History Characters / TheNanny

* AllJewsAreCheapskates: The reason why she can afford her large and diverse wardrobe is that she seeks out extremely steep discounts and strongarms stores into giving her refunds. She's quite proud when Gracie -- whom Maxwell would spoil quite happily -- takes after her in this regard.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: She may come off as nasal, big-haired, and desperate, but, people tend to forget she is also a hypermanipulative master of the CoolAndUnusualPunishment, most often in the form of forced proximity with her overbearing mother. She's also skilled with Jewish guilt, and can reduce feelings of triumph to bitter sadness with a snap of her fingers.

* BookDumb: Not very educated (her best qualification is beauty school) but extremely street smart.

* CuteButCacophonic: She's attractive but also has a very distinct and nasal voice, which often annoys others. A doctor once mentions that if Fran's adenoids were removed her head would cave in.

* {{Flanderization}}: Her desperation for finding a man becomes a bigger and bigger part of her character as the show goes on. It becomes a plot point a few times, especially in a small Season 4 arc, where she seeks therapy to break out of her obsession and learn to love herself.
* FormerlyFat: Was apparently very hefty (or not as thin) at one point in her life. She's on Weight Watchers during the series to maintain her current figure, though she regularly applies LoopholeAbuse to cheat on her diet.

* HappilyMarried: Finally gets together with Maxwell in Season 5 and is shown to have a happy marriage for the remainder of the show, including the birth of their twins.

* SleepingWithTheBoss: After four seasons' worth of UnresolvedSexualTension between her and Maxwell, they almost wind up sleeping together while in Paris, during the Season 4 finale...but Maxwell [[SubvertedTrope backs out of it at the last moment]], offending Fran.

* AccidentalMisnaming: Due to Grandma Yetta's senility, she calls him "Schmooey", this becomes an affectionate monicker from then on.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Frequently makes fun of Maggie, especially in the beginning.

* DeadpanSnarker: Loves acting as the snarky AnnoyingYoungerSibling, especially to Maggie.

* IntergenerationalFriendship: A rather endearing friendship grows between him and Yetta, who eventually becomes his great-grandmother.

* MouthyKid: A classic example. He has a mouth and he wouldn't let anyone forget about it. And while he's not exactly the voice of reason in the house, that doesn't stop him from stating his opinion, especially when no one asks for it.

* IronicName: Her full name Chastity-Claire sounds like such a sweet, feminine name and C.C.'s so... not. It should be noted that when this is announced, the entire room (including Fran who's in labor) stop and look at her rather surprised.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Sometimes C.C. is the only one to spot glaring flaws in everyone's plans. She points it out in a rude way, and she tends to be ignored. At some point before Maxwell and Fran's wedding day: 1) Maxwell is preparing a rap musical while knowing precious little about rap, 2) he tries to attract investors by promoting the charisma of the protagonist, while actually having cast nobody in the role, 3) Maxwell is interrupting their business meetings to tend to personal matters, leaving unresolved business problems, 4) Fran is trying to cast a totally unknown man as the protagonist, just because she is on friendly terms with the man's grandfather. C.C.'s warnings that they are heading for disaster keep being ignored.

* IntergenerationalFriendship: It's a plot point a few times that even though Fran's at least a generation older than her and hired to be a caregiver, Maggie's frankly too old to have a nanny anymore (fourteen years old at the start of the series) and they act more like sisters or girlfriends than anything else. It becomes problematic later when Fran officially becomes her stepmother.

* AllJewsAreCheapskates: The reason why she can afford her large and diverse wardrobe is that she seeks out extremely steep discounts. She's quite proud when Gracie -- whom Maxwell would spoil quite happily -- takes after her in this regard.

* VagueAge: A RunningGag is how Fran lies about being younger than she actually is and has kept her real age such a secret that not even the government knows what it is. All is known is that she's in her thirties.

* AgeGapRomance: Maxwell is in his early forties and eventually marries Fran who is implied to be in her early to mid thirties (and loves to lie that she's actually 29).

* BunnyEarsLawyer: C.C. doesn't have much in the way of social skills or kindness, but she's frequently shown to be an ''extremely'' talented producer (even outpacing Maxwell on many occasions). She handles all of the paperwork for their partnership, and is a master at schmoozing donors get financial backing for their latest projects. It's telling that when C.C. temporarily quits, Maxwell's business goes to pieces in a matter of days without her.

* VagueAge: A RunningGag is how Fran lies about being younger than she actually is and refusing to reveal it. All is known is that she's in her thirties.

* OneOfTheKids: Can easily relate to the Sheffield's children due to her younger age and will go along with their quirks and hobbies, which is a reason she makes such a good nanny.

* PlatonicLifePartners: Develops a platonic but nevertheless tight friendship with Niles. Niles is the first to accept Fran into Maxwell Sheffield's household (and later becomes a ShipperOnDeck for Fran and Maxwell), the two of them confide in each other, and they love to snark about C.C.

* NoHeroToHisValet: He and Niles have an odd relationship: Niles is obviously subervient to him, but the two also grew up together and every so often relate more like brothers than master and servant. Niles is devoted to Maxwell and the family, but isn't above trolling him, criticizing him or - even in the early seasons - even refusing to do as he asks if it's a sufficiently stupid idea, and their relationship only becomes more casual over the series.

* CreepyChild: She said a lot of unsettling things especially in earlier seasons, where her therapy and subsequent extensive knowledge of psychology makes her come across as a little twisted. In the pilot, after Fran snarks about Grace saying her therapist took her back through her childhood (she's six years old at the time,) Grace turns to her and sas, "Oh, you have no idea how complicated I am." Fran later remarks that Grace has multiple personalities.

* DeathGlare: Prone to giving a terrifying glare to anyone who annoys her. Epically done during Maxell and Fran's wedding so that no one can object to their marriage.

* OpenMindedParent: She apparently has no issue with the idea of Fran being gay or attracted to women. As long as Fran gets married, that's all she cares about. She just draws the line at Val.

* ShipperOnDeck: While she ships Fran with just about any potential marriage partner, as a stereotypical JewishMother, she's particularly keen to see Fran and Maxwell get together.

* {{Flanderization}}: Was crankier and more "there" in her early appearances, with shades of DirtyOldWoman. Later jokes about her senility overtook all other aspects of her character. This might be a JustifiedTrope as a result of her getting older, and thus her mind's slowly starting to go.
* JewishMother: She and Sylvia both act as the Jewish mother/grandmother to Fran and the Sheffield children.

* ReallyGetsAround: The most sexually successful character in the show, by far. She even eventually gets to marry Music/RayCharles.

* HiddenDepths: Despite her lack of brain smarts, she's shown to have an intricate understanding of the mafia.
* KindheartedSimpleton: Helpful and good-natured but really not the brightest crayon in the box.

->'''Played by:''' Creator/SteveLawrence

->'''Played by:''' Creator/JonathanPenner

* AmbiguouslyBi: During his funeral, Fran encounters a guy who is implied to have been one of Danny's many exploited lovers. What gives him away is the fact he's wearing a tiger stripe tie, as all of Danny's female lovers are wearing tiger stripes at the funeral. [[AvertedTrope Averted]] as he explains that, while indeed gay, he never knew Danny and just crashed the funeral as a way of dealing with the loss of his own partner.

* HateSink: He is deeply hated by the main characters, especially Maxwell because of how he treated Fran.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Cares more about himself than Fran.
* {{Jerkass}}: He is a selfish, chauvinistic jerk who cheated on Fran and dumped her for Heather Biblow. You know that he is rotten when even Sylvia (who is ''obsessed'' with getting her daughter married) admits that she doesn't like the way he treats Fran and is reluctant when Fran says that he wants her back.

* MsFanservice: She's played by Creator/PamelaAnderson, this was a given. When she temporarily comes on as the Sheffield's nanny (and comes downstairs wearing a ''towel'', distracting Maxwell), C.C is actually ''relieved'' to have Fran back.

->'''Played by:''' Creator/LainieKazan.

* SmallNameBigEgo: She thinks that she is a great singing star and that her fortune came from her own hard work, except, as Fran points out, she just inherited her husband's fortune.

->'''Played by:''' Creator/SophieWard.

* UptownGirl: In her first appearance, she's engaged to a Duke but is secretly in love with her long-time chauffer Lester. While he shares her feelings, he writes off any possible romance until Fran intervenes, which leads to Jocelyn and Lester getting married...[[{{Deconstruction}} and about five years later, the two of them are divorcing because they really don't have much in common.]]

* BigSisterMentor: Acts as an older sister figure to Maggie. This is established in the Season 1 episode "The Nuchshlep", when Fran tells Maggie she's too old for a nanny. Though this raises many problems once Fran and Maxwell are married, as Fran is expected to side with Maxwell on issues about the children.

* CatchPhrase: Has a few:

* CantHoldHisLiquor: Fran is not a drinker but after she gets the idea she's about to be fired she drinks ''one'' Pink Squirrel at a friend's retirement party and ends up so wasted she can barely walk and climbs onto Maxwell's bed confusing it for her own.

* {{Hypocrite}}: A common gag is for her to criticise someone (especially the children) for something while she's doing or about to do the exact same thing, such criticising her family/friends for lacking class while doing something unclassy herself.

->'''Played by:'''Creator/CharlesShaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: He deals with this twice over. In the present day, he's always playing second fiddle to Andrew Lloyd Webber; during his school days, he always seemed to be coming in second place to Jeremy Irons.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: His father was a philanderer who had at least one secret love child, his mother was emotionally distant, and his siblings are just plain elitist jerks. Maggie traces their family tree and discovers a bunch of past scandals, including one relative who may have married his sister (which Maxwell points out was never proven). Contrast this with Fran's family, who are ''a lot'' but are still loving and supportive.

* {{Catchphrase}}: Maxwell's enraged bellow of ''"MISS FINE!"''
* CelebrityResemblance: It's a RunningGag that he is mistaken for Pierce Brosnan.

* ClingyJealousGirl: Becomes prone to jealousy Once he starts realizing his feelings for Fran. He doesn't go [[CrazyJealousGuy crazy,]], but he gets very envious and petty whenever she finds a new beau. He'll usually jump into pissing matches where he attempts to one-up the love interest, or just goes straight to insulting them.

* SheIsNotMyGirlfriend: Is quick to correct people when they assume Fran is his wife or girlfriend for most of the series.

'''CC:''' No, not yet! There I was, waiting for a zinger...and ''nothing!''

* EnemyToAllLivingThings: Animals do not like her, and vice versa. She's very neglectful or dismissive of her dog Chester -- who often growls at her, especially when in Fran's arms -- and in "The Car Show" she was able to tell, over the car phone, that Fran had hit a rabbit while driving merely by recognizing the ''sound'' alone. It's to the point that [[DidYouJustHaveSex after having sex with Niles]], she's shown singing and dancing with animals like WesternAnimation/{{Snow White|and the Seven Dwarfs}} to drive home how out of character she's become.

* AesopAmnesia: In one episode where Fran suspects her of having started her sex life, Maggie is quick to assure her that she would never take such an important step without talking to her first, leading to a beautiful highlight of the close bond she and Fran have. Cue to the sixth season, where Maggie casually comments about sleeping with her boyfriend, which completely shocks Fran - who nevertheless seems to have forgotten about Maggie's words as well.

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Beautiful and blonde, and generally kind.
* HappilyMarried: After growing into a beautiful young woman, she ends up married to handsome, Jewish, underwear-model.

* IntergenerationalFriendship: It's a plot point a few times that, even though Fran's at least a generation older than her and hired to be a caregiver, Maggie is frankly too old to have a nanny anymore (she's 14 years old at the start of the series,) and they act more like sisters or girlfriends than anything else (it becomes a problem later when Fran officially becomes her stepmother.)

* SpoiledSweet: Born into wealth and privilege. Is a very kind and sweet-natured girl.

* TookALevelInBadass: As part of her CharacterDevelopment. In early episodes, her only response to Brighton's barbs is to scream out "Shut up, Brighton!" and storm out of the room angry and/or hurt. By the end, thanks to Fran working on her self-esteem and teaching her how to stand up to him, by the end, she's able to give as good as she got and gets the better of him frequently.

* BrainyBrunette: Has brown hair and she is smart and WiseBeyondTheirYears.
* CreepyChild: Said a lot of unsettling things especially in earlier seasons, where her therapy and subsequent extensive knowledge of psychology makes her come across as a little twisted. In the pilot, after Fran snarks about Grace saying her therapist took her back through her childhood (she's six years old at the time,) Grace turns to her and sas, "Oh, you have no idea how complicated I am." Fran later remarks that Grace has multiple personalities.
* DaddysGirl: She seems to be the closest with father Maxwell and is the most disappointed when he can't spend time with them. {{Justified|Trope}} as Gracie has the most trouble remembering her mother due to her young age, and thus is more attached to her remaining parent.
* TheIngenue: Justified due to being a little girl and being barely a young teenager at the end of the series.

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Beautiful and blond, and generally kind.

* ManipulativeBastard: Even after cheating on her and betraying her, Danny prays on Fran's insecurities and desire to get married when he wants her back.

* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In an early episode, she actually takes in the entire main cast during a blizzard and keeps all of them well-fed. Later on, she's quick to snatch up any food someone else was about to sink their teeth into. Can be justified as the blizzard incident is a major crisis and the family is stranded in her house, and she's still willing to offer food to whoever's visiting her house.

* HiredHelpAsFamily: He's considered an honorary Sheffield as early as Season One, when Maxwell defends him to the Butlers' Association and says that they'd all do anything to help him and that he's essentially family now. Niles in turn clearly loves the Sheffields and treats them like his own relatives.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He can be a pretty harsh DeadpanSnarker at times, and is particularly rude to C.C Babcock. However he has always stayed true to the Sheffield's and Fran; he deeply cares for them and will always defend or protect them when they are abused, mocked, or whatever else.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: C.C. may be a heartless jerk who has a hard time making friends, but she's an exceptionally talented producer, effortlessly using her connections, superficial charm, and outright ruthlessness to secure donations. In "Val's Boyfriend," C.C. strikes out on her own after Maxwell refuses to promote her, and Max's company goes to pieces after just a few days without her around to handle the paperwork and schmoozing.

* CoolLoser: In early seasons, despite that fact that, in Fran's words, she's a "thin blonde heiress with legs up to ''here''," her crippling shyness has left her a complete and total outcast. Under Fran's tutelage, her self-esteem improves by leaps and bounds and her popularity skyrockets.

* TookALevelInJerkass: He becomes more and more disrespectful towards Maxwell, even openly insulting him and being less transparent about his attempts to eavesdrop. This is largely chocked up to his increasing frustrations over Maxwell being TheDitherer over his romance with Fran, despite Niles spending five years trying to get the romance going.