Murphy Brown is returning tonight, and one of the new characters that we’re going to meet is Murphy Brown’s grown son, Avery. Avery is being portrayed by Jake McDorman. But a question many fans are wondering is just who is Avery’s father — and will he be appearing on the show? Here is a recap of Avery’s background and his father.

A: Murphy Brown (played by Candice Bergen) named her son Avery, after her late mother (played by Colleen Dewhurst). It was the birth of Avery, and Murphy's decision to raise the child without his father, that prompted a family-values battle of words between the show and then-Vice President Dan Quayle.