Trump's election motivated "Murphy Brown" reboot, Candice Bergen says
CBS' reboot of "Murphy Brown," which featured a groundbreaking portrayal of a career-focused, tough-talking TV journalist in Washington D.C., is one of fall's most highly anticipated TV shows. But it might not have happened without Donald Trump's election, according to Candice Bergen, who plays Brown in the original series and reprises her role in the 2018 version.
"We definitely wouldn't have had the show because really we'd done the show and we'd done it as well, I think, as it had ever been done and we didn't have a motivation do it. We didn't really have the meat or a story. And then when the election happened, I mean, if Hillary had won, we would just be dancing in the streets. But I think in the current situation, it gives us a chance to make a response," Bergen said on "CBS This Morning."
The series, which first aired in 1988, left an indelible mark on our culture for the way it handled issues like politics, family values and motherhood. Brown's decision to become a single mother at 42 years old even provoked Former Vice President Dan Quayle to criticize the show in 1992.
"I don't think we realized just quite how ahead she was when she was created. Diane English wrote a woman that we hadn't really seen on television yet, who was totally self-confident, didn't care what other people thought, no politeness, no groveling," Bergen said.
Bergen's co-star, Faith Ford, is also returning for her role as Corky Sherwood. Though the show was known for skewering real-life politicians, Ford insisted the show isn't about bashing President Trump.
"We're staying on point with issues. I mean, there really are a lot of issues going on that were going on then and they're still going on," Ford said. "And we're still dealing with them every week and that's predominantly what our show's about."
The new "Murphy Brown" premieres Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. ET/ 8:30 p.m. CT on CBS.