Date of airing: December 12, 1988 (CBS)
Nielsen ratings information: 19.7 million viewers, 14.1/21 in Households
written by: Korby Siamis
directed by: Barnet Kellman
I came across another face that I know from ER in this episode: Jenny O'Hara, who plays Murphy's pregnant friend in the beginning of this episode, was also Rhonda Sterling for two episodes in season three of my all-time favorite TV series. The Rhonda Sterling arc may have been insignificant and easily forgotten in TV history, but I fondly remember it, and not just because Rhonda made for an interesting character for a couple of minutes and it always made me remember the actress, even if I have rarely seen her in anything else since (or I cannot remember).
But here she is, being all nice and a capable friend, almost being a plot device to get Murphy on the train of motherhood, to think about what it might be like if one of the most powerful women in this series universe is also a mother of a baby and without a man in her life. In fact, when it comes to the latter part of the premise, the writers barely scratched the surface, but there is something about the thought of Murphy being a single mother who works a lot and is pretty much famous. Sometimes it is a shame that sitcom episodes are so short, because I would have loved for the characters to have a discussion about what it might be like for Murphy as a single mother with a demanding job. At times, she was asking the right questions, but the answers never really came.
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| Murphy's undercover identity as a famous TV journalist helps her to fond some semen. |
This episode was great. I loved that a 1980s show went into the premise of a 40-year-old career woman wanting to have kids, although the writers kind of missed to couple Murphy’s wish to have a child with her alcoholism from before the show began, which maybe should have been an issue if you care about seriousness in your story. Still, here is a fictional character, a woman who is a couple of years shy of hitting menopause, which means she does not have a lot of time left to have a family in the most natural way we all know about. That is why it seemed natural that Murphy was suddenly putting the pedal to the metal and was speeding through the development of becoming a mother. One visit to the sperm clinic, one discussion with the potential biological father, and then the two were already trying to hook up because ... apparently, it is impossible for Frank to just give his sperm? That makes me think for a second that Frank was BSing his way into Murphys bed because he really wanted to have good old-fashioned sex with her.
However, I found Frank and Murphy together highly amusing, and it was a plot that could have continued for hours and I gladly would have watched all of it. Their discussion about Murphy wanting his kid was already hilarious, but when they went to her place to “do” it, I could not stop smiling. The chemistry and tension between the two were so hysterically weird, and the acting was so much on point, that it could easily be considered one of the greatest scenes of 1980s television (and I say that as someone who probably has not watched more than 300 hours of 1980s television).
With Frank and Murphy almost doing the naughty in the living room (going into her bedroom was not an option?), I started to not only believe that Eldin and Murphy could be a nice couple for the run of the show, but also Murphy and Frank, even if that coupling seemed a little too on the nose in this episode, and with the kinda-chemistry the two have had over the course of the previous episodes. Still, their scene in the third act was the highlight for me, despite the fact it was obvious they would never do the deed, as it would have been a major development in both their lives that could simply not be swept under the rug in future episodes. If you make your lead characters enjoy their nakedness under the covers together, then there is no going back – or you are watching a primetime soap opera, where things like that are a regular occurrence.
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| Let's do it right here, right now, in this position. |
By the way, plus points for secretary number nine. Her obnoxious behavior and loud voice gave the episode some of the finest LOL moments of the series so far. And the thing is, she was otherwise a perfectly capable secretary – keeping Murphy's appointments on schedule, and keeping her attention on her, so that she could be considered a great secretary. What a waste when she revealed herself to be incapable of respecting people's privacy. Although maybe characters like that are joke fodder for sitcoms.
