I'm re-watching "The Nanny" on HBO Max.

That show has some of the best writing. It’s up there with the Golden Girls and Frasier…not to mention I love Lucy.

One of the best openings ever!

Charles Shaughnessy was so hot!

I liked ShiShi Bapcock!

That show tapped into humor like a heroin addict finding a vein.

Niles and C.C. were great.

R3, he is still HOT.

R3, this time with pic

It’s a very, very funny show.

Isn't the champagne a bit burnt after many of Fran's co-stars supported her rival for the SAG-AFTRA presidency?

And Bill Clinton's brother made an appearance!

Back then when I watched it I thought that the premise and the setup was terribly dated already. And yet, the humor worked well, and it still works today.

There was a lot that came together: Conceptually the characters were well defined right from the beginning, including the supporting characters. Even the kids weren't as annoying as they could have been (and used sparingly thankfully). The writing stayed sharp. The acting was fantastic, including the regular supporting cast.

C C: I find it very unseemly of Maxwell to start dating again. Isn't the customary period of mourning 10 years?

Miles: Die. Let's find out.

Fran's fiance calls c.c. caca. Of course Niles is behind it lol

We need a show like this that has revolving guest stars.

Bring it back!

She was so Tiny! She wore great clothes.

So many great scenes. There was one where CC and Fran are stuck in the wine cellar and Fran gives CC a makeover. She ends up looking like Sylvia.

I remember that one, r18!

“The Thing”

I loved this show.

It mystifies me that it's on HBO Max of all places now after running for years on the mesothelioma channels. But, whatever.

Madeline Zima has since said that it was "emotionally scarring" to be on that show as a child actor and that it was "difficult not to cry from the abuse."

Of the three children I thought she was actually outclassing the other child actors. She looked like she had fun on the show. Did she say what scarred her?

R3

Charles Shaughnessy sill is hot; well in a grand daddy sort of way

I recently started watching it on HBO Max and have really been enjoying it. It's a perfect show to put on before you go to sleep to have a few laughs and let the day's stress melt away. The cast has wonderful chemistry and the writing is very, very funny.

It looks like Fran is an anti-vaxer, which sucks, but she's aged beautifully.

[quote]It mystifies me that it's on HBO Max of all places now after running for years on the mesothelioma channels. But, whatever.

The ones shown on HBO Max are uncut and commercial-free, unlike any other versions we've seen.

Charles S. Is still hot. I met him in my cardiologist’s waiting room. I’m serious.

....

R26-Ooo

I LOVE ❤️ Uncut!

Mister Sheffield (CS) was adorable then, and he's adorable now, he still looks good. :-)

R23 she did a Reddit AMA about 10 years ago, though she didn't elaborate on what exactly happened on the Nanny. She said working on the movie the Hand that Rocks the Cradle as a child was a good experience where people treated her well, unlike on the Nanny. She praised David Duchovny, too. I agree that Zima outclassed Nicholle Tom (who was funny if still a bit wooden on the Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman with Laura Kightliinger) and Benjamin Salisbury.

OP, The Nanny is one of the few 90s sitcoms that have aged well. It's actually the only one I can think of that plays BETTER today than when it was on the air.

She was working in a bridal shop in Flushing Queens

Till her boyfriend kicked her out in one of those crushing scenes

What was she to do?

Where was she to go?

She was out on her FANNY!

She was out on her fanny

Avoid watching on Logo. Saw one last night where Fran has amnesia and ends up in a bubble bath with Mr. Sheffield and Logo inserts a commercial right in the middle of the scene where there was never one before.

Fran aged beautifully! This is Benjamin now.

Madeline.

Nicolle.

Lauren lane

Daniel Davis.

Someone I worked with years ago claims he saw Charles S close up at a urinal.

He reported that Charles had a nice, visible dick - not to-the-knees enormous but not at all small, very visible at the urinal, and uncut.

So Miss Fine was not suffering for cock, apparently.

What does grandma Yetta looks like now?

Flat out my favorite show and go-to for when I need mindless entertainment to decompress!

Charles used to get letters telling him that he needed to improve his English accent and to refer to Daniel. What's funny is that Daniel is actually from (I think) Arkansas.

R45, she died.

Daniel has a reputation for being a hateful drunken cunt.

Grandma Yetta.

They really got great mileage out of Fran's mishpocha. Silvia and Yetta were comedy gold. I remember how surprised I was how far they went with Yetta. She had an affair before her wedding. She was a 'cheap, tawdry sex toy' for business only. And at one point I think they even implied that she played with Maxwell's junk under the table. Kudos to Ann Guilbert. She really made every minute with Yetta a gem.

Everybody got to shine, even the kids were funny.

Verificatia of Benjamin's 10" Salisbury Steak?

Fun Daniel Davis interview on Australian tv. It might be the most Datalounge-thing ever. He talks about touring with Katherine Hepburn for a year in COCO (and meeting his parents), working with Angela Lansbury (twice), and how surprised he was to land the role of Niles over Roddy McDowell.

And here is Renée Taylor with Fran.

Wait, Roddy McDowell was up for Niles?

Charles Shaughnessy was so hot.

Charles nude in the closet.

what's this about Benjamin's benjamin?

Yep, R55. The network suits wanted (or preferred) Roddy McDowell, but Fran & Peter (wisely) said NO because then it will be The Roddy McDowell Show....and this is supposed to be The Fran Drescher Show.

Fun fact: Charles Shaughnessy's father developed (not created) the original Upstairs Downstairs.

McDowAll, people.

Damn, Daddy. What movie is at R57?

As the 5th Barron Shaughnessy, will Charlie get an invitation to the Coronation of Charles??

I’m a Jew from Queens and I loved this show.

There’s an episode in which the youngest daughter is upset about something and tries to live with Fran’s mother. Fran goes to get her back home and says something like, “You can’t run away from Park Avenue to Flushing. You’re going the wrong way.”

Genius writing!

Tha's NCIS, R62

[quote]So many great scenes. There was one where CC and Fran are stuck in the wine cellar and Fran gives CC a makeover. She ends up looking like Sylvia.

Madeline Zima was offered a part in a big movie at the time. It may have been the remake of "The Parent Trap" or somthing like that. She would have needed to miss a few shows (1-3, I can't remember) but the producers (Fran and her Mo husband) refused to let her. They were assholes for not giving her time off. She wasn't a vital character...she had like two lines per episode. Hell, sometimes Chester the dog had more screen time than she did.

Maybe they did her a favor, she could be Lindsay Lohan today, r67.

Madeleine needs to let it go. Too much time has passed.

Not to be morbid but I’m glad they didn’t go with Roddy because he passed away before the show ended and dosing a very special episode here Niles does would have changed the show and made CC a lot less fun for the rest of the series

Funny, I had forgotten that that brain-dead show ever existed.

Fran Drescher pissed in r71"s Cheerios this morning.

The show did take a hard turn after season 4 though. Getting them engaged and married was a mistake. But the writing overall took a hit in 5 and 6. Fran turned from brash and street smart to whiny and suffering. Did the writing team change after season 4, or was it really just the divorce that poisoned the show's secret sauce? I don't know. I only know that season 5 and 6 had some very unwatchable episodes.

Niles and CC were often the best part of the show! I don't think it would have worked if Niles was cast with someone different.

Fran's GAY husband was so good looking in the 1990's.

Check this out Nanny fans

[quote]The show did take a hard turn after season 4 though. Getting them engaged and married was a mistake. But the writing overall took a hit in 5 and 6. Fran turned from brash and street smart to whiny and suffering. Did the writing team change after season 4, or was it really just the divorce that poisoned the show's secret sauce? I don't know. I only know that season 5 and 6 had some very unwatchable episodes.

The show wasn't shot in front of an audience by then too.

As much as I love the show, I stop watching when they are gearing up for the wedding. It just wasn't as fun.

I want Charles in me quite deeply.

[quote]As much as I love the show, I stop watching when they are gearing up for the wedding. It just wasn't as fun.

Yeah, i wish the relationship had remained platonic.

Or waited until later in the run to consummate.

CC and Niles saved seasons 5 and 6.

Lauren Lane kills me. She was perfect in a perfect role…and then just moved back to Texas to teach. She really could have had a great career

Lauren Lane really is underappreciated. She did a lot with that character and was very, very funny. I always wondered why she seemed to disappear after this show was off the air. Maybe she didn't want to press her luck. Any actor who ends up in a hit show for multiple seasons is lucky as hell.

It's too bad Happily Divorced wasn't good. I liked the premise, and love Fran.

The only thing I didn't like during the run (or didn't buy) was Niles and CC's sudden relationship. It was clear as day Niles was a big homosexual, and everyone could see it. I know they kept intimating that the character was straight throughout the run of the show, but I always felt it was because the character himself was so in the closet he wanted to perceive himself as straight. In fact, I honestly thought that they were going to have Niles reveal that he really was gay and that he was trying on heterosexuality, but it wasn't going to work, thereby leaving CC jilted yet again (which would have been funny and believable).

[quote] It was clear as day Niles was a big homosexual, and everyone could see it.

You could've written that exact same sentence about "Frasier."

You're right, R87. And I often said the same thing about that character re: Daphne.

[quote]The show wasn't shot in front of an audience by then too.

FWIW...they re-opened the tapings to the public at the beginning of the 6th Season. All of the S6 episodes were filmed in front of a full, live audience. (I saw several of them filmed, including the finale).

Pairing CC and Niles together was a big mistake. IT was great when ther was just flirting and the occasional kiss. But then they had them fall in love and have kids? Too much.

A sentimental love song...

*3* GIRLS *3*

Fran Drescher had a talk show??

I loved this show when it aired and have loved it even more as it has aged! The chasing scene towards the end of the episode “What the Butler Sang” might be the funniest of any sitcom.

*

It started to go downhill when they re-did the kitchen in that loud, faux Mackenzie Childs style. Roseanne's guest turn as the decorator was one of the show's worst.

R84- Like those two boring and forgettable actors and characters on Cheers-

Norm and Cliff Clavin

What r93 said.

R96, I actually liked her on that episode!

I feel like Fran Drescher is kinda like a “Light” Roseanne Barr. Brilliant and likeable for gays in the 1990s. Problematic and cringe past 2016

r100 Hey! I was never married to no fag!

How is Fran problematic and cringe?

[quote]Fran Drescher had a talk show??

No she had a week long test shows on Fox like RuPaul had. Neither were picked up.

Remember that hot model that the oldest daughter was dating? I bet Fran's husband had a fun time auditioning actors for that part

I thought Val was a weak and unfunny character. I haven't seen that actress in anything since.

R105- A lot the characters on that show were merely ANNOYING sitcom characters- Like Ted on The Mary Tyler Moore Show

You just wanted them to say their lines and get out of the scene.

[r102] she didn’t make many friends running for President of SAG, is a pretty vocal Covid-19 vaccine skeptic, and while tweeting that she was NOT a Trump supporter during 2016, she also gave an interview around the time where she applauded his attitude and demeanor.

I liked Val. Yes, she was the standard ditz, but somehow the actress made her work for me.

There's one episode I saw again recently that had me rolling on the floor. Fran ends up dateless on a double date with Val and CC and their respective dates. She ends up dancing by herself and when the music changes to a slow dance ends up snuggled up to a husband and wife. When she realizes what she's doing she's embarrassed but the couple winks at her and gives her their hotel and room number. For some reason it just tickled my funny bone at the exact right time.

R105 Fran very clearly hired an actress she knew had zero chance of overshadowing her.

I believe that actress was a friend of Fran's.

Rachel Chagall (AKA Rachel Levin) is actually a very good actress. She played the lead role in the 1987 film Gaby: A True Story. She should have been nominated for Best Actress that year, but the film was all but ignored, with Norma Aleandro getting a make up nomination in the supporting category for having been ignored four years prior for The Official Story.

R109, my favorite part of that episode is when a guy approaches their table and Fran think he's going to hit on her. Instead, he tells her "just wanted to let you know your hair is on fire". Then, Val keeps hitting her even after the fire is out lol.

That Ann Guilbert commercial at r95 is hilarious. Madison Avenue at the time clearly thought America's housewives were such petty envious evil bitches that they would sympathize with Ann bitterly and violently resenting a neighbor having her colors come out brighter in the laundry.

I liked Val . She was a sweet loveable dummy but you couldnt help but root for her. If I had to pick one character I loved most ,it would be Sylvia. All the others were great,but Sylvia made me howl every time she opened her mouth. When she and Yetta were in a scene,it was one of the best comedy pairings ever.

"that's an awful big potato for such a little girl" as Sylvia eats off the kid's plate which she did a lot.

Sylvia nauseated me . I loved Yetta though. Niles was on no planet convincingly straight, and his coupling w CC was ridiculous.

Sylvia was funny as hell. The episode where everyone gets snowed in at her apartment is funny.

R117- Fran Drescher's coupling with Peter Marc Jacobson for over twenty years also turned out to be ridiculous.

One of my favorite episodes (just cracks me up to no end, regardless of how many times I've seen it) is "The Butler, the Husband, the Wife & Her Mother" from early S1.

Embarrassed that Fran is working as a "domestic", Sylvia tells her obnoxious Nouveau riche brother (Zack Norman) that Fran & Max are married -- and hilarity ensues. There's just so much going on between Sylvia's lie, obnoxious Uncle Jack & bitchy Cousin Marsha (Nancy Frangione, ya'll!), Niles pretending to be Max, Fran & Niles pretending to be married, the Butlers' Association Review, and finally...clueless Max returning home unexpectedly, at exactly the wrong time.

Sylvia needs her medicine!

^^ 🤣 One of the flat-out funniest moments.

Also: That Flame Pantsuit is fabulous. 🔥🔥🔥 One of my favorite things she wore.

A client of mine is friends with Nicholle Tom. She seems rather shy and sweet. They stopped in a few weeks ago to pick up some gifts for Renee Taylor's 90th birthday. I had no idea who she was until it was told to me later.

Nichole was unexpectedly very funny during the Virtual Table Read of the pilot episode during the pandemic. She really got into it. (Charles was clearly amused))

Wasn't Zach Norman the actor who took out an ad in Back Stage or Show Business newspaper for years on end?

CeCe was the best!

R54 Fran looks lovely without all that makeup

The Nanny's Season 6 wrap-party reel:

C. C., not CeCe

[quote]Madeline Zima has since said that it was "emotionally scarring" to be on that show as a child actor and that it was "difficult not to cry from the abuse."

The abuse = Fran's voice.

I wish they had let Morty be an off-screen character. Steve Lawrence who was a great singer and a great sketch comedian on The Carol Burnett Show, did a nice job but it seemed like the character was better off as in your imagination kind of like Maris on Frasier.

I never thought that Sylvia would have an actual extramarital affair either. It was funny when she flirted with the butcher so she could get the best cuts or whatever that was but to actually cheat on her husband seemed out of character. Her real life husband was hot as hell though.

Did Sylvia ever marry Ray Charles? They were a fun couple.

I wish I could go back in time when my mother was alive and we would watch the show together and laugh out loud. The 90s had such good sitcoms, today not so much. Fran Drescher tried to duplicate the success of her show with other vehicles but they just didn't have all of the lightning in a bottle chemistry that The Nanny had. Happily Divorced had its moments but Living With Fran and Indebted were painful to watch.

Fran should have hosted SNL at some point. Someone needs to make a petition for that on social media.I don't know who half of the guest hosts are on that show anymore.

Zima needs to quit playing coy and say what "abuse" she suffered.

Sylvia didn't marry Ray Charles, that was Yetta... Ray C just kinds disappeared without any explaination

Fran Drescher on "Night Court." (The original--not the reboot.)

I can see why Zima doesn't have fond memories. After the first 2 seasons, the nanny aspect was basically dropped and the kids became set dressing with maybe 2 lines an episode.

[quote]I can see why Zima doesn't have fond memories. After the first 2 seasons, the na

Sweetie, we're talking Madeline Zima here not Madeline Khan. She was lucky to get the gig. She ended up to showing her tits on a Showtime show.

R136, right? She's acting like she's some major thespian. She should be thankful that she was even on The Nanny at all.

They need a re-boot. Call it "The Franny". Mr Sheffield is now running a movie studio and Fran and Val get into high jinks meeting movie stars.

If there is a reboot, it will be called The Tranny. Laverne Cox stars as a nanny for an affluent black family in Atlanta.

Raquel Welch, by passing away, turns from being Myra Breckinridge back to Rex Reed, who now is cast as "The Manny", but because he's a terrible actor, it's cancelled, recast with Mandy Patinkin as "The Mandy".

‘The Nanny’ 30th Anniversary Special in the Works, Reveals Fran Drescher on ‘The Talk’.

I think they're thinking of a reunion, they should leave Zima out, since it was so traumatic for her.

R138- and NO DOUBT hilarity ensues

r142, see r124.

Two words: Elizabeth Taylor.

And Rosie O'Donnell, on the same episode!

We saw the entrance to The Nanny's "mansion." Actually six-stories with 20-units at 7 East 75th.

Scathing takedown of CBS's Liz Taylor crossover night by Tom Shales.

Is he a DLer?

[quote]On “Nanny,” Taylor wore a figure-concealing cape kind of a thing. On “Love,” she wore a billowy, hip-hiding caftan kind of a thing. On “Murphy Brown,” she wore a girth-obscuring black suit kind of a thing.

p.s. Can't Hurry Love & High Society didn't survive Liz Taylor night. (last episode of both to air)

Fun, small (DL)world thing: Peter & Lisa Whelchel are friends! They were in an acting class together back in the late '80s & Peter appeared in an episode of FOL (as a flaming salon manager).

And more recently....(look at the first reply)

Cool they stayed close.

[quote]Two words: Elizabeth Taylor. ...And Rosie O'Donnell, on the same episode!

Rosie and Fran are real friends, not just show biz ones. Rosie got Elizabeth to appear as they had worked together on "The Flintstones.

I've always found Rosie O Donnell completely charming in her early days as an actress and talk show host.

In her scene of the Liz Taylor episode she was brilliant.

Another 2 words: Eartha Kitt.

Mr Sheffield has been guest starring on "General Hospital" as a villain. He has kidnapped a baby and had a woman taking care of him. When the shit hits the fan and the good guys come to rescue the kid, a henchman says "The nanny and the baby are missing" to which he responds,, "To Hell with the nanny!

[quote]"To Hell with the nanny!

He should have said "Fuck the nanny!"

Which he did!

Donald Trump was on the episode that I watched last night. Ugh.

And Rosie again, this time, playing herself.

I skip that episode, R159.

As everyone should, r160!

It is interesting how syphilis has rotted his brain over time though.

Just watched the episode with Joan Collins! Best sitcom ever!

R163, that was a great episode. Joan and Fran had great chemistry.

This scene was just a delight. Freakin' Yetta...🤣

lol Yetta is amazing!

Since HBO Max became Max, The Nanny will no longer stay in my "watched" list and it will only take me to S1 Episode 1 and not back to the next episode.

So just type "The Nanny" into the search bar and watch the episodes that way.

I do, R168. But that is totally unnecessary. Worked fine on HBO Max.

Jay Leno. Ugh.

More Yetta.

Just watched the one where Fran meets Roslyn Kind (Barbra's half sister)!

[quote]Jay Leno. Ugh.

I feel the same, however, over the course of her career, Fran has kissed a lot of actors on-screen....and to this day, she maintains that Jay Leno was the best kisser. Take that for whatever it's worth.

The one with Roslyn.

How long until they remake this?

Ariana Grande is Fran.

Dylan McDermott is Mr. Shefield.

Hilary Duff is C C.

Sean Hayes is Miles.

Kim Kattrall is Yetta.

CZJ is Grace.

Just watched the one with Pamela Anderson.

what is sad is that the op is paying to watch this!

Proudly, r177!

r177, what you call "this" is one of the best sitcoms ever!

lolz

for you, boo...

[quote]lolz

lolz? Twelve or retarded?

Sorry, r180, that was mean!

You're entitled to your opinion.

It was a fun show! I remember reading something about one of the child actors who hated the experience.

i'm a 'tard!

i love the nanny!

R184 Madeline Zima.

[quote]Sean Hayes is Miles.

Oh, dear. Were you watching "The Golden Girls"?

The one glaring typo aside, I actually want to see r175 happen. And add Leah Remini as Sylvia, and Emily Osment as Val.

Maxwell brings a date home!

[quote]I remember reading something about one of the child actors who hated the experience.

But loves cashing the syndication checks.

Zima was a little cunt! She made everyone's lives hell! Once she shitted on my wig!

So, this is where they got the idea for Britney's "Oops, I Did it Again" outfit.

Fran And C.C. Do Jury Duty .

Gold!

Did they just call a pair of Manolo Blahniks ugly at r193?

Just found this thread. As usual, I'm always late to the party. smh

At any rate, THE NANNY is one of the few shows that is comfort viewing and I never tire of rewatching -- along with GOLDEN GIRLS, THREE'S COMPANY, MAMA'S FAMILY, and the first 5 seasons of ROSEANNE.

Also, I miss when models used to look like this:

Welcome to the party ,r196!

I really loooove The Nanny, but I can only watch it up to season 4. Season 5 and 6 seem to have a completely different main character. Out is the street smart ghetto Nanny who saves the day. In comes the damaged-goods whiny frau who seems to be overwhelmed by everything that happens to her. The easy explanation could be that Drescher experienced turmoil in real life and she wanted her experience somehow reflected in the show to give the character some depth. But man, did that change the trajectory of the entire show. Simply put: The show stopped being funny. There is one episode where Fran is going to an Arab country and Max is bringing her back. Once that episode is up, I'm going back to the pilot.

Just watched the episode where Fran finds out she's black. Priceless!

Stolen directly from "The Dick Van dyke Show", ask Yetta.

[quote]Stolen directly from "The Dick Van dyke Show", ask Yetta.

You mean Millie.

Came across this while reading about Fran's speech /SAG strike. What a sweet photo!

Give 'em hell, Fran!

SAG-AFTRA announces actors strike after negotiations with Hollywood studios collapse

The press conference...

FRAN!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Niles has a heart attack.

Fran looks pretty good considering The Nanny ended 24 years ago. And she is not appearing "made up" in the current strike dialogue either.

Just watched the one with Roseanne.

RIP, Roseanne!

r208

Roseanne died?

^ No, she is really just dead to us.

I mean her career is dead

This seems appropriate

The rapid-fire Family Feud/game show bit at 1:50 always cracks me up.

Fran: Oh c'mon, how long have you people known me? What's the first thing I do when I'm upset?

Brighton: Eat a box of Malo mars!

Maggie: Rent "The Way We Were"!

Grace: Um...Blame your mother!!

Brighton & Maggie (applauding): Good answer! Good Answer!