Nanny et le professeur

This show was a mid-season replacement in January of 1970 (15 episodes), picked up in the fall of 1970 for a complete run thru March 1971 (24 episodes) and picked up again in the fall of 1971 where it ran until December (15 episodes).

During those three seasons ABC had another wholesome entry in the magic sitcom genre (that already included Bewitched and The Flying Nun) this time inspired by the success of Mary Poppins whereas we find a magical nanny (think ESP to the max power) who comes to help a widower raise his children. Whereas shows like Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie frequently played on the romantic relationship or sexual tension between the two leads (there was even some sexual tension between The Flying Nun's novice nun Sister Bertrille and playboy Carlos Ramirez!), Nanny and the Professor had virtually no character development and the plots began to repeat themselves. Wheras Mary Poppins had a mother in the household the TV show wisely dealt with a father only. While this left the door open for romantic involvement and possible marriage (think Eight Is Enough), this simply was not to be.

Charming as the characters were, they just didn't grow as a family. Bewitched kept interest over the years first by watching the newlywed couple cope with their differences, having their first child, and eventually raising two children.. I Dream of Jeannie moved from sexual tension to engagement to marriage. The big dilemma that was built into Nanny was that the show had two young attractive adults living together under the same roof with young impressionable children. Any sign of sexual tension would have been taboo in 1970 (Jeannie at least lived in a bottle) so they kept the character of Phoebe "Nanny" Figalilly uninterested in Professor Harold Everett and kept a goofy look on the Professor as he got ready with dates uninvolved with the show or his character.

The show eventually played to its only audience that could care less in the social aspects of the plot, young children, when it finished off it's run as a Saturday morning TV cartoon in 1972 (original cast members providing the voices). When shows got canceled in those days that's where they went, funny as it may seem now. From Gilligan's Island to Welcome Back Kotter from Happy Days to Punky Brewster and even TV favorites Mr. T and Gary Coleman animation was the ghostly graveyard of sitcoms.

ESP Note: Juliet Mills wasn't the only actress from this show to play a role where the character has ESP. Six-year-old Kim Richards who played the young Prudence Everett had a long run in television as a child actress but is best known as Tia, the girl with ESP, in Disney's Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) and Return to Witch Mountain (1978). She also played a young woman with ESP in her self-produced film Escape (1990).

Unlike most sitcoms of the period, Nanny and the Professor holds up remarkably well, thanks to intelligent writing and an extremely talented cast. This is true family viewing - Something the kids will enjoy and the parents can get a nod and a wink in as well. The story lines are a bit predictable, and there's always a happy ending, but along the way there are often a few twists and surprises you didn't see coming.

The creators of the show very wisely chose to not add a romance between the title characters. They foresaw the inevitable shark jump that would lead to. Likewise, they never explained Nanny or her powers. They didn't even confirm that her powers existed. Instead they provided plausible alternative explanations for most of what Nanny did. But not always. The result is charming.

This is one of those "lost" shows that never airs anymore, but fortunately there are several "gray market" vendors selling mostly-complete collections of the series. If you have fond childhood memories of the show, or children to share it with, it is well worth the purchase.

In the background of this show is a romance that can never take place. The adults have no choice but to stick to their assigned roles. This show takes advantage of the popularity of "Mary Poppins". The "nanny" seems to have certain powers over those of the mere mortal. Always subtle, never garish, her 'powers' aid in her care of the widowed professor's children.

A nice little show, especially for the younger set. I, on the other hand, have always admired Juliet Mills. She is wonderful in the part and has charmed me completely in whatever she does.

Return with me, if you will, to Friday night in the fall of 1970...I was 4 years old and remember this show with fond memories. I recall that this was sandwiched between "The Brady Bunch" and "The Partridge Family" on ABC. Many years passed and then in the mid '90s, it reappeared on the FX cable station. Luckily, I recorded some of the episodes and still have them. When I've mentioned this show in the past, my friends didn't recall it. I always remembered Juliet Mills and how I wished I had someone like her in our home. She wasn't a witch, but possessed psychic ability and always had a sweet disposition that was irresistible. I also remember Waldo, the family sheepdog and the rooster, Sebastian. I wish this would get released on DVD for those of us who want a reminder of a simpler time when television was clean and wholesome.

I liked this show as a variation of the popular "magic" sitcoms. Nanny never performed outlandish or obvious feats of prestidigitation, but it was obvious that paranormal things happened around her. The most common was Nanny saying "I'll get it," BEFORE the telephone or doorbell rang. In fact, it was never completely clear to the family that she had any powers, a la Gladys Kravitz on "Bewitched," for lack of a better comparison. As the theme song goes "Since the day that Nanny came to stay with us, fantastic things have been happening. Is there really magic in the things she does, or is love the only magic thing that Nanny brings?"

Once it was hinted that although she appeared to be a young woman (20s to 30s) she may have been hundreds of years old. However, this as most things about her background, were never resolved. This was a clear ripoff from the first season of Bewitched. The show had a cute simple animated opening and memorable theme song, as was de rigeur for the decade's magic sitcoms, and of course the 1990s unrelated Fran Drescher vehicle "The Nanny."

I also loved the family's big shaggy dog. I haven't seen this since the reruns in the late 1970s, except for the premiere which was shown once on TV Land around 2000, so I won't comment on the overall writing and production quality. I just remember enjoying it as a kid, and was upset that it was only rerun for a short time.