May 10, 2019

This will not be a comeback to remember. The revived Murphy Brown was cancelled today by CBS after just one season. The move is not a surprise, as the comedy never really lived up to expectations ratings-wise.

The once-beloved series joined the recent wave of classic revivals last fall with a 13-episode stint than ran between September and December on its original network. With both creator Diane English and star Candice Bergen on board, the network had high hopes that it could create some buzz akin to the comeback of Roseanne, which did extremely well for ABC earlier that year.

But it was not to be, as the iconic investigative journalist failed to resonate with viewers after being off the air for 20 years. Initial interest was there at the beginning, but its audience numbers tapered off substantially over the course of its short run.

Murphy Brown premiered in 1988, airing for 10 years as one of television's top comedies. Over the course of its 247 episodes, the series used political satire to tell stories that reflected current world events and politics. Along the way, the show picked up 18 Emmy Awards, including two for Outstanding Comedy Series.