There is a safety-net of political protocol to direct the lines of communication and keep any resentment at bay. Healthy communication between the sexes is the issue. In law firms, police stations and construction sites, the terms of male-female interactions are now varied, but the style of communication is often inhibited. And our TV shows have both reflected and shaped our social conventions. Social etiquette is functional for necessities such as personal hygiene and table manners, but can restrict dialogue serving as the fundamental pathways of exchange between men and women.
Women can be assertive and insistent, but remain under pressure to be equally cordial.
Enter Maggie O'Connell and Murphy Brown. These characters tear through cellophane etiquette like linebackers through the team banner before the game. Their dialogue is demystified and direct. It cuts to the chase. Similarly, Murphy Brown's character is defined by negotiation dialogue.