Original subtitles

Talking is good. It's healthy. Now, try to open up.

Okay.

I think I'm pregnant.

What? I took one of those home pregnancy tests.

The stick was blue. A positive result.

Are you out of your mind?

Running around with... Two guys having unprotected sex in the 90s? Whoa, a

little credit here. I was not running around with two guys. I was with one

One man.

One time.

Which one? Jake or Jerry? Oh, man, I'm not sure I want to hear this. And I'm

going to tell you. It wouldn't be right to tell you before I tell him.

There's an even bigger question, Frank.

Would something happen to me if I became a mother?

I mean, would I lose my edge?

And if I don't, what kind of mother am I?

What are you going to do, Murph? I don't know. Do you have any thoughts, any

feelings one way or the other? I don't know.

I never thought I'd be in a situation like this.

I always thought I was too smart.

Does that mean I have to live with my mistake?

Does a child have to live with it?

I know I have the right to make this decision.

I just didn't expect it would be this hard.

Is it possible that the test was wrong? Maybe you didn't do it right. Look,

Frank, you're right.

I should call my doctor, make an appointment.

And in the meantime, I should take another test. I could be worrying over

nothing. Murphy, what are these?

What? What are what?

These boxes.

They're home pregnancy tests.

I think I'm pregnant.

There's still a possibility I'm not pregnant. What do you mean a

How much of a possibility?

More than a 50 % chance?

51 %?

75? 98?

How much? How much?

Not much.

How can you be pregnant?

You're 42 years old.

Miles, would you calm down? Nothing is for sure yet. I've only taken one of

these tests.

All right.

When will you know for sure?

Tomorrow morning.

I'll keep you posted.

Jake, we have to talk.

I know.

You've asked me to marry you every day for the last three weeks.

You've been very patient waiting for my answer.

But, Jake, something's happened.

There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it.

I'm pregnant.

You're pregnant?

Are you sure?

Ten home pregnancy tests and a dead rabbit can't all be wrong.

Now, Jake, I know what's going through your mind right now.

You're picking out names.

You're putting an Abby Hoffman doll in its crib. You're teaching it to recite

all the names of the Watergate defendants. But, Jake, don't make a

Because I haven't decided what I want to do.

And I'm counting on you not to pressure me until I can sort through everything.

Murphy, when you called and asked me to come over here... I was sure I knew why.

You were going to tell me that you decided not to marry me. And I was going

be big about it and tell you it was okay that you made the right decision.

And then I was going to try to figure out a way to help you not feel bad for

making me feel bad because maybe I didn't feel as bad as I thought I would.

Am I making any sense at all? No.

Look, Murphy.

I thought that I could change the world by working in the system. I really did.

But I've been in Washington for three weeks now.

Already I've seen the handwriting on the wall. I can't sit around pushing papers

when other people are doing the real work.

Protecting the rainforest in Brazil and getting food for the hungry in Ethiopia

and helping the political prisoners in South Africa.

I guess part of me always knew you weren't the type to fix things over a

lunch.

I really tried, Murphy.

But this morning was the last straw.

This big advertising agency called me from New York.

Wanted me to do one of those ads for The Gap.

Jake Wallenstein, radical activist, and the classic Gap tea.

Sorry. I knew right then that it was time for me to go back underground.

I mean, I've still got a lot of good years left, but... Now...

Now we have this.

We want to do the right thing.

We want to make the right choice.

Maybe we can make it work, Murphy.

Maybe there's a way.

I mean, if that's how you're leaning.

Jake, I think it's pretty clear that neither of us has changed much since we

were married the first time.

If we tried it again, we'd just be repeating the same mistake.

Right.

So to have a child without parents.

Gotta have parents.

No question about that.

Although one parent is not uncommon.

Well, granted, granted. But, of course, that would put the burden on you. You'd

be the parent.

Can you picture that?

Well, come on, Murphy. You're... You.

Well, maternal is not the first word I would use to describe you. Right, but

just to be the devil's advocate here, so I'm tough.

That doesn't mean I don't have a nurturing, caring side.

I once fed the cat next door.

How would you even be able to do your job if you had a child? It takes a

tremendous amount of time and effort. Not that I'm disagreeing with you, but

did Mike Wallace do it?

Morally safer.

Howard K. Smith.

They had wives. Think about it. Look, you live half your life on an airplane

following stories.

What are you going to do? Excuse yourself from the next summit meeting

you're running low on huggies? God, Jake, for a guy who knows all the words

In a Gada Da Vida, you're starting to sound an awful lot like Pat Boone.

There's no one right way to raise a child, so I travel a lot.

A well -traveled child is a healthy child.

And they often fly for free, you know, until they're old enough to need their

own seat.

When they're ten.

Sure, it would be hard to raise a child on my own, but I couldn't possibly do a

worse job than the Reagans did with theirs, and I'll tell you another thing.

I'm resourceful, I never date lawyers, and I only own one television, and it's

under 27 inches, so I don't see why I can't be a mother if I want to.

Not that I'm saying I want to.

I haven't made a decision yet.

I don't know.

Sounds like you have.

I'm living a highly complete life here.

It's just that for the last 24 hours, there's this voice inside me.

It's the voice of a tiny baby girl with a very big mouth.

It's getting louder every minute.

And it's saying yes.

Murphy, I want to make sure you understand something.

I care about you.

And I'll care about this baby.

But this is your decision.

I can't be here for you.

I understand.

Thank you.

You promise me you'll take care of yourself?

I promise.

I'll call you.

Sorry you had to hear that so soon.

Hi,

Frank.

Hi, Miles.

Murphy in yet?

Nope, not in yet. I'm waiting for her.

No particular reason. I'm just waiting for her to come in. Yeah, me too.

Mind if I wait with you?

Of course not. Why would I mind?

You know, don't you?

No.

I couldn't sleep at all last night. Is she pregnant or not? And whose baby is

it? What if it's Jerry Gold's? It'll be like that kid in The Omen.

Or Rosemary's baby.

We'll look into the cradle and there'll be a devil child in there wearing one of

those white -laced bonnets only it'll have Jerry's face and a two -day -old

a beard. Oh, the horror!

We're going to start to suspect something is up.

We'll have all the answers soon enough.

until she gets here. Now, come on.

Oh,

look at this stapler. Oh, it's made in Hackettstown. You don't see that very

often.

What would you say happened?

You think, yeah? Well, let's open it and check it out. Come on.

What are they doing now?

Taking staples out of a stapler and counting them.

Good grief.

Something is going on and we don't know about it.

That's not right.

We've never kept secrets from each other.

sick on doors is stroganoff at your birthday dinner i'm just gonna go over

and find out what's happening

You too, Jim.

Me too.

Oh, boy.

Thank you for letting me be part of your little club.

Do I have to wear a raccoon hat or give a secret wave?

Just go in, Jim.

All right.

There's obviously been a new development in the continuing saga of Murphy

Brown's love life, so why don't you just fill us in so we can all get back to

our jobs of reporting the news.

I'm pregnant.

It's definite.

I'm pregnant.

Oh, my God.

It's a medical miracle.

Who did this to you?

Please don't let it be Jerry. Please don't let it be Jerry.

It's Jake's baby.

It's a moot point because Jake and I have decided that to remarry would be a

mistake. In fact, he left for Brazil last night and I don't know when he's

coming back.

Will you stop doing that?

Don't you worry.

I'll be there for you.

Even if I have to drive you to some back alley so some shady doctor who might

not even wash his hands can...

Corky, there is no back alley.

Women in this country legally have a choice.

At least I think they still do. I haven't checked the paper today.

I'm sorry.

I'm from Louisiana.

This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make.

But I'm exercising my choice.

To have this baby.

Murphy, are you saying that you're going to attempt to do your job while week

after week you puff up in front of a viewing audience that includes a certain

number of people still reeling from the concept of women wearing pants?

That's right, Jim.

Oh, good Lord, this could be the worst decision anyone's made in television

since Rhoda's wedding.

She's trying to kill me.

She is.

People who have children...

should be married.

They should raise their children under one roof with two parents living there

together in wholly wedded matrimony. There should be a station wagon and a

room. Oh, come on, Miles. You didn't grow up with that. And look at me. I

tremendous fear of dogs. Is that what you want? All right.

Just hold on here now.

Murphy's just made a real difficult decision, and I think that even though

all sort of... I don't know. What's the phrase I'm looking for?

Opposed. Hey, can we get to the point, please?

She's made a decision, and I think we should stand behind her, okay?

Okay?

Okay, we're with you.

Murphy, do you need any money?

Oh, for God's sake, Jim, I make as much as you do.

Is that true, Miles?

That's enough talking. Everybody out. I still have a story to put together. I

can still do that, you know.

Am I still your favorite?

Yes. Go!

You never know.

there, Murphy.

Hi, Phil.

What happened? Where is everybody?

Ah, Kitty Kelly came in for lunch.

Everybody ran out of here so fast it was like a stampede.

Look at this.

Pat Moynihan's shoe.

That's my usual table.

Yeah, yeah. So what can I get you?

Oh, what's on special?

Well, let's see.

There's meatloaf and, uh...

Corned beef.

Whoa.

What? What are you looking at?

Murphy Brown, you've got a bun in the oven.

Oh, come on, Phil.

I know you know everything, but you aren't saying that you can tell I'm

just by looking at my face.

I've got eight kids, Murphy.

I've seen that exact same look in Phyllis's eyes eight times.

Also, if you're going to run a successful Washington press bar, it pays

contacts in a drugstore.

town in a couple of hours. Mary Hart will be announcing it on entertainment

tonight. I'll read about it in TV Guide.

Jeers to Murphy Brown for not using an effective spermicidal jelly.

This is one of those times I wish I were anonymous.

Just your average unwed 42 -year -old deciding to have a child.

Ah, so you've made a decision.

Pretty gutsy for a woman with no maternal instincts whatsoever.

Everyone is born with maternal instincts, Phil. I can get some.

I'm sure there's a class.

Look, Murphy, I've always thought of myself as your dad away from home, so

going to give it to you straight.

This is going to be rough.

You're going to have to face down a lot of critics, keep a lot of plates in the

air. And worst of all, you're going to have to read the cat in the hat.

Over and over.

faith in you murphy i know you're gonna do just fine thanks phil what's cat in

the hat maybe fine was too strong a word let's just say you'll muddle through

i'll go get you some milk milk now where would i find a thing like that

well gee i guess the

rumor's true Scientists found traces of Phil's meatloaf in Zachary Taylor's

remains.

What are you doing here?

I was invited by Murphy.

He says he has something important to tell me.

Oh.

Oh, no!

This isn't happening.

It's just a bad dream.

If I stick my head in the deep fire, I'll wake up and it'll all be over.

Yeah, yeah. It's worth a shot.

Hi, Jerry.

Thanks for meeting me here.

I have something to tell you.

Uh -oh, I don't like the sound of that.

It's the same tone my lawyer used when he said my parents were suing me.

This is going to be a little difficult, Jerry, so bear with me, okay?

Oh, okay.

I get it.

It's obvious what you're going to say to me, so why don't I just make this real

easy on both of us?

You've decided to marry that Jake guy.

Look, I know what you're seeing.

He's tall, he's good -looking, he once shared a stir -fry with Joan Baez.

As opposed to me, a guy whose tires were slashed by Ralph Nader.

Yeah, Brian, you made the right decision.

I mean, what kind of life would you have with me?

Sneaking around corners, being followed by an angry gang of dolphins.

The liberal and the beast.

So, listen, congratulations.

Have a nice Mario Cuomo -esque life filled with all the government

social programs you could want.

I'll see you around.

I'm not marrying Jake.

You're not?

Well, why didn't you just say so?

Because there's something else you should know.

I'm pregnant.

Well, wait a minute, Brown.

If memory serves me correctly, we haven't had sex since I've been back in

Washington, which can mean only one thing.

Either I'm better than I thought, or it's the other guy's baby.

It's Jake's baby, but he's pretty much out of the picture, so now it's just my

baby.

Wow.

This is unbelievable, Brian.

You're 42.

I mean, when something like this happens, don't they put your picture in

cover of the New England Journal of Medicine?

Why is that the first thing everyone says?

42 is not such an unusual age for a woman to be having a baby anymore. And I

having the baby, Jerry, just so you know.

But what is this? Some kind of premenopausal insanity?

I mean, Brown, you are free now. You can come and go whenever you want.

That's all going to change.

You will change.

One of America's toughest reporters is going to be reduced to questions like,

did Mommy's little angel make a poo -poo today?

I mean, come on. What is everyone's problem here?

I make this big decision, and no one's happy for me.

Everyone's afraid I'm going to go into the delivery room, Murphy Brown, and

out Harriet Nelson.

Well, I've got news for you. I've had this loud, opinionated, self -centered

personality since I was a zygote, and I'm not about to change now.

Except I have to find out about Cat in the Hat.

Do you know what that is?

A Korean dish?

Fine!

I'll just research it, okay?

Like a good reporter always does. Like the good reporter I'll always be. Am I

making my point, Jerry?

I don't know. You could say a little louder. There's some people in Nebraska

didn't hear you.

Look, I'm sorry I yelled.

I just wanted you to know what the situation was, because, strange as it

seem, I care a lot about you.

But if you want to say goodbye, I understand.

It always comes down to this anyway.

Look, I'm sorry.

But I've had this personality a long time, too.

And it's not one that blossoms around kids.

You take care of yourself.

Lots of luck, okay?

But, you know, a thought just crossed my mind.

If you have a boy, he's going to need a good, strong male influence.

Other than you.

And if it's a girl, she's going to need somebody to teach her how to look out

for guys like me.

So, what I'm trying to say is, Brown, if you need anything, I'm not going

anywhere.

You and the pyramids never cease to amaze me.

Come on, let's get out of here and actually find a place where they serve

You're on.

There is something I want to ask you.

I hear you can still do it even in the ninth month.

Is that true?

Albert?

I'm home.

Is there anything to eat?

Well, that's it.

I'm finished.

I'll see you.

Oh, I had something to tell you, but it can wait till tomorrow.

Uh, no, I...

I don't think so. I'm, uh, I'm finished.

What do you mean you're finished?

You mean finished finished?

Done?

You're leaving?

Yeah, well, you know, the job took a little longer than I expected.

It turned out pretty good, so, uh, I... Well, bye.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Just like that?

You're here for three years, and then it's over?

No formal goodbyes, just out the door and gone?

Well, you know, some people form an unhealthy attachment to me.

You see, a clean break is usually the best thing to do. And besides, I can

things around here are about to change, you know? There's gonna be another

person, and frankly, I'm already feeling crowded.

What, am I wearing some kind of sign that says I'm pregnant?

What? Whoa!

Run that by me again?

Isn't that what you were talking about, that there's a baby coming?

No, I thought you were getting married. I'm not getting married.

Well, wait a minute. You're not getting married, and there's a baby coming? Are

you going to lecture me, too? Go ahead. I'm getting used to it.

Congratulations! This is a very good thing.

You're with child.

This is a very good thing that you're doing.

Although... Most people would generally maybe buy a plant or a small pet just to

see how it would go at first, you know?

But at your age, I guess you can't waste no time, huh?

You know, Eldon, you're the first person to be happy for me.

I haven't even allowed myself to be happy.

Maybe... Maybe I should rethink this departure.

You know, you're gonna need a nursery. The single most important room in the

house. Now, I wouldn't want some hack from Ed's Paints coming here and

cliche pink and blue on the walls. Not after all the effort I put in this

Right, right. Think about that ceiling over the crib.

The baby will be looking at that all day, all night.

That's my chance to make an impact on a young mind. There you go.

This could take months.

How many do we have?

Eight and a half.

The pressure.

I better get started.

Now, let's see.

A mural.

A definite mural.

Something topical, but with child appeal at the same time.

Maybe John Sununu at Disneyland taking a free turn on the teacup ride.

Hey, Eldon.

What?

Do you think I'll make a good mother?

No.

But I will.