#c.c. babcock/niles

[sweetteaandpie]

it's friday night and my niles/cc headcanon wants to come out and play. i can't get these two out of my head.

i imagine they're still married 25 years later, both of them with silver hair and dressed impeccably. when they married, some of cc's upper-crustiness rubbed off on niles, but only in a superficial way. she still wears chanel, dior, givenchy, versace, and looks sharp in her skirts and pantsuits with jewellery. niles' wardrobe is more or less the same except more expensive. i imagine he is recovering from hip replacement surgery, which fran contributes to niles' inability to keep his hands off his wife. he doesn't refute this, but he does tell her that cc gives as good as she gets. fran tells him he doesn't need to paint a picture.

cc and niles are back in new york, having hated california. they moved back just before becoming parents to identical twin girls. they wrote their own joke when they came out as brunettes, and their mother had to pretend not to know where the brunette genes came from. it is niles' longest running joke and even the twins, who are now 24, occasionally like to tell people they have "mummy's hair."

the twins are quite unlike their parents and cc blames this fact on the "hippie forest school" niles insisted on sending them for their elementary education where she claims they learned to tie-dye before learning to read. cc had wanted a prep school, but niles insisted on a waldorf education. cc eventually gave in, partly because niles was very convincing with his mouth and hands, and partly because deep down, she was miserable and alone in her own educational experience. she did wish niles had found a better compromise, rolling her eyes when the parents' orientation at the twins' school provided a vegan, gluten-free (and booze-free *gasp*) spread. she threatened her husband and threw him her best glares, but he promised to do that thing she really liked in the hot tub that night, so she let it be.

the twins grew and their parents doted on them, even and especially their mother. and they absolutely adored her. they think she is so funny, even though she isn't trying to be. twin #1 is a pansexual vegan in law school who once chained herself to a tree to protest cutting down the rainforest. cc was upset that her "lesbian" daughter wouldn't let her throw a coming out party and niles had to run interference. she had pouted about it for weeks, even saying she didn't mind twin #1 was vegan. coming out parties are so passé, twin #1 claimed. niles reminded cc that twin #1 was going to law school so she could defend her mother against future lawsuits from terrified choreographers, thus saving her money. niles reminded twin #1 of the 33-hour labour her mother was in to have her and her sister...and the drugs wore off during delivery. twin #1 offered to have a low key celebration at home where her parents could celebrate their "lesbian" daughter. "pansexual, mummy!" twin #1 would exclaim exasperatedly with a shadow of a smile on her mouth.

twin #2 attended her mother's alma mater, bryn mawr, but ended up being a yoga teacher-reiki master-massage therapist-ukulele teacher. she's currently taking a herbalism course and experimenting with aquaponics. she lives in a queer collective in brooklyn, sharing a house with 7 other people. cc keeps trying to give her money, but twin #2 is adament about making her own way. she did a couple of years in the peace corps, where she picked up an interest and talent for survival skills. she met bear grylls once and it was the highlight of her year.

though cc loves her family, she still finds great pleasure in terrifying chorus boys and making choreographers cry. she has headed her own production company since returning to new york after the very brief stint in california. she has been on countless magazine covers, has done dozens of interviews, received a gracie award and a few tonys (more than maxwell), as well as is a frequent guest lecturer for NYU theatre classes, putting the fear of god in all the students. she has good instincts and brains and broadway has taken notice. when maxwell moved back to new york from california a few years after leaving, he wanted to merge his company with cc's and bring her back onboard. she said no.

niles has become a writer. since marrying the love of his life, his writing has been described by critics as truly beautiful, inspirational, and creative. he writes plays and has a column in the new york times called "are you being served?" (pun intended). a few years back, he wrote a book of poetry under a pseudonym and it was a best seller. it made the new york times' best seller list for four months straight. reviews called it "erotic," a "love story for the ages," and a "gorgeous love letter."

it was all about cc.

fran read it and told him cc was a lucky lady. he'd responded that he was the lucky one.

they still throw zingers at one another, and the twins have come to appreciate a particularly good one, but they largely stay out of it. in high school, when going through a particularly difficult phase of behavioural challenges, they experimented with throwing them at their parents. however, their parents, being pros, ate them up and spit them out, making the twins wish they hadn't even bothered.

cc is currently taking some time off to help niles do rehab for his new "magical hip."

"baby, does this make me old?" he asked her, feeling self-conscious of the walker he temporarily uses to get around due to his hip replacement surgery.

"yes, but you've been old for 40 years, so this is nothing new."

"my hip is new."

"maybe i should get something new to go with it."

"you could use a facelift," he deadpanned. "sorry. old habits."

she leaned over and gave him a loving kiss, making promises of all the things they're going to do once he's healed

that's all for tonight, but they live rent-free in my head, so there's bound to be more.

[addiemilfgomery]

nowhere in the sheffield mansion (and the limo, and walmart...oooh, and home depot) is safe if they're around.

[lucy-moderatz]

[blazing-closetof-fabrics04]

[simplifydefeat]

I’ve been meaning to write this for a long time because it’s something that keeps me thinking. So many people talk about the fashion in The Nanny, but almost no one mentions the MUSIC. I consider it a key factor in the show as it doesn't feature a lot of music in general. Sure, there are the jingles between scene changes, but I mean actual songs with lyrics. While they aren’t used often, the few times they appear are super meaningful. I recall three (there might’ve been more) but these stand out the most. And two songs are like clues for us to follow, even if indirect, that were supposed to fulfill in few another seasons into the future.

Let’s start with the most obvious one: the final episode and Barbra Streisand’s Memories. I hardly need to explain why this song was so impactful, but I will anyway. The choice of Barbra’s song is so smart as she was brought up in the show so many times as Fran’s muse and the lyrics match the storyline perfectly – it was such a thoughtful decision by the creators. The song ties everything together in the finale, closing the chapter on Fran’s journey in a such beautiful, sentimental way.

Second song is from the Kindervelt Days episode when Fran is supposed to go to a reunion with Eric Estrada, but eventually Maxwell shows up and dances with her to Two Different Worlds. It took me some time to find the exact song, but I was determined to prove my point. Here we go with the lyrics:

Two different worlds We live in two different worlds For we've been told that a love like ours Could never be

So far apart They say we're so far apart And that we haven't the right To change our destiny

When will they learn That a heart doesn't draw a line Nothing matters if I am yours And you are mine

It’s clear that the song choice wasn’t random. The song is a foreshadowing of Fran and Maxwell ending up together, even though this was only the second season. Despite the “will-they-won’t-they” tension that ran through much of the show, the writers were suggesting that Fran and Maxwell were destined to be together, not only by the actions but also by the words in the background.

The third song, most important for me as a C.C. and Niles shipper, is from The Nose Knows episode. C.C. and Niles dance to Our Love is Here to Stay. Given how MEANINGFUL the songs in this show are, I believe this one was deliberately chosen to indicate where their relationship was heading. The title alone, Our Love is Here to Stay, tells us everything we need to know. Look at the lyrics:

It's very clear Our love is here to stay; Not for a year But ever and a day

The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know May just be passing fancies And in time may go But, oh my dear Our love is here to stay Together we're going a long, long way In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble They're only made of clay But our love is here to stay

It was CLEARLY a planned moment, and for anyone who claims their relationship came out of nowhere, I think this song proves otherwise. I believe with my whole little cold heart that the writers were signaling, even if indirectly, that C.C. and Niles were always meant to end up together. Their love was supposed to be just like the lyrics say – I��ll defend that with my life.

And you know what I love most about The Nanny? How it seems to be a silly sitcom, but in reality there are so many layers to uncover if you take the time to look. I really believe the writers used these little details – like the songs – to communicate something deeper. As someone with a literary background, maybe I’m prone to analyzing things a bit more intensely than most people, but it’s so exciting to find hidden gems like these in a 90s sitcom.

Of course, people can enjoy the show without digging into the hidden meanings, but for someone like me, bounded with words both professionally and personally, I can’t help but appreciate the writers’ craft. Eighteen years after I first started watching, I’m still rediscovering new things, and that’s part of what makes the show so brilliant.

So yes, I really do think the music (which is three songs lol) is crucial to understanding the show’s emotional depth. These tiny little details make the experience so much better.

PS. Professionally speaking: this essay sucks, cause there are too many points I’m debating about and there is no sensible conclusion. Thanks for reading anyway.

[clumsycapitolunicorn]

"This one's on me."

NILES & C.C. | THE NANNY: THE NOSE KNOWS 4.15

[flashygirlfromflushing]

The Nanny (1993–1999)

[judedeluca]

Red Hood: Isn't a decade the standard period of mourning? Arsenal: Die again and let's find out.

[kimberlyshaws]

[lotusfloowers]

You are good witch or bad witch?

[sweetteaandpie]

just over here cocooned in my bed thinking about cc and niles and how cc loves to surprise him with expensive things because it's not a big deal for her. she loves seeing his surprised face as he tells her she's lost it.

and he likes to surprise her with little things that actually mean a great deal to her that she would otherwise overlook because she's always had everything handed to her.

she buys him expensive cufflinks or a watch. he has a warm bubble bath waiting for her when she gets home or surprises her with a massage. she finds little notes in her lunch.

she finds the family she never knew she needed. he finds a place for all his love and devotion to go that is finally reciprocated and appreciated.

[seariderfalcon]

[lucy-moderatz]

[charlotteshima]

I can't forget the one and only niles of course ✨ the younger ver. Of Daniel Davis It is from his theater play that i found on Pinterest

Ps. I added bonus cc and niles doodle heheh I can't help it love the two 💗🥹

[alotofconcordes]

Actually that episode that Niles skates through the kitchen in like Rockstar hockey gear the yellow and black one I always thought he seems like he's done this before ...

Source : TV Week (Australia) 12 October 1996

[adas-kx]

Oh. I just realised something I hadn't noticed.

It's about Niles' name.

Throughout the series, we had only one mention of Niles' possible family name. And that's in episode "The Butler, The Husband, The Wife and The Mother".

When Fran asks Niles what his last name is, Niles replies: "Just Niles, Like Cher".

So he's actually answering truthfully: his last name is "Niles". She never asked for his real name, because she thought "Niles" was his name. Soo, he has a point in his favour there.

Anyway, I checked on Reddit for more information about this, and came across a debate on this topic where they too came to the same conclusion.

One of the comments said (and I quote):

“I think Niles being his last name is right. In a Season 4 episode, Maxwell's father greets Niles by name and says he hasn't aged since he last saw him and Niles says "That was my father". Unless his father was Niles Sr., it would mean that Niles is the family name.”

Now. If You go to IMDb and you read the trivia of that chapter, you'll see that they tell us that Niles' full name is:

EDWARD EZEL NILES

The information comes from IMDb so it's true. So I came to the conclusion that "Niles" is the surname.

Back to my point... Niles and C.C. share the same name composition!

Chastity Claire Babcock → C.C. Babcock

Edward Ezel Niles → E.E. Niles

Such a clever thing btw. I didn't notice, but probably you did. Maybe I'll write something about this. Have a nice day ✨

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