The Farmer's Daughter was a 1963–66 ABC sitcom loosely based on the 1947 film of the same name.
Katy Holstrum (Inger Stevens) was a young Swedish immigrant who worked as a governess for widowed U.S. congressman Glen Morley (William Windom) and his two sons. Much of the plot revolved around the Will They or Won't They? love story of Katy and Glen, and the series also functioned as an early Magical Nanny sitcom. Unlike the original movie, Katy never runs for office in the series.
The series provides examples of:
- Farmer's Daughter: Guess who. This being a '60s rom-com, Katy is more wholesome and refined than most examples. Of course, she fled to Washington because she hated being this trope.
- Girl of the Week: On both ends. Katy has to put up with a Rich Bitch or two for Glen. She doesn't do too bad herself. Apparently, both a sultan and a prince show interest in her!
- Gratuitous Foreign Language: For starters, Katy always uses "ja" instead of "yes," even when otherwise speaking English.
- Magical Nanny: Katy
- Marry the Nanny: Katy and Glen tie the knot in Season 3's "To Have and to Hold".
- You Keep Using That Word: Katy officially works as a "governess." As both boys attend school, in practice, Katy acts more like a housekeeper, even doing errands for Glen. One wonders if the show runners were aiming for a "governor and governess" pun.
