I was originally going to share a few shows I’ve been watching lately. But then I thought I’d just focus on one: The Nanny, mostly because I can’t get over how funny it is. I really didn’t expect to enjoy it this much, and I still can’t believe I never watched a single episode when it first aired. Watching it now has me wondering how this kind of ’90s humour would be received today. Would it fly, or would it cause a huge fuss?
Rediscovering 90s Humour with The Nanny
How I Accidentally Started Watching It
I started watching The Nanny by accident while we were away in Gosford for our anniversary. It was on the hotel TV as background noise, but then it caught my attention (maybe it was Fran’s laugh), and I thought oh my gosh, this is actually really funny.
I didn’t finish that episode, but I filed it away in my brain as something I needed to come back to, and soon. Since then, I’ve been watching an episode or more almost every day. We’re into season three now, and my husband is completely hooked, too. We laugh so much the neighbours must be wondering what’s going on!
Watching The Nanny In Today’s World
Part of what makes it so interesting is watching it now and realising how PC the world has become. The humour is loud, obvious, and unfiltered. Some of the jokes would probably send the internet into meltdown today and cause a stir.
But please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying people should be rude or insensitive. Of course, it’s good to be aware, but sometimes it’s just classic Nanny funny, not mean funny. It’s the kind of humour so many 90s sitcoms had in common, the over-the-top, playful kind that makes you laugh hard. And it makes me nostalgic for a time when we weren’t all so easily offended.
Would a Show Like The Nanny Be Made Today?
Ummmm, probably not.
Classic 90s Humour
Haha, I’m laughing just thinking about all the things that make this show so funny. Fran is basically a human cartoon who manages to turn almost everything into chaos. And I especially love that all the characters get their moments to shine. The kids, in particular, are a surprise.
I thought they would be unkind, a bit like the children in The Sound of Music at first, but nope. They’re clever, cheeky, sassy, and sweet all at the same time. Mr Sheffield is serious and straight-laced, but he could have been stuffy. Instead, he’s kind, lovable, and endlessly patient. Then there’s Niles with his dry, sarcastic lines, and C.C., always dramatic and clearly wishing Fran had never left Flushing.
And of course, Yetta and Fran’s mum—oh my goodness, I want to be just like them when I grow up. Ha! I’m sure I will, especially Yetta, who reminds me a little of my mum with her cheeky humour.
The thing I love the most about the show is that they sometimes say the meanest things to each other in the kindest way, if that makes sense. I guess it helps that everything just rolls off Fran, and it makes me think we could all take a leaf out of her book and not let things get to us. Hasn’t Mel Robbins got a theory about this that’s taking the self-help world by storm—the Let Them Theory? I say let them all be unbothered, just like the Nanny!
The Exaggeration Is Everything
The Nanny feels so different from modern comedy because everything is dialled up to the nth degree. The outfits, the voices, the reactions, the facial expressions, the physical comedy. It’s all just so extra.
Fran’s Fashion
And then there’s the fashion. You don’t even have to be a fan of The Nanny to know exactly what kind of outrageous style I’m talking about. And I’m surprised at how much I love her outfits. This neutral-loving girl actually loves Fran’s licorice allsorts ensembles, bright colours, wild patterns, and leopard prints. Yikes!
Why I Keep Watching
It makes me feel good! I know not all the jokes are side-splittingly funny, and some are a bit corny or dated, but it’s still so much fun, with plenty of real laugh-out-loud moments. We used to end the day with an episode of Seinfeld, but now we finish with The Nanny. My husband believes it’s good to end the day on a funny note, and I couldn’t agree more!
Oh yes I miss those 90’s sitcoms and their sense of humor oh so much! I think it’s why I watch so many of those older shows on repeat. American Housewife is another one that just has me in stitches. Definitely not a show from the 90’s but still retains some of that sarcastic whit.
I did watch The Nanny when it was on originally and liked it back then. I wonder what I would think of it now. I agree there are some things from the 90s that don’t age well, but it was a different time! (That said, Seinfeld is timeless!)
I remember watching the Nanny years ago, it was always shown before The Simpsons. I like watching the older shows seeing all the things shows now a days wouldn’t get away with.