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The Nanny Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
22 Episodes 1993 - 1994
Episode 1
The Nanny
Wed, Nov 3, 199330 mins
Early thirty-somethings Fran Fine and Val Toriello are best friends since high school, both of whom work as salesgirls in a bridal shop in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, the shop operated by Fran's long term "pre-engagement" high school boyfriend, Danny Imperiali. Things change when Danny dumps Fran for their high school friend, Heather Biblow, and also fires her as he wants to give Fran's sales job to Heather. Fran decides to try selling cosmetics door-to-door. The first house she knocks on is that of widower and Broadway theater producer, Maxwell Sheffield. Niles, the Sheffield's proper but quick-tongued English butler, mistakes Fran as the new nanny for Maxwell's three "problem" children: shy teenager Maggie, precocious preteen Brighton, and angst ridden adolescent Grace. The only adult female influence in the Sheffield household is C.C. Babcock, Maxwell's business associate who obviously is attracted to Maxwell but not his children. Niles' favorite pastime is tormenting C.C. Although Maxwell quickly realizes Fran is not a nanny, he hires her anyway on a temporary basis as the nanny agency is unable to send anyone else immediately. Fran ends up being not your traditional nanny. She first decides that she will come to breakfast in her robe, and eat with the family. But the biggest decision she makes is that she and the kids will crash Maxwell's upcoming investor's party at the house. Having the kids at the party ends up being a windfall as the investors love them. However, Fran gets in the doghouse when Maxwell catches Maggie in the embrace of the party waiter, who gives her her first ever kiss. Maxwell and Fran argue specifically about how Maggie should be raised in her formative teenage years. Maxwell promptly fires Fran over this incident. Fran takes solace at her mother's house, Sylvia being your typical Jewish mother who loves her food. But Fran's retreat back to Queen's is short-lived as Maxwell quickly realizes that Fran may have been right. Perhaps Fran Fine will have a life at the Sheffield household after all.
Episode 2
Smoke Gets in Your Lies
Wed, Nov 10, 199330 mins
Fran wants Maxwell to be more involved in his children's lives; her latest request is for the entire family to attend a carnival at Brighton's school. Maxwell declines because of work commitments, but Fran is relieved that he isn't going when Brighton is caught smoking at school--and she realizes that he got the idea to smoke from a story she told him. Brighton originally decides to blackmail Fran into not telling Maxwell, but she feels that she needs to tell him--but he's too busy to listen to anything Fran must tell him about his children. But when Maxwell decides to go to the carnival when he would be speaking to Brighton's headmaster, Fran must tell him about Brighton. Brighton doesn't tell on Fran, but later Fran confesses to Maxwell that she inadvertently gave Brighton the idea. Maxwell is initially angry with Fran, but he also realizes that Brighton did not tell on Fran, meaning that he has bonded with his new nanny--a first for him. But they still need to show Brighton the hazards of smoking, so Fran decides to pull out the big guns and introduce him to her chain-smoking Grandma Yetta.
Episode 3
My Fair Nanny
Wed, Nov 17, 199324 mins
Although she did it for her own selfish ulterior motives, C.C. has arranged with one of Maxwell's wealthy investors, Maureen Wentworth, for Maggie to become a debutante. Maxwell and Fran like the idea, but Maggie doesn't. Fran quickly discovers that all the pre-debs she knows are popular and cliquish. To alleviate Maggie's fears, Fran gives her pointers on how to infiltrate a clique. Part of Fran's grand scheme frightens C.C.: Frank wants to host a mother/daughter debutante tea and invite Maureen and her head-of-the-clique daughter Cindy. Maxwell and Niles also secretly worry about how Fran will come across to the snobbish upper-class mothers. On Fran's urging, Maxwell and Niles become Fran's collective Professor Henry Higgins. By the day of the party Fran looks and even sounds the part, but certain parts of Fran's natural speech idioms can't be hidden. Most importantly, Maggie and the other pre-debs are bored, which makes Fran revert the party back to Plan A. How will the society mothers react to the real Fran Fine?
Episode 4
The Nuchslep
Wed, Nov 24, 199324 mins
When Fran orders Chinese food, the delivery boy ends up being Eddie, the waiter at Maxwell's investors party who gave Maggie her first ever kiss. Maggie is excited to see Eddie again. Eddie is excited to see Maggie again. Fran is excited until she realizes that she has to tell Maxwell that Maggie and Eddie are planning to go on a date. The only way that Maxwell will let Maggie go on the date is if Fran chaperons. Surprisingly, Maggie is glad that Fran will be there as she's nervous about being alone with a boy on her first ever date. Although Maggie thinks the date went not too well since she was so quiet due to her shyness, Maggie's depression turns to anger when Eddie wants to date Fran instead. Fran needs to clear the air with Maggie, and decides to do so by becoming girlfriends with her instead of the nanny, and the two of them living by the "girlfriend's official code" or OGC as Fran calls it. But the OGC isn't needed when Eddie explains why he wanted to talk to Fran alone. Meanwhile, Maxwell, on hands and knees, gives C.C. an unexpected birthday present.
Episode 5
Here Comes the Brood
Mon, Dec 6, 199330 mins
Maxwell admits that Fran has become an integral part of the Sheffield household, almost like a mother to the children. Jealous, C.C. wants to fill that role, although she would rather have the associated role of Maxwell's wife instead without the children. But to show that she can fill that role, C.C. decides to go on an outing with Maxwell and the kids to the zoo. The outing happens without Maxwell when he comes down with an unexpected toothache which requires a visit to the dentist. After an exasperating day for C.C. and the kids - the latter who would rather have spent the day with Fran - C.C. tells them that Fran is the hired help and only spends time with them because she's paid to do so. Meanwhile, it's Fran's day off. She's at her parent's place getting ready to go to a family wedding. But disturbed by what C.C. said, Grace runs off to Flushing and Sylvia's house to find Fran. This move by Grace even convinces Sylvia that this could mean trouble as the kids are getting too emotionally attached to Fran. But Fran shows everyone that she's just more than the nanny. C.C. ends up being in the doghouse when Maxwell and Fran find out what she told the kids.
Episode 6
The Butler, the Husband, the Wife and Her Mother
Wed, Dec 8, 199330 mins
A couple of things happen at the house while Maxwell takes the kids on a day outing to the museum. First, Sylvia, who has told her competitive Cousin Jack and his equally competitive daughter Marsha that Fran has married a rich Broadway producer, is coming to the house with said Jack and Marsha. A reluctant Fran follows the ruse with a complicit Niles acting as Maxwell. And second, Niles has applied to be part of the Professional Butlers Association, and the adjudicators have made a surprise visit to the house while Jack and Marsha are there. For Niles, not being in his butler capacity could jeopardize his opportunity to be part of the association. But before he needs to make up his mind what to do, Maxwell and the kids return to the house. Initially reluctant to play along as "Niles, the butler", Maxwell does decide to act the part of butler for his friends, Fran and Niles. But when Brighton is caught in a major lie, Fran decides to set an example for her charge and tell the truth, regardless of the consequences.
Episode 7
Imaginary Friend
Wed, Dec 15, 199330 mins
Grace has an imaginary and invisible-to-the-rest-of-the-world friend named Imogene. Both Maxwell and Fran are increasingly concerned about "Imogene". Maxwell thinks Grace should increase her visits to the therapist, Dr. Voort, whereas Fran thinks she should decrease her visits and replace that time with some fun activity. They decide to take Fran's course of action. All is going well with Grace until Fran accidentally eats Imogene in front of Grace. Grace is further traumatized. As they are unable to contact Dr. Voort, Maxwell and Fran don't know what to do to comfort Grace. Fran decides the appropriate thing to do is to hold a funeral for Imogene. After the funeral, Maxwell and Fran have a chance to talk to Dr. Voort. Dr. Voort's diagnosis of the situation surprises Fran. True to Dr. Voort's diagnosis, Grace admits really what happened to Imogene. Meanwhile, Maggie is taking piano lessons. Everyone in the house and within earshot wishes she didn't.
Episode 8
Christmas Episode
Wed, Dec 22, 199330 mins
Fran is spending her first Christmas with the Sheffields. She is looking forward to her foray into this gentile festival. However, her vision of Christmas does not match the Sheffield reality. Maxwell has a personal shopper to buy his gifts as opposed to buying things for the kids "from his heart". Grace has never believed in Santa. But what's worse, Maxwell has in recent years worked on Christmas day - this year he and C.C. are going to Washington D.C. to organize a benefit concert - and so the Sheffields celebrate the holiday on Christmas Eve. What the kids want more than anything for Christmas is fortheir father to be at home on that day to spend time with them. Fran is at looking forward to her gift buying for the kids, something she can manage on her paltry wages since Niles has mentioned that Maxwell provides the staff with a sizable - four figure - Christmas bonus. Fran lets Maxwell know that meaningful gift giving should be one of the real joys of Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Maxwell surprises everyone by actually buying his gifts, which includes a nice vase for Fran in lieu of her Christmas bonus. This puts Fran in a bind since with no cash bonus, she can no longer afford the gifts she's already bought for the kids. She first decides to pawn the vase, but because it really was the most meaningful gift she's ever received, she instead decides to pawn the watch her grandmother passed down to her. Before Maxwell heads off to Washington D.C., Niles tells him the predicament in which he's put Fran. Since his flight is delayed, Maxwell decides to retrieve Fran's watch. Maxwell also has a too close encounter with Fran's vase, which in the end results in his kids getting their ultimate Christmas present.
Episode 9
Personal Business
Wed, Dec 29, 199330 mins
Maxwell and C.C. are trying to find a leading man for their next show. They decide on Brock Storm, the not too bright but handsome star of the soap opera One Day After Another. Fran is excited at the prospect of meeting Brock. She may have more than just a meeting as Brock agrees to do their production with the stipulation that Fran is part of the package. Maxwell thinks that pimping Fran (to use Niles' vernacular) is reprehensible, but C.C. convinces him that they would be doing Fran a favor as she is Brock's biggest fan, or at least the biggest fan of Dr. River Shane, the character he plays on the soap opera. Fran imagines that Brock is in real life just like Dr. Shane. Maxwell ultimately agrees to the arrangement, but is still worried for what Brock and Fran will end up doing as well as for what he considers a compromise of his own personal morals. Fran is thrilled, even after she finds out that she is just a pawn in the negotiations. Fran quickly finds out on their date that Brock is nothing like Dr. River Shane, but is a vain self-absorbed cad. Maxwell is somewhat relieved that Fran was able to take care of herself, and that nothing out of hand happened. But both Fran and Maxwell realize, despite Maxwell's concerns, that mixing business with pleasure is bound to happen in their collective lives.
Episode 10
The Nanny-in-Law
Wed, Jan 12, 199430 mins
Fran is about to meet her previous generation incarnation, namely Maxwell's nanny, Clara Mueller. Nanny Mueller is a tough career nanny. Fran gets the feeling that Nanny Mueller does not approve of her. Fran's right. Fran doesn't appreciate the fact that Nanny Mueller is usurping her authority with the kids, a feeling she expresses to Maxwell from whom she gets no sympathy. In fact, Maxwell suggests to Fran that she gain some nannying pointers from a professional. Fran then turns to her fellow neighborhood nannies for advice. They're sure that Nanny Mueller is after Fran's job. To keep her job, Fran decides to dress and play the part of a younger Nanny Mueller. After this transformation, Maxwell admits to Fran that he wants her back the way the she was - he hired her because she wasn't a proper nanny - and that Nanny Mueller has disrupted the household to its detriment. But Fran has a change of heart about Nanny Mueller after they have a heart to heart about the life of a nanny. The collective they just have to find something useful for Nanny Mueller to do with her current life. But one person in the household thoroughly enjoyed Nanny Mueller's stay in a more personal sense.
Episode 11
A Plot for Nanny
Wed, Jan 19, 199430 mins
As a birthday present for Fran, Sylvia gives Fran a cemetery plot. In reality, the present Sylvia is giving Fran is the handsome funeral director, Steve Mintz. The cemetery plot in part was Sylvia's scheme for Steve and Fran to meet. Although Steve had no idea of Sylvia's plan, he does fall for Fran. In turn, Fran is a little perturbed by Steve's job, but she too falls for him. After a chat with Brighton, Maxwell realizes that none of his other nannies ever dated, and that Fran may get married and leave some day. But on more immediate issues, Maxwell feels he needs to lay down house rules about bringing, or not bringing as the case may be, men into her room for more intimate encounters. But this immediate issue may not be a concern with Steve as Steve mentions to Fran the want for a career change to one that really does bother her. Meanwhile, Maggie starts dating an existentialist.
Episode 12
The Show Must Go On
Wed, Jan 26, 199430 mins
Maxwell and Fran attend a PTA meeting at Grace's school, the meeting where they will discuss the school's upcoming production of Mother Goose's Broadway. The PTA in general want Maxwell to direct the show, but he wants nothing to do with it. He recommends Fran, who eagerly accepts as she wants to put Grace into the first grade lead role to help her with her self-confidence. As director, Fran does give Grace the lead despite other children having more stage presence. But it does give Grace great confidence that she has never displayed before, and she loves working with Fran. However, Maxwell just cannot tolerate what he sees as Fran's amateurish production skills and decides to take over. He runs the production like a real Broadway show, and acts as a tyrant toward who he sees as an under-performing Grace. Maxwell ultimately needs Fran's help when right before the show, Grace refuses to go on because of the way Maxwell has treated her. Fran makes Maxwell realize that Grace didn't need the love of the audience which is what Maxwell wanted, but rather she just wanted the love of her father. But the show will go on. The remaining question is will the critics wish the show went on?!
Episode 13
Maggie the Model
Wed, Feb 2, 199430 mins
Chloe Simpson, one of Maxwell's old girlfriend's pre-Sarah, is coming for a visit. Chloe unceremoniously dumped Maxwell twenty years prior. Maxwell still has very fond memories of Chloe and his heart is still aflutter over her. Niles, on the other hand, has a more realistic and harsh view of Chloe as a self-centered man-eater. And C.C. hates Chloe as a potential rival for Maxwell's affections. Chloe, a world renowned former model and now owner of her own modeling agency, sees on first sight model potential in Maggie. Chloe sets up a test photography session, which makes Maggie excited and a little full of herself. Fran's view of Chloe starts to diminish as Chloe usurps Fran in Maggie's life. Fran's view completely deteriorates when at the test shoot, she overhears Chloe and the photographer's discussion about how terrible Maggie is. After all is said and done, Chloe is hard and insensitive to Maggie about the test shoot. In the end, Chloe leaves the Sheffield's lives as quickly as she swooped in, but her departure has a little less fanfare and much less anticipation.
Episode 14
The Family Plumbing
Wed, Feb 9, 199430 mins
There is no water in the Sheffield house, and with his regular plumber away, Maxwell, against his better judgment, allows Fran to call in her very elderly plumber cousin Irving to fix the pipes. With Irving comes his adolescent granddaughter Tiffany. Against this backdrop, much is happening in the Sheffield house that day. Maxwell and C.C. are auditioning for showgirls, much to Brighton, Niles and Maxwell's delight; and Maxwell doesn't allow 14-year-old Maggie to attend her first-ever makeout party fourteen year old Maggie to attend her first ever make out party--but he's thrilled when he finds out that 11-year-old Brighton had his first grown-up makeout session with Tiffany. Fran makes Maxwell realize that he is setting a double standard for his gender- and age-different children. Later, after the pipes are fixed, Fran gets her own thrill, much to Maxwell's embarrassment.
Episode 15
Deep Throat
Wed, Mar 2, 199420 mins
All three of the kids are sick with what looks to be the flu. Grace in particular requires a trip to see the doctor. Dr. Link confirms that Grace is indeed at the tail end of her bout with the flu, but that Fran has a case of tonsillitis which requires removal of her tonsils. Fran is a little scared about the surgery, and without her parents around to comfort her, Maxwell and the kids offer to wait at the hospital until the surgery is complete. This leave C.C. in the lurch as Maxwell was supposed to escort her to her school reunion that evening, where she is in competition for the perfect life with her old school mates. Under heavy sedation prior to the surgery, Fran tells Maxwell that she loves him. He's concerned about how he's going to deal with her and this news after she comes out of her drug induced state. But after surgery, he learns he has nothing to worry about. As Maxwell sees that Fran is fine, he rushes off to C.C.'s reunion - better late than never?
Episode 16
Schlepped Away
Wed, Mar 9, 199420 mins
It's the dead of winter, and Fran talks Maxwell into taking a weekend family vacation to the Caribbean. He invites Fran along on a working trip. C.C. wants to go too but isn't invited, so takes the opportunity to spend a weekend with a male friend. In a snow storm, Niles drive the collective to the airport, but gets lost along the way. Fran instead directs him to her parent's apartment in Flushing since she can find her way anywhere from her parent's place. There, they all discover that the entire city is shut down, including the airport. They're all effectively snowed in at Sylvia's. Fran decides to make the best of a bad situation by having their Caribbean vacation at the Fine's. They have some good times, and some bad times. Things hit rock bottom for Fran when she finds some evidence indicating a possible affair between Sylvia and the local butcher. After a confrontation, Sylvia explains to Fran the bizarre but innocent story behind Fran's discovery. At least, Fran will be able to leave her parent's house at the end of the weekend with a peaceful mind.
Episode 17
Stop the Wedding, I Want to Get Off
Wed, Mar 16, 199430 mins
Maxwell's sister Jocelyn comes to New York with exciting but uncharacteristic news: she's engaged. She's a typically repressed, reserved Brit; her fiancé Nigel Waters, the Duke of Salisbury, is also a typically repressed and reserved Brit. But even beyond their reserve, Fran, who offers to use her wedding-planning skills to organize their wedding, can quickly see that Jocelyn does not love Nigel--and that Jocelyn and her chauffeur Lester are in love with each other. When Fran tells Maxwell of this intuition, he forbids her to ruin the wedding by speaking to Jocelyn about this. So Fran talks to Lester, who admits that he's in love with Jocelyn but feels he can't say anything to Jocelyn because of their respective positions. But just prior to the ceremony, Lester manages to tell Jocelyn how he feels. Will there still be a wedding? Meanwhile, Fran plays Cupid in another budding relationship, that between Maggie and Kenny, whom she met at Sylvia's during their "Caribbean vacation in Flushing".
Episode 18
Sunday in the Park with Fran
Wed, Mar 23, 199430 mins
Maxwell and C.C. have a new play opening. Everything seems to be going well and they anticipate good reviews from the critics. But to provide a little insurance, C.C. thinks that they should use whatever networking ability they have to influence a critic positively. The critic in question is acerbic Frank Bradley, and the network is through Grace, who goes to school with Bradley's son, Frank Jr. C.C. wants to exploit this opportunity despite the fact that Grace doesn't like Frank Jr., who is a miniature version of his father. But since Fran and Grace are going to the park anyway, C.C. arranges for Frank Jr. to go along, this against Fran and Grace's wishes. Maxwell sides with C.C. on this issue. At the park, Frank Jr. beats up on Grace. Since he won't stop, Fran hits him. He threatens to tell his father, with whom he has the influence to give the play a bad review. Maxwell forces Fran to apologize to the Bradleys. Although she feels she did nothing wrong, she does apologize. The apology does not go very well. But Maxwell has had enough of the Bradley's arrogant attitude, and sides with Fran, possibly to the detriment of his play. Will Frank Bradley let his personal dislike for Maxwell cloud his review? Perhaps a broken refrigerator will save Maxwell and C.C.'s play from a scathing review from Bradley.
Episode 19
The Gym Teacher
Wed, Apr 6, 199424 mins
Maggie continually feigns illness to get out of gym class, this term the class focusing on gymnastics with tough Mrs. Stone of who Maggie is scared. Fran encourages Maggie to face her fears, but supports Maggie in feigning illness since this situation reminds Fran and Val of their high school gymnastics teacher, Miss Wickervich, and the fear they felt. Little does Fran realize that Mrs. Stone and Miss Wickervich are one and the same. Mrs. Stone recognizes Fran as the wimpy gym student she was. Because of Maggie's association with Fran, Mrs. Stone threatens to fail Maggie in gym if she does not perform well in the midterm exam the following week. Maggie is ill prepared, and Fran's coaching for the midterm amuses Mrs. Stone. But Maggie and Fran face Mrs. Stone and the exam with determination. Meanwhile, Maxwell is facing a similar problem when he hires Alan Beck to star in his latest show. Twenty years prior, Maxwell was in constant fear when he worked as Beck's assistant.
Episode 20
Ode to Barbra Joan
Wed, Apr 13, 199424 mins
Stewart Babcock, C.C.'s father, is coming for a visit. C.C. feels estranged from her father as she considers him to be demanding, critical and judgmental. When the dinner table conversation turns to Barbra Streisand - Stewart's company is backing Barbra's latest tour - C.C. mentions that she doesn't like Barbra. Because of that, Stewart invites a Barbra-idolizing Fran to Barbra's concert, which includes back stage access. C.C. feigns indifference but is really hurt that not only did her father not ask her to go, but has a date with Fran instead. Fran senses C.C.'s true feelings and is torn between her idolatry of Barbra and being sympathetic to C.C. Fran decides she needs to help bridge the gap between Stewart and C.C. Meanwhile, Maxwell reneges on taking aspiring Little Leaguer Brighton (he's actually more of an aspiring bench warmer) to a Mets game. Is Brighton also feigning indifference to his father's brush-off?
Episode 21
Frannie's Choice
Wed, Apr 27, 199424 mins
Fran hears through various sources that her ex-fiancé Danny Imperiali has broken up with Heather Biblow, the woman for whom he dumped and fired Fran--and it turns out to be true. She decides to confront him for what he did to her, and to tell her that he no longer has either Heather or her. Instead, Danny proposes to her. Surprised by this, Fran ultimately accepts. Then she must tell Maxwell--and the children. Except for the fact that she's marrying Danny, Maxwell is understanding about Fran's news, but the children aren't understanding at all. On the day of her departure from the Sheffields', Fran wonders if Danny means more to her than they do when the entire Sheffield clan tells her their true feelings.
Episode 22
I Don't Remember Mama
Mon, May 16, 199424 mins
Mother's Day is approaching and, as usual, Maxwell is trying to preoccupy the children so that they won't think about their mother, Sara. But Fran thinks talking to the kids about their mother. This year, Maxwell and the family have joined a new country club. Scoping it out, Maxwell, Fran, and Grace learn that it's having Mother's-Day festivities, including a mother-daughter pageant. Grace wants to enter it with Fran, which Maxwell doesn't think is a good idea, believing that she'll ultimately grieve Sara's loss again, but he gives in to her wish. Then, on Mother's Day, one of the competing mother-daughter teams (ultra-competitive Bobbi Jo and Betty Jo), deems Fran and Grace ineligible for the pageant since Fran isn't Grace's mother, and Grace storms out stating she has no mother. Later, Grace admits her anger is not grief and missing her deceased mother, but anger at herself for not remembering anything about her mother. Maxwell realizes he has been approaching Sara's death all wrong, especially with Grace. Back at the country club, Fran and Grace complete the pageant with a duet as their talent, placing them first runner-up, not behind Bobbi Jo and Betty Jo, but behind Patti LaBelle and her daughter.
