06x01 - The More Things Change

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Murphy Brown". Aired: November 14, 1988 – May 18, 1998.*
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Murphy Brown is the star reporter of "FYI," a newsmagazine series.
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06x01 - The More Things Change

Post by bunniefuu »

Mr. Fontana, how do you feel
about accusations

That american television news

Has become addicted
to sensationalism

In a desperate scramble
for ratings?

That's a very good question.

I know that I speak for
the majority of my colleagues

In saying that I find
that style of journalism

To be totally repugnant.

How then do you justify
your own use

Of what has come to be called
the "ambush sh*t"?

Excuse me?

Last week you burst into
a union official's office.

Even though he locked himself
in his bathroom

Without speaking to you

You kept that footage
in your report. Why?

Well, i...

Wasn't it because a man running
from a camera looks guilty

Thereby giving you something
hot to pull in an audience?

No, no, you see, the actual
purpose of that footage...

The reason I used it was...

Jim, what?

Did you say something?

Me?

No.

Yes, you did.

You said something
very astute.

I think he should
repeat that.

Go ahead.

Thank you, frank.

I suppose what frank
heard me muttering... Softly

Was that audiences
have become accustomed

To a faster pace

And you have to grab
their attention.

What you're saying is americans
have a short attention span.

No, not at all.

It's just that with cable,
we have so many more choices

Than you have in england.

I believe you have
about four channels.

While we have,
what is it now? , .

Not that

This makes us superior,
or you inferior

For that matter.

Where's murphy?

You don't drop a bombshell
about changes at work

Then hang up the phone.

What kind of woman lets
her machine pick up

At : in the morning?

It's about time
someone realized...

Today's the day the bbc is here.

Roger kenilworth, bbc.

You said something
about a bombshell and changes.

Would you care
to elaborate on that?

That.

That was a total exaggeration.

I do that sometimes
just for the effect.

It creates an air of excitement
in the newsroom

That increases productivity.

The japanese are doing it.
I think it started at sony.

Would anyone like some coffee?

Miles, what the hell
was that last message?

My kid hears that machine.

I'm holding you responsible
if his first words are...

Today's the day
the bbc is here.

Roger kenilworth, bbc.

About these changes
at work

You wanted to discuss
with miles.

Changes?

Miles, have you been
exaggerating again?

You know me.

Murphy, can I see you
in your office?

Of course.

We'll be out
in a minute.

Why don't you have some tea.

We have seven kinds.

We'd rather stay with you.

You agreed to give us
total access.

Of course.
We gave them total access.

Why shouldn't we?

We have nothing to hide.

Let's proceed then.

And so we shall.

Now, murphy,
about these things

That are not
really changes but...

Adjustments.

Minor adjustments.

I see.

And what form might
these minor adjustments take?

I might come into the office
a little later occasionally.

I might leave a tiny bit earlier
once in a while

And I won't take assignments out
of the country quite so often

Maybe take a day off now and then.
But that's it.

Minor adjustments.

Minor?

Tiny.

Roger, there's something wrong
with the battery.

We'll just wait
until you're ready.

You're trying to k*ll me
on camera.

One more shock to my system

It will be the first snuff film
in the history of the bbc.

I just want to spend
more time with my kid

Not get invited
to phyllis schlafly's

For bundt cake.

We're not done
talking about this.

Well, when are we going to be able to?
The bbc's going to be here all week.

I hate this.

You hate it?

I'm the one who just insulted
the entire population of great britain.

First my unfortunate
"girly-hair" comment

About ringo starr
in , and now this.

I hope I didn't come off
too brainy.

That can alienate people,
you know.

I am ashamed of you guys.

We stick microphones
in peoples' faces every day

Searching for the truth.

They want
the truth from us.

What does it say
about us as journalists

If we're not smart enough

To hide it from them?

I'd like to get back to these
adjustments, if I could.

I'd love to talk about them, roger,
but right now this reporter has to call al gore

To get an analysis of the latest
clinton opinion poll.

They say he can't dance

But watch this.

How should I know?

I just got here.

Can I help you?

I'll have to call you back.

I just got busted
on national tv

For using an office phone
for a personal call.

Hi, murphy, peter hunt.

I know.

Saw your report on bosnia
two nights ago.

Absolutely spectacular
piece of reporting.

Roger kenilworth, bbc.

I'm a big fan.

I'm sorry about the phone.

I had a meeting upstairs.

I needed
to make some calls

Without the suits
hanging all over me.

We work for
the same network, don't we?

It's not a problem.

Peter,
I must ask you

About that riveting footage
at the serbian checkpoint.

How did you manage
to stay so totally in control

When that guard
held his g*n

To your head?

That's an
interesting story...

And we'd love
to hear it

But now roger's
going to be sh**ting

Some riveting footage

Of me calling
vice president gore.

Private number.

Very hard to come by

But then, that's why
I get the stories I do.

Hi.

This is murphy brown
for vice president gore.

I'd like to speak
to the vice president.

(Softly:)
is your daddy home?

Is there someone there
who knows where he is?

I'll call back.

I think
it's about time

For one of our story meetings.

Can I use
the phone again?

I promise I'll be done by the time
the big hand's on the six.

I can see
why those serbian border guards

Were charmed by you.

Okay, people, let's get
that story meeting started.

What story meeting?

What story meeting?

Every week
it's the same joke.

Come on, we don't want
to look unprofessional

In front of our bbc colleagues,
do we?

Now, who wants
to go first?

Okay, I will.

v*olence on television.

After years of criticism

The networks have finally agreed
to a warning label.

Okay if I steal
a cup of coffee?

Just waiting
for a call-back.

Sure. Be our guest.

You all know
peter hunt.

Nice job on
that bosnia piece.

When that serbian guard
held that g*n...

You can't hear the phone
from out here.

You might want
to grab that coffee

And scoot back in there.

Very thoughtful.

My pleasure.

Now, will these warning labels
do anything

To stop v*olence
in our society?

No.

I'm sorry, but I feel
pretty strongly about this.

So do i.

Obviously,
these warning labels are...

Totally useless.

Excuse me?

All this bull about television
creating v*olence--

I've been in places that rarely
have electricity

Let alone tv sets,
and the people manage

To k*ll each other
very successfully anyway.

If I could just finish my thought.
The trouble with the labeling system

Is that it borders
on censorship

While offering
a band-aid to the problem.

People are going to be violent
even if tv is nothing

But reruns
of the waltons.

That's one point of view, but
there's a sizable contingent

That argues that television
exacerbates the v*olence.

I don't believe it does.

I don't care.

Just an example of
the cross-pollination of ideas

That occurs among journalists
in our business.

The give and take,
the ebb and flow

The cease and desist.

Look, you cannot ignore
the body of research that says

The amount of gratuitous
v*olence on television...

v*olence is everywhere.

Television is just
reflecting it.

That should be your angle.

Thanks for your suggestion

But since this
really isn't your story...

It should be.

We'll talk about that

When you're a member of fyi.

Great. Let's start talking.

What?

Check with the network.

As of today,
I'm part of the team.

I just need a bottle of
white-out, roger.

I'll catch up with you
in a minute.

This is the worst day
of my life.

Where did you
disappear to?

Mitchell baldwin's office
to find out why the network

Hadn't told me we were
getting a new reporter.

The only way I could talk
without the film crew

Was to ask him to go
to the bathroom with me.

That will look just great on film--
me coaxing a ' " black man

Into the men's room
without anyone noticing.

This is wonderful--
we're talking in closets

And you're doing scenes
from the crying game.

Oh yeah. The bbc isn't going
to suspect a thing.

What did baldwin say?

Peter's contract
was up for renewal.

Everybody in town was bidding
on him.

They had to move fast...

So fast they couldn't tell
the executive producer.

Forget about your
petty insecurities.

There is something much
bigger at stake here.

Relax, frank.
You're not out.

Oh, thank god!

We don't need
this new guy, miles.

He does live reports
standing on tanks

Wearing ripped t-shirts.

That's not the way
we do things at fyi.

I am not thrilled with the way
this was handled either,
but hunt's a good reporter

And he's strong
on international.

You said you wanted to cut back
on overseas assignments.

Don't pin this on me.

I had a hard enough time
making this decision.

Frank can pick up the slack.

I have torn t-shirts
in hot spots all over the world

But I change my clothes
before I go on the air

Because I'm a pro.

It is just so easy
for all of you to complain.

Who's the one

Who has to carefully mix
all the anchors together

Blend and stir
their talents

Make sure no one's
ego boils over

So we can enjoy
a bowl of fyi soup?

That's right...

All:
chef miles.

Well, I'm not going
to tolerate an instant replay

Of the grief you put me through

When I brought corky
on to the show. Understood?

You put him
through grief?

Corky, it was
such a long time ago.

Who even remembers?

Listen here, murphy.

I'm not the same hayseed

Who walked in here
five years ago.

This dog can hunt.

So I want to know
who said what

And I want to know now.

Oh, look. Red pens.

Oh, let's go try them.

Can I get
a menu over here?

Here you go.

And for fyi's
newest correspondent

Lunch is on the house.

Let's see... The announcement
hasn't been made.

Nobody in town's
supposed to know.

I'm guessing you're phil.

Score one for the new guy.

Wasn't that tough.

Wolf blitzer told me
you had a voice like snow chains

On asphalt.

He's a fine one to talk.

With a name like blitzer

He should be flying
over my house at christmas

With rudolph's tail
in his face.

I'm surprised you
wound up in washington.

I always figured you for
a guy who liked to be

In the middle of the action.

Last six months in bosnia,
before that, somalia

Baghdad in ' .

You could have gotten that
from my travel agent.

I expected more from a man
who's supposed to know

Deep throat's home number.

You were born
in saint louis in ' .

You were born in new jersey.
And I'll spare you the year.

Your first assignment
was city b*at in buffalo.

You were stationed in france
during world w*r ii.

Three weeks ago,
last tuesday

You walked into a makeshift
hospital in bosnia

With a wounded kid in your arms
and started wondering

If maybe it wasn't time

To get out.

You're good.

Just a moment of weakness,
that's all.

I've always lived life
on the edge

And I'm always going to.

To prove it to you,
give me a double order

Of your infamous chili

Extra hot.

Son, you're even crazier
than I heard.

It must have been
quite a shock to hear

That fyi was undergoing
such a radical personnel change.

The network makes those kind
of changes all the time.

I'll explain how that works

After I introduce you
to this man.

Phil, this is
roger kenilworth of the bbc.

No story on fyi
would be complete without him.

How about one of your
colorful, longer stories?

Yes, maybe...

Let me tell you
a little story

That involved margaret thatcher,
the joint chiefs of staff

And why we don't serve pretzels
in here anymore.

Hello, colleagues.

Oh, peter!

Hi, peter.

I hate that guy.

I hesitate to say this,
but miles could be right.

Perhaps
we're resisting peter

Solely on the basis
of our own egos.

I think it's time
we invite him to join us.

Why?
Traitor.

Say, peter?

We can't let
the newest member of fyi

Eat lunch by himself.

Come join us.

I'm taking something
back to the office.

I've found there's too much work
to waste an hour socializing

But if you can spare the time

Bon appetit.

I need to make
a phone call.

I'm getting gum.

I have to go
to the restroom.

I'm out of condoms.

Uh...

Have I shocked you?

W-well, then
I've done my job.

Because it's the s

And it's time
that we all woke up

And took responsibility
for our own actions.

And to all you young people
in england, abstain if you can

But if you can't, be smart,
be safe. Good luck.

"I'm out of condoms"?

What in sam hill
was that?

It wasn't my fault. You guys
took all the easy ones.

Wash your hands,
buy lifesavers

Check your weight,
and get a free horoscope.

Jim, if you

And the love glove
are finished

Our new teammate
humiliated us on camera.

If you'd invited me to lunch
my first day

I'd have been thrilled.

I've tried noble,
I've tried dignified

Now it's up to murphy.

What's
your suggestion, slugger?

Once those nosey brits
are gone

We explain
to that hotshot

How things work
around here.

A few more days

And it's the opening
of hunt season. Agreed?

All:
agreed.

I thought you might like
your menus in here.

Oh, and the soup of the day
is clam chowder.

Successful years.

Now look at me.

Dangling over the edge
like a flying wallenda.

I'm not even in
the same time zone

As the rest of you.

At least you're not wedged
in the middle.

I can barely breathe.

You know
what happens to mice

When you pack them
in too tightly?

They go insane,
that's what.

Move over.

I'm never going
to be able

To do anything
for this show

Until you people get past this
thing of being threatened by me.

Now see here--

None of us
are threatened by you.

So I guess
it was luca brazzi

Who left the dead fish
on my hood.

We've been doing fine
for the past years

Without you, bub.

I'm not interested
in "just fine."

I'm interested in doing the
best news program on television

If you people are willing
to settle for less

Then maybe you should all just
follow murphy's example.

All right, seconds people.

And what exactly might that be?

Obviously, having a baby
slowed you down.

But at least you
were smart enough

To cut back on your schedule
when you realized

You couldn't
cut it anymore.

I'm spending time with my kid
because I want to

Not because I can't cut it
anymore.

Call it whatever you want.

The point is, you got
a little soft.

While that is lovely
in a mommy

It's not worth squat

In a journalist.

I'm going to do you a big favor
and forget I just heard that.

I'm just telling
you the truth

But if you can't deal with it

Maybe you should pull back
a little bit farther.

In fact, maybe you
should go home to your kid

And leave the reporting
to those of us

Who can deal with it.

In five, four, three

Good evening, and welcome to fyi

For your information tonight
frank fontana

Explores the hidden world
under new york city subways

Corky sherwood visits
a scottish wool factory

And our new
correspondent

Peter hunt reports on
the continuing crisis in bosnia.

But fit, murphy brown
confronts the issue

Of television v*olence

Head on.

And thank you, peter,
for that compelling--

If initially sporadic--
report on bosnia.

This has been another edition
of fyi.

Good night

And we're clear.

Be sure to catch highlights
of tonight's show later on espn.

Roger, roger, rog...

I'm not giving you
the tape.

You can't put
that on the air.

It's sensationalistic.

Showing that would pander

To the worst
in your audience.

The bbc doesn't do that
kind of thing.

Of course we do, miles.

We just do it
with an accent

So it sounds classier.

You pasty-faced scone-sucking
hack!

I want that tape!

Come on, murphy.

Let's go to phil's
and get some ice for that hand.

In a minute.
I think peter and I

Have something
to talk about first.

Maybe we should hang around
in case something happens.

Relax, frank.
She's in no danger.

Actually, I was worried
about you.

Don't worry, you guys.
I'll catch up.

We'll save you a seat,
slugger.

I almost forgot why I gave her
that nickname.

So?

So?

I'm waiting.

For what?

An apology.

I'm the one standing here

With $ worth of bridgework
I'm in my pocket.

If anybody should apologize,
it's you.

All right.

I'm sorry I hit you
in the jaw

But I didn't have clear sh*t
at your stomach.

Okay. That's better.

By the way,
you have convinced me.

There is too much v*olence
on television.

Thank you.

Although, your story
would have been better

If you'd used some of my ideas.

Oh, you just don't learn,
do you?

Sure I do.

I'm standing farther away

This time.

You may be good

But there are four
other reporters on this show

Just as good or better.

And if you don't learn to
bend a little

Your dentist is going to be
a very rich man.

Am I supposed
to be scared by that?

I've been through beirut,
mogadishu

And the baggage claim area
at kennedy airport.

I think I can survive
this neighborhood.

I just got it.

How could I have been so stupid

When it was staring me
straight in the face?

Well, good night.

Oh, right.

And this is where I'm
supposed to ask

"What's staring you
right in the face?"

Only since I don't care, I'm
not going to ask. Good night.

Nice try, petey.

You think you
don't have to ask

Because I won't be able
to resist telling you.

But I can resist, easily.

So long.

There could be few things staring
me right in the face about you too, you know.

You're bluffing.

You asking?

Okay. Count of three.

One, two, three.

The giants need a quarterback.
This macho thing's a cover.

What did you say?

This macho thing is
just a cover.

What did you say?

The giants need a quarterback.

I didn't think

You had anything.

What do you mean,
"this macho thing"?

The bravado, the w*r stories

The flak jacket with the subtle,
but prominent, bullethole.

It's a great image.

Even if the guy
behind it

Is starting
to feel a little shaky.

That is such a load of crap.

Yeah?

Then why take a job

Where you're going to be spending
more time behind an anchor desk

And less time in the field?

Sounds to me like you're the one

Pulling back around here
because you can't cut it.

I took this job
because I wanted to

Not because i...

Nicely done.

Makes you want to deck
someone, doesn't it?

All right, I had no business
saying what I said to you.

I probably
would have decked me too.

Maybe, uh, maybe
you did strike a nerve.

Not because it's the truth

But because I know
some people are wondering

Am I pulling back
because I've lost my edge

Because I'm not as hungry
as I used to be.

Tell me about it.

Some people probably
are thinking

That I took this job

Because that last b*llet
was a little too close

Or that last border guard
a little too crazy.

It's ridiculous what
some people lie awake

Worrying about till :
in the morning.

: ? Try : .

You were up till : ?

I wasn't talking about me.

I wasn't talking about me, either.
I was talking about jane pauley.

I was talking
about stone phillips.

Murphy:
those people have problems.
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