Murphy's Law | |
---|---|
Genre | Comedy drama |
Created by | Lee David Zlotoff, based on characters from the "Trace" and "Digger" novels by Warren Murphy |
Written by | Lee David Zlotoff Michael Gleason Lee Goldberg William Rabkin Ernie Wallengren |
Starring | George Segal Maggie Han Josh Mostel |
Theme music composer | Steve Kipner Paul Bliss Al Jarreau |
Opening theme | "Murphy's Law" performed by Al Jarreau |
Composer | Jeanette Acosta |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 (1 unaired) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Zev Braun Leonard Stern Michael Gleason |
Producers | Ernie Wallengren Gareth Davies |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production companies | Zev Braun Productions Michael Gleason Productions New World Television |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | November 2, 1988 – March 18, 1989 |
Murphy's Law is an American crime drama that starred George Segal and Maggie Han, loosely based on the Trace and Digger novels by Warren Murphy. The opening theme song, which replaced an instrumental by Mike Post, was an edited version of "Murphy's Law," a song featured on the album "High Crime" by Al Jarreau. The series premiered November 2, 1988 on ABC. On March 9, 1989, ABC announced that it had canceled the series and that the final episode would air on March 18, 1989. [1] The actual final, unaired episode, entitled "All's Wrong That Ends Wrong," resolved a key storyline in the series (recovering alcoholic Murphy was awarded custody of his daughter from his estranged ex-wife) and also served an unsold pilot for a spin-off starring Joan Severance.
Daedelus Patrick Murphy (Segal) was a recovering alcoholic who worked as an insurance-fraud investigator for First Fidelity Insurance. His unusual methods sometimes led him to clash with office executive Victor Beaudine, though supervisor Wesley Harden often ran interference for Murphy since his methods got results. He lived with girlfriend and fashion model Kimiko Fannuchi (Han), while attempting to reconnect with his estranged daughter. In the actual final, unaired episode, entitled "All's Wrong That Ends Wrong," Murphy was awarded custody of his daughter from his estranged ex-wife. The episode also served as an unsold pilot for a proposed spin-off starring Joan Severance as an insurance investigator.
Twelve episodes are registered with the United States Copyright Office.
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Room Above the Indian Grocery" | Unknown | Lee David Zlotoff | November 2, 1988 | 13.4 [2] | |
2 | "Where are My Socks and Other Mysteries of Love" | Bill Bixby | Michael Gleason | December 3, 1988 | 11.4 [3] | |
3 | "If You Can't Win, Shoot for a Tie" | Unknown | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | December 10, 1988 | 10.4 [4] | |
4 | "Do Someone a Favor and It Becomes Your Job" | Bill Bixby | E.F. Wallengren | December 17, 1988 | 9.9 [5] | |
5 | "Never Play Leapfrog with a Unicorn" | Bruce Seth Green | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | January 14, 1989 | 8.7 [6] | |
6 | "Never Try to Teach a Pig to Sing" | Unknown | Unknown | January 21, 1989 | 11.4 [7] | |
7 | "Two Wrongs Are Only the Beginning" | Don Weis | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | January 28, 1989 | 10.3 [8] | |
8 | "Never Wear Earmuffs in a Bed of Rattlesnakes" | Unknown | Unknown | February 4, 1989 | 9.1 [9] | |
9 | "Where There's a Will, There's a Won't" | Unknown | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | February 11, 1989 | 8.3 [10] | |
10 | "When You're Over the Hill, You Pick Up Speed" | Unknown | Unknown | February 18, 1989 | 9.7 [11] | |
11 | "Experience Is Something You Don't Get Until Just After You Need It" | Unknown | Unknown | March 11, 1989 | 7.5 [12] | |
12 | "Doing It the Hard Way Is Always Easier" | Unknown | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | March 18, 1989 | 8.3 [13] | |
13 | "All's Wrong That Ends Wrong" | TBD | Michael Gleason & E.F. Wallengren | Unaired | N/A | |
Unsold pilot for a spin-off starring Joan Severance |
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