One of the running jokes of this series was Murphy Brown's inability to obtain a good secretary or one who could work well with her. During the show's first ten seasons, Murphy had a total of ninety-three secretaries. They were referred to by number in the closing credits cast list of each program, as "Secretary #1", "Secretary #2", et cetera. One that was very efficient was
Marcia Wallace, playing her Carol Kester character from
The Bob Newhart Show (1972). At the end of the show, Dr. Robert Hartley (
Bob Newhart) showed up and pleaded for her to return, which she did. In one episode, Murphy discovered there was a support group for her former secretaries, where they comforted each other over their inability to keep the job.