Hey There Everyone! Over the New Year, with nothing exciting on TV (thanks non-ratings period!), I ended up bingeing The Nanny, and finally watching the final episode. Growing up I had seen reruns of the show here and there, and absolutely loved the series. Last year I finally sat down to binge the whole series, but never getting to the final episode as I just didn't want to say goodbye. After finally rewatching the entire series more recently, I wanted to take a moment to gush about this hilarious sitcom and share why YOU need to grab the chocolate and popcorn and have a binge-session! For those who don't know or maybe don't remember, The Nanny was a sitcom created by Fran Drescher and her then-husband Peter Marc Jacobson, that ran from 1993-1999. The show followed Fran Fine (Descher), who winds up at the residence of Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) as a cosmetics saleswoman. In that moment, she finds herself as Maxwell's new nanny to his three children - Maggie (Nicholle Tom), Brighton (Benjamin Salisbury), and Gracie (Madeline Zima). Although she has no nanny training, she fits right into the family and turns out to be just what the doctor ordered, becoming the mother-figure that the children have been missing. 1. Niles the Butler Yes, that's right. Niles (Daniel Davis) is one whole reason to watch this series. This quick-witted and sassy butler is a laugh a minute, throwing out iconic line after line. His relationships with all the characters are also reflected in his sassy comedy, with his main rival C.C. Babcock (Lauren Lane) being the butt of most of Niles' zingers. Between him and Fran, the two have an absolute riot being Mr Sheffield's unhelpful help, and I honestly don't think the show would have been as successful as it was without this integral character. 2. Fran & Maxwell's Relationship Like the 'will they or won't they' of Ross and Rachel on Friends, Fran and Maxwell's relationship over the course of the show is an important part of the series. From the moment they meet, these two have an instant connection, and we're made to watch, wait and wonder if anything other than flirty banter will take place between the two. It makes such an interesting dynamic for the pair, along with how the other characters interact with them, especially with Niles being the biggest shipper of Fran and Maxwell, and trying to play cupid on several occasions. 3. The 90s Fashion Fran Fine was, and still is, an absolute fashion ICON. I don't even think I can say it's just the 90s fashion since Fran also lends herself to 70s and 80s looks as well. As the theme song goes, "she's the lady in red when everybody else in wearing tan", and she truly stands out in every episode with her outfits and big hair. Where she has the wardrobe space or the money to afford all these outfits is beyond me, but that just adds to how amazing the fashion really is. 4. Every Character Is Hilarious Obviously Niles is a HUGE draw card for this series, next to Fran of course, but every character in their own right is hilarious. They're all got their place within the show's dynamic, each providing their own form of comedy. My two standouts, however, are Gracie and Yetta (Ann Morgan Guilbert). As the youngest Sheffield, Grace is taken under Fran's wing and picks up many of Fran's mannerisms and dress-sense. Yetta, Fran's grandmother, is somewhat senile and steals every scene she appears in, regularly forgetting stories, how she's related to people, or what is going on around her. 5. Long-Running Gags Like most sitcoms, The Nanny wove a number of long-running gags into the series, as well as many short-running gags. The main one is Fran's age - throughout the entire series she claims to be in her twenties and never revealing when she graduated, even when attending a high school reunion. Of course everyone knows she's lying, but we never find out how old she is, and neither do most of the characters. Another favourite gag of mine is Maxwell's dislike of fellow Broadway producer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is a LOT more successful than Maxwell. This stemmed from Maxwell passing on Cats!, thinking it was ridiculous, only to see ALW experience huge success with the production and forever regretting the decision. 6. It's Going To Broadway It was revealed last week that Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson had teamed up with Rachel Bloom and Adam Schlesinger to take The Nanny to the shining lights of Broadway! After having binged the series over the New Year, it's like the series has been popping up everywhere online, so this was really well-timed and welcomed news. And while a lot of us won't be getting to see the musical in person, I know I'll be jamming out to the music and excited to learn about the story that will unfold onstage. Plus, it'll be great to see Mr Sheffield finally find some success on Broadway! 7. It's Still Hilarious 21 Years Later The Nanny was such an iconic and hilarious 90s sitcom, and is still just as funny all these years later. Where some sitcoms have fallen flat with their comedy over time, or moments have now turned out to be a little problematic for the 2020 crowd, The Nanny really does stand the test of time. It's such a feel-good series that is right up their with Friends and totally deserves the love and binge-hours that the latter gets. No matter how many times you've seen the series, it's just as funny as it was the first time round. I have so much love for this series and am super excited for what's to come on Broadway, and any reunions/revivals that come in the future. So now is the perfect time to jump on, or back on, the bandwagon and fall in love with the nanny named Fran and the Sheffield family! And once you've watched the final episode, you're sure to want to go all the way back to the beginning and start again!
Set aside three days and get ready to move to Manhattan with this hilariously iconic 90s sitcom. Happy Bingeing! Victoria :) |
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