S11.E10: Beat the Press

[The Crazed Spruce]

Quote

When Frank is physically attacked while covering a political rally, Murphy becomes afraid to dispute the opposing viewpoint of a guest on her show.

[Wanda]

Watching this, why aren’t there arrests of the perpetrators?

[Annber03]

I sympathize with Frank's fear about feeling safe nowadays.

Loved the scene with Avery and Frank in the hospital, and the way he tried to defend him when talking to that lady. And I also liked Avery getting all into the "Hoarders" show :D. 

[AntiBeeSpray]

9 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I sympathize with Frank's fear about feeling safe nowadays.

Loved the scene with Avery and Frank in the hospital, and the way he tried to defend him when talking to that lady. And I also liked Avery getting all into the "Hoarders" show :D. 

Same here.

Thought tonight's episode was very well handled and well done. Glad they went there, given things.

And the comment that Corky made about her gun and her other thing... lmao XD. That was too funny.

Edited November 30, 2018 by AntiBeeSpray

[UYI]

The part with Corky and the gun was SUPER awkward (although I liked when Miles asked her to walk him to his car), but I liked this episode a lot, it's certainly relevant to what the show is about.

And of course Murphy likes Hoarders! :P (Unlike Avery, though, I could NEVER find myself sucked in to that show; it depresses and grosses me out too much. I'll stick to House Hunters, thank you.)

Already looking forward to Murphy's hijinks with the cute puppy next week! :D 

[GHScorpiosRule]

That was very difficult to watch.

And it’s sad  that there are people who are that Stupid and Ignorant.

But I did love Murphy’s “because vegetables are good for you! DUH!!!” when Avery asked why frozen peas were better than ice. And there’s something about how she refers to Avery as “my Kid” that gives me the warm fuzzies.

Avery did a wonderful job interviewing. 

Edited November 30, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[AntiBeeSpray]

12 minutes ago, UYI said:

The part with Corky and the gun was SUPER awkward (although I liked when Miles asked her to walk him to his car), but I liked this episode a lot, it's certainly relevant to what the show is about.

And of course Murphy likes Hoarders! :P (Unlike Avery, though, I could NEVER find myself sucked in to that show; it depresses and grosses me out too much. I'll stick to House Hunters, thank you.)

Already looking forward to Murphy's hijinks with the cute puppy next week! :D 

Yea it was, at first, especially. Definitely.

Yep XD. Same here. I'll stick with that and some other reality tv instead.

Word. That pup is adorable. :D

 

3 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

That was very difficult to watch.

And it’s sad that that there are people who are that Stupid and. Ignorant.

But I did love Murphy’s “because vegetables are good for you! DUH!!!” when Avery asked why frozen peas were better than ice. And there’s something about how she refers to Avery as “my Kid” that gives me the warm fuzzies.

Avery did a wonderful job interviewing. 

Yea it was. Almost teared up at points.

Word. :(

He definitely did. He's so much a chip off the old block.

This episode stands up with some of the better ones in the old series, in my opinion.

Edited November 30, 2018 by AntiBeeSpray

[friendperidot]

oh yes, that is Murphy's kid! She raised him right.

[greekmom]

I am so glad they addressed the way people are being condition to look at the news.

This came to my mind. I get skeptics, I get naysayers. But people resorting to violence because some idiot called Frank "Fibbin Frank Fontana". It's just crazy.

[mmecorday]

I think one of the best things about the reboot is how easily believable Murphy and Avery are as mother and son.

I work for a newspaper, so this one was very difficult to watch. Poor Frank.

[Tanichka]

In case there was any doubt as to why the low ratings.  Painfully amateurish.

[Gemma Violet]

Loved the episode but it made me sad.  Too true to life.

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, mmecorday said:

I think one of the best things about the reboot is how easily believable Murphy and Avery are as mother and son.

After how dissapointed I was last week, the show redeemed itself this week. I love the relationship between Murphy and Avery. This week I thought it was wonderful the way they delved into the relationship between Avery and Frank. I could totally picture Frank at games and major life events cheering for Avery as he was growing up.

I liked that Avery thought working for Wolf would offer him a degree of protection that Frank did not have, and it turned out that Avery was wrong. I was surprised no one brought up Dan Rather getting roughed up on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in 1968. 

Also, I like that they had Avery wearing his glasses on camera. I got a very Clark Kent vibe from it. 

Edited November 30, 2018 by Sarah 103
added comment about Avery's glasses

[Bastet]

I continue to miss the opening Motown song, and, more importantly, the sharp, nuanced, subtle writing of the original series, but with things every episode like Murphy and Avery heading for the hospital upon hearing about Frank, I remain satisfied with the revival.

This war on the press/enemy of the people thing is something that should have existed at least in the background of every single episode.  In these WTF?! actual times, a show predicated on national journalism needs to go all out.  “What if this is the new normal?” is something this show should expose the consequences of weekly.  Avery feeling a level of protection among the red hat crowd because of who he works for, despite his role there, is a sub-thread.

Murphy’s hesitancy, even in light of Frank and Avery’s experiences, didn’t fully work for me.  They've never been under this level of attack, so it damn near almost did, but her on-air sequence backing down was one of those that lacked nuance.

Random notes:

- Murphy’s on-air wardrobe continues to be horrible.  Her Trump-induced Tourette’s as the broadcast end is hilarious, though.

 -“Oh, for god’s sake, it’s been two years, give it a rest.”  LOL, but I can’t get behind watching Hoarders; mental illness as a source of self-righteous mockery is not funny.

- “I’ve seen the movie” by the nurse when Corky is doing her Terms of Endearment routine was great.

- Drugged Frank wondering what happened to his imaginary brother and Pat as Ron was great.  And I loved “Holy cannoli.”

[magicdog]

Quote

Watching this, why aren’t there arrests of the perpetrators?

I thought the same, considering the acts of violence were on cam - especially the battery on Avery.

Just now, Sarah 103 said:

I was surprised no one brought up Dan Rather getting roughed up on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in 1968. 

Because they were Democrats.

My Dad did long before "fake news" became a household word.

 

As someone who works in TV news and who has covered political rallies involving Trump, I'd say the episode was half accurate.  Yes, there is always a risk when going out to cover certain events, but as we say in the biz, "Cover the news, but don't become the news".  It's a risk journalists have taken since war correspondents became part of the landscape.  I've spoken with many reporters and photogs who get nervous when they have to go to a rotten neighborhood to report on a crime that occurred there.  They are often told, if necessary, don't linger, just get up and go if things get too sketchy.  No news is worth your life.

I loved the interactions between Avery and Uncle Frank (that cannoli scene in the hospital was gold!).  I was disappointed however when Avery told that person that Frank was the closest thing he had to an uncle.  I was expecting him to say, "father".  

[Ailianna]

9 hours ago, Wanda said:

Watching this, why aren’t there arrests of the perpetrators?

Aside from the practical problems associated with trying to arrest and prosecute people involved in mob violence (see the issues with the white supremacist trial in Charlotte, NC), there are a lot of factors that reporters and their networks (or papers) would have to consider before deciding to file a complaint.  We haven't seen any arrests for anyone else getting physical with political events, in the real world, and it's partially, in my opinion, based upon people deciding how far they want things to go.  Plus when you add in the element of being the media, and the aforementioned "don't become the news" mentality, I wasn't surprised.  Though they really didn't address whether there was an arrest; it was just implied from the fact first-fist-thrower was out and about at the cafe.

[theredhead77]

Loved, loved, loved it. I teared up at Frank's fear, at Murphy's softballing, at the very real portrayal of the deep fear of violence for not believing what comes out of Fox that has entered our culture. The ability for critical thinking and discourse has left half the country and that's sad. This is something that happens in other countries. Truth.

I would like to go to Avery and Frank's church to partake in the Holy Cannoli. 

I'm a transplant from Los Angeles to f'in Georgia. I fear for my safety frequently and this show makes me feel not so alone. I'm very sad that MB may be cancelled (or was only intended to have a limited run) 

 

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/11/murphy-brown-cancelled-cbs-season-2-designing-women-political-tv

Edited November 30, 2018 by theredhead77

[aemom]

I don't tend to watch a lot of US news. Have incidents like Frank's happened in real life?

[Phebemarie]

I really liked this episode.  Yes, it dealt in current events, but it seemed a lot more character driven.  For me, it was the first time that the relationships between Avery and the other characters seemed genuine.  

 As far as ratings go, it might help to flip-flop Mom (which I don't watch) and Murphy.   

[Madding crowd]

Yes it happens. As a reporter myself, I found this well done and sad. Love the interaction between Murphy and her son, and still love Frank. There is still a creakyness about the show but it feels more natural to me than the Will and Grace reboot. 

[Nazboo]

20 minutes ago, AEMom said:

I don't tend to watch a lot of US news. Have incidents like Frank's happened in real life?

This was the incident that came to mind for me when I saw the preview for this episode. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-praises-montana-congressman-who-assaulted-reporter-n921911

[Kohola3]

38 minutes ago, AEMom said:

Have incidents like Frank's happened in real life?

Well, there was the Washington Post reporter who was murdered and dismembered recently.

[AriAu]

I loved the original because it knew how to deal with the topical stuff without being as heavy handed as this re-boot has been. This was topical and not at all balanced because while I have heard about reporters being threatened at Trump's rallies and there is that great video of the woman with the angry face and middle finger  https://qz.com/1345622/video-of-a-trump-rally-crowd-harassing-the-press-in-tampa/, but it really has not evolved to that level of violence against the press, even Trump's favorite target.im Acosta.
I agree these are scary times, but this is a sitcom and not 60 Minutes, so somehow I think it needs to be softer and played more for laughs. YMMV

I do like the relationships that Avery has with Frank and his mother. The "holy cannoli" scene being a throwback to Frank being there for him was really well done...and well played for the laughs..."our church???" And Murphy's line about "because they are a vegetable...duh" was perfect and actually perfect for the character.

And why did they need Phyllis in this episode-is there something in Tyne Daly's contract since she was not needed. If I remember correctly, Phil wasn't in each episode.

Edited to add

Quote

Well, there was the Washington Post reporter who was murdered and dismembered recently.

Ummm, I think that would be a little different than this.

Quote

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-praises-montana-congressman-who-assaulted-reporter-n921911

Quote

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by AriAu

[partofme]

I really liked this episode.  I've come to really like and look forward to this show every week.  I think I was too young to really appreciate this show during it's original run but now it's must see tv for me and I will miss it if there isn't another season.

[gesundheit]

Phil was a recurring character, Tyne Daly is a series regular.

[Rowsdower]

9 hours ago, magicdog said:

I was disappointed however when Avery told that person that Frank was the closest thing he had to an uncle.  I was expecting him to say, "father".  

He described Frank as "practically my uncle." This fictive kinship with Murphy's colleagues (to whom he refers as "Aunt" or "Uncle") was established in the 1992 episode depicting Avery's birth.

[AntiBeeSpray]

2 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Loved, loved, loved it. I teared up at Frank's fear, at Murphy's softballing, at the very real portrayal of the deep fear of violence for not believing what comes out of Fox that has entered our culture. The ability for critical thinking and discourse has left half the country and that's sad. This is something that happens in other countries. Truth.

I would like to go to Avery and Frank's church to partake in the Holy Cannoli. 

I'm a transplant from Los Angeles to f'in Georgia. I fear for my safety frequently and this show makes me feel not so alone. I'm very sad that MB may be cancelled (or was only intended to have a limited run) 

 

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/11/murphy-brown-cancelled-cbs-season-2-designing-women-political-tv

 

Why am I not surprised? I'm ashamed of Vanity Fair spreading this. It's not anywhere near cancelled. As far as I'm concerned that article is clickbait. They just spreading more stuff about people being 'tired' of politically minded shows.

 

1 hour ago, AriAu said:

I loved the original because it knew how to deal with the topical stuff without being as heavy handed as this re-boot has been. This was topical and not at all balanced because while I have heard about reporters being threatened at Trump's rallies and there is that great video of the woman with the angry face and middle finger  https://qz.com/1345622/video-of-a-trump-rally-crowd-harassing-the-press-in-tampa/, but it really has not evolved to that level of violence against the press, even Trump's favorite target.im Acosta.
I agree these are scary times, but this is a sitcom and not 60 Minutes, so somehow I think it needs to be softer and played more for laughs. YMMV

I do like the relationships that Avery has with Frank and his mother. The "holy cannoli" scene being a throwback to Frank being there for him was really well done...and well played for the laughs..."our church???" And Murphy's line about "because they are a vegetable...duh" was perfect and actually perfect for the character.

And why did they need Phyllis in this episode-is there something in Tyne Daly's contract since she was not needed. If I remember correctly, Phil wasn't in each episode.

Edited to add

Ummm, I think that would be a little different than this.

 

Disagree on that. The situation they portrayed was not a funny one. And I don't think it would have been appropriate to have done so. It's not something to laugh at. It's very serious. And Murphy was never just a sitcom. It could be funny, sure... but it also could get very serious. It was a comedy, drama, and a satire. It's not just black and white, there are shades of grey there as well.

Edited November 30, 2018 by AntiBeeSpray

[theredhead77]

2 minutes ago, AntiBeeSpray said:

Why am I not surprised? I'm ashamed of Vanity Fair spreading this. It's not anywhere near cancelled. As far as I'm concerned that article is clickbait. They just spreading more stuff about people being 'tired' of politically minded shows.

The article doesn't say Murphy Brown is cancelled at all. It says the future is uncertain and was one of the few links I came across this AM (while looking for ratings) that didn't say it was cancelled.

Quote

The Internet is currently sifting through some conflicting reports about the future of the much-ballyhooed Murphy Brown revival at CBS. Some claim that the series has been canceled. Others say that the underperforming show was always intended to run for a contained 13 episodes, and that it will not return for another season. And then there’s series creator Diane English, who tweeted that the show lives: “We are NOT CANCELED!!!!!” she said. English also indicated that the revived show could yet return: “We look forward to a second season.”

[AntiBeeSpray]

3 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

The article doesn't say Murphy Brown is cancelled at all. It says the future is uncertain and was one of the few links I came across this AM (while looking for ratings) that didn't say it was cancelled.

I know, but it's still clickbait (in my opinion) given the headline and how the article is slanted. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don't like articles that do that.

[Rowsdower]

Confusion has arisen due to ambiguous terminology used to report the facts, which actually are fairly simple:

• This season (not the revival as a whole) had a predetermined length of 13 episodes, irrespective of viewership.
• Additional seasons remain possible, but it's true that the show's Nielsen ratings performance has been unspectacular.
• No official decision regarding cancellation or renewal is expected until the spring.

[AntiBeeSpray]

23 minutes ago, Rowsdower said:

Confusion has arisen due to ambiguous terminology used to report the facts, which actually are fairly simple:

• This season (not the revival as a whole) had a predetermined length of 13 episodes, irrespective of viewership.
• Additional seasons remain possible, but it's true that the show's Nielsen ratings performance has been unspectacular.
• No official decision regarding cancellation or renewal is expected until the spring.

Well put.

Nielsen ratings are overrated in my opinion. They don't mean much. There are plenty of other shows that have similar ratings and we don't hear nearly as much about them being on the bubble.

Yep... so honestly, it would be great if sites just stopped reporting on things that aren't even nearly the case until closer to spring. Having predictions be so far back in the season, only promotes hollow speculation and bad information being spread.

Edited November 30, 2018 by AntiBeeSpray

[iMonrey]

If I'm not mistaken, that was Anthony Atamanuik doing his Trump impression on the voice-overs when we weren't seeing actual Trump footage (the parts where he talks about Old Murphy and Fibbing Frank). He sure is getting an awful lot of work these days, it seems like he's popping up on every show that needs a Trump impersonator these days. 

I actually thought this one was pretty funny and good a few good chuckles out of it, especially Frank delirious from pain killers asking about his brother Ron. 

Quote

Nielsen ratings are overrated in my opinion. They don't mean much. 

Sadly, they do still mean a lot when it comes to network TV. Maybe not to viewers but they are life and death for the network and its advertisers.

Edited November 30, 2018 by iMonrey

[willowk]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

If I'm not mistaken, that was Anthony Atamanuik doing his Trump impression on the voice-overs when we weren't seeing actual Trump footage (the parts where he talks about Old Murphy and Fibbing Frank). He sure is getting an awful lot of work these days, it seems like he's popping up on every show that needs a Trump impersonator these days. 

I actually thought this one was pretty funny and good a few good chuckles out of it, especially Frank delirious from pain killers asking about his brother Ron. 

Sadly, they do still mean a lot when it comes to network TV. Maybe not to viewers but they are life and death for the network and its advertisers.

I'd love for it to come back, its one of the few shows I make sure to watch every week, but am happy we got it for this season if nothing else. I do think they need to find a new model of deciding how many people are watching and what it means. Its also likely that Murphy viewers skew older than the vaunted "18 to 49" demographic they always talk about so much. I really think the show is better this time around, it just hasn't captured the culture's zeitgeist as the original did. Go back and watch some of the original episodes, there is better connection between the characters and some, like Frank, have added depth and subtlety to the character this time around. Murphy herself is not as strident, which I like, but may not fit what people expect from the reboot.

[theredhead77]

21 hours ago, Tanichka said:

The way Murphy was portrayed reacting to Frank’s situation didn’t ring true.  The show can’t have it both ways.  Is she a tough news person or not?

Or is she a tough news person who was shook to her core / traumatized after learning (and seeing the aftermath) of her colleague and "family" beaten to a bloody pulp by a mob instigated by the [TV show] POTUS?

Rang pretty true to me.

Edited December 1, 2018 by theredhead77
pump and pulp are not the same word. Edited a second time - the extra space was bugging me

[Sarah 103]

5 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I would like to go to Avery and Frank's church to partake in the Holy Cannoli. 

Same here. I could totally picture that as a special ritual between Avery and Frank, maybe not visiting or getting cannoli to go every week, but whenever Avery needed to talk to someone about "guy stuff," Uncle Frank would take him to Holy Cannoli and they would talk about it. 

4 hours ago, Phebemarie said:

I really liked this episode.  Yes, it dealt in current events, but it seemed a lot more character driven.  For me, it was the first time that the relationships between Avery and the other characters seemed genuine.  

Yes! This is one my problems with this series. It is more issue driven while the original was more character driven. In the sequel series, the show works best when the characters are front and center, like the one with election night, Avery's promo or the woman who had been in a coma. 

[theredhead77]

Thank you, Google? I can't find any in the DC area but...

https://www.holycannolis.com/

http://www.holycannoliseattle.com/

https://holycannolimaine.com/

 And thanks, Google. Now I have "a sadz" https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/flavor-graveyard/holy-cannoli

[proserpina65]

Oh man, of all episodes during which to fall asleep and miss the end, it had to be this one?  Not a comment on the quality of the episode, which I was enjoying, so much as a sign of how tired I was last night.  The last thing I remember is Murphy going soft on the idiot she was interviewing on the show, and his commenting (after Miles talked about him) "I can hear you" or "I'm right here" or something to that effect.

[Red Bridey]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

If I'm not mistaken, that was Anthony Atamanuik doing his Trump impression on the voice-overs when we weren't seeing actual Trump footage (the parts where he talks about Old Murphy and Fibbing Frank). He sure is getting an awful lot of work these days, it seems like he's popping up on every show that needs a Trump impersonator these days. 

I thought it was a terrible vocal impersonation.  

I loved Frank's painkiller haze!  That was funny!

Edited November 30, 2018 by Red Bridey
Second thoughts

[Rowsdower]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

If I'm not mistaken, that was Anthony Atamanuik doing his Trump impression on the voice-overs when we weren't seeing actual Trump footage (the parts where he talks about Old Murphy and Fibbing Frank).

It was Bob DiBuono.

I attended the episode's filming, at which I happened to be seated to the right of his girlfriend. To her left were the actors who played the couple involved in Avery's altercation and Rema Webb, who played the nurse. (Those scenes were prerecorded and played back for the studio audience.)

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, Nazboo said:

This was the incident that came to mind for me when I saw the preview for this episode. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-praises-montana-congressman-who-assaulted-reporter-n921911

There was also the guy who was sending pipe bombs out to CNN about a month ago. 

[eel2178]

20 hours ago, UYI said:

And of course Murphy likes Hoarders! :P (Unlike Avery, though, I could NEVER find myself sucked in to that show; it depresses and grosses me out too much. I'll stick to House Hunters, thank you.)

If it's House Hunters International, I'm with you.

[Chaos Theory]

This is a very good show but people are tired of politics.  I thought it made very good points about the news and the damned if you do damned if you don’t need.  If you push too hard you risk angering people to the point of violence but if you don’t push hard enough you risk not telling the news at all.  

And newscaster must be afraid of the world  we live in...the country we live in where they can be punched in the face so easily.

Edited December 1, 2018 by Chaos Theory

[greekmom]

4 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Thank you, Google? I can't find any in the DC area but...

https://www.holycannolis.com/

http://www.holycannoliseattle.com/

https://holycannolimaine.com/

 And thanks, Google. Now I have "a sadz" https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/flavor-graveyard/holy-cannoli

Maybe this place in Winchester, VA?!!  Only about 1 1/2 hours from DC.

https://www.facebook.com/holycannolibakery/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARA0_fyRnLDCJq717-_yoxH-ABDIwDGuyvLB_w63FELqeljqdJMlFyGXdmJZYkNU-dmvxVCzKk7UcI7t&hc_ref=ARRmnPYQepgIjOB4GBJJbHwmf1seyc7-lONTPHyQq_iKBZVFSDiLuwhry5HEyDmCIWw

[AntiBeeSpray]

20 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

This is a very good show but people are tired of politics.  I thought it made very good points about the news and the damned if you do damned if you don’t need.  If you push too hard you risk angering people to the point of violence but if you don’t push hard enough you risk not telling the news at all.  

And newscaster must be afraid of the world  we live in...the country we live in where they can be punched in the face so easily.

 

Only it wasn't that kind of thing per say... angering people to violence. They were incited by [in show] President and by whatever Wolf News said as well. If any other news came out, remotely saying anything truthful... they'd call it fake. It makes telling the news at all, an almost impossible proposition. 

But I do agree with you on the latter, that if you don't push hard enough, you risk not telling the news at all.

Edited December 1, 2018 by AntiBeeSpray

[Spartan Girl]

21 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

That was very difficult to watch.

And it’s sad  that there are people who are that Stupid and Ignorant.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Empress1]

21 hours ago, Annber03 said:

I sympathize with Frank's fear about feeling safe nowadays.

Me too, as a woman of color. I was telling my therapist that one of the things I used to love to do is walk (city dweller) while listening to music and I don't feel safe doing that anymore - I feel like I need to have my wits about me. I mean, as a woman you always need to have your wits about you, but it feels more important now.

21 hours ago, UYI said:

And of course Murphy likes Hoarders! :P (Unlike Avery, though, I could NEVER find myself sucked in to that show; it depresses and grosses me out too much. I'll stick to House Hunters, thank you.)

I fucks with House Hunters AND Hoarders. Hoarders makes me want to get rid of everything I own. "I need one long-sleeved shirt, one pair of pants, one bra, one plate, one spoon, one knife, one fork, one cup, and that is all."

3 hours ago, Annber03 said:

There was also the guy who was sending pipe bombs out to CNN about a month ago. 

And someone shot up a newsroom in Maryland and killed 5 people this year. I have a friend who is a reporter for a daily and it's taken a toll on her. (She doesn't cover anything controversial anymore - she used to cover crime but she burned out - but still. All it takes is one nut and being in the wrong place at the wrong time ...)

I absolutely love that Frank is Avery's Uncle Frank. I think that's so sweet. I loved the cannoli scene. I just love the idea of single mom Murphy giving Avery an unconventional but loving family. There's also something so nice about how Murphy calls Avery her "kid." It just fits, like of course that's what she calls him.

The producer with dreadlocks is one of my favorites. "Where'd they find this brother?"

[Annber03]

2 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

Me too, as a woman of color. I was telling my therapist that one of the things I used to love to do is walk (city dweller) while listening to music and I don't feel safe doing that anymore - I feel like I need to have my wits about me. I mean, as a woman you always need to have your wits about you, but it feels more important now.

And someone shot up a newsroom in Maryland and killed 5 people this year. I have a friend who is a reporter for a daily and it's taken a toll on her. (She doesn't cover anything controversial anymore - she used to cover crime but she burned out - but still. All it takes is one nut and being in the wrong place at the wrong time ...)

I'm sorry, both for you and your friend. The constant shootings have definitely made me more nervous about going certain places, too. 

Quote

There's also something so nice about how Murphy calls Avery her "kid." It just fits, like of course that's what she calls him.

I read an interview on the TV Insider site today with Diane English, and she talked about how Bergen and McDorman have that close mother/son type of bond off the set, too. That made me smile. I'll find that interview and share it in the media thread, it was pretty good. 

Quote

The producer with dreadlocks is one of my favorites. "Where'd they find this brother?"

LOL, I liked that, too :D. 

[Empress1]

4 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

LOL, I liked that, too :D. 

It was the head toss that really sold it. I have a friend who has very long dreadlocks and he likes to punctuate things with a hair toss.

6 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I'm sorry, both for you and your friend.

I appreciate that. With my friend, being a journalist is all she ever wanted to do and she's worked really hard at it, logging years in very small markets and now working for a major daily, and she has said many times that she doesn't have any idea what she would do instead - and we're in our 30s so if she quit now, she'd have decades of work life to fill. And she likes her work and is good at it, but you can't not be affected by people calling you the enemy and physically threatening you. (Thankfully that hasn't happened to her specifically.) I have another friend who's a reporter for one of the top papers in the world and his wife is too (that's how they met, though they work for different publications now) and his wife DOES cover politics, and let's just say it's a hard job.

On a lighter note, Corky being given a gun (small - .22?) for her birthday as a kid makes total sense to me.

[SMama]

19 hours ago, magicdog said:

 

I loved the interactions between Avery and Uncle Frank (that cannoli scene in the hospital was gold!).  I was disappointed however when Avery told that person that Frank was the closest thing he had to an uncle.  I was expecting him to say, "father".  

Maybe Avery considered the painter/nanny his father figure. Sorry, I can’t recall the actor’s or character’s name.

[dargosmydaddy]

6 minutes ago, SMama said:

Maybe Avery considered the painter/nanny his father figure. Sorry, I can’t recall the actor’s or character’s name.

Eldin (played by Robert Pastorelli), and excellent point!