They don’t make them like they used to—a phrase that can very easily be applied to sitcoms. It is undeniable that the 90s have been making a comeback in the last few years, so let’s chat about one of the most underappreciated sitcoms of that time: The Nanny! Starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a recently dumped make-up salesgirl turns up at Maxwell Sheffield’s (brilliantly portrayed by Shaun Henessy) mansion. She’s accidentally mistaken as the applicant for the position as nanny to three beautiful, but lost children after their mother has passed away. Throw a hilarious butler, a disgruntled and rejected business partner, and a quirky family that just wants their daughter to marry someone already in the mix, and you have a recipe for a show that will make you laugh to the point of tears.
The 90s nostalgia is real with this gem of a show—and so here are some reasons why you should give it a watch if you haven’t seen it yet, or perhaps why you should rewatch it!
The Fashion
It is undeniable: Fran Fine’s style is iconic. No matter in what year you decide to watch this series, there is at least one piece of clothing that has made a comeback since then—whether it is the checkered skirt (Clueless era), chokers (which were back in style twice since the show first aired), crop-tops, or a poufy, pink bomber jacket—each outfit seems to be better than the last. Also, no one rocks prints more than this nanny!
Don’t take my word for it, though. Vogue (the ultimate voice on anything concerning fashion) even published an article about Fran’s iconic and timeless style decades later!
The Characters
Whether it’s Fran’s best friend Valerie who kills with her confused one-liners, C.C. getting the names of Maxwell’s children wrong, or Fran’s grandmother Yetta confusing a toilet with a changing cabin—the situational humour is on par and the actors have incredible chemistry that cannot be faked. There is also an abundance of special guests—Elton John delights in an episode where Fran nearly causes him to lose a tennis match, Ray Charles turns out to be grandma Yetta’s new lover, and Fran does everything in her power to meet Elizabeth Taylor—who in turn, meets everyone else in the family before her.
The Enemies to Lovers Trope
It seems like this trope is a staple in every sitcom ever made—and it truly shines in this one. C.C. Babcock, Maxwell’s business partner, and Niles the Butler go head to head in every episode—and it’s hard to tell who wins these battles of the wits, but they’re so entertaining. It’s clear that both of them love to hate the other, and you’ll find yourself waiting for them to realise their buried feelings for each other, but it’s fun to watch them bicker in the meantime…
C.C: “I just couldn’t get out of bed this morning.”
Niles: “Oh, did someone leave a big rock on your coffin again?”
Niles is cynical to no end with other characters as well, and it is ridiculous to watch:
The Will-They-Won’t-They Appeal
If you’re a lover of underdogs, you will bless this show. You will root for Fran as Maxwell takes three years to warm up to the idea of calling Fran by her first name (yes, it’s that much of a slow-burn romance, so be warned) and as she nearly chokes him for taking that long. Episode after episode, you see Maxwell fall more and more in love with his nanny— not because of her stunning looks or her quick wit even though they don’t hurt—but because she takes impeccable care of his children and treats them like they are her own. They come to see her like a surrogate mother and that is what Maxwell ultimately falls in love with—the woman who can make his children smile again after the tragic loss of their mother. It’s a sitcom about a girl waiting for the guy to realise she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him, yes, but it’s also a show about family and friendship and the bonds that make us who we are.
The One-Liners and Running Gags
Every sitcom needs its running gags (just think of Joey’s “How you doin?” in Friends) and The Nanny delivers. Admittedly, there are loads of stereotypes addressed and perpetuated in this sitcom (it was the 90s, after all), but you can’t deny the appeal of Sylvia Fine, a mother who never stops eating during the show, remember statistics about how only 1 in 1,234 women marry beyond the age of 30, but cannot recall how much she weighs. Or the fact that Fran Fine pretends she is 29, when that birthday has come and gone at least four times. Or Maxwell actually thinking he’s being rebellious by wearing his Monday tie on a Tuesday. Or Fran eating two slices of pizza laid on top of each other because “my body can’t tell the difference that way and I save calories”.
Honestly, there are just so many great moments in this show and I highly recommend you watch it if you’re in dire need of some good laughs and heartfelt scenes!
