Customer Reviews

The Nanny - The Complete First Season

5 star:		(118)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Fran Drescher's career-making sitcom THE NANNY finally comes to DVD with this well-produced box set of the first season. Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) is a door-to-door cosmetics salesgirl from Queens who unwittingly becomes nanny to the children of rich Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy). As confidante to shy Maggie (Nicolle Tom), mischevious Brighton (Benjamin Salisbury) and junior couch-case Gracie (Madeline Zima), Fran discovers a whole new way of life, living in ritzy Manhattan and meeting the famous celebrities Max hires to star in his various shows.

Bringing Fran back to real life - and always there for a helping hand - is Max's deadpan butler Niles (Daniel Davis), along with her mother Sylvia (Renee Taylor), Grandma Yetta (Ann Guilbert) and best friend Val (Rachel Chagall). And there's also Max's frosty business associate CC Babcock (Lauren Lane) who is noticing the growing attraction between Max and Fran...and is as jealous as hell!

The first season of THE NANNY perfectly sets up the premise and the main characters. Classic eps include "Smoke Gets in Your Lies" where Fran catches Brighton smoking, and introduces him to her chain-smoking Grandma Yetta as a warning; "The Nuchshlep" where Fran becomes the third wheel in Maggie's lovelife; "Imaginary Friend" where Fran accidentally eats Gracie's imaginary buddy Imogene; "The Nanny-in-Law" where Max's childhood Nanny Mueller (Cloris Leachman) visits, gets Fran's blood boiling...and gets Niles hot under the collar; and "The Gym Teacher" where Fran confronts her sadistic former gym instructor Miss Wickervich (Rita Moreno).

Select episodes also feature audio commentary from the always-delightful Fran Drescher. THE NANNY was and remains a very popular sitcom, and now the first season is on DVD, hopefully more volumes are set to follow.

COMPLETE EPISODE LISTING:

"Pilot" - Fran knocks on the Sheffield door and is mistakenly hired as the new nanny...and proceeds to immediately start changing their lives for the better.

"Smoke Gets in Your Lies" - Brighton is caught smoking at school, but blames the situation on Fran talking about the chain-smoking cool kid she knew during her highschool days.

"My Fair Nanny" - Fran and Maggie are hosting a society tea to help Maggie fit in at school, but CC tries to interfere.

"The Nuchshlep" - Maggie goes on her very first date with Eddie but Max insists that Fran tags along as protection. Unfortunately, Eddie seems to like Fran better.

"Here Comes the Brood" - CC is jealous of how attached the children are to Fran, so to prove she can be maternal too, she takes them to the zoo.

"The Butler, the Husband, the Wife and Her Mother" - Sylvia lies to her snooty cousin Marsha, and tells her that Fran and Max are married.

"Imaginary Friend" - The repeated appearance of Gracie's imaginary best friend Imogene has been cause for concern, leading to a horrifying experience for Gracie when Fran accidentally 'eats' her.

"The Christmas Show" - Max has to be out of town for the holidays. Meanwhile, Fran has written bad checks for her gifts to the children, mistakenly counting on getting a big fat Christmas bonus.

"Personal Business" - Brock Storm, a popular soap star, is trying to schmooze into appearing in Max's new Broadway play, demands a date with Fran as part of the package.

"The Nanny-in-Law" - Max's childhood Nanny Mueller comes to visit and quickly causes friction with Fran.

"A Plot for Nanny" - It's Fran's 30th and Sylvia has given her matching His and Her's cemetary plots, but while trying to return them, Fran becomes smitten with the handsome funeral director.

"The Show Must Go On" - Fran volunteers to be the director of Gracie's school show. All goes well until Max butts in and decides to take charge.

"Maggie the Model" - Max's old girlfriend, renowned former supermodel Chloe Simpson, decides that Maggie has the potential to become a leading catwalk sensation.

"The Family Plumbing" - Brighton falls in love with Fran's pint-sized cousin Tiffany when her Uncle Irving is called to fix the plumbing at the mansion.

"Deep Throat" - Fran takes Gracie to the doctor but he instead recommends that Fran needs have her own tonsils taken out.

"Schlepped Away" - The nasty New York winter has the entire household yearning for sun and sand, but the getaway is delayed when they become stranded at Sylvia's.

"Stop the Wedding, I Want to Get Off" - Max's sister Jocelyn comes to visit with the news of her impending marriage to a boring aristocrat.

"Sunday in the Park with Fran" - Max and CC are opening a new play and are trying to schmooze a cranky critic...until Fran and her lethal baguette enter the scene.

"The Gym Teacher" - Fran discovers her highschool tormentor Miss Wickervich is now the main reason why Maggie is flunking gym.

"Ode to Barbara Joan" - Could Fran be about to walk down the aisle with CC's father Stuart? It's amazing what a couple of backstage passes to Barbra Streisand's concert will achieve!

"Frannie's Choice" - Danny and Heather Biblow have broken up and Danny wants Fran to return to the bridal shop and marry him.

"I Don't Remember Mama" - It's Mothers Day but Max decides to keep the children busy so they won't have time to ponder their dead mother.

"The Playwright" - Fran forces Brighton to accompany school nerd 'The Brooke Worm' to the school dance.

"A Star is Unborn" - Fran is cast as Juliet in an avant-garde production of the Shakespeare classic, but taking time away from her duties causes nothing but trouble.

It's about time that they brought The Nanny out on DVD. It is the funniest sitcom that ever hit TV. Fran Drescher and the entire cast made watching so enjoyable that I couldn't wait until the next episode. My only regret is that they are binging out one season at a time. I'm ready to buy all 6 seasons now. I'm sure that there are a lot more fans like myself who would do the same thing. Can hardly wait until I have the first season in my hands. Great show.

I don't know how many times I have typed 'The Nanny DVD (box set)' on various websites, hoping it was released on DVD. Many times, I was disappointed. I just read about the upcoming release of this box set and I couldn't be any happier. The Nanny is one of the best shows, I've seen every episode over and over again..now, I can see them anytime that I want to. Fran Drescher is perfect as Fran Fine, there is just something about her that draws you in to the show. Her voice and whine bring a touch of hilarity to the show, along with Niles' (Daniel Davis) constant bashing on C.C. (Lauren Lane) This show makes you want to watch. It makes you hope that something will finally come about romantically between Fran and Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) I haven't even touched on how great this show is. I have a listing for the first season episodes, I think this is what can be expected on this DVD set:

Episode 1.1: Pilot-Fran Fine is fired from her job at a bridal boutique. She then takes a job selling make-up door to door, where she stumbles across the home of Maxwell Sheffield. He is trying to find a nanny for his three children, who recently lost their mother. Maxwell decides to try Fran out.

Episode 1.2: Smoke Gets in Your Lies-Fran boo-boos when she talks about her "good old" rebellious high school days and Brighton reads that as a green light to try smoking, which infuriates Maxwell when he finds out. Fran tries to redeem herself by showing Brighton a real life example of a smoker: her chain-smoking Grandma Yetta.

Episode 1.3: My Fair Nanny-Maxwell and Fran get together to throw a coming-out party for Maggie, but they can't agree on just how "out" Maggie can come!

Episode 1.4: The Nuchslep-Maggie finally gets a date, but trouble ensues when the date likes Fran more than he likes Maggie.

Episode 1.5: Here Comes the Brood-C.C. tries her hand at taking the children to the zoo, but when the whole affair is a dismal failure, C.C. tells the children that Fran only spends time with them because she is paid to. So Grace runs away to find Nanny Fine at her parents' house, and ends up at the wedding of a friend of the Fines'.

Episode 1.6: The Butler, the Husband, the Wife and Her Mother-Niles is worried because the Butler's association is coming to evaluate him. Meanwhile, Fran's mother tells some friends that Fran is married to Maxwell. Well, when one thing leads to another, Fran is impersonating the lady of the house, Niles is impersonating her husband "Maxwell", and Maxwell is impersonating Niles!

Episode 1.7: Imaginary Friend-Fran is in big trouble when she accidently eats Grace's imaginary friend, prompting a scolding from Maxwell, and a trip to the shrink for Grace, Maxwell and Fran.

Episode 1.8: Christmas Episode-Fran spends her first Christmas at the Sheffields, but she is appalled when she finds out that Maxwell hires a professional "gift buyer" to get the children's gifts. So she scolds him into getting a "gift from the heart", which he does - for the children, AND for Fran, costing her a Christmas cash bonus!

Episode 1.9: Personal Business-Fran figures she only has one life to live, so she agrees to help Maxwell close a casting deal by dating a young and restless soap-opera star (Stephen Nichols), whom she sends to "another world".

Episode 1.10: The Nanny-In-Law-When Maxwell's childhood nanny (Cloris Leachman) visits, she is appalled by Fran's unique child care methods.

Episode 1.11: A Plot for Nanny-Fran's mother has a surprise gift for her: a cemetery plot. And it's not exactly a grave undertaking for Fran when she begins dating the gorgeous funeral (Matt McCoy).

Episode 1.12: The Show Must Go On-The spotlight is on Fran when Maxwell volunteers her to direct Grace's school production, but he soon upstages her by taking over.

Episode 1.13: Maggie the Model-Maxwell's supermodel old flame (Lesley-Anne Down) returns, prompting Maggie to try to become a model.

Episode 1.14: The Family Plumbing-Fran's doddering Uncle Irving shows up to fix the plumbing, and he's assisted by Fran's young cousin Tiffany, whom Fran catches kissing Brighton... in the bathtub!

Episode 1.15: Deep Throat-Fran is the one who requires TLC when she has to have her tonsils removed, and Maxwell puts C.C.'s reunion on hold to await the outcome of Fran's surgery.

Episode 1.16: Schlepped Away-It's the Holidays, and the Sheffields are heading off to the tropics, so Nanny Fine gets herself invited. All seems to be going well, until everyone gets snowed in at Fran's parents' house, including all of the Sheffields, Niles, and C.C., who is crushed at missing her vacation off with the "Senator". So Sylvia and Fran try and make everyone at home in their small Flushing abode.

Episode 1.17: Stop the Wedding, I Want to Get Off-Maxwell is ecstatic that he's going to get see his sister (Twiggy Lawson) who is coming to New York to get married, but it doesn't take Fran long to figure out that Maxwell's sister only has eyes for her chauffeur.

Episode 1.18: Sunday in the Park with Fran-When Grace is getting bullied by the son of an influential theater critic, C.C. convinces Maxwell that Grace should invite the child over to smooth things over. But when the boy is a beast, and Fran hits him with a baguette, it's all Maxwell can do to convince the critic that no harm was done and that C.C. and Maxwell's play should still get a good review.

Episode 1.19: The Gym Teacher-Maggie has a new gym teacher: the same tough-as-a-drill-sergeant gym teacher who terrorized Fran in high school. So Fran rides to the rescue and challenges the teacher for Maggie.

Episode 1.20: Ode to Barbara Joan (a.k.a. Daddy Dearest)-C.C.'s father (Robert Culp) invites Fran to a Streisand concert, upsetting C.C.

Episode 1.21: Frannie's Choice-Danny, the guy who originally dumped Fran, gets dumped by his girlfriend, so he proposes to Fran, who says yes. But no one is happy about this, including Niles, her mother or the Sheffield family, and Fran is left to decide whether leaving the Sheffields is the right thing to do.

Episode 1.22: I Don't Remember Mama-Fran encourages Maxwell to *not* try and take the kids' minds off Mother's Day, so Maxwell takes them to the country club, where Fran promptly enters herself and Grace in a "Mother-Daughter Beauty Pagent".

Your box set collection will not be complete without this. I hope the other seasons are released in this format as well.

**NOTE** It says 24 episodes are on this box set, but all the episode guides I've read have 22 for the first season..so if there are indeed 24, this is all the information I could dig up.

I was too young to have watched this show when it originally aired on CBS from 1993-1999. However, I have fallen in love with it while watching the re-runs on Lifetime. Every day I look forward to seeing what will happen on the next episode. The show is hilarious, and the actors are all excellent. Fran Drescher is great as the lead (personally, I love her voice), but Daniel Davis steals every episode with his sarcastic, witty performance as Niles the Butler. Another character is Maxwell Sheffield, played by Charles Shaughnessy, a Broadway producer who hires Fran to take care of his children (all of the children, by the way, are excellent as well). Fran dresses very sensually and sexual tension heats between her and Mr. Sheffield throughout the series (much like the relationship of Ross and Rachel on "Friends").

Other supporting characters who are equally hilarious include Lauren Lane as C.C. Babcock, Mr. Sheffield's partner and the "loser" character that everyone (especially Niles) loves to make fun of. There's also Rachel Chagall, who plays Fran's dimwitted best friend, Val (Classic Val moment: "Ok, those ice creams are one dollar each, so two would be......uh....."). There's also Renee Taylor, who plays Fran's obsessed-with-eating mother, Sylvia (Classic Sylvia moment: "Fran, there's only one man who can satisfy a woman in thirty seconds...Colonel Saunders".) Last but not least, there's Ann Guilbert as Fran's senile grandmother, Yetta, who, along with Niles the butler, steals the show with her hilarious moments. For example, in one episode, Yetta stands in front of the refridgerator for five minutes, thinking that it is an elevator. In conclusion, "The Nanny" is a great sitcom that was blessed with great writing and a marvelous cast, and I look forward to owning the DVD.

I watch this show every day and it is part of my routine before bed. I love Mr. Sheffields and MISS FINE's romance. and the mother is a RIOT. Can't wait to get the DVD. Why this show was over looked I don't know. She is another Lucille Ball.

Christine from Hilton, NY

The show is so crisp and clear on the DVDs, and it's great for later fans (post 1999) to see the episodes in their entirety, with the bits Lifetime Television cut out for syndication. The interviews with Fran Drescher, her ex-husband and all three children from the show are great, but it's sad that Lauren Lane, Charles Shaughnessy, and Daniel Davis are not included. The commentaries by Fran for three of the episodes are wonderful, it'd be nice if she had done it for more. Hopefully the following seasons will be put out on DVD soon, and a bloopers bit would be great. Overall, I loved it!

The first season is perhaps the best one in this excellent show. The children are younger, and you can really see Fran in action as a good, if wildly unconventional, nanny. The actors are all strong, and the characters likewise. The only exception is C.C., whose exact character nuances continued to evolve through the first few episodes.

This season includes the hilarious imaginary friend episode, the cemetery plot episode, and the episode in which Mr. Sheffield's entire family gets stuck at the home of Fran's working-class family during a snowstorm.

Buy this first season DVD today, and welcome Fran, the Sheffieldsn, Niles the butler, and C.C. the cutthroat business associate into your home--you won't regret it!


1.1: Pilot
Fran Fine is fired from her job at a bridal boutique after her boyfriend (the owner) dumps her. So Fran takes a job selling make-up door to door, where she stumbles across the home of Maxwell Sheffield, the "famous" Broadway producer. Maxwell is desparately trying to find a nanny, and after a hesitant start, he decides to test Fran out as the answer to his problems.


1.2: "Smoke Gets in Your Lies"
Fran talks about her rebellious high school days, and Brighton reads that as a green light to try smoking. So Fran tries to redeem herself by showing Brighton a real life example of a smoker: her chain-smoking Grandma Yetta.

1.3: "My Fair Nanny"
Fran gets etiquette lessons from Niles and Maxwell so she can hold a mother-daughter tea for Maggie.

1.4: "The Nuchslep"
Tensions arise after Fran chaperones Maggie on a date and the young man (Jimmy Marsden) seems to be more interested in Fran.

1.5: "Here Comes the Brood"
C.C. takes the children to the zoo, but when the whole affair is a dismal failure, she tells the children that Fran only spends time with them because she is paid to. So Grace runs away to find Nanny Fine at her parents' house, and ends up at the wedding of a friend of the Fine's.

1.6: "The Butler, the Husband, the Wife and Her Mother"
Niles is worried because the Butler's association is coming to evaluate him. Meanwhile, Fran's mother tells some friends that Fran is married to Maxwell. When one thing leads to another, Fran is impersonating the lady of the house, Niles is impersonating her husband "Maxwell", and Maxwell is impersonating Niles!

1.7: "Imaginary Friend"
Fran is in big trouble when she accidently eats Grace's imaginary friend, prompting a scolding from Maxwell, and a trip to the shrink for Grace, Maxwell and Fran.

1.8: "Christmas Episode"
Fran spends her first Christmas at the Sheffields, but she is appalled when she finds out that Maxwell hires a professional "gift buyer" to get the children's gifts.

1.9: "Personal Business"
Fran figures she only has one life to live, so she agrees to help Maxwell close a casting deal by dating a young and restless soap-opera star.

1.10: "The Nanny-In-Law"
When Maxwell's childhood nanny (Chloris Leachman) visits, she is appalled by Fran's unique child care methods.

1.11: "A Plot for Nanny"
Fran's mother has a surprise gift for her: a cemetary plot. And it's not exactly a grave undertaking for Fran when she begins dating the gorgeous funeral director (Matt McCoy).

1.12: "The Show Must Go On"
The spotlight is on Fran when Maxwell volunteers her to direct Grace's school production, but he soon takes over.

1.13: "Maggie the Model"
Maxwell's supermodel old flame (Lesley-Anne Down) returns, prompting Maggie to try to become a model.

1.14: "The Family Plumbing"
Fran's doddering Uncle Irving shows up to fix the plumbing, and he's asssisted by Fran's young cousin Tiffany, whom Fran catches kissing Brighton!

1.15: "Deep Throat"
Fran is the one who requires TLC when she has to have her tonsils removed.

1.16: "Schlepped Away"
It's the Holidays, and the Sheffields are heading off to the tropics. All seems to be going well, until everyone gets snowed in at Fran's parents' house, including all of the Sheffields, Niles, and C.C.

1.17: "Stop the Wedding, I Want to Get Off"
Maxwell's sister (Twiggy Lawson) visits New York to get married, but it doesn't take Fran long to figure out that Maxwell's sister only has eyes for her chauffeur.

1.18: "Sunday in the Park with Fran"
When Grace is getting bullied by the son of an influencial theater critic, C.C. convinces Maxwell that Grace should invite the child over. But when the boy is a beast, and Fran hits him with a bagette, it's all Maxwell can do to convince the critic that no harm was done.

1.19: "The Gym Teacher"
Maggie's has a new gym teacher (Rita Moreno): the same tough-as-a-drill- sergeant gym teacher who terrorized Fran in high school.

1.20: "Ode to Barbara Joan (a.k.a. Daddy Dearest)"
C.C.'s dad (Robert Culp) is in town, but he and C.C. don't get along, so when he has tickets to a Streisand concert, he invites Fran instead!

1.21: "Frannie's Choice"
Danny, the guy who originally dumpted Fran, gets dumped by his girlfreind, so he proposes to Fran, who says yes. But no one is happy about this, including Niles, her mother or the Sheffield family, and Fran is left to decide whether leaving the Sheffields is the right thing to do.

1.22: "I Don't Remember Mama"
Fran encourages Maxwell to abandon his attempt to take the kids' minds off Mother's Day, so he takes them to the country club, where Fran promptly enters herself and Grace in a "Mother-Daughter Beauty Pagent".

I have been a Nanny fan for years I even attempted to tape each episode from the 6 years. Not to say I watch it everyday on lifetime and my husband laughs at me when I say the lines! We love it...he has been looking and searching for when it will finally be released on DVD and that day is coming soon...Tomorrow is my birthday and this is the best present ever! You will absolutely love her and the cast, as there is such chemistry between all of them. She is the Lucy of the 90's and we all know how great she is! Thank you!

There is hardly a thing to say about "The Nanny" that hasn't been said before, so I will make it short. This is one of the greatest sitcoms of the 1990s. It has a great cast - the devious Lauren Lane, the Butler Niles, the yummy Charles Shaughnessy, adorable children and of course - Fran Drescher!!! This is her show and what is not to like. She is goodlooking, funny and even her voice suits her. It is NOT obnoxious at all.For me it was a great pleasure to finally hear the "correct" voice as in Germany every show is dubbed and some of its originality is lost.
If you had a bad day this show is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, no matter how much gloom is there. It is ALWAYS a pick-me-up. And even after repeated viewing it is not losing its edge. It is a jewel and I hope they continue to release the latter seasons, although in my opinion the earlier ones are the best.
If you like "Golden Girls", "Friends", "The Cosby Show" or "Who's the Boss?", "THE NANNY" is THE show for you.
The reason I gave this DVD Box just 4 stars is simple - there should have been more Extras like Bloopers or Interviews.
The show itself gets 5 stars.

This is a hilarious show with spit-fire humor of the butler and assistant and a fun show to watch with romance of a sexy father and hilarious but stylishly funny nanny. It is every woman's dream come true!! That's why we love it. I hope all seasons come out - especially 3-7. Why isn't this in Walmart or Target yet??? Oh, well, I hope the sales survive online. Keep them coming Sony!!!