Great Moments in Nanny History

Season Five

    
     

5.21 The Best Man

written by: Rick Shaw

It's a week before the wedding and Max is auditioning chorus girls for his latest show. One of the girls happens to be Marla Maples. Marla lets it slip that she had dated Maxwell briefly after she and Donald had broken up.	The door bell rings. Fran: Don't panic, don't panic, calm down, calm down. Alright look, it happened a year and a half ago. We're adults. We'll just act like nothing happened, that's all. Nigel: Hello darling! Fran: So how've ya been?
Niles sends Fran into a panic when he mentions that Maxwell's brother Nigel is expected that afternoon. She had never told Maxwell about almost running off and marrying Nigel and wants it to remain a secret.

When Fran gets Nigel alone she is relieved to discover that he has moved on with his life, and she gets him to promise he won't say a word to Max about their past.

Nigel convinces Maxwell that he should have a bachelor party and that Fran wouldn't mind. Well, mostly she wouldn't mind, but Sylvia plants a niggling doubt about that girl-in-the-cake bit.

At the party, Niles seems to be enjoying himself. Niles: Fabulous party, Sir, fabulous.

Unfortunately, the copious amounts of liquor at the party loosen Nigel's lips a little too much. Maxwell: To my future wife. Nigel: You know she could have just as easily been your sister-in-law if she'd accepted my proposal the last time I was here. Maxwell: Abso-bloody-lutely. What?

Nigel: Well you're a lucky man Max. If she'd met me on the boat like we planned, she'd be my wife today. Maxwell: You proposed to Fran? Fran: Surprise! Maxwell: You almost married my brother? Fran: See ya.

Fran: Why won't you listen to me? I told you nothing happened between me and Nigel. Maxwell: I find it hard to believe that a man and a woman could spend so much time together with so much sexual tension without anything happening. Fran: Really? I don't.	Maxwell: I just can't believe that you and Nigel were... while you and I were... you know. Fran: No I don't know, because technically you and I were nothing because you were so scared, you could even make up your mind about what we weren't!
	Maxwell: I just can't believe you could do something like this and then not have the character to tell me about it.

The next day, Sylvia and Niles are aghast the latest turn of events. Niles: This is your fault, you had her for all the birthdays up to 29. Sylvia: And you had her for all the birthdays back to it.

When Max comes in, they offer to give them the space to work it out. When they only move to the other side of the room, Fran and Max go into the dining room. Sylvia: They walked into another room. Niles: We should have had a Plan B.

Fran: Oh Maxwell I know that I was wrong, I should have told you. I promise you I will never, ever keep anything from you again. Maxwell: With my own brother? Fran: Well exactly. I thought you didn't want me anymore, and I found him very attractive. I had Sheffield-mania. You know, not the real thing but an incredible simulation. Maxwell: I just feel very betrayed Fran.

Fran: What did you expect? I mean, you took back telling me that you loved me and then you're surprised that I didn't wait around for you? That's not fair. You can't have it both ways. You know, I'm just beginning to think you're making such a big Magilla about all this because you're looking for excuses to take back your commitment to me. Max: Well I'm sorry if you feel that way Fran, but I... I just can't forgive you yet. Fran: Well then, you know what? I'm going to make it really easy for you. Here, take back your ring.

Fran prepares to leave. Sylvia: You can't do this. I already dyed my shoes. If you leave, I'm going to throw myself in the Hudson River. Fran: Ma, flooding New Jersey is not gonna solve anything!

When Fran tells C.C. what happened, C.C. reminds Fran that Max had a few flings himself.

Niles: You do realize that you might have just pushed them into a reconciliation? C.C.: I know. That damn Prozac is turning me into a caring human being. And they said there'd be no harmful side effects.

Fran goes into the office and lets Max knows she understands why he is so upset.

Marla leaves and Max apologizes for the way he has been behaving. Maxwell: I only over reacted because I didn't realize how close I'd come to losing you. I mean, what would I have done if you'd actually gotten on that boat with Nigel? Fran: But I didn't, I'm here with you. You know there's a word in Yiddish for that, it's "bashert." Maxwell: What does that mean? Fran: It means "meant to be." Because no matter what happens, that's what we are--meant to be. We're naked without each other. Like my finger. Maxwell: Fran I love you.

While he is pontificating about trust, Fran sneaks Marla Maples in, flustering Maxwell.

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