6.9
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Murphy Brown (1988)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Viewer Rating
Rating: 6.9
Overview
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 Ford Clinic residential treatment center. Over 40 and single, she is sharp tongued and hard as nails. In her profession, she is considered one of the boys, having shattered many glass ceilings encountered during her career. Dominating the FYI news magazine, she is portrayed as one of America's hardest-hitting (though not the warmest or more sympathetic) media personalities.
Starring Cast
Bias Dimensions
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: Moderate
LGBTQ: Positive
Christianity: Negative
Overview
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 Ford Clinic residential treatment center. Over 40 and single, she is sharp tongued and hard as nails. In her profession, she is considered one of the boys, having shattered many glass ceilings encountered during her career. Dominating the FYI news magazine, she is portrayed as one of America's hardest-hitting (though not the warmest or more sympathetic) media personalities.
Starring Cast
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Progressive
Primary
The show's central thesis explicitly promotes progressive ideology, particularly regarding women's independence and non-traditional family structures, often directly challenging conservative viewpoints and societal norms.
While the core cast of 'Murphy Brown' largely reflected traditional demographics, the series' narrative was groundbreaking for its explicit and consistent critique of traditional gender roles, conservative politics, and societal norms, particularly through its central character's independent lifestyle and career.
Secondary
Murphy Brown consistently demonstrated a progressive and affirming stance towards LGBTQ+ characters and themes. While earlier depictions were often topical and incidental, they were handled with respect. The 2018 revival further solidified this with the positive and integrated portrayal of a recurring gay character, Pat Patel, contributing to a net positive impact.
The show frequently satirizes and critiques conservative social values, often rooted in specific interpretations of Christianity, portraying their adherents as judgmental, hypocritical, or out of touch. The narrative consistently champions a more liberal, secular perspective, validating these critiques without significant counterbalancing positive portrayals of those specific religious stances.
The television series 'Murphy Brown' (1988) does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes within its narrative. Consequently, there is no specific portrayal to evaluate under the given rubric.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Murphy Brown is an original sitcom, not an adaptation of prior source material. The 2018 revival featured the original characters maintaining their established genders, and new characters do not qualify as gender swaps.
The show 'Murphy Brown' maintained its core cast and introduced new characters in its revival without recasting any established characters with actors of a different race. No instances of race swapping were identified.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
6.9
6.4
Critic Ratings
N/A
7.4
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