Murphy Brown (1988–2018): Season 1, Episode 10 - Kyle - full transcript

Murphy's story gets an innocent inmate released. Everyone feels sorry for him, so they give him a job as Murphy's secretary.

In five. ‘foul. thvee...

And the story 01 Kyle Whitsett doesn't end
there. as our own Murphy Brown explains.

That's right. Jim. Today.
Kyle Whitsett is a lvee man.

After nearly 15 years
in a ledeval penitentiary...

...he has finally been cleared ol any
connection in the 1973 robbery...

...ot the Richmond National Bank.

Today. Kyle. your lite begins anew.
A fresh start.

At long last, you're tree.
How does it leel?

Well. tor a while there.
I thought I was gonna throw up.

So we'll just leave it at overwhelming.

Kyle. yours is an amazing story.
The web ol deceit and cover-ups...



...is so far-reaching and complex.
it took me nearly five months to unravel.

Any bitterness
toward those responsible?

No.

Well. then. what's next?

What's on the horizon tor Kyle Whitsett?

I'll probably get something to eat.

Okay. then. we're just about out ol time.

Any last words betore
you begin your new lite?

I was supposed to tell you that a lot ol guys
in my cellblock think you're real pretty.

- Thank you.
-01 course...

...most ol them think
Mr. Fontana's prettier.

Back to you. Jim.

Thank you. Murphy.
tor that riveting interview.

This has been another edition ol FYI.
Good night.



That's a wrap. ‘lolks.

Kyle. let me be the lirst to say. on behalt
ol the stall and crew here at FYI...

...congratulations. and best ol luck
on the outside.

You got a lot ol lost time to make up for.
Go get them. buddy.

Kyle. sincerest best wishes.

I just know you're going to be
the one in 20 who make it.

So this is it. Kyle. Good luck.

I never expected to get out.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Thank you. 9UY5-

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.

- Bye.
- Goodbye.

Now. let me see
it I've got this right.

I don't have a secretary today because
you can't work on a Jewish holiday...

...but you can't remember
which Jewish holiday it is?

No. I'm sorry. Ms. McCall.
Rosh Kippur doesn't quite make it.

Murphy. I want you to know
this is a red-letter day here at FYI.

Ratings last night went through the root.
We pulled a 36 share on the overnights.

That's wondertul. but I've got a lot ol work
to do and no secretary to help me do it...

- ...so it you don't mind.
- You know...

...that Kyle Whitsett piece. I knew
it was good the moment I heard about it.

- I've got my linger on the pulse.
- You've got your butt on my notes.

Hello. Donna Copley. please.

Hi. this is Murphy Brown lrom FYI.

You lilled in as my secretary once.
remember?

Donna? Hello?

Did you see the paper? Two outstanding
reviews ol last night's show.

- Let me see.
- Frank. I'm working here.

You know. I was the one
who passed the story on to Murphy.

She practically begged me to.
What could I say?

- You lie like a rug. Frank.
- I lie?

Charlene. you recognized
my voice. Hello?

Boy. I just can't stop
thinking about that Kyle.

What a prolession this is. huh?

To be able to change someone's lile
in such a positive way.

And it's so gratilying to know
that I was such a very big part ol it.

Corky. do you have to eat that in here?

- Here's your collee. Corky.
- Oh. thanks.

Oh. gee. Jim. nice ol you to drop by.
Please. make yoursell at home.

Thanks. Murphy. You know...

...l was thinking about the piece we did
last night on that little lellow. Good stull.

I remember when
the anonymous tip was called in.

"Miles." I said. "do this story."
Do you remember that?

- No.
- You didn't have anything to do with it.

Murphy. you got a visitor.
That guy lrom last night's show.

Kyle? What's he doing here?

- Hey. how's it going?
- Hello. Kyle.

Hi. gang-

Where'd you get the duds. Kyle?

Oh. I bought these duds
just belore I went to prison.

Practically brand-new.
Pretty nice. huh?

- Sharp.
- Yeah.

Groovy.

Boy. I sure missed you guys.

What have you been up to?

Well. mostly we went home. slept...

...then came back to work.

Boy. it leels good
to be someplace lamiliar.

Hang around with my lriends.

I guess I haven't quite
caught up with the world yet.

You've been out one day.
I'm sure once you get settled...

...and lind a job. things will be easier.

Oh. yeah. I've been
on interviews already.

Well. the manager at Willie's Wieners
said he wouldn't hire me...

...because I was in prison once.

The guy at Marty's Garage was interested till
I leaned on the car he was working under.

I'm gonna check back with him
when he gets out ol the hospital.

Well. I'm sure something will turn up.
You've just gotta hang in there.

Boy. the world sure changed
a lot in 15 years.

I should've tried to get in the
computer training program at prison...

...instead ol spending all that time
in interpretive dance class.

Well. y'all look real busy.

I just wanted to drop by and say hi.

- Bye.
- Goodbye. Kyle.

Bye.

Bye.

Man. that is heartbreaking.

You take a person lrom a protected
environment. sometimes they can't adjust.

It's like he was better oll in jail. belore
Murphy threw him out on the streets...

- ...scared and alone.
- What?

Now. wait. We should all
share the responsibility.

There is no responsibility.
We report stories.

It's our job to be objective
and uninvolved. It ends there.

She's right. you know.
Though. somehow. this is dillerent.

I know it's not prolessional. but darn it all.
you just wanna help the little lellow.

Look. I leel sorry lor him too. But we're
not gonna be doing him any lavors...

...il we interlere. He's gotta know
he can lend lor himsell.

Now. il you'll excuse me.
I have too much work to do.

You know. I just got a great idea.

- Kyle.
- Hi. Miss Brown. Did you have a nice lunch?

No. I didn't. Kyle. My lunch guest
didn't show up. Do you know why?

- Why?
- He went to the wrong restaurant.

- What'd he wanna go and do that lor?
- Somebody told him to. You. Kyle.

You sent the secretary ol state
to Captain Larry's Chicken Roundup.

They made him wear a paper hat. Kyle.

I passed by that place
this morning on my way to work.

It looked like lun. I guess the name
just kind ol stuck in my head.

I'm real sorry.
It'll never happen again.

- Yeah. right. How's that letter coming?
- Just line.

When they taught you
typing in prison...

...did they mention the process
tends to go laster il you use both hands?

- But Big Eddie only taught us this way.
- Big Eddie?

Big Eddie One Arm.

Oh. dang.

- I think the ribbon's jammed.
- When you're through...

...get me the research on the B1.
I can't tell where you liled it.

Check.

- Kyle.
- Yes ma'am?

- Have you seen my ant larm?
- Oh. I meant to tell you.

I was cleaning the glass. The poor
little guys. they could hardly see out.

Well. not that it's really a problem now.

Oh. Kyle. I loved those ants.

Well. I'm sorry. ll it makes you leel any
better. most ol them survived the crash.

Boy. can those little things skedaddle.

Oh. great.

- Here. let me do that.
- Hey. Murphy. Kyle.

Just came by
to see how things are going.

Kyle. this would be a good time
lor you to get me those liles.

Sure thing.

Miles. this isn't working out.
I have certain needs.

Someone who liles alphabetically.

Someone who makes a cup ol collee
without setting oll the smoke alarm.

Someone who can lind
his way back here...

...without stopping
at the lobby directory.

You know. I didn't
wanna say anything...

...but this parade ol secretaries
you've gone through.

It's always their lault.
it's never you.

- Isn't that it, Murphy?
- Yes.

Yeah.

For your own sake. I suggest
you try to make this work.

Getting along with other people is
a rellection ol getting along with yoursell.

I've got your rellection
right here. pal.

Here you go.

It's the wrong lile. Kyle.

You're a poet
and you don't know it.

- How goes it. Kyle?
- It goes well.

You don't happen to have a copy ol the
Moscow report lrom last month. do you?

- By my desk.
- Oh. I'll get it. Mr. Dial.

Kyle seems quite enthusiastic
about his new surroundings.

How's he doing?

Oh. swell.

Miss Brown. were those books on
your shelves in any real special order?

Kyle. don't go into
my ollice anymore.

Even il I lorget and ask you to. okay?!

Her bark is worse than her bite.

- So we're still on lor tonight?
- You bet.

Doris is making stroganoll
and apple lritters.

- In the microwave?
- No. but we could melt a stick ol butter.

- How long does that take?
- Thirty seconds.

Can you believe it?

Kyle. I need more typewriter
ribbon lrom the supply room.

- Check.
- Hey. Kyle. I've got something lor you.

- For me?
- Friday's game.

- Bullets and Celtics, just like I promised.
- Hey. thanks. Mr. Fontana.

Kyle. the ribbon!

Don't let her get to you. Kyle.

She's had kind ol a tough time ever since
she got back lrom the Betty Ford Clinic.

- Just give her a chance. okay?
- Okay.

MY man!

I'll get it.

Murphy Brown's ollice.
The ribbon. Kyle.

- Check.
- Kyle...

...| just wanted to say how
proud we all are ol you.

- You're doing a labulous job.
- Hey. thanks.

- Can you hold please. senator?
- Would you like to go to the game with me?

Oh. gee. Kyle. I'd love to.
but I hate basketball.

Tall men lrighten me.

Oh. I see.

I've got a lriend though.
Her name's Barbara.

And a little voice is telling me
you two just might hit it oll.

Barbara. great.

Hold please. one second.
Still there. senator?

Great. Hold please. one sec.
Murphy Brown's ollice.

And listen. Kyle. don't let
Murphy make you crazy.

She gets this way around
the 18th ol every month.

Mark that day on your
calendar. We all have.

Hi. Murphy. Why are
you working over here?

I don't know. Frank. ljust
lelt like having some privacy.

Yeah. the ollice can get pretty crazy.

Kyle.

He's quite a character.

He accidentally stapled
my mail to his tie.

That's the lourth time this week.

- He's getting to you.
- I didn't say that.

- I thought you guys already had your lunch.
- We did.

Kyle was making collee
back at the ollice.

We thought we'd take a walk.

I guess he's still adjusting
to lile on the outside.

- He's come along way already.
- Who are we kidding? The guy's a loser.

Do I sense a change ol heart?

Wednesday he kept me up until 2 a.m...

...testing ways to ask Barbara
to bear his children.

Every night this week. he's shown
up on my back porch at dinnertime.

Last night during collee and dessert...

...he danced lor us. Doris tried
to kill him with a Dustbuster.

That's nothing. He carpools with me.

Every day he teaches me
a new song he learned in prison.

Today it was
"The Warden's A-Winking at Me."

You talking about the wimpy guy
in the hippie outlit?

I don't like him.

Comes in here. starts telling me
how to run my kitchen.

Says he's got some recipe
lor chow mein that serves 5000.

Tomorrow. I'm gonna
put in a real high doorknob.

Well. I'm not one
to say I told you so.

Yes. you are.

I told you so. I warned you
about the objectivity ol journalists...

- ...and I warned you about interlering with-
- Just lire him. Murphy.

- Me?
- I would. but he knows where I live.

I don't know. I think Kyle
is really starting to catch on.

Don't toy with us.
What do we have to do. grovel?

- Please.
- Please.

Okay. I'll lire him.
You bunch ol wusses.

- He lound us.
- How does he do it?

We had an old bloodhound
like that back home.

We had to shoot him.

- Hi. Phil.
- Last call.

Hi. gang.
You got room lor one more?

- Take my seat.
- Important meeting.

- Better run.
- Bye-bye.

See you later.

I'm glad you stopped by. Kyle.
I think we should talk.

- I'm all ears.
- I believe in being direct.

- That's why I'm going to just-
- I know you! You're Murphy Brown.

I've seen you on TV.
What's that show you're on?

- FYI.
- No. Maanlighting.

You're always nagging
that guy with lunny hair.

We'd like to be alone.
il you don't mind.

Boy. pretty uppity lor a costar.

Oh. now. you just wait
a minute there. big mister.

Kyle. I can take care ol this.

Murphy took a chance on me...

...when the world was looking
down their noses at me.

- Kyle.
- She taught me to believe in mysell.

And lor the lirst time in my lile. I do.

Sure. you hear a lot ol
bad stull about her.

She's bossy. she's irritable.
she's a drunkard...

- ...she can't get a date to save her lile.
- Kyle!

But because ol this woman.
I've been given a second chance.

A new start. I owe this
woman my lile. my luture.

Murphy Brown's a saint.
I tell you. A saint.

Gee. I had no idea.

I'm real sorry.

I leel like a weenie.

Boy. what a lathead.

So. boss. what's up?

There are hundreds ol jobs in here.
There must be something he can do.

Hey. "Looking lor trainable
persons lor positions...

...in the last-paced world
ol air trallic control."

At least I'm trying.
Miles is reading "Dear Abby."

I have the alternoon papers.

What happened to your shirt?

Kyle gave me a pen.

I bought this shirt in Milan.

Four tailors measured me
so the lit would be exact.

Down to the dillerence in circumlerence
between my lelt and right wrists.

I don't want him here anymore.
I just don't want him.

Come on. he'll be back
lrom the Xerox room any minute.

Hey. here's something.

"Telephone sales.
No experience necessary."

How could he screw that up? He has
no experience. I've seen him dial a phone.

I'm gonna call and give him a
recommendation just to be on the sale side.

Not to be the voice ol negativity...

...but are we doing the right thing here?

It's like playing God with a man's lile.

Call!

Well. what do you think?

Kyle. my man. You are on lire.

Again?

No. no. I think he means
you look very debonair.

I never had a suit like this belore.

The pants don't even ride up.

And this is only the beginning. Kyle.

ll you get this job. you have a bright
and promising career ahead ol you...

...in the exciting lield
ol telephone sales.

Oh. gee. I like the sound ol that.

But what about you guys?

It isn't right lor me to just abandon you.

Yes. it is. Ky|e- I mean.
we'd all leel so guilty...

...il we thought we'd held you back
lrom this opportunity.

Ol course. we'll miss you. Right, guys?

- Yeah. it'll be rough.
- We'll miss you.

Oh. you guys are the greatest.

You just give and give and give.

Well. we're givers. Now.
remember what I told you?

You're a valuable human being.
An asset to any organization.

Valuable human being. an asset. I got it.

It sometimes helps to have
a little anecdote ready lor the interview.

Maybe I could tell them about
the time the guys in my cellblock...

...tried to drown me in the toilet bowl.

Skip the anecdote. Kyle.

Hello. Doris?

No. no word. Just keep your
lingers crossed and be strong.

Goodbye.

He didn't get it.
I know he didn't get it.

He'll come back to that desk.

He'll slowly and methodically
destroy everything in my ollice...

...except the phone cord. which he'll
accidentally wrap around my neck.

They'll lind my body pressed
against the glass. trying to get out.

And then he'll go to jail. until
some idiot journalist gets him out.

I didn't get it.

This is going to kill Doris.

They said I was overqualilied.

They said anybody who dresses as nice
as I do doesn't belong in telephone sales.

But the good news is.
on the way back...

...the cab I was in ran into the back ol
one ol those High Mountain Water trucks.

And I said to mysell. I said. "Hey...

...now. that's the job lor Kyle Whitsett."

Outdoors. just tooling around
in a big old truck.

- And guess what.
- What?

What. Kyle. what?

The man who was driving the truck
said there was an opening.

So I applied. and I got the job.

- Isn't that great?
- Yes.

- Yes.
- This is great. this is very great!

But the only thing is...

...I gotta start this alternoon.

- Well. start!
- Go lor it!

Oh. boy. the giving just
never stops around here.

You know. I just leel like telling
them to keep their darned old job.

I'm just gonna stay here with you guys.

But I can't.

Guess it's time to start thinking about
what's best lor Kyle Whitsett.

So. anyway. this is goodbye. and thanks.

- Bye. everybody.
- Goodbye. Kyle.

Murphy. I wanna
thank you lor everything.

I know that I'll never lorget you.

Oh. God. I didn't wanna hurt you.

I'll be okay. Good luck. Kyle.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Bye.

Bye.

Bye.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.

Bye-bye!

Eldin. my man. The boss is home.
and she's on top ol the world.

Tonight I've planned
the perlect evening.

I got some brownies. some ice cream...

...and I rented a copy ol The Producers.

ll you promise not to talk during
"Springtime For Hit|er," you can stay.

No. thanks. I'm meeting my associates.
Nickie and Maurice at the Blue Parrot.

It's wet T-shirt night.

ll chicks wear T-shirts. they get in lor lree.
You wanna come?

In another lile.

What was that?

Oh. this water delivery guy.
He's been here lor. like. 20 minutes.

Not counting the hall-hour I spent...

...trying to get his tie
out ol the cassette player.

Oh. no. it can't be.

Hey. Mr. Painter. do you know
where they keep the mop?

I'll meet you in the car.

Bye.