Murphy Brown Season 5 Episode 17 Trickster, We Hardly Knew Ye
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00:00Jim. There's no Jim. Where's Jim? He's never late. I hope he's not having breakfast with David Brinkley again.
00:08The last time that happened, they got into a fight over whose voice was deeper, and Jim came in with a Denver omelet down the front of his shirt.
00:15All right, Miles. He's in his office with Doris. He came by to talk to him this morning. I think it's about their dog Trickster again.
00:22Oh, no. Another Trickster emergency. Let me guess. He put on a few pounds and can't fit into his Ralph Lauren dog coat.
00:33I hate that spoiled little hyperactive rat.
00:36Hey, hey, hey, hey. Trickster is not a rat. Rats don't try to initiate a relationship with your leg when you walk into a room.
00:44Come on, now. This could be serious. Maybe the cat next door beat him up again.
00:49Oh, they're terrible. Trickster is the cutest little Scottish terrier I've ever seen.
00:57Now, your problem is you're just not dog people.
00:59Hey, don't talk to me about dogs. I had a golden retriever when I was growing up. Butterscotch.
01:05Now, that was a dog. You could do anything to him. Ride on him, put gum in his hair. He'd never make a fuss.
01:12Great dog. Not like Trickster, that yapping little flea condo.
01:17Oh, good morning. Oh, uh, I'm sorry to keep Jim from the meeting, but I'm afraid it was unavoidable.
01:24Yes, we apologize. It seems... Well, our dog died this morning.
01:30Ah! Yeah, I know. But it leaves one speechless.
01:35Oh, outdoors, Jim. I'm so sorry.
01:39Yes.
01:39We're fine.
01:39I'm really sorry. Really, truly sorry.
01:48Well, this is a blow.
01:53Trickster was, uh, uh...
01:56Well, where do you find the words?
01:58I don't know where.
01:59It was quite unexpected.
02:04This morning I called to Trickster, but he didn't come, and I finally found him lying up against the clothes dryer.
02:11Peaceful and toasty warm with his little hamburger squeak toy still in his mouth.
02:18You loved his burger, buddy.
02:19Well, I certainly understand how you feel. I had a dog myself, Butterscotch. Of course, he was no Trickster, no Serene.
02:33Thank you, Murphy. You bet.
02:35Yes, well, life goes on, and we have a news broadcast to do. Allow me to walk Doris down to the car, and then I'll be back to start the meeting.
02:42Thank you, one and all, and I'm sure if Trickster were here now to feel all this love, he'd be on his hind legs doing that little jig here.
02:51Steady, dear.
02:54Excuse me.
03:00I can't believe it. Trickster's gone.
03:04Yeah, just like that.
03:07He's dead.
03:08Where do you want to have lunch?
03:09You are!
03:12Mom, I still...
03:14Everywhere I look, I'm reminded that birth and death walk hand in hand.
03:19So, as we turn our attention to the budding tulips, remember also that they, too, will soon wither, die, and once again become part of this cold, gray planet as it hurtles toward its inevitable destruction.
03:35Well, that's my commentary on spring.
03:40I'm Jim Dial, and for all of us here at FYI, goodbye.
03:46And we're clear.
03:48Uh, Jim, about your commentary.
03:52Oh, yes.
03:53I made a few last-minute changes, Miles.
03:55I hope you didn't mind.
03:56Looking at my earlier version, I found it a bit too fluffy.
04:00Well, there was certainly nothing fluffy about that rewrite, was there, guys?
04:04I liked it, Jim.
04:05Especially your slam at the Easter Bunny.
04:07Boy, that was long overdue.
04:09So, last one to fill this in a rotten egg.
04:13Thanks for the invitation, Slugger, but not tonight.
04:15Are you feeling okay, buddy?
04:17Well, never better.
04:18Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take this makeup off.
04:23I feel like I'm wearing a death mask.
04:24I'm really worried about Jim.
04:31Do you think the way he's acting has anything to do with Trickster being, you know...
04:35What?
04:36Dead?
04:37Stiff?
04:38Doing the dirt dance?
04:40Come on.
04:42It's been a week.
04:43Don't worry about Jim.
04:44He's fine.
04:45Fine?
04:46He's fine?
04:47Right now, all over America, people are putting on their Easter bonnets and throwing themselves
04:51in the traffic.
04:52Okay.
04:52So, the man makes one slightly overdramatic commentary.
04:57Big deal.
04:57Oh, come on.
04:58It's obvious.
05:00Jim is repressing his feelings of sadness and abandonment about Trickster dying.
05:05And now they're starting to surface in other subconscious ways.
05:09And maybe his shoes are just too tight.
05:12Did you ever think about that, Dr. Freud?
05:14Okay.
05:15Listen, it's fine.
05:16You know, I understand why you're defending Jim.
05:17I'm talking about expressing emotions, and both you and Jim have difficulty in those areas.
05:22It's just a dog, and not even a good dog.
05:25You want to talk about a good dog?
05:27Fine.
05:27Let's talk about my butter...
05:28Enough with the butter nuts, or butter squads, or butter ball already.
05:34His name was Butterscotch.
05:37Look, why don't you guys take off?
05:38I'm gonna stay here and talk to Jim alone.
05:40Oh, Frank, please.
05:42Look, I'm just gonna talk to him.
05:44Now, go to Phil's.
05:45Get us a table.
05:46And don't worry.
05:48I know what I'm doing.
05:49Oh, swell.
05:51Last time Frank said that to me was in Maui, right before he tried to pet that eel.
05:59Oh.
06:00Still here, Frank?
06:00Yeah.
06:02I wanted to talk to you for a sec.
06:06Jim, sometimes in life, something happens that we're not equipped to deal with.
06:17Frank, are you having tax problems again?
06:20Well, yeah, but this isn't about me.
06:24Jim, sometimes we can lose something that we care very deeply about.
06:29Well, Frank, the dog was buried a week ago.
06:32I'm completely over it.
06:34You are not over it.
06:36Jim, Doris called me.
06:37She said you're not sleeping, you're walking the whole whole night long.
06:40It isn't this pleasant.
06:41My wife telling my friends private information about me.
06:44Well, Doris wears the pantyhose with the extra support tummy panel.
06:48There, or even.
06:51Okay, well, there is no easy way to say this, so...
06:56I thought you might like to go and see my therapist.
07:01Oh, that's rich.
07:04Frank, we're talking about a dog.
07:06Yes, it was sad.
07:08Now the dog is gone, and I'm over it.
07:11And even if I weren't, seeing a therapist is not something we dials do.
07:16My aunt Delia Dyer was mad as a hatter, but she knew her place.
07:19Up in the attic until after sundown.
07:21That's the dog.
07:23Here's the number in case you want someone to talk to.
07:30Jim, this is totally between you and my therapist.
07:34No one here has to know we even had this conversation.
07:36As far as I'm concerned, we never did.
07:38All right, guys.
07:39Have a good week.
07:40Oh, and by the way, Jim, the guys in the sound booth voted three to one that you should talk to Frank Shrink.
07:57Oh, I see you're busy.
07:58I'll come back another day.
07:59No, no, no.
08:00Just done.
08:01Come in.
08:02Trying to shuffle around all my clients.
08:04I'm afraid some days I think the most challenging thing about being a therapist is keeping track of all the cancellations.
08:12Hello.
08:13I'm Lee Larkin, and you are Jim Dial?
08:19All right.
08:20I mean, yes.
08:21I'm sorry.
08:23I'm a little thrown.
08:24I guess you're not quite what I expected.
08:27Expected?
08:27In what way?
08:28Well, Frank never said his therapist was a woman.
08:30I see.
08:31Did he ever mention to you that I was a man?
08:34You are?
08:36Oh, no.
08:37I mean, he never mentioned it one way or the other.
08:40Not that I can think of.
08:42It's interesting that you would assume that I was a man.
08:45Why do you think that is?
08:46Listen here.
08:47You just slow down now.
08:51I'm going to need some time before you jump right into the main course.
08:56Certainly.
08:57Please, make yourself comfortable.
09:00Ah, the infamous couch, I presume.
09:04If you like.
09:05Oh, no.
09:06I'm sorry.
09:07Oh, no.
09:11Oh, no.
09:13I'm sorry.
09:14No, Kenji.
09:17sorry no thank you i lie on that couch you swing a pocket watch and the next thing i know every
09:34time a bell rings i'm walking like a duck mr dial you went to the trouble to come all the way down
09:41here to see me you must have thought i could help you with something no really i'm fine thank you
09:46for your time wait mr dial at least let me validate your parking oh
09:55and i'm also going to give you one of my cards now anytime you change your mind
09:59ah i see you have a dog oh yes that's lady she's my pride and joy oh she's certainly a
10:05fine looking animal shetland yes she'll be six years old this june are you a dog lover mr dial
10:12actually yes i am was my dog he recently died last week thursday morning
10:22that must be hard i don't know what i'd do without my lady i guess i'm just one of those dog people
10:30my wife dora says the same thing about me you know one time when we were vacationing at yosemite she
10:36she kidded me about being more excited at showing the redwoods to the dog than to her
10:43we we've been driving for quite some time and well you know in yosemite they have those vista points
10:53i think you just have to give it a little time maybe you have 15 years to waste but i don't now i don't
10:58wish to discuss any further oh geez it's true jim you went to frank's therapist i didn't tell her i
11:06heard it from the guys in the sound booth i heard it from the shoeshine man in the lobby he heard it
11:11from maury povich oh damn it tonight on a current affair jim dials headed for the loony bin
11:18what did the therapist say to you about trickster jim well if you must know she told me that the reason
11:23i haven't been sleeping well lately is that i haven't sufficiently grieved over the loss of my
11:28dog she suggested i surround myself with memories of the dog to trigger my dog grief so last night i
11:37went out and stood by his favorite tree nothing i filled his water dish nothing this morning i i
11:46actually walked out of the house with this his burger buddy and at last i felt something oh jim
11:56yes i felt like a complete moron i had to pay 120 for the privilege wait she charges me 140. well
12:07jim maybe you should do what our family did and one of our pets died oh no not the barbecue story again
12:14no murphy that was a pig not a pet i'm talking about burr our dog when he died mama got us all
12:24together and we dug a hole in the backyard then we decorated his blanket with flowers covered him
12:30with dirt and had a good cross oh now that is sick that's not the way you handle a dead dog situation
12:37you do what my mother did i came home from school one afternoon and asked where butterscotch was she said
12:42he ran off to join the dog circus no fuss no much oh get away i'm telling you jim had the right idea
12:53life goes on but you two keep saying oh it's so sad oh you must feel so bad anyone would feel cranky
12:59and irritable if i had to listen to that all day if you ask me the fault lies in peer pressure pure and
13:05simple i think we all know that's why kids smoke you know murphy is absolutely right i'm not depressed
13:15or repressed there's nothing wrong with me that wouldn't be cured by a good night's sleep end of story
13:24empty again judas priest am i working with a herd of camels
13:28this was such a good idea all of us getting together to have a memorial service for trickster
13:38any sign of jim yet miles no you know i just hope he'll be okay with this maybe we should have asked
13:45him first we're doing an intervention miles we're intervening to force jim to deal with his grief if you
13:52told the person first they'd never show up this way we catch jim by surprise and force him to dive
13:58into that deep horrifying abyss where he buries his most frightening feelings man are we good friends
14:05or what here i made some photo pens of the deceased from small pictures doris gave me with any luck at all
14:13this will break jim's heart frank you take the one of trickster wearing a bow tie and kilt miles you take
14:21the one of trickster at the grand canyon i want the one of trickster and jim in bed
14:29avery finally fell asleep but not before he managed to break another one of these statue things
14:34what doris didn't realize a nine-month-old baby was coming this stupid dog funeral's gonna cost me a
14:40fortune mercy it's not a funeral it's memorial service now here put this on what is it
14:47oh god a picture of jim and trickster playing scrabble gee i wonder who put down the word woof
14:59the scalloped potatoes so they should be warm when you're ready to eat thank you phil i must say it's
15:05just spectacular of you to drive all the way out here to cater this affair i know wherever trickster
15:11is now he's looking down and thinking save a bone for me phil you never had any kids did you
15:22okay listen up there's more coffee just about ready but the main eats are off women's until that's the
15:30uh thing i got a whole lot of food out there so you can all plan to take a doggy bag home with you
15:40sorry about that hey this is it jim's here oh boy should we all hide jump out and yell funeral
15:50i'll just let myself out and back okay now during the memorial service i'll be asking each of you to
15:56sheriff on memory of trickster whatever's in your heart murphy i've written yours for you
16:05damn it doris i don't want you buying me any more of these bikini briefs
16:09every time i took a back switch my shorts rode halfway up my
16:13well my my my we have company your friends have come over jim because they're a little concerned
16:22concerned about what what's that thing been to your well that's a picture and you're all wearing
16:29them we're having a memorial service for trickster it's called an intervention jim
16:37an act of love by your friends to help you come face to face with the grief about your dog
16:43don't be threatened don't be afraid don't let the door hit you on your way out
16:51we're not going anywhere jim fine and i will jim do not leave this room i have had it with the
17:00sleepless nights the hall walking the irritability now if your very dear friends and a competent
17:06psychoanalyst think you need to get in touch with this grief then you better do it if not for your
17:11sanity than at least for mine now sit jim i just want you to know the only reason i'm here is
17:23because frank told me we were going to dairy queen friends and family lovers of trickster the happy
17:30scottish terrier if you'll all take your seats we're about to begin
17:38doris if you will
17:42yi take the high road
17:54We and the patrol will never meet again
18:00On the bunny, bunny backs of the throne mark
18:09I wonder what she's gonna sing next.
18:15How much is that doggie in the casket?
18:19Ladies and gentlemen, and especially Jim,
18:22we are here today to celebrate a wonderful, wonderful dog,
18:28Trickster Dyer.
18:30Feel anything yet, Jim?
18:37Anything?
18:40Nothing.
18:42Okay.
18:46Born to blue-ribbon champions,
18:49Silky Gray and Earl Divine,
18:51his official title name, Lord Raymond,
18:55was changed to Trickster
18:56when as a mere pup,
18:59Doris found him hiding in Jim's bedroom slipper.
19:03Do you remember what you said then, Jim?
19:05No.
19:09You said, and I quote,
19:11Oh, that dog is such a trickster.
19:15Remember that, Jim?
19:17No.
19:28And now Frank would like to say a few words.
19:30Frankie?
19:32Yes.
19:32Um,
19:33What I remember most is
19:39sometimes when I'd be over and feeling depressed,
19:44somehow Trickster would sense that.
19:47He'd come on over and
19:48lick my hand until I felt better.
19:52It's a miracle the dog had any tongue left.
19:54Thank you, Frank.
19:58That was lovely.
20:02Miles,
20:04I'm Emory, if you will.
20:07Make it sad.
20:08Remember when you took Trickster to get those shots, Jim?
20:26You told me about it, remember?
20:29That was sad.
20:34Shots.
20:35Ouch.
20:35Big needle.
20:38Little body.
20:42Poor Trickster.
20:51And now Murphy would like to
20:53read for you a tribute
20:55in honor of your Scottish terrier.
20:57Murphy?
20:58What?
20:59A card.
21:01Read it.
21:02For Jim.
21:02What the hell is this?
21:07It's a poem.
21:09Look at that face.
21:11Do it.
21:15Trickster,
21:16ye are gone now.
21:19No more chasing
21:20all the squirrels.
21:24No more patting
21:26all the tom now.
21:28You're off to
21:29different worlds.
21:31We run the fields together.
21:37I pat ye on your head.
21:40For your doggy's
21:41always with you,
21:43being he
21:44alive or dead.
21:49But he is dead.
21:52My doggy's dead.
21:54Oh, butterscotch.
22:00There's no such thing
22:02as a dog circus.
22:05What in the world
22:06do you think you're doing?
22:07Yeah, you come home
22:08from school
22:08happy and ready
22:10to play
22:10Sergeant O'Hara
22:11and Rin Tin Tin.
22:13All they say to you
22:14is he ran off
22:15to join the dog circus.
22:16Go do your homework
22:17real nice.
22:18stop it, Kirby's talking
22:19because there's nothing
22:20to do with you.
22:20It's about my dog.
22:21My trickster.
22:24It's the first time
22:24I've said his name
22:25since he died.
22:28Trickster.
22:31I miss my trickster.
22:33Oh, Jim.
22:37Honey.
22:38Honey.
22:39Coco.
22:42This is my puppy.
22:47They're just temper.
22:48They had to put him
22:49to sleep.
22:52Whitey.
22:55White hamster.
23:00Mr. Puffy.
23:01He's not dead
23:03but he will be someday.
23:11This is stupid.
23:15Grown people
23:15crying over dead animals.
23:18But they're not
23:21just animals, Murphy.
23:23Pets are unconditional love.
23:26Who else is always
23:27there for you
23:28running to the door
23:29to meet you
23:30when you get home?
23:31The way they lick
23:32your face
23:33and sit in your lap.
23:37They run on the beach
23:38and they can play
23:39kids for hours.
23:41They spin around
23:42on their little
23:42exercise wheel.
23:46Dear Lord,
23:48who would have thought
23:48it?
23:49Five minutes of acting
23:50like an idiot
23:51and somehow I'm
23:52starting to feel better.
23:55There was a farmer
24:02had a dog
24:03and Bingo
24:05was his name.
24:07B-I-N-G-O
24:11B-I-N-G-O
24:14B-I-N-G-O
24:16and Butterscotch
24:17was his name.
24:19All right.
24:23The new season's here.
24:28It starts moving.
24:29All right.
24:31I'm all
24:32with the
24:33middle beats.
24:35Tuesday.
24:36Tuesday, time is half past y'all
24:39I'm making my feelings moving over