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Sixth Season Episode Guide

    
     

6.3 Once a Secretary, Always a Secretary

October 14, 1998

Fran Feels Like "The Nanny" Instead of Maxwell's Wife Fran feels like a servant when Maxwell treats her more like a nanny than a wife. When Brighton asks Fran and Maxwell for permission to visit Atlantic City for the weekend, each responds differently and Fran grows offended by Maxwell's dismissive attitude toward her opinion. Then, while being interviewed live on "Entertainment Tonight" by Bob Goen (guest starring as himself), Maxwell accidentally refers to Fran as his nanny instead of his wife, and Fran is truly hurt. To change Maxwell's attitude, she hires a new nanny and tries to become a country club wife -- only to discover that she makes a lousy lady of leisure. Written by Allen Jay Zipper. Himself: Bob Goen, Nanny Bauer: Marji Martin, Waiter: Jeff Cain, Nanny Applicant: Marlo Jenee

Our responses (72) gave the episode a 7.9 overall, a 8.0 for the comedy, and a 7.5 for romance.
Some comments received were:

I loved this one! Much better then last weeks!

THEY'RE BACK ,BABY!!!!!!!!!! This was great. Everything I complained about last was fivexed. 1. The kids were used wonderfully. 2. Niles and CC what a riot. 3. Sylvia WASN"T eating!!! 4. CC wasn't pathetic-she was so funny I was ROTF from the jokes!!! 5.Fran looked great, did the braod comedy, and the subtle comedy great. A real "Lucy" feel. So much like the show I have come to love ^ As For Charles, what can I say. He was perfect. The laughing thinking about Fran when she was the Nanny he was absolutely adorable.The romantic parts, the comedy, he (and the show) were all right on!!! 6.And thanks to TPTB. Bless you Bless you for the sans PJ top bit, Be still my quivering heart,(and other assorted body parts) KUDOS TO ALL!!!! May the Nanny stay like this for at least another 5 years (By then I'll be to old to remember why I loveit- after all I live in Boca!)

This one seemed uneven to me. IT wasn't as bad as last week, but it seemed somehow off. I didn't seem to laugh as much as I usually do, though I did laugh some. I enjoyed seeing Niles and CC having some time to banter, thats usually my favorite part of the show. IT was good ending, but I guess maybe the build up wasn't that interesting. The ET part and the country club could have been done better. Overall, not a horrible episode, but not a great one either.

Oh what a difference a week makes! A very sweet episode that was true to all the characters. Loved the line the new nanny gave to Niles " You're daughter CC." LOL. Oh my Maggie. Well, I suspected she was active. Sets up some very emotional times for Maxwell. Even Gracie's growing up. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. Thank Goodness last week was just a hiccup in the road.

Big improvement over last week's fiasco! Keep up the good work, Fran & co.

Wow! We're back on track! Many things borrowed from the summer wishes and we don't mind one bit! I might just wear out my tape of this one.

Oh, such an improvement! Thank you thank you thank you. I liked just about everything on this one though I have to say my favorite moment was when Maxwell was describing what the 'old Nanny' used to do----and big Bertha was about to hop on his desk! That was a total scream. GREAT job, guys.

Bravo! It was better than last weeks show!!! So good to see Yetta!! (I've got my bra on backwards..) The only part I really didn't care for was the over-elaborated scenes from the country club.... Other than that, this episode made me laugh far more than last Wednesday night!

It was a cute ep. Not the worst, not the best. But I'm satisfied, I loved CC's "Somewhere between I and Do." and then I liked that they involved the kids.. It had some good stuff.

Much better episode than last week! WooHoo Lauren looked hot!! Ya know my wife says that Daniel Davis needs to grow his hair back out and STAY OUT OF THE SUN! Well, personally i think I'll send him a free lifetime membership to George Clooneys barber and a tanning salon! Anything to get her to stop daydreaming about that guy!!!! The new nanny was so funny, the desk thing killed me and the "you're daughter CC told me" to Niles ROTFLMAO!!!!!!

Well thats more like it!! CeeCee and Niles...Yea!!! the kids were great and of course Yetta and Sylvia! Poor Fran lost her voice and was still a crack up! I was worried about CeeCee thinking Max loved her until Niles came in saying the same thing!! Very funny! I wish those two (Niles & CeeCee)would start some crazy accidental romance that Fran & Max try to push along like Niles did with them, ya know oven mitt, the last apple etc. Maybe Niles & CeeCee don't even need to know about it themselves exactly....Well just a thought. It took so long for my sweet charlie and fran to get together the writers will probly never even think about it...to damn bad! Well loved this one, hoping for more great stuff to come in the rest of the season!!

Once again I laughed till I cried. I still think that this season is fantastic so far. Writing, Directing, Acting. Keep up the great work. Have to go and rewatch.....

I really enjoyed this ep, a lot more than last week's. It had more Niles/CC, more kids, less fighting, and Yetta and Val are back, in full form! The Gracie-period issue was priceless. One thing I don't get... If Maggie was 18 in the wedding ep, how can she be 20 already? They havent even been married a year yet. Hmmm... some more Nanny inconsistency. All in all, I loved it. The Nanny is back!

Full Cast hurray!!! Nice to see some interaction with everyone! Max was so funny giggling like a loon! Gracie is a little sweetie, brighton is still a sneaky twerp(god love him) and I thought Fran sending Maggie to her room forever for being active "are you crazy?!" LOL Hope Lauren is'nt really smoking; she has the prettiest skin, it would be a shame to lose that voice and skin (and health) of course, i'm one to talk (cough, cough). Niles the butler and C.C. the Business partner....hmmm well change the title and those two could have their own series!! I did like this one much more than last weeks ep. more flowing.

What happened to Charlie in the promos? I, like many, liked when he appeared in the spots with Fran during last week's show!
As for the show itself, it had many good qualities this week...like the apparently "healthy" physical relationship between Fran and Max...and thankfully no carry-ever "loud" jokes from last week. I particularly enjoyed the exchange near the end of the show when Fran said she wanted to be the nanny, and Max said that's who he loved...very touching.
I did not particularly care for Max's performance on ET...it seemed totally out of character. I also think we could have done without the Maggie / Fran "active" conversation ...it seemed out of place....we know the kids are growing up, but is the foyer really the place to discuss it?

Whew! What a relief after last week's episode! This episode was funny, touching, and romantic. I loved the "your daughter, C.C." comment, and the new nanny was very funny without being obnoxious. I liked that Fran and Max can have little disagreements without them blowing up into all-out fights. It made them seem like a real married couple. And I'm glad to see things seem to be okay in the bedroom. :)

Yes ! They're back in great form ! I really laughed through the the entire episode. The kids were excellent - especially Gracie & Brighton ( nice acting - very real.... brings back memories of trying to manipulate my parents ... ). Fran was wonderfully wacky without being over the top & Charles gave an near perfect performance ( not to mention a near perfect physique ... what more can I say ...) I especially loved the scenes with Gracie in Max's office & with the new "nanny" in his office - Terrific show everyone - Thanks very much ! ( By the way my two RCMP friends, ( the Mounties again), gave a very positive review to this one too).

Sorry guys, I really disliked this ep. a lot. I felt it was disjointed, unfunny, and boring. Not to mention recycled. A new writer should bring NEW ideas, not resurrect old ones. ONE laugh for me, and it came from Yetta (Heidi). The country club scene was lame and a waste of time. The gooeyness of Fran and Max in the bedroom was just ... ugh. And "holding out" or "giving in" to gain respect and material things? What century is this? Not a great message to send at 8:00, IMHO. And AGAIN Niles and CC were pretty much wasted. Quick, someone give these two their own show before they dry up and blow away. 2/10

I am in agreement with everyone else on this one. What a change from last week. It had lots of comedy, all the actors were involved, and a great ending. Loved how the romance was eluded to even without showing it. Loved the bedroom scene and the last seen. Max can be so sweet. Fran was great even without her normal voice. Max without a shirt, I of course, can watch anytime. WOW! All in all, a great mix, even though I still wouldn't mind a desk scene(PG of course). Keep up the good work.

Very disappointing in general- Scenes at the country club looked like a first grade production. The new "nanny" was quite funny and a great contrast to Fran. A couple of cute moments, but, all and all, the episode was quite flat.

Great show much better than last weeks ! Enjoyed the interaction between Niles and CC that was definitely more like the charcters of the older episodes that we have come to know.i Also liked the line between Fran and Sylvia I sleep with someone who looks like James Bond and you sleep with James Coco thought that was really funny and the bit with Max telling the new nanny what the old nanny used to do and her about to jump on the desk that was a ROFL moment!

Much better ep! Adored Gracie in this! "We're out of Nutter butters and no back up?" too funny! I agree with the other comments about the full cast use and Niles and C.C.! I loved the "you're daughter told me!!! " Good one C.C.!!!! And the New Nanny was terrific! Great actress, not mean, not oversexed, just right! The desk bit was funny! She was great! things are looking up! Now more N&C.C. more shirtless Max, more yetta etc etc (how about shirtless nIles&C.C.?) **wink wink**

I'll admit this was much better than last week on the whole. Loved the country club "fish out of water" routine and the interaction with the children. Especially Brighton playing them off each other. By the way when is the poor rooster in the nest going to get a life? or are they planning to have him take after Daddy? Now there's an idea another Fran clone in the picture with Brighton?
As for complaints, I think the "Material Girl" image is tacky. This is a woman who has been married a short time, one disagreement and she has to resort to witholding sex? I thought the whole idea was that Fran is smarter than that. I'll also put in my personal dislike of the cigarette play with CC. Just a small gripe. I also agree the ET bit was unrealistic but let's face it, that was part of the comedic element set up. I did feel on the whole it was a much better episode but I'll reinterate we need more here than Charlie's chest,and Fran's lingerie. IMHO it's the writing stupid, and this was written better than last week by far.

Much better than last weeks! But I have to be the "Negative Ned" and point out what was wrong: Charlie's hair-- still out of whack, its too big!, the scenes at the country club were not very funny, and has anyone else noticed that Fran has gained weight, especially if you look back at past seasons you can tell! Now on to the good: Fran's hair has been great this season so far, none of those awful wigs she wore last season (I think we complained so much that they got rid of them). I liked the bedroom scene though I hope we get to see them wake up together soon, that would be so romantic. Oh, yeah Fran's voice sounded awful, she must have been sick or been yelling at someone! Overall, I really liked the episode even though it may seem that I am focusing on the negative. I loved everyone's clothes -- they all look great! Niles and CC cracked me up! Oh and by the way, who is James Coco? ("My husband looks like James Bond and yours looks like ....")

That's The Nanny we know and love. This episode was a major improvement over last week's. Things are starting to settle down as the newlyweds adjust to married life and the comedy is spectacular. We got our Niles/CC banter back, the children were great and Fran & Max had no major fights. I laughed all through this one. They even made Mother Nature's cruel joke funny, Maxwell mistaking Gracie's concern over her period as a request for a bicycle. I'm looking forward to more eps like this one.

Cool

I too enjoyed this episode. Fran holding out on sex was perfect--are they hot together or what?! I agree the country club was lame. That could have been funnier. C.C. was back on track with all her remarks, especially the ones attributed to her. The scene at the home and their conversation about "the bing-bing" was too funny. Fran's hair looked great--she was so lovely. Max's hair is ok-- but I miss the "flippy thing" it used to do. I'm really enjoying the new season, and all the bedroom scenes. Yeah!!!

Thought the show was little better than last week. More Niles/CC though. Brighton was adorable. The look on Niles' face when the new nanny said "your daughter CC told me about your shenanigans" - priceless. Lauren's looking fabulous!!! What can I say about DD. GORGEOUS!!!! The suit he was wore in the tag scene - I'm still drooling. The dark brown jacket with the green tie - hooh hah. Can't wait for some more from those two (oh please, oh please, oh please).

I thought this episode was very well done. A few good barbs from Niles and C.C., Yetta and Sylvia hysterical as always. It seemed a little strange that Maxwell was so, um, what's the word?...STUPID on TV. I would've thought he'd be much more stoic, given that's his usual poise. Oh, well. I LOVED the new nanny, god, was that funny!! Also LOVED Grace's "problem" with her "friend" and having to go to Max with it. And ya gotta love C.C. with a cigarette. "Somewhere between 'I' and 'do'." LOL Good job, folks!

The late James Coco was a wonderful Broadway actor and raconteur who looked much more like Dom DeLuise than Pierce Brosnan. Does that clear things up? I was ROTFL at that line!

Compared to last week, this was an much better ep. That should tell you how bad the last one was. This one did have its moments though. Niles and CC were back in the same room! Now, can we have them in the same room a little longer for something to happen. Why have CC smoking? Its not a good message to send to kids. When things go wrong, pick up a butt. Please loosen up on CC still wanting Max! Its not funny anymore,its pathetic. All in all, 6/10.

I found this episode to be kind of uneven. There were some parts that I really liked - like the SOLID use of the KIDS (bravo) and the very nice conclusion, when Max tells Fran that he wants her to "go back to being the nanny" because that's the woman that he fell in love with. But there were parts that I didn't like, too. The first slip of "the N word" may have been partially excusable, but the entire ET segment had me gritting my teeth. Max looked like an idiot - and I found the whole scene very out of character. The comedic level was off a bit too. We expect TN to really snap, & this just didn't. Not a shining star, in my book, but not a total wash, either.

James Coco was a wonderful character actor, rather rotund, and balding. Like Dennis Franz without the moustache.He played Hercule Periot in the Neil Simon take off of that genre "Murder by Death" was the title). He passed away some years ago of an indisclosed ailment. Hope that clears that up. (I'm a fountain of trivia) PS Charles was to die for!

FANTASTIC!!!!! I loved it! I just had to rewatch it this afternoon. This episode was a total 180 degree turn from last week's odd episode. I hope that they can keep it up!!!

While we no doubt are enamored of certain actors on the show, lets talk substance. Hair and weight variations happen to all of us in life. I don't think its fair to harp on that when we are discussing a particular episode. This episode was so good because it dealt with the maturing of Max's children. I can't wait to see him deal with everything yet to come. CS can exert his acting prowess this season.

Hi i think this was a much better show than last weeks. Great guys keep up the work. Oh and I dont think fran has gained weight she looks just as beautiful, i like her more better now, keep up the hair.

Way better overall than last week. A couple good Niles and CC lines. One more time, MORE HEAT FROM THOSE TWO!!! Can the type of scenes like the boring fish out of water country club stuff and give us some love/hate/heat.

Did anyone else notice Maggie's age inconsistency?

This was very sweet with them working so hard to get rid of the idea of Fran as the Nanny and then realizing that's who they wanted her to be after all. Forgot to comment last week on Max in a T-shirt and jeans (hoo-ha!).

Another very, very good episode! (3 for 3!) Many screamingly funny moments for the entire cast, and a perfect use of the kids (keep the zingers coming from Gracie). I am in complete disagreement with this "Material Girl" assesment from many. Fran wasn't "witholding" emotional/physical intimacy (or attempting to) for material gifts, but for an apology, which is different, and perfectly natural. Besides, it is Max who has set the precedent for attempting to buy his way out of "situations" with Fran in the past (see Tart, Pre-Nup, Fashion Show, Strange Bedfellows -- I don't recall a lot of screaming about those).

Oy! I just noticed something else... Max gave Fran the left side of the bed. Awwww...

Ok, My turn. Yes much better episode this week (IMHO) I thought it just seemed more typical of TN. Even though we did not see enough of them in the same room...Niles & CC were a hoot! CC does look terrific (sorry had to say that) And Niles reaction to the "Your Daughter CC told me" line from tne new Nanny was priceless!! It's about time that the writers let CC get a good one over on Niles for a change! Lets get our strong, beautiful CC back to stay! No more pathetic "The Place" crud! CC is wonderful when she is being her 3rd & 4th season old self!! And Niles, well he is always terrific. I hope they allow Fran and Niles to stay friends. He still needs to smack her head occasionally! Fran interacted well with the kids in this episode too. Gracie was great! and Yetta, what a dream! Thank goodness she is still around! I afgree that the New Nanny was played just right! Good actress. Ok I'm done :~)

Okay, well, once again, I feel compelled to respond to some of the previous posters. First of all, we're sending the writers on the show a lot of very mixed signals here. We've got people who, on the one hand, are complaining because they want to see a return to the first and second seasons, while, on the other hand, we've got people complaining that all they're doing is recycling situations and issues from earlier seasons. Some of the "recycling" is going to be necessary; they've got to deal with consistency of characters and behaviors, and some of the issues dealt with are going to come up over and over again, especially as the Sheffield children each grow up and deal with the same or similar situations.
Along those same lines, (this is in response to the one or two posters who commented negatively about the Fran/Max relationship, the "holding out", and the jewelry issues.), Hello!! What program have you been watching for the past 5 seasons? "Let's recap, shall we?" Fran has been using her "feminine wiles" on Max in order to get her way almost from Day One. I don't recall seeing too many complaints about all the times Fran jumped up on Max's desk and crossed her legs, or about the fact that she does not dress professionally, or.... As if Fran was a model of feminist behavior in the past five seasons? By the way, I think that most of us are familiar enough with feminist theory NOT to need a lecture on it at this point. We're talking a sitcom (you know, one of those shows where they create situations, then try to resolve them humorously). And, don't forget that what Fran was "holding out" for was an apology from Max for him ignoring her opinion, and calling her the nanny, not for something material. If you look back at the earlier episodes of The Nanny, you will see a pattern of behavior emerging. Max does something to get Fran angry, and she withholds herself (maybe not sexually, but emotionally). For example, Max forgets Fran's anniversary of working for him, and she refuses to talk to him.... Max takes back "The Thing", and Fran gets back at him by going out with another man. Okay, so this might not be the kind of behavior we would want to emulate ourselves, or have our daughters emulate, but we're not talking reality based television here, folks. The behavior of BOTH Fran and Max harks back to the 1950s; Doris Day and Rock Hudson (or whichever co-star it was for that particular movie) behaved in the same way. They were funny then, and it's funny now. Did we equate that behavior with prostitution? No, we laughed at the movies, even when they came out, because they represented a lifestyle that no longer, and maybe never really did, exist...
Okay, moving on to the "jewelry" issue, which I have already touched on briefly.... Max has ALWAYS tried to make up with Fran by buying her something, and jewelry has been used before. He sent her roses and bought her diamond earrings to make up for taking back "The Thing", he was going to buy her a car in The Hockey Show, he was going to buy her a sonic nail dryer (whatever that is!) in The Fashion Show, he bought Fran a limo, a cell phone and pager in the Pre-Nup, because he knew that she was going to be angry with him... The list could go on. We're talking about a man who has a difficult time expressing how he feels; obviously, one of the ways in which he apologizes to people is by buying them things. Why should we expect this to change now?
On to some minor stuff. 1) The smoking. I'm sorry, but I don't see having C.C. smoking one cigarette is in any way advocating smoking. As I recall, smoking, along with eating, is one of those behaviors that people use to sublimate their feelings.... And haven't there been a lot of complaints about jokes about eating? 2) Maggie and the sex conversation. You know, as I recall from my teenage years, you had those conversations with your mother (or father), whenever they came up. After all, the conversation did not start out about sex, it started out with Maggie trying to find out from Fran how to manipulate her father into saying yes. The sex part came up during the explanation of what she was trying to manipulate him into. And, by the way, Maggie discovered that, in some ways, Fran is JUST as uptight as her father.... 3) Enough with the comments about how the stars look. Hair, and weight, etc. are incredibly minor points; they certainly should NOT be the basis for someone liking or disliking an episode.

Pretty good overall. The ET interview was a little too over the top. Maxwell Sheffield isn't that childish in public. Please do away with those sweaters they're always making Niles wear. Let's see DD in some day off clothes. He and CS make my Wednesdays. I agree with the country club scenes--wasted valuable airtime. I'm glad to see the kids are being used more instead of guest stars dropping in for publicity. Please give Lauren more lines or at least something to do besides being a bitter wretch. Glad to see Yetta back.

I can't begin to describe all the good points about this episode, so I'll leave that to all of you 'long-winded' fans. ;) I absolutely *loved* this episode; the humour and romance were back on track, and suddenly it really felt like "The Nanny" again!

Hey guys, there is no need to get so upset! So, we have differing opinions. So what? That's what makes the world interesting. Calm down and discuss. That said ... Bravo to the recent large paragraph person for your comments about LOOKS! I did an inventory of just this week's comments and found no less than 35 distinct references to hair, bods, clothes, and heat/sex. Jeez, take a cold shower ;-)
Now on to Material Fran - of course she has always been materialistic on the surface and has used her wiles to her advantage. The difference is, in the "old days," she used to make up for it with a warm sweet, innocence that was lost this week, IMHO. She was always able to counter and OVERCOME those traits with real smarts, love, and sass. I didn't see that in this episode - I saw hardness. Last week, I saw the old, lovable Fran Fine.
As for the "recycled" stuff - the complaint was not about recycled mood or style from past seasons (that would be great!), it was about actual recycled JOKES and PLOT stuff! Sorry, but to me, that is a waste of my time and a waste of talent on their part.

While I agree also with the majority of those posting here that this show was better than "Fran gets shushed" I still think the timing was a little off compared to the usual "Nanny" standard.
I was pleased that Niles & CC had more of a part in this episode, but I do think that the talents of these two actors (Lauren and Daniel) are not being utilized nearly as much as they should be. The kids were however given good use this week, and Bravo to the actess who protrayed the new Nanny! She was well written and acted! I am always pleased to see Yetta and Sylvia, lets keep them around TN!!
I thought the scene between Max and Fran at the end was sweet and seems to answer the question as to there "roles" now that they are married. It was comforting to know that the couple we have come to know and love will not be completly destoyed by marriage in the series. Perhaps now the writers can put Niles & CC together romanticly and still keep the "sick and twisted" bit going. We love those two with bite, and I for one would love to see them together (with bite :0)!! ) all in all I think it was a 7/10. Perhaps the season will continue to improve as we go!

I'm getting the feeling that everyone who didn't like last week's likes this one and everyone who liked last week's didn't like this one....Well I liked both, though I like this one bit more than last week's. It had a bit more romance. But next week's looks good, and the kids will get a good part of that one, and Maggie will get her own in two weeks. And their is the one coming in three weeks that the titles says all (where do you get this information so early?) (webmaster's note: Who me? It isn't me, I only know what is sent in to me and act as the messenger. It's amazing what the collective "we" knows sometimes. So if ya find something, make sure to send it in!) Well, I can't wait!

this episode was laugh out loud funny and charming. Granted, after a second viewing of last weeks much reviled episode, I must admit that I liked it and found it quite amusing. But this episode felt much more on track with great use of the entire cast. Gracie is a delight, but I have always loved her. She is gorgeous. Val is an expert comedianne. I love her gestures of dismissal. She and Fran shrug off insults with ease and humour. Fran delivered her lines with her usual flair - exxagerrrated expression or priceless subtlety{ telling Max that they can't go back to the country club or joking with Val and the new nanny)I loved the scenes with Sylvia(I am a huge Sylvia fan (James Coco I wish) and Yetta(Heidi). My only complaint is that CC is a tad underused. Otherwise the writing was good, the tone and humour were consistent. I love TN because the humour is broad and I never tire of the repetative ideas or familiar jokes that you can sense a mile away, that's why I laugh.The new nanny was very funny and likable, perhaps we will see her again. She was a very good sport. Kudos to this actress. PS. loved Frans army suit. She looked fab. (I actually laughed at the overdone country club antics, esp the wig scene) This is the only show at the moment that can make me laugh out loud.

The country club scenes seemed "unNanny like" to me. Maybe Val should have been with her or something. The bit with the bartender was Ok, even the "golf lesson with the heels" was kinda funny, but in all it just was a wastye of time. Fran is at her best when interactiing with others. She does the physical slapstick well, and her comedy timing is great, so i PREFER the type of scenes we (or at least I) have come to love. YES YES YES NIles & C.C.!!!! Love 'em! Gracie...great job, very funny! Brighton and Maggie...good to see more of you...we love you kids! And of course our Yetta (and bubala Sylvia...glad you were'nt eating as much!) Loved the home bit with "the bing-bing" discussion. And Finally I am so happy that Fran and Max have resoved the "what am I now" issue. I love to see them back to the way theywere!

About the age inconsistency with Maggie, if she was 14 when the show started she should be around 20 now. It was the comment in the wedding ep that would have been wrong. And did anyone notice that Niles is calling Fran "ma'am" now, but CC still calls her Nanny Fine. I also noticed Fran got the left side of the bed-yeah. I just hope she's the one that ends up pregnant in a couple weeks and not Maggie. That would just be wrong!

Our responses (10) gave the episode a 7.4 overall, a 7.2 for the comedy, and a 7.2 for romance.
Some comments received were:

I don't know.....this one....just wasn't funny to me. Only part where I laughed was when Nanny Bowers was trying to figure out what she wanted to do. Niles was LOL as usual.

I loved when Nanny Bower tried to take Fran's place on Max's desk, but the classic Nanny humor just wasn't there. Overall, though, it was a really good episode.

Another good one! Some classic moments. The expression on the faces of both Max and Nanny Mueller (?) when she thought about sitting on the desk!!! Fran flossing the horse's teeth (remember when she did Chester's all those years ago?), Brighton being a typical teenage boy. And didn't the negligee improve! I could go on forever! It was especially good because I got to watch it with another Nannyfan! (A suggestion to any Aussie or International Nannyfan reading this who has seen the episode and not commented - why not? TPTB might read anything about the show and they should be reading about how we all *watch* it. Even if you didn't like it - comment! Show that you are watching! All you S.E.T. fans from South America - if you didn't comment when the episode was first shown, why not do it now? The more, the merrier!)

As all The Nanny's eps, this was another great one! These guys are so talented! Just hope they'll keep making us laugh, enjoy and fall in love more and more with TN!!!

Good!! Very funny. I loved this week's topic/dilemma of Max still seeing Fran as the children's nanny...it was realistic and was also resolved very well. Favourite scene: with Yetta at the Hawaiian theme day. "He'd put his hair in little braids...I'd put on the long beard..." *LOL* Critically, perhaps it was not as good as last week's...but IMHO, it was better than the premiere, so it evens up. Thanks for a great show, TN!

After missing the first two episodes of series six, I enjoyed finally seeing Fran and Max post-wedding. The romantic moments however was so 'cliched' (if that's a word)- especially from Max. Doesn't come across as spontaneous like it does from Fran, who is still so funny. The fat nanny on the desk was amusing also...

6.4 Sara's Parents

October 21, 1998

When Fran tries to adopt the Sheffield children, the snobby parents of Maxwell's late wife, Sara, take legal action to stop her. Fran tries to win the parents over by taking them out for cocktails and karaoke, but the snooty couple views the evening as low class. When Sara's parents threaten to take legal action to block the adoption, Fran worries that their lawyers will dig up dirt from her past to prove she is an unfit mother. All hope for the adoption appears to be lost -- until the Sheffield children take a stand and try to change their grandparents' low opinion of Fran. Written by Jayne Hamil. Roberta: Diane Baker, Ernest: George Coe, Delivery Boy: John Muntner.

Our responses (66) gave the episode a 6.8 overall, a 7.1 for the comedy, and a 5.3 for romance.
Some comments received were:

Tonight finally managed to make up for everything else...the warmth, the humor, the characters, and that special touch of comedy that personally had me set apart Wednesday at 8pm. It was a wonderful episodes, which HOPEFULLY, satisified everyone. Let's face it we may not all agree but this one seemed to have something for everyone.

Loved this one! Lots of LOL's, great use of the kids, Sylvia (OK, how funny is it that they are addressing the eating issue?) Niles and CC (another tidbit to add to the "relationship") and Yetta (but where the heck is Sammy????). One nit - if I were King of the Nanny, I would've cut the kareoke (sp?) scene and lengthened the last scene - have Bert and Ernie find out how Fran keeps Sara alive instead of the kids just telling them. Otherwise, an excellently written (yay Jane), tightly directed/acted episode. Hoo-ha! 8/10

My feelings for this episode were very different than any other ep I have seen. I really couldn't rate it on romance since that was just an aside,(good thing to show the growth in Fran/Max's marriage). This was a more mature Nanny than I had ever seen.There were some LOL moments to be sure (Yetta for example But What happened to Sammy?)and Niles was uniformly sage as usual. Daniel Davis plays him so well. The script was excellent. It showed a warmth, a vunerabbility, a tenderness that I had not seen in a very long time. The sex and cutesyness were played down to emphasize a more serious topic.The kids were incredible and their interaction with Fran was priceless. (Naturally, I especially was drawn to Brighton's explanation of the Yarzseit candle and why Fran had them light it to remember Sara by.I was close to tears at that point.) Fran was not over the top, neither was Charles (See, I don't have to see him half -nude to like the show! ;-) . Another point that I enjoyed was that Sylvia was NOT eating but sitting down (albeit with cognac) with Fran and Val- (also very underrated) to discuss her problems. They seem to be out of their rut.I was very, VERY impressed. If THIS is the direction that the show is going I say BRAVO and BRAVA to the entire ensemble, crew, writers et al. A new grown up Nanny - now THAT was something I didn't expect! Again. kudos to all.

It was a sweet show with Fran and the kids. Of course, I'm a Niles and CC fan so my favorite was the tag scene. Fran playing matchmaker maybe? CC sure looked happy enough going to dinner with Niles. Now, show us those scenes please! Give those two a couple moments please. We're still waiting to see them get together and we ain't goin away. Have to envy Yetta when she pinched DD :)

OH MY GOD!!! I am of the opinion that this is the FUNNIEST episode to date. I can't believe how much I laughed at this!! To the writers: an A-#1 FANTASTIC job!!! To the cast: PERFECT timing, facial expressions and acting in general! Excellent use of different camera angles. I think the portrayal of Max and Fran this time were right on the money. They seemed like a normal married couple, and behaved much better than in last week's episode. Great use of the entire cast--boy, you guys are really using them all! And, of course, LOVED the Niles and C.C. moment at the end--"Come on, Babcock, I'll let you buy me dinner." I was in heaven!! A real howler, this one. Let's keep this high level of the perfect mix of everything for the rest of the season! As if I wasn't before, I'm HOOKED! :-)

I very much liked this episode! Especially the teaser, ROFLMAO!!!! It had a little bit of all, though I thought it lacked a bit of romance, and the long karoke part I could've lived without. But everything else was great, what can I say? I'm a happy girl!

Not bad. I liked the involvement of the kids, but the whole episode seems somewhat distant... lacking something. But overall, a nice episode. Looking forward to next week.

This ep was pretty good.. Not the best of all time.. C.C. still sounded like she was after Max. 2 words for all the writers out there. MOVE ON! Over all this episode was good.. I loved Yetta and the "elevator" though!

So-so ep. I liked that they listened to the wish list and had more interaction with the kids. Now for the other wish I had, more Niles and CC! Enough of us moaned so we should get some action soon. Please! Yetta was cute but where did Sammy go? While I hate that CC is still clinging to a life with Max, she seems to be getting gutsier every episode. Her line to Yetta about Niles was LOL. Is Fran trying to push Niles and CC together? She seems to be getting sick of CC hanging around. Maybe something will spark from that.

Another disappointing episode in what has so far been a very mediocre season at best. Thank god for Sylvia who provided the only comedic moments in the show. In general, writing was pretty weak and the scene at the Karioke club was awfully lame. More Niles and CC banter would help since they're always a riot together. Yetta in front of the fridge waiting for the elevator was funny as well.

Sorry guys but I'm lukewarm about this one. It began well (I laughed at Max explaining that he told Sara's parents that the naked Nanny was now his naked wife) but I didn't really like the middle & it seemed a bit "chopped up". The part just before the end was good - especially when the kids ask Fran to fight for them & then they explain to their grandparents about how Fran helps them remember Sara .... but overall this episode just didn't hold my interest ...oh well there's always next week.

Lots of highs & lows in this one for me.
The high points: As usual, Niles, Sylvia & Yetta were a scream! Fran's getting stuck on Max's cheese comment - "Who compares a wife to cheese?!" & her attempt at cooking were LOL - "Don't touch those, that's fire extinguisher foam!" :-D; and I loved the very touching bits with the kids. All very classic "Nanny."
The low points: They never addressed the question of WHERE the grandparents have been in the last 6 years! If they hadn't met Fran, they couldn't have been around. Kind of ruins that "link to Sara" theory; and I, too, am getting sick of seeing CC still mindlessly pursuing Max. To me, the woman has more pride than that! (Although I did enjoy Fran's matchmaking at the end!) The whole kareoke thing was just lame; and PLEASE stop making references to divorce!!! I think it's been hinted at in every ep. so far. The newlyweds have problems to over-come, certainly, but they shouldn't be thinking divorce!!!
All in all, pretty good, but a little polishing could have made it GREAT!

This ep was great!!!!! Had everything. Loved the Niles/CC bit at the end.

I really liked this episode. Even though I didn't think it was the funniest, it had real heart that I felt had been missing in the first episodes. I loved that the characters were not rigid or over-the-top! Niles & CC were a riot! I loved seeing Diane Baker. Charlie's hair was a vast improvement also! My only complaint: The karoke scene was just a little lame(if you are trying to draw the 18-36 year olds that won't do it!)My 18 year-old sister said after seeing the scene "that was really corny" and she has been a faithful viewer from year 1. Overall, though, I thought it was really great. But someone looking for a lot of laughs might have been disappointed.

It was a keeper but not something to go in the vault. Please, NO MORE OF CC GOING AFTER MAX!!! Its not funny any more. I half expect to see that scene from Fatal Attraction whenever she gets that far away look "you have him, I want him". Surely, there are better ways for Fran and CC to go nose to nose. It will be gross if CC is still doing the same thing when Fran is pregnant. I don't think I can watch her character be dragged through that anymore. Either have Max give her a dose of reality, or let Niles open her eyes. Okay, rant over. Loved Yetta but the grandparents were sticks in the mud.

This was a fantastic episode! everything was really there, the characters were the warm, funny people we all know and love from past seasons. I have no complaints (which i usually can find something to pick on) That kareoke scene was classic. I was very unimpressed with the other episodes this season, but this one was such an unexpected change. I was really glad to see the kids having some importance, not just hanging around. that scene with them together in her room was beautiful. priceless!

It was good to see a Nanny with the smarts again. Something I feel that has been missing in the past 2 seasons. The kids and Fran on the bed together, just talking was good to see. Actually all of the interaction on the show was heartwarming and realistic.

The eps this season seem to be getting better and better since Fran Gets Shushed. The end was great. Seeing the kids stand up for Fran was jsut wonderful. There were LOL moments. I was wondering when exactly did Max have time to check Fran's past. He said he did it before he hired her. When? Thats just a nitpick. LIke so many others, I wondered where Sammy was. A Sammy/Yetta wedding was on my wish list. OVerall a pretty good ep. I like that they didn't rely too much on sex in this ep. I think that is what set this one apart from other eps this season.

I loved this ep! Here are my reasons: 1. NO FIGHTS!! Finally Fran and Max are acting like they're getting used to each other. 2. The karaoke scene was a riot! The only thing that bugged me was that they kept singing after the grandparents left 3. Of course, Niles and CC going on a date! 4. Yetta, as always, was extremely funny. 5. THE BEST THING was when the kids were lying on Fran and Max's bed talking. I didn't like the tasteless joke Ernie made about Sara dying, or the fact that Sammy has seemed to just disappear. Has Ray Charles stopped doing it or something? They should address that somehow. All in all, a "9" in my book.

A very good show

This ep had more warmth than normal. My only problem with the season thus far is that the individual eps run the gamut from baudy to cutesy. I too am tired of CC clinging to Max but it sounds as if CC is doing it out of spite more than anything. She'll keep it up but I seriously doubt she thinks she has a shot at Max anymore. More Niles and CC banter! Their time together could be measured in nanoseconds. They appear to shout insults only as one of them is exiting. The tag scene was okay. Yetta made out the best in the whole episode.

Above average. I love all the characters and they were all used well. Fran and the kids have such a bond. It was really great to see that. I'd still like to see more of the sick and twisted duo. I hope they get steered into a relationship. That, and the baby, would make the sixth season the best for me.

It was okay but please stop with the CC wanting Max bit. In every episode she is on Fran about it. I expected her to take a while to deal with the marriage but this is getting sad. Move on! Give her something to do. The tag scene showed promise. Niles is doing a good job of pretending he doesn't want her but CC's smile showed promise for the rest of the season. I can't wait to see a pregnant Fran, which means more Sylvia and that's great by me.

Even though I didn't think it was as good as last week, this was still a great ep. The comedy was perfect, I can never get enough of Yetta. The elevator bit was priceless as well as "when do you open?" and pinching Niles. I just wish CC would let the Max issue go. It's getting as old as the Sylvia eating jokes. All in all it's been a good season so far (except Fran get's shushed), hope I can see more eps like these in the coming weeks, especially since we have a baby to look forward to. Can't wait till November 4th.

I feel sort of ambivalent about this one. Good and Bad I guess. I did like the kids being around alot in this ep. especialy that they were ALL TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME! The scene with the three kids and Fran lying on the bed talking was very touching and showed the plausibility of Fran truely being there new mother now. The four of them singing certainly showed her effect on them!
Yetta was a scream! And everyone seemed "in character except the Fran and CC scenes did not bode well with me. Fran seemed overly cruel. I would prefer some lighter banter between her and CC. The tension seemed out of place for Fran's character. She can be much sweeter than that. It seems too angry for Fran. Lets get back to "the fifth wheel" type rapport that was starting between those two! And this CC chasing Max bit is old old old! CC is max's business partner, I can see her playing the "I've known him longer than you" routine. Or the "I know the business, your just the Nanny" routine, But the "I want him" crap is tired.
I wish we could see more of Niles and CC together or otherwise, these two really make the show for me! My favorite scene had to be the end with Niles going to dinner with CC. Me thinks he doth protest too much!! They really work well together!
It was an OK episode, but not great. I can not put my finger on what I did not like, and even though it had it's good moments, it just did'nt sit well with me. Maybe I will have to watch it again.

Sorry guys, but I didn't really care for this one. Didn't even rewatch ANY of the tape which is pretty much unheard of for me. It was OK but not anything to write home about. However, we did think Yetta was hysterical!! Especially the elevator part.

Well, I liked Niles in this episode. Love his line ''Come on Babcock, I'll let you buy me dinner.'' And he grabbed her hand!!! I hope there will happen more things like this.

Comme ci, comme ca!!

I liked this ep a lot! It had a sweetness to it that erased the bad memories from the second ep of the season. Everyone was used so well. The kids are all so attached to Fran. I can't wait to see her deal with parenthood and maternity. Yetta was a scream! Niles could have been a little more enthusiastic to take CC out but I think he's covering up what he's feeling. CC looks like she is getting over Max and just needling Fran. Gotta keep that friction!

It was so-so. Good points: Fran and the kids talking in the bedroom. Yetta in every scene she was in. Sylvia not eating. The end scene. Not So Good Points: Karoke scene and those like it that run to long and aren't funny. Fran pushing the differences beyond the extreme. CC mentioning Max during every conversation.

I liked this one....the scene with kids and Fran was touching...and the singing was funny....but again I wish there was more romance! Come on they are newlyweds...

I understand this was an episode about Fran and the kids, but there was absolutely no romance. Its still very early in their relationship so where'd the passion go? I expected a lot more spontaneous moments and not just in the bedroom! Also, why keep CC hot after Max? It serves no purpose and its not the least bit amusing. I don't care if she and Niles have a relationship. For the sake of the characters credibility, please get her over him. I don't like her character like I used to. Fran does seem particularly snotty toward her.

When it comes to the C.C. chasing Max situation, I think a lot of people are getting bent out of shape over nothing. IMO, C.C. is mostly just teasing Fran. And it would take a while for anyone, let alone C.C., to suddenly shut off her feelings for someone like they were a water faucet. And don't forget, Fran has been subtly pushing Niles toward C.C. for a while (take a look at Immaculate Concepcion from last season), and the dinner was another instance of this. And where does anyone get that Fran was mean to ANYONE in this week's episode??

OK, so now we finally got Niles, reluctantly(?) taking C.C. out to buy him dinner. Great, but don't leave us hanging on this one. Keep it going!

I thought this episode was one of the funniest in a long time. I loved sylvia in the kitchen talking about the cognac in the coffee...it was priceless. Yetta was hysterical (Sammy is probably around but Yetta has likely forgotten about him since her memory comes and goes. Fran and Max seemed to communicate more like a married couple but I still would like to see some bedtime chatting and cuddling. It could serve somewhat the same purpose but provide a little romance for those of us that look forward to it.Anyway this episode was wonderful.

Agreed ,this was an overall excellent episode. With wonderful use of all characters. Also agreed, where is the romance? It seems they went from the passion of the island to nothing.

Great,great, and funny!!! I really enjoyed this ep! I think everything has been said but here is my 2 cents. I love that Max was shown to not be an idiot. He knew that Niles orders breakfast and that part about having checked Fran out because he would never let a stranger take care of his kids--- all signs that Max is no fool. (I hate it when he is shown to be clueless). BTW, Max probably investigated Fran during her trial-basis weekend in the first ep. And Fran and Max really acted married. The kids were characters instead of plot lines... Thank you to the writers. I laughed really hard through the whole thing, without toliet humor... see writers we don't need Dumb and Dumber to smile!!! Loved the end and the tag scene both very well done. Now all we need is C.C. to get told to get a life by Max and we are all set.

I LOVE this season! Sara's parents finally arrive and they are just what you might expect. Fran in bed with the kids was great. yetta stole the show with that elevator gag and chasing Niles. Niles and CC dating can lead to endless possibllities, so don't forget about this in the next episode. Just a few questions though: What happened to Ray Charles? Why is maggie never at school? Where is Maxwells Grey streak? Just wondering. overall full of warmth, humor, entire family involvement, fantastic. Now just bring back MOTHER Sheffield!!

Our responses (17) gave the episode a 7.9 overall, a 7.7 for the comedy, and a 7.1 for romance.
Some comments received were:

I loved this episode, especially the 'Bert and Ernie' part! This definately had a lot of the 'Classic Nanny humor' that was missing from last weeks show. I give this show a 10 and two thumbs up!

All round, an average ep. A little too serious in some bits, but Niles as usual was LOL.

Mmmm...it was OK. Not great, but not bad. Sara's actual parents weren't utilised very much, and I thought it was too obvious that the writers were heading for the blue blood/blue collar direction. I know this is what makes the show what it is, but when it's over-pronounced it can be a bit tedious. I think there needs to be more of a split between that and other focuses of the comedy. That said, I loved Yetta in this episode...waiting for the 'elevator'! Also, her 'What time do you open?' had me nearly rolling on the floor with laughter. Overall, it had its good and not-so-good moments...can't wait to see more!

A very pleasing episode overall and going into my favourties file. A nice blend of comedy and poignancy. Nice to see Fran's suggestions shown to be 'spot on' again with the ribs! Charlie had some brains. Great to see Yetta again - loved it when she pinched Niles' bottom! Not over done on the 'kissy-face' romance. My only complaint - too short!

Great episode. I really loved Yetta. Fran and the children in the bedroom was lovely.

great - loved it!

I thought it was a great episode. I loved that the childern were in this one more. The scene with the kids and Fran in the bedroom was my favourite, it was very sweet. I also loved the Kareoke bit. There wasn't much in the way of romance but I guess you can't have it all! I thought Yetta was great, the way she thought Niles was her husband was just classic!! Lets hope the rest of the season is as good.

It showed what makes the Nanny the bist sitcom there is. The great balance between comedy and a serious topic. Yetta really brought in the comedy to lighten up this ep. "The elevator is outta order, Yetta!" LOL! Although it was not too romantic I liked the scene from Fran and Max in their bedroom...in the end when the scene faded away Max hugged Fran slightly (her shoulders) and they laughed,..that was kinda cute!!!! Fran and the children on the bed....How can you not love that???? It really showed Fran really loving these kids. I did not really like the karaoke-scene....but who am I?

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