“Eight Crazy Nights,” a celebration of Hanukkah-themed episodes, continues.
Night No. 7: December 16, 1998, when CBS aired “The Nanny” episode “The Hanukkah Story,” which opens with Fran explaining that Jewish holidays begin at sundown “because God realized that before 5, to wear sequins is gauche.”
In a flashback, a bored Fran (Jamie Renee Smith) asks her mother Sylvia (Drescher) why Hanukkah has no parades. Says Sylvia: “After all that walking we did in the desert, we like to sit on the holidays!”
Fran’s husband Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) is driving home through a blizzard when his car gets stuck.
Several frantic hours later, he returns, explaining his car’s gas lasted eight hours – long enough for the police to rescue him.
“That’s like Hanukkah!” Fran exclaims. “The oil lasted for eight days!”
The crisis over, Sylvia (Renee Taylor) announces she’s going home.
Fran rejoices: “Another miracle!”
See for yourself: “The Hanukkah Story” isn’t (legally) online or on video. “Eight Crazy Nights” will conclude tomorrow.
On TV
Here’s the prime-time lineup for Wednesday, December 16, 1998:
8: “Dharma & Greg” (ABC), “The Nanny” (CBS), “Beverly Hills 90210” (Fox), “Dateline NBC,” “Seven Days” (UPN), “Dawson’s Creek” (WB)
8:30: “Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place” (ABC), “Maggie Winters” (CBS)
9: “The Drew Carey Show” (ABC), “To Have & To Hold” (CBS), “Party of Five” (Fox), “3rd Rock From the Sun” (NBC), “Star Trek: Voyager” (UPN), “Charmed” (WB)
9:30: “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (ABC), “Encore! Encore!” (NBC)
10: “20/20” (ABC), “Chicago Hope” (CBS), “Law & Order” (NBC)
The Record
For the week of December 13, 1998:
Top novel: “A Man in Full” by Tom Wolfe
Top song: “I’m Your Angel” by R. Kelly and Celine Dion
Top movie: “Star Trek: Insurrection”
Top TV show: “ER” (NBC)
In the news: Impeachment neared
Captions: In “The Hanukkah Story,” a young Sylvia (Fran Drescher) fills a menorah and explains the holiday’s meaning to her bored daughter Fran, who’ll grow up to become “The Nanny.”


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