The WORST episodes of The Nanny

Every episode of The Nanny ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of The Nanny!

When she appears on the doorstep of wealthy widower Maxwell Sheffield's New York home, cosmetics saleswoman Fran Fine unexpectedly gets a job as the nanny for the Broadway producer's three children, Maggie, Brighton and Grace. Fran brings her no-nonsense honesty, sharp sense of humour and "Queens logic" into the Sheffield household, helping them become a happy, healthy family.

Last Updated: 3/27/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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The Hockey Show
star
6.92
262 votes

#1 - The Hockey Show

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/4/1996

Fran starts to date Michael LaVoe, a famous hockey player for the NY Rangers. Mike is very superstitious and blames Fran for losing the game when she wears red shoes to the stadium. The entire city thinks she's a jinx and she decides to prove him wrong. But did the red shoes really jinx the game?

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
Sara's Parents
star
7.15
242 votes

#2 - Sara's Parents

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/21/1998

Sara's parents are visiting, and Max is afraid they might not like Fran, as he never told them about the marriage. Fran tries to do all the right things, but can't get it right. After she surprises them with the adoption plans, she gets the impression they will investigate her. Fran goes to Sylvia and Val for advice, but Sylvia's new sugar-free diet affects her ability to think. Finally, Fran decides to tell Max all he doesn't know about her, but he says he already knew that as he did a background check after she was hired. Finally, Fran opens her heart to Sara's parents, and they finally agree on the adoption. Meanwhile, Yetta thinks Niles is her husband, and C.C. take advantage of Fran's problems to mock her.

Writer: Jayne Hamil
A Pup in Paris
star
7.20
144 votes

#3 - A Pup in Paris

Season 3 - Episode 27 - Aired 5/20/1996

Mr. Sheffield is off to Paris. His mother wants him to talk to Nigel, his brother, who's spending his trust fund on a nightclub. He accidentally takes the bag with Chester instead of the one with his clothes to Paris, and Fran chases him into the plane. Unfortunately, it's too late to get out, and now Fran and Maxwell are together in Paris. They go shopping and touring around the city, after Maxwell has a horrible fight with Nigel. Eventually, he realizes all he wants is to be like Nigel, so he takes the first flight back to NY. The plane goes through heavy turbulence, and upon the threat of a disaster Maxwell opens his heart and tells Fran he loves her. To Be Continued…

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
Writer: Diane Wilk
I'm Pregnant
star
7.50
218 votes

#4 - I'm Pregnant

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/4/1998

Fran walks in Maggie and Michael in bed together, and as she tries to cover it, Maxwell also walks in. He forbids Maggie to do that in the house, and Fran has to convince him to forgive Maggie. Just as she is dressing her up as the young, innocent, non-active Maggie he always knew, Maggie drops the bomb: she might be pregnant! Fran and Maggie work together on buying a home pregnancy test and hiding it from everybody, but once again Maxwell finds out and has them go see a gynecologist. The results come back negative for Maggie, but the doctor suspects Fran might be the one bringing new people to the world. She comes home very excited to share the news with Max, but before she does he tells her what a relief it is not to have a baby since he's not ready to share her yet. Fran decides to keep her secret. To be continued…

Material Fran
star
7.54
300 votes

#5 - Material Fran

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/3/1994

Fran starts dating an older man.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Fran Gets Mugged
star
7.57
273 votes

#6 - Fran Gets Mugged

Season 2 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/22/1995

Fran is mugged at the Central Park and the thief takes Mr. Sheffield's ancient Shakespeare document, which was accidentally taken by Fran when she mistook it for a grocery list. Now Fran is paranoiac thinking the thief is after her. The thief is sent to do community service and Fran runs into him in the park again. He claims to have done it in a desperation act, and insists on treating Mr. Sheffield and Fran with tickets to a show. After a very romantic evening, they return home, and just when they're about to kiss they realize all the furniture is missing, and Niles is strapped on a chair (for C.C.'s delight).

Maggie the Model
star
7.57
340 votes

#7 - Maggie the Model

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/2/1994

Famous model Chloe Simpson gets Maggie interested in becoming a model, to Fran and Maxwell's dislike.

Directors: Will Mackenzie
Writer: Diane Wilk
Everybody Needs a Bubby Sometimes
star
7.61
299 votes

#8 - Everybody Needs a Bubby Sometimes

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/26/1994

Yetta moves in with the family when her home is fumigated, but Fran thinks she might be a bad influence for the children.

Writer: Diane Wilk
Watch Now:Apple TV
A Star Is Unborn
star
7.62
323 votes

#9 - A Star Is Unborn

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/24/1994

Fran gets the part of Juliet in a Broadway production of "Romeo and Juliet".

Directors: Gail Mancuso
Watch Now:Apple TV
Fran Gets Shushed
star
7.63
312 votes

#10 - Fran Gets Shushed

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/7/1998

When Maxwell shushes Fran on their first night together in their bedroom, she hits the roof, refusing to keep her voice down. They resolve the argument by agreeing that the key to a successful marriage is compromise, and Fran vows to be more demure while Maxwell promises to be less uptight. They try to adopt their new personalities during an important business dinner at which Maxwell is trying to win the rights to a new book.

Writer: Caryn Lucas
Watch Now:Apple TV
Maggie's Boyfriend
star
7.64
279 votes

#11 - Maggie's Boyfriend

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/28/1998

Maggie wants to bring home her new boyfriend Michael, but is afraid of how her father will behave in front of him. She asks Fran for help, but Maxwell is a little too stubborn. During dinner, Fran is extremely pleased with Michael: he's a male model, he makes about US$800,000 a year (for Niles's desperation), his father is a doctor and he's Jewish! Everything Fran could ever hope for Maggie! Maggie also breaks the news that she's moving in with Michael, but Maxwell won't let her. He and Fran fight, and Sylvia advises Fran to support him. Fran goes to Michael's place, and tries playing guilt on Maggie, but it doesn't work. Maxwell arrives and they act a scene in which they place poor Maggie as a reason of a possible break up. The plan works and she returns home.

Writer: Rick Shaw
A Kiss Is Just a Kiss
star
7.66
304 votes

#12 - A Kiss Is Just a Kiss

Season 2 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/3/1995

Fran encourages Maggie to enter Billy ray Cyrus's kissing contest to be on the cover of his next album, but Fran wins by accident. Mr. Sheffield is convinced that her kissing abilities aren't what got her to win, so Fran proves him wrong in a very good way. When she meets Billy Ray, his manager tells her it's because she makes him look younger. Offended, Fran turns down the offer and returns home depressed about her age. Niles tells C.C., who can't wait to tell Maxwell. She tries to kiss him, but accidentally kisses Niles, and Mr. Sheffield comforts Fran.

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
The Finale (Part 2)
star
7.69
207 votes

#13 - The Finale (Part 2)

Season 6 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/12/1999

Fran delivers her twins as C.C. gives Niles an answer to his marriage proposal.

Chatterbox
star
7.69
259 votes

#14 - Chatterbox

Season 2 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/15/1995

Maggie is invited to her first sweet sixteen party, so Fran takes her to "The Chatterbox", her favorite beauty parlor. Meanwhile, Mr. Sheffield is holding auditions for his next play and this poor girl named Mary Ruth is rejected. She makes friends with Fran, who takes her to The Chatterbox to see if they can hire her as the new shampoo girl (a job also wanted by Sylvia). There, Mary Ruth soon noses herself into the personal life of the owner, Mr. Anthony, and his son, Mimo, who are trying to live without their wife and mother. In the parlor there is also Claude, the gay hairdresser, and Kim, the Chinese manicurist who can paint incredible things on her extra-long nails.

The Family Plumbing
star
7.69
380 votes

#15 - The Family Plumbing

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/9/1994

Fran thinks Maxwell treats his children unfairly when Maggie is not allowed to go to a makeout party, but Brighton is encouraged after kissing a relative of Fran's.

Directors: Linda Day
The Show Must Go On
star
7.70
377 votes

#16 - The Show Must Go On

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/26/1994

Maxwell volunteers Fran to produce Gracie's school play.

Directors: Will Mackenzie
An Affair to Dismember
star
7.71
321 votes

#17 - An Affair to Dismember

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/13/1996

Nigel Sheffield arrives in New York, but since Maxwell is too busy to spend time with him he has Fran show him around town. They go out to nightclubs and parties, and Fran starts acting very happy for finally having a social life, something she complained about not having since she started working at the house. Nigel surprises Fran when he proposes to her and asks her to leave with him aboard a luxurious boat. Doubtful, she thinks about her relationship with Maxwell, its past and its future. In one hand she has the man she really loves, who hasn't made a move in 3 years. In the other hand, a rich, good looking and single man, everything she always hoped for. She chooses to go with Nigel, but unfortunately she misses the boat and has to go back home. Maxwell arrives and takes care of Fran, who twisted her ankle on her way back. Some things are just meant (not) to be.

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
Writer: Diane Wilk
Watch Now:Apple TV
An Offer She Can't Refuse
star
7.72
371 votes

#18 - An Offer She Can't Refuse

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/11/1995

Fran gets a date with a guy named Tony Tattori, who later she discovers to be on the mob. Scared to death that her life might be in jeopardy, Fran doesn't have the guts to break up with him, and Mr. Sheffield decides to do it for her. Lucky him C.C. accidentally dumped Whoopi Goldberg from their show and they needed a singer and Tony was very interested on being on Broadway... Meanwhile, Brighton steals Maggie's diary and makes her his personal slave until Fran comes up with something that will get her out of that situation.

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
What the Butler Sung
star
7.74
310 votes

#19 - What the Butler Sung

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/27/1995

Fran discovers that Niles has a beautiful singing voice and convinces him to audition for Mr. Sheffield's next play. Meanwhile, she asks her sister Nadine to come cook for them, and Nadine starts to hit on Mr. Sheffield since she recently left her husband. Nadine starts to get on Fran's nerves, so Fran calls her husband to come pick her up. They have a big fight that ruins Niles's audition, but is a success among the investors.

Writer: Diane Wilk
Personal Business
star
7.74
414 votes

#20 - Personal Business

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/29/1993

Maxwell convinces Fran to go on a date with a soap opera star to get him to agree to appear in a play.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Pilot (a.k.a. The Nanny)
star
7.76
643 votes

#21 - Pilot (a.k.a. The Nanny)

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/3/1993

Fran gets a job as a nanny for the Sheffields after being fired from her job at her fiancé's bridal store.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Ship of Fran's
star
7.77
354 votes

#22 - Ship of Fran's

Season 3 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/13/1996

Fran decides to go on a cruise to meet men with Val, but Mr. Sheffield quickly changes her plans and buys the entire family (his and hers) tickets to board the ship. While Niles and C.C. fight over who has to sleep in the same room with Yetta, Fran is excited to meet the single guy a psychic said she would meet. Sylvia introduces her to Steve, a fantastic man who is later thrown out of the ship for being a clandestine. Lucky Fran that Mr. Sheffield steps in as her mambo dancing partner and Fran gets her dance on water with the man of her dreams – even if she doesn't realize that!

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
Writer: Diane Wilk
Immaculate Concepcion
star
7.77
310 votes

#23 - Immaculate Concepcion

Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/1/1998

Maxwell's father unexpectedly passes away, and in his will he leaves everything to Concepcion, a secret daughter he had with a flamenco dancer. C.C. is back from the sanatorium and doesn't miss the opportunity of terrifying Fran and trying to split Fran and Maxwell up. Afraid that the Sheffields are going bankrupt, Fran visits Concepcion trying to persuade her to share the money with her siblings, but can't. Knowing what if feels like being poor, Fran tells Maxwell that she'll understand if he decides to marry a rich woman in order to keep his lifestyle. C.C. offers herself to marry Maxwell, but his love for Fran is beyond money. Then Sheffield's lawyer arrives with the news: Concepcion decided to share her money, all because Fran made her feel like family. Niles plays tricks on Ms. Babcock, making her doubt her own sanity.

Having His Baby
star
7.78
267 votes

#24 - Having His Baby

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/20/1995

Fran considers having a baby sans husband; and Maxwell assumes she is asking him to be the donor.

Directors: Dorothy Lyman
Writer: Eric Mintz
The Reunion Show
star
7.81
281 votes

#25 - The Reunion Show

Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/25/1998

Fran attends her high school reunion and is surprised to see that all her old friends are getting divorced, while she's the only one getting engaged. Trying not to be affected by all the negativity, Fran discusses with Maxwell the little things of life as a couple - which side of the bed they sleep on, what to do on the weekends, and how many children they'll have. That becomes an issue because Maxwell doesn't want anymore children, while Fran does. After realizing how much motherhood means to Fran, Maxwell says they'll plan it in the future, leaving them plenty of time to practice. Meanwhile, Niles goes through depression without having Ms. Babcock around to tease on; and Gracie gets scared she'll be sent away to a boarding school after a friend tells her it happened after her dad married her stepmother.

Directors: Dorothy Lyman