# Murphy's Law (American TV series)

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. 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.

## Synopsis

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.

## Cast
### Main

* George Segal as Daedalus Patrick Murphy
* Maggie Han as Kimiko Fannuchi
* Josh Mostel as Wesley Harden
* Sarah Sawatsky as Kathleen Danforth
* Charles Rocket as Victor Beaudine
* Kim Lankford as Marissa Danforth
* Serge Houde as Ed

### Guest Stars

* Gerard Christopher
* Will Estes
* Norman Fell
* Clyde Kusatsu
* Patrick Macnee
* Reni Santoni
* Joan Severance
* John Standing
* Julia Sweeney

## Episodes

Twelve episodes are registered with the United States Copyright Office.
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "The Room Above the Indian Grocery" | Lee David Zlotoff | Lee David Zlotoff | November 2, 1988 (1988-11-02) | 13.4 |
| 2 | "Where are My Socks and Other Mysteries of Love" | Bill Bixby | Michael Gleason | December 3, 1988 (1988-12-03) | 11.4 |
| 3 | "If You Can't Win, Shoot for a Tie" | Don Weis | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | December 10, 1988 (1988-12-10) | 10.4 |
| 4 | "Do Someone a Favor and It Becomes Your Job" | Bill Bixby | E.F. Wallengren | December 17, 1988 (1988-12-17) | 9.9 |
| 5 | "Never Play Leapfrog with a Unicorn" | Bruce Seth Green | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | January 14, 1989 (1989-01-14) | 8.7 |
| 6 | "Never Try to Teach a Pig to Sing" | Charles Correll | Ken Goldstein | January 21, 1989 (1989-01-21) | 11.4 |
| 7 | "Two Wrongs Are Only the Beginning" | Don Weis | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | January 28, 1989 (1989-01-28) | 10.3 |
| 8 | "Never Wear Earmuffs in a Bed of Rattlesnakes" | Seymour Robbie | Michael Gleason | February 4, 1989 (1989-02-04) | 9.1 |
| 9 | "Where There's a Will, There's a Won't" | Don Weis | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | February 11, 1989 (1989-02-11) | 8.3 |
| 10 | "When You're Over the Hill, You Pick Up Speed" | Seymour Robbie | E.F. Wallengren | February 18, 1989 (1989-02-18) | 9.7 |
| 11 | "Experience Is Something You Don't Get Until Just After You Need It" | Burt Brinckerhoff | Bill Schmidt | March 11, 1989 (1989-03-11) | 7.5 |
| 12 | "Doing It the Hard Way Is Always Easier" | Bruce Seth Green | Lee Goldberg & William Rabkin | March 18, 1989 (1989-03-18) | 8.3 |
| 13 | "All's Wrong That Ends Wrong" | Burt Brinckerhoff | Michael Gleason & E.F. Wallengren | Unaired | N/A |
| Unsold pilot for a spin-off starring Joan Severance ||||||