The Nanny

The Best Episodes of The Nanny

Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:CBS

Every episode of The Nanny ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Nanny!

Fran, fresh out of her job as a bridal consultant in her boyfriend’s shop, first appears on the doorstep of Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield peddling...
Episodes
145
Avg. Rating
7.5
S1
S2
S3
S4
E1
E2
E3
8.1
8.0
8.1
7.4
7.6
7.9
7.5
7.3
7.7
8.1
7.4
8.0

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  1. 8.7/10(520 votes)

    #1 - Close Shave

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    S2:E21

    Maggie is a candy striper at the hospital. When she takes off to go on a date, Fran fills in for her and must shave Maxwell for an appendectomy.

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  2. 8.5/10(463 votes)

    #2 - A Fine Friendship

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    S2:E19

    Fran strikes up a friendship with a male nanny whom she erroneously assumes is gay.

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  3. 8.5/10(452 votes)

    #3 - Strange Bedfellows

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    S2:E24

    Fran worries about her future when Mona, one of her fellow nannies, retires to Florida. The night of Mona's goodbye party, Fran gets drunk and staggers into Maxwell's bed.

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  4. 8.4/10(504 votes)

    #4 - Schlepped Away

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    S1:E16

    On the way to catch a flight to the islands, heavy snow maroons the family at Fran's parents' home in Queens.

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  5. 8.4/10(513 votes)

    #5 - I Don't Remember Mama

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    S1:E22

    Fran and Grace enter a mother-daughter pageant at the country club.

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  6. 8.4/10(424 votes)

    #6 - The Two Mrs. Sheffields

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    S3:E9

    When Maxwell's mother wants him to get rid of Fran, Maxwell reacts by proposing to Fran who makes him feel very guilty for using her.

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Nanny

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  8. 8.3/10(425 votes)

    #7 - A Fine Family Feud

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    S3:E4

    Maggie's 16th birthday is approaching and Fran intervenes in her father's plans for her party. Instead of a boring party at the Guggenheim Museum, Fran convinces Mr. Sheffield to have it at her aunt Frieda's bar. While the place is not nearly as fancy as the museum, Fran has to solve a very important family feud before the party can happen: her mother and Frieda haven't spoken to each other since 1979. The two make peace, but when Frieda comes out of the bathroom, her butt is showing and she blames Sylvia for the same embarrassment when they first fought. They start a food fight which quickly spreads to the whole party in a huge food war. When Mr. Sheffield walks in, he is shocked to see that scene and just when he's about to twist nanny Fine's neck Maggie thanks him for the best party ever.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  9. 8.3/10(386 votes)

    #8 - The Bank Robbery

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    S4:E16

    It's Valentine's Day, and Maxwell decides to diffuse the whole "love" situation with Fran by giving her a gag greeting card. Big mistake. Later, Fran and Sylvia are at the bank when it gets held up. News of the hold-up quickly gets back to the Sheffield household. What the hostages at the bank quickly find out is that the bank robber, Leslie Tilbert, is a meek man and an inept bank robber. Leslie is actually a kind man who is facing some personal stresses, to which Fran can relate. Fran becomes Leslie's negotiator with the authorities, and Leslie becomes Fran's negotiator with Maxwell and his faux pas with the greeting card. If nothing else, the bank robbery has shown Maxwell how he really feels about Fran and he lets her and the world know. Leslie's fate is not as good as he takes Sylvia as his final hostage.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  10. 8.3/10(379 votes)

    #9 - Fran's Gotta Have It

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    S4:E26

    Mr. Sheffield is going to London to convince Celine Dion into doing Broadway. Fran decides to go after him and take advantage of the romantic scenario to solve their situation once and for all. After a romantic afternoon together, Max and Fran go back to the hotel and almost sleep together, if it wasn't for him backing out in the last minute. Insulted, offended and tired of all the cat and mouse play, Fran decides to leave him before it's too late for her to marry anybody. But they receive a phone call from NY saying that Niles just suffered a heart attack. Fran decides to stay and help while Niles recovers, giving Mr. Sheffield another chance to make a commitment. Meanwhile, C.C. is surprisingly sad after Niles's attack and even drops by at the hospital to bring him some flowers. She reveals to Fran that deep down she doesn't hate Niles as much as it seems.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  11. 8.3/10(363 votes)

    #10 - The Engagement

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    S5:E15

    Fran is thrilled to tell the family that Maxwell has told her he loved her, and this time he didn't take it back! Everybody is happy for her (except for C.C.) and congratulate Fran. Maxwell reveals to Niles that he bought an engagement ring and is going to propose to Fran tonight. He, of course, can't keep a secret and tells Fran, who tells Sylvia, in a chain reaction that results in virtually everybody knowing about it. Maxwell asks Fran to invite her family over because they're having a very important dinner at the Rainbow Room and they should all be there. All the Sheffield and Fine families gather and wait for Maxwell, who never shows up. Afraid something happened to him (because she was sure he wouldn't just leave her waiting), Fran goes after him, and finds a passed out Mr. Sheffield behind the theater. He was knocked out by burglars who stole his watch and Fran's ring. Nevertheless, he proposes to Fran.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  12. 8.2/10(548 votes)

    #11 - The Butler, the Husband, the Wife and Her Mother

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    S1:E6

    Niles poses as Fran's husband to impress her visiting relatives.

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  13. 8.2/10(455 votes)

    #12 - The Whine Cellar

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    S2:E10

    C.C.'s vision for a romantic weekend hit a snag when she and Fran end up locked inside Maxwell's wine cellar together.

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  14. 8.2/10(445 votes)

    #13 - Canasta Masta

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    S2:E16

    After Brighton joins Sylvia's canasta team, Fran is dumped from it.

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  15. 8.2/10(461 votes)

    #14 - What the Butler Sang

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    S2:E22

    Maxwell hears Niles singing and asks him to sing for his backers' audition. Meanwhile, Fran clashes with her sister Nadine.

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  16. 8.2/10(381 votes)

    #15 - First Date

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    S5:E2

    Maxwell invites Fran to be his date at the very exclusive dinner party given by Elton John to celebrate Tantrums and Tiaras, the new film he and his partner, David Furnish, are premiering. Unfortunately, Fran's lurid past catches up with her when she appears in the film as the fam who prompted one of John's ""Tantrums"" by verbally abusing Elton. Yes, it's another Fine mess, and Fran--à la Lucy--goes to extraordinary lengths to hide her identity during dinner. Then, trying to hide her identity, she doesn't make a very good impression as Maxwell's date. Meanwhile, C.C. tries to cope with Maxwell's apparent preference for Fran over her.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  17. 8.1/10(845 votes)

    #16 - The Nanny

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    S1:E1

    Fran has just been dumped by her fiancé and employer, and is selling cosmetics door-to-door, when she happens to be in the right place at the right time.

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  18. 8.1/10(460 votes)

    #17 - Everybody Needs a Bubby Sometimes

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    S2:E3

    Grandma Yetta stays with Fran and the Sheffields while her retirement home is being fumigated.

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  19. 8.1/10(418 votes)

    #18 - The Will

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    S2:E17

    Maxwell draws up a will which states that Fran will remain nanny in the event of his death. Meanwhile, she thinks that a fax of a potential client's heart-sensitive diet given to Niles is really for Maxwell.

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  20. 8.1/10(432 votes)

    #19 - Pen Pal

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    S3:E1

    After many years of exchanging letters, Fran's pen pal Lenny wants to meet her. But Fran is worried because over the past years she exaggerated a little on the lies and now is concerned that Lenny won't like her for who she really is. But Mr. Sheffield pushes her to attend the date (more because he wants to see Lenny than because he wants Ms. Fine to meet him) and waits for him with her at the Russian Tea Room. But Lenny never shows up and leaves a note at the door saying he couldn't possibly compete with such a good looking guy she was with (Mr. Sheffield). Meanwhile, C.C. arranges to work late just to seduce Maxwell, and Niles plays with her. Bored, the two have a few drinks and have their first romantic kiss after calling each other names.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  21. 8.1/10(426 votes)

    #20 - Oy Vey, You're Gay

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    S3:E7

    Fran tells Mr. Sheffield he should retire his wedding ring, and after C.C. points out that Andrew Lloyd Weber was featured in the paper's crossword puzzle, Maxwell decides to get a publicist to improve his image and make him more popular. He hires the gorgeous Sydney Mercer and radically changes his image to a middle aged bad boy. He starts to fall for Sydney, causing both C.C. and Fran to get jealous. They set a date in the Rainbow Room but Fran discovers in the last minute that Sydney is gay, and more interested in her, so she rushes to meet Mr. Sheffield, but they end up getting stuck in the elevator.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  22. 8.1/10(395 votes)

    #21 - Where's Fran?

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    S3:E15

    When Fran catches Maggie smoking, she herself pretends to smoke so that Mr. Sheffield can teach her a lesson in front of Maggie. But Mr. Sheffield overreacts so Fran leaves their home. Mr. Sheffield remembers all the great times together (seen as flashbacks), but eventually realizes what she was trying to do and wants her back.

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  23. 8.1/10(369 votes)

    #22 - The Facts of Lice

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    S4:E18

    After Niles is depressed about his life as a butler, he begins to act strange and while he is cleaning, he drops a piece of paper containing a list of items that convinces Fran that Niles is possibly a murderer due to his recent strange behavior and the contents of his list. A search of his room confirms her suspicions. During a stormy night, Maxwell takes the children out for dinner leaving Fran and Niles alone. Niles approaches Fran and she thinks Niles is about to murder her. He confronts Fran about how she knows what he is up to when in fact he is simply writing a play.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  24. 8.1/10(327 votes)

    #23 - The Best Man

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    S5:E21

    Maxwell's brother, Nigel, is back to throw him a bachelor party, and Fran is terrified because Maxwell doesn't know that she almost married Nigel a year and a half ago. She tries to keep it a secret, but after Nigel gets drunk at the party, he tells Maxwell, just as Fran comes out of the cake in a surprise for him (after Sylvia confessed that Morty cancelled his wedding and ran off with the cake girl - Sylvia!). Fran and Maxwell have a fight over it, and they end up calling the wedding off, until C.C. (under the influence of Prozac) tells Fran that Maxwell didn't spend 5 years ""doing the one man show"". So Fran gets Marla Maples, who had a quick fling with Maxwell a year and a half ago, and confronts Maxwell. They finally realize they love each other and call the wedding back on.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A
  25. 8.0/10(468 votes)

    #24 - Fran-Lite

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    S2:E1

    Maxwell dates a woman with a striking resemblance to Fran.

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  26. 8.0/10(360 votes)

    #25 - The Bird's Nest

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    S4:E3

    Fran takes Gracie to the Loehmann's Semi Annual Red Star Clearance and has to fight over a green sweater with another woman. Back at the mansion, Brighton is having some problems with his science grade and Maxwell tells him he'll be sent to military school shall his grades not rise. He also tells Fran not to help him with his science project, but of course Fran doesn't listen to him. They decide to warm up a bird's eggs with lights and make a report on the birth, but Fran forget the lights on and the eggs hard boil. Now she has to ask Brighton's teacher for an extension, and what a surprise when she turns out to be the same lady Fran stole the green sweater from.

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    Director:Dorothy Lyman
    Writer:N/A

Best Episodes Summary

"Close Shave" is the best rated episode of "The Nanny". It scored 8.7/10 based on 520 votes. Directed by Dorothy Lyman and written by Prudence Fraser, Robert Sternin, Elliot Stern, it aired on 2/20/1995. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Fine Friendship".