‘Murphy Brown’ Creator Reveals Show Is Not Canceled at CBS

Diane English, the creator of the rebooted CBS series Murphy Brown, is clarifying to fans that the show is not canceled.

Many fans wondered if the political comedy would return after CBS did not give it a back-order, which means that the network did not order any additional episodes other than the 13 that it has already committed.

English wants fans to know that they shouldn’t be discouraged by that latest development and that the season was never intended to have more than 13 episodes.

“Murphy Brown fans. We are NOT CANCELED!!!!! Several entertainment sites read a mid season schedule put out by CBS that did not have our show on it and the assumption was made that we were not renewed,” English explained via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. “Our order, at our request was 13 eps. We look forward to a second season.”

A season 2 (or technically, season 12) has not been officially ordered, although the series still remains in consideration for a renewal.

Murphy Brown has underperformed in its rebooted season, at 6.2 million total viewers and a 0.9 in the key 18-49 demo in its prime Thursday night slot at 9:30 p.m.

English told The Hollywood Reporter in September that she felt the timing of the country’s political climate was reason enough to bring back the show.

“I watched Will & Grace very closely to see how they reinvented their show. And, as the days’ headlines became more and more horrific, we felt we had a real reason — maybe the only show with a real reason — to come back. We have the ability to be really relevant and examine, in an age where people are screaming ‘fake news’ and ‘enemy of the people,’ these characters who are the press,” she said.

Series star Candice Bergen told the publication that she “missed” her role after not playing Murphy for more than two decades.

“The first couple of weeks were very emotional,” Bergen said. “It was eerie seeing the set, exactly the same as the one that stood in Burbank for 10 years — only it smelled of sawdust because it was brand new. So far, I haven’t been able to get through a curtain call without getting weepy.”

Murphy Brown airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS, and there are scheduled to be at least four more episodes before the new season ends.