

    Murphy prepares for a joint broadcast with the Soviet news equivalent of Murphy Brown.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Denise Moss, Sy Dukane

  • My Dinner with Einstein
    7.3/1084 votes

    #17 - My Dinner with Einstein

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/20/1989

    Murphy dates a physicist to prove looks aren't everything, but he proves to be a party guy.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Steven Peterman, Gary Dontzig

  • Funnies Girl
    7.2/1082 votes

    #18 - Funnies Girl

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/10/1989

    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.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Norm Gunzenhauser, Tom Seeley

  • The Unshrinkable Murphy Brown
    7.3/1089 votes

    #19 - The Unshrinkable Murphy Brown

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 5/1/1989

    While Murphy is grilling him on the show, a judge dies of a heart attack. This causes Murphy to lose her edge, so she attends a group therapy session.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Denise Moss, Sy Dukane

  • The Summer of '77
    7.6/1085 votes

    #20 - The Summer of '77

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 5/8/1989

    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.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Diane English

  • The Bickners
    7.1/1078 votes

    #21 - The Bickners

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/15/1989

    A minor traffic accident, with a sweet elderly couple, results in a 1.5 million dollar lawsuit for Murphy.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Russ Woody

  • The Morning Show
    7.5/1085 votes

    #22 - The Morning Show

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/22/1989

    During an off week at FYI, Murphy & Corky co-anchor the network's morning show, and Murphy finds it's a job she just isn't made for. Murphy's new secretary has a passing resemblance to a ""dead"" celebrity.

    Director: Barnet Kellman

    Writer: Kathryn Baker