The Nanny (1993–1999): Season 4, Episode 19 - Fran's Roots - full transcript

Darling, I don't care what you say,
these rice cakes taste like cork.

That's a coaster, Ma.

Here's the rice cake.

Will you stop hawking me?

The doctor told me
my cholesterol was perfect.

Stop it. Stop that.

You can't keep eating fat like this,

or you're not gonna live long enough
to dance at my wedding.

I'll take my chances.

You see how mean I get when I don't eat?

-Well, goodbye, sweetheart.
-Bye, Ma.



Not so fast.

-What? You wanna hug?
-No, kisses.

-Hello.
-Yes, I'm looking for Ms. Fran Fine.

This is Fran Fine.

You have no idea how happy I am
to hear your voice.

You know, if I had a nickel
for every time I heard that,

I'd have a nickel.

Maybe I should just be direct.

My name is Lila Baker.

Ms. Fine,

there's a possibility that
there was a mix-up in the hospital

and I may be your birth mother.

What? That's ridiculous.

I mean, you obviously have
the wrong Fran Fine.



Although who else but a mother
could be so happy to hear this voice?

She was working in a bridal shop
In Flushing, Queens

'Til her boyfriend kicked her out
In one of those crushing scenes

What was she to do, where was she to go?
She was out on her fanny

So, over the bridge from Flushing
To the Sheffields' door

She was there to sell makeup
But the father saw more

She had style, she had flair
She was there

That's how she became the Nanny

Who would have guessed
That the girl we described

Was just exactly
What the doctor prescribed?

-Now the father finds her beguiling
-Watch out, C.C.

-And the kids are actually smiling
-Such joie de vivre!

She's the lady in red
When everybody else is wearing tan

The flashy girl from Flushing
The Nanny named Fran

So, C.C., how is everything going
in Los Angeles?

Fabulous, Maxwell.

I have a friend at CBS
who wants to buy our show

and turn it into a TV series.

Back up, you have a friend?

So, C.C., you do realize
if we sell this idea,

you're gonna have to live out there.

What?
No comment from the Quicker Picker Upper?

No. He's outside.
I don't think he heard you.

Mr. Sheffield, I'm so freaked out.

A woman just called and told me
that Ma may not be my real mother.

So, are we happy or sad?

We're thinking.

Ma, look at you. You're being so good.
I'm so proud of you.

Well, I'm trying.

Now, I know why I breast-fed
for two years.

I was sucking Yoo-Hoo.

You know, Ma if you continue
to eat this way,

you are going to kill yourself.

You know, I get so little pleasure
in life.

It's not like you've given me
a wedding to plan

-or grandchildren or a--
-Have some whipped cream.

Thank you.

Ma, when I was born, who did I look like?

Dick Van Patten.

And when we were in the hospital,

-were you with me every second?
-I never let you out of my sight.

Not even to go out and steal
some rice pudding or Jell-O

-or a--
-What are you, the hospital security?

So I took a cobbler
that didn't belong to me.

The woman was catatonic.

So, you did leave me.

Maybe we're not related.

And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude

And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude

And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude

Uncompromisin', enterprisin'
Anything but traquilizin'

Right on, Maude!

Nadine, Francine, come on in.
I made gadempte meatballs mit noodles.

Why do you have to scream?
We're right here.

Who's screaming?

Morty!

Ma, you sound so obnoxious.

I can't believe you're my mother.

Well, believe it.

Meet my hips, Nadine and Francine.

Who's she blaming for her tush,
cousin Scooter Pie?

I'm just so honored that
Totie Fields came for supper.

Maybe you're not her real daughter.

Did you ever wonder why
you have black hair and we have blonde?

That's because Francine looks like Daddy.

See?

Now, less talk and more eat.

After supper we're gonna go buy
your Halloween costumes.

I thought you'd go as a bride.

I don't wanna go as a bride.
I wanna go as a career woman.

A career woman?

Whose child are you?

That's it, young lady.
No more That Girl for you.

Ma, I have something very important
I need to tell you.

Let me switch to a softer food
so I could hear you.

Ma, a woman called me this morning
and said

that because of a hospital mix-up
years ago,

it's possible that she's my real mother.

Oh, my God!

What kind of a crackpot
would make up a thing like that?

She's trying to extort something
probably from me and your father.

Like what, Ma?

Your toaster oven with the burnt cheese
on the heating coil?

Ma...

I invited this woman over
to the house tomorrow.

I just need to know.

Fran, you are my daughter.

I remember every detail of your birth
like it was yesterday.

I remember I ordered two eggs over easy.

It came scrambled,
but I'm not a complainer.

Then I'm thinking, what is so delicious?
And I find bacon bits in it.

I had to push it away.
It was Rosh Hashanah.

I was born on a Jewish holiday?

Oh, my God, then there really
could have been a mix-up.

I mean, what were there, like,
two doctors left in that hospital?

Your cheeks were so rosy
when you were a baby.

-Were you wearing blush?
-No. I was making.

C.C., just tell them the deal is off.

I want you to get yourself on a plane
and come home.

Are you stark raving mad, sir?
Sell that shlock.

I'd like to know why they were interested

in my play in the first place
if they wanna change everything.

You'll drive yourself crazy
asking questions like that.

Just tell them, show me the money!

I'll call her back in the car.

Now, come on, everyone,
we're gonna miss the movies.

-Bye, Fran.
-Bye, kids. Have fun.

There we are, Ms. Fine.

This way you can meet
your new mother in private.

Don't call me Ms. Fine.
That may not be my name.

I may be a completely different person.
I may not even talk like this.

Come here. Come on.

I'm sure everything
is gonna turn out just fine.

Well, well, well.
I'm getting a different mother,

and suddenly he can't keep
his hands off me.

Coincidence?

I think not.

Oh, my God.

Fran?

Ma?

-Look at us. You can't be my mother.
-Why not?

Your children look nothing like you.

Those aren't my children.
I'm not even married.

You're not?
Honey, what are you waiting for?

Sit down, Ma.

So I'm guessing that my father
was probably a honky?

Well, actually when we first met,
I thought he was black.

But then two weeks after
we left Miami, he faded.

Miami.

So, then I'm still Jewish.

Absolutely.

You know, actually Fran,
we wouldn't be sitting here together

if it weren't for Morley Safer.

Morley Safer's my father?

No. No. No.

Sixty Minutes did an exposé
on this nurse at Midtown General.

She confessed that she had mixed up
some birth records

right around the time
both of you were born.

How could that happen?

She said she dropped them
while she was chasing

some maternity patient
who was stealing food.

So anyway, my daughter got tested
and found out that it was true.

There is no way that
we are genetically related.

We were devastated when we found out
I wasn't her real mother.

Wait until she finds out
who her real mommy might be.

Listen, Fran, you know what?

I would love for you to come
to dinner tomorrow night

and meet the rest of the family.
I have two grown sons.

All right, I got brothers.

That's right. By my second husband.
He's African-American.

So, I got brothers.

So, you're telling me that you're black?

And beautiful.

Well, you're finally home.

Ms. Babcock called,

and it looks as if she won't be moving
to California.

CBS decided not to do your play.

-Why?
-Because they saw it.

So, now I bet they make me pitch
a hundred lame ideas

just to keep me to that bloody contract.

Do you mean there's still a chance
to keep C.C. selling shoddy shows

by the seashore?

You get in your office, man,
and come up with a fresh idea.

If I had a fresh idea, I wouldn't be
trying to sell this crap on Broadway.

What about the story
of the nice Jewish girl from Flushing

who discovers that her mother
is an African-American?

Excuse me, but this happens
to be a highly personal,

very private story.

-You'll get a royalty.
-That just screams movie of the week.

You want a nosh?
I just made a peanut butter sandwich.

Courtesy of my mishpachah,
George Washington Carver.

I just came by to tell you,
you're killing me!

Want it cut in half or in the diagonal?

You're just gonna let her walk out
like that? Diagonal.

She's waiting right outside the door,

just waiting for me to come around
and beg her to come in.

Big shot knows everything.

I just wanted you to know

that after you gave me
the bad news yesterday,

my whole body broke out
in blotches all over.

-Look.
-Please, no.

Let's keep those hatches battened down.
Shall we?

Ma, calm down, you're very upset.

You want some pudding?

Why do people think
I only respond to food?

My heart is breaking!

Sylvia, you're here, perfect.
Ms. Babcock faxed over this contract.

We're doing a movie about your daughter
and her two mothers.

We'll need your John Hancock right here.

Niles, can't you see Sylvia is distraught?
My God, the woman turned down pudding.

When did I turn it down?

What?

-Can I see your license please?
-Officer, I was not speeding.

Yeah, I'm citing you
for reckless driving, lady.

What reckless?
I was just putting on mascara

and brushing my hair.

What were you holding the wheel with?

Driver's license, please.

You know, it is just so obvious
why you stopped me.

Yeah? And why is that, Ms. Fine?

It's because I'm black.

Hi.

What a palace. I forgot something.

-What?
-My luggage.

-Fran, I'm so delighted to see you.
-Hi, Ma.

Ma, I just love what you've done
with our home.

We had it all redone in neo-classic.

We had ours all recovered in neo-plastic.

-I'd like for you to meet my son.
-Hi.

-How do you do? I'm David.
-Hi.

Hello. I'm Mark.

Why so formal? I'm your sister.
Come here and give me a hug.

You know, I haven't seen you guys in...

Well, ever.

Shall we have hors d'oeuvres in the salon?

Your salon!

Why didn't Morley Safer
do that story 20 years ago?

-So tell me, boys, what do you do?
-I'm a resident at New York Hospital.

I'm in NYU Law School.

And I'm a nanny. Look at this, Ma.
Three professionals.

Boy, ambition like that,
it's in the blood.

-Raisin kugel.
-It was your grandmother's recipe.

Man, her potato latkes were the bomb.

-Where is she?
-Ma?

I can keep silent no more.
Fran is my daughter.

I nursed her through measles,
chicken pox, her first zits,

and no one will ever
take her away from me.

You're black?

How the hell can she be your mother?

Well, her first husband was Jewish.

Well, that explains the kugel I smell,
which no one has offered me.

Why are you pursuing this?
I am your mother,

and nothing that this woman will ever say
will ever convince me that I am not.

Would you two like a little privacy?
We have a guest house.

You hear that?
Your mother has a guest house.

Does your butler service
the guest house too?

Ma.

-What?
-What?

Well, that was the hospital
with the results of Fran's blood test.

Yeah?

Mom, I'm really sorry,
but your DNA doesn't match.

Fran's not your daughter.

-I'm so disappointed.
-I feel like I've known you my whole life.

You know, you will always be my friend.

Doctors make mistakes.
We'll get a second opinion.

Ma, you're embarrassing me.

Will you stop calling me Ma?

Knock it off, you're my mother.

If I can accept it,
who's the bigger sport here?

-Good.
-Good.

You know, I can't believe
I came this close

to having a gorgeous mansion with a butler

and a loving family of my own.

Ms. Fine, you have all that here.

Here's what I'm talking about.

C.C., at last, there you are.
What on earth kept you?

Well, the plane landed in Chicago,
Bucksnort, Tennessee,

and I don't know, Hooterville.

What hack travel agent booked that flight?

I'm Niles, fly me.

Fran, is your mother mad at us?

She hasn't called, she hasn't come over.
There are leftovers.

Honey, I think that the whole mix-up
really got to her.

She hasn't answered any of my calls.
Maybe she just needs a little space.

Sylvia, dear, you don't understand.

You see, even if Fran were my daughter,

you and I are not related.

Fine, I know when I'm not wanted.

And I'm not one to push.

Morty, wake up Yetta
and get out of the pool.

Hey, I grew up pretty good.

I got myself a mansion, kids,
a gorgeous husband.

You're the nanny, baby.