Can CBS Make Murphy Brown A Hit—Again?

It could face a tougher path than the other successful 90s revivals.

- Jason Lynch

In the past few years, broadcasters have successfully attracted audiences with revivals of hit ’90s series, from The X-Files (Fox) to Will & Grace (NBC) to Roseanne (ABC). Now CBS will try to continue the streak when it brings back Murphy Brown on Thursday, 20 years after the sitcom, starring Candice Bergen as the legendary TV journalist, signed off.

But Murphy Brown could face a tougher path than its predecessors, as factors like the series’ (and its stars’) relatively low profile since the 1998 finale, and its lack of availability on streaming services, may mute its potential audience. CBS counters that the show is positioned to be just as relevant now as it was during its original run. “Murphy Brown was a no-brainer because of the highly politicized social media culture we’re in now,” said CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl. “The minute we heard [the pitch], we were like, how cool would it be to have Murphy Brown back on the air during these times?”