What is it? The Nanny, Complete Series, 146 episodes on 19 discs from Shout! Factory
How much? $149.99
When? Tuesday
Who is the nanny? That would be Fran Fine (Fran Drescher), a woman from Queens, N.Y., whose voice is as loud and obnoxious as her wardrobe.
She doesn't actually have experience taking care of kids. What she does have is street smarts, determination and a big heart.
When she loses her boyfriend and her job in one fell swoop, she starts selling cosmetics door-to-door, ending up at the Park Avenue home of widower and Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) just when he's looking for a nanny for his three children: shy teen Maggie (Nicholle Tom), trouble-maker Brighton (Benjamin Salisbury) and "complicated" little Gracie (Madeline Zima).
Fran bonds with the kids, gets the job and quickly ingratiates herself into the Sheffield home, where she's definitely a fish out of water. Fran's a boisterous, savvy Jewish woman from a working-class neighborhood and the Sheffields are decidedly repressed, upper-class WASPs. She injects some much needed flair and fun into the family while also causing more than a little bit of trouble, sometimes with the "help" of her mother (Renee Taylor) and best pal Val (Rachel Chagall).
Niles (Arkansas native Daniel Davis), the family's sarcastic, snooty butler, is on her side, but she makes an instant enemy in C.C. Babcock (Lauren Lane), Maxwell's icy assistant.
The whole setup is explained in the show's catchy (i.e. you will never, ever get it out of your head) theme song.
How is it? Not as awful as I'd feared or remembered from the snippets I've seen over the years. The show is outlandish, goofy and way too over the top at times, but it can also be truly funny, particularly before the inevitable later season laziness sets in.
It relies heavily on physical comedy and wacky high jinks, a la I Love Lucy, so if that's not your cup of tea, be warned.
As far as family shows go, you could certainly do worse.
That said, Drescher is a polarizing personality. She's loud, abrasive and her exaggerated "Nanny" voice could make nails on a chalkboard sound like a Stradivarius in comparison. Some love her. Some can't stand her. Know where you fall on the spectrum before investing.
Extras? Yes indeed. There are three episode commentaries on early seasons. The bonus disc has:
• Making The Nanny: 21 minutes with cast members and co-creator Peter Marc Jacobson (Drescher's ex-husband) discussing the creation of the show.
• The Unique Vision of The Nanny and The Nanny Finds a Home: Two relaxed, informal interviews, one hour's worth in all, with Jacobson and Drescher discussing the show.
• The Nanny Reunion: A Nosh to Remember: A cast reunion dinner (which has some very stage-y elements) combined with a clips show, bloopers and old home movies.
New this week: Hill Street Blues, Season 5; Major Crimes, Season 3; Ray Donovan, Season 2; The Rockford Files, Complete Series; The Saint, Complete Series; Sons of Liberty, miniseries; Welcome Back, Kotter, Season 3; The Wonder Years, Season 3.
Next week: Bonanza, Season 8; Falling Skies, Season 4; Justified, Season 6; The L Word, Complete Series; Miss Marple, Volume 3; Parks and Recreation, Season 7 and Complete Series; Pretty Little Liars, Season 5; Rizzoli & Isles, Season 5; Soap, Complete Series.
Style on 05/24/2015