Fran is an object of desire - the “will they/won’t they” between Fran and her boss, Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) is the backbone of the show. Though some have criticized the character of Fran for being too stereotypical, she also transcends those stereotypes. Throughout the show’s six seasons, there are constant Yiddishisms, mentions of Jewish holidays large and small and, of course, Barbra Streisand worship. You could turn on any episode without ever having seen the series and you would know that Fran Fine, the titular nanny played by Fran Drescher, is Jewish - by her mannerisms, speech and topics of conversation. It offered me a light escape, and best of all, it was unapologetically Jewish. And after rewatching my favorite shows - “Chuck,” “BoJack Horseman,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” just to name a few - “The Nanny” seemed like the right fit for my mood. Though I was obviously aware of the sitcom when it originally aired from 1993 to 1999, I never felt compelled to watch it, probably because I was busy watching other shows (like “ Friends“ ) and doing homework.īut during the long months of the pandemic I was drawn to the familiarity and comedy of sitcoms. Now that all six seasons of “ The Nanny” are available on HBO Max, a lot of people are discovering the show for the first time, myself included.
