We all know there was something there, because when Cece was away it drove Niles crazy, and he pretended she annoyed him, when all the time he was insanely in love with her. Cece always aroused by comebacks, and sarcasm, really didn't have any successful relationships, had to know they were perfect for eachother.

[at the casino] Niles to Cece upon winning a poker game, "Are you a good witch or a bad witch??"

He always sent her on those wild goose chases to get Max, and I think it was a deterant because all the time he wanted her bad.

We all know there was something there, because when Cece was away it drove Niles crazy, and he pretended she annoyed him, when all the time he was insanely in love with her. Cece always aroused by comebacks, and sarcasm, really didn't have any successful relationships, had to know they were perfect for each other.

[at the casino] Niles to Cece upon winning a poker game, "Are you a good witch or a bad witch??"

He always sent her on those wild goose chases to get Max, and I think it was a deterant because all the time he wanted her bad.

Niles was very much Fran's ally as far as the competition over who would marry Max went...but that could have been part of secretly wanting CC for himself.

The premise of a man and a woman sparring a lot yet being attracted to each other is not limited to The Nanny of course. Tvtropes (do you know that site?) calls it "Belligerent Sexual Tension," or "Slap-slap-kiss." There are other famous examples - perhaps the most famous being Shakespeare's Benedick and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. I can hardly believe there isn't more out there comparing Niles and CC to them, actually.

Interestingly, in the early episodes of the 90s Lois and Clark show, there was a fair bit of sparring, with Lois afraid to be attracted to Clark and/or resenting having to work as a team with the new guy.

But I think Niles' making fun of CC's looks or weight crosses a line, somehow. It's just...really bad to do that to a woman you are involved with, or want to be. If there is a real relationship, it's considered abusive. And it's hard to believe the woman (CC) could just brush aside that he said all those things, once they were together.

I've just read a few Niles/CC fanfics, and some play with the idea that it was "going on" longer than the show admits...in other words, Niles and CC had something going for at least some of the years when they were still acting like they hated each other.That's a bit of stretch, but it's not the worst stretch you'll ever see in fanfic. (The pretending may have been because of the "class" thing, or because CC treated it like "friends with benefits" and Niles was frustrated by that.)

Some of Niles' jabs are about CC "not getting any" but others imply she well, does it a lot. (Like the "loves to be taken in the library") line.) As if he knew that?

Also, Niles makes fun of how old CC is, and in The Dummy Twins says Fran is half CC's age. Now, that could be an exaggeration, but if she's as old as he implies, she would be past getting pregnant.

I so agree with you that the Niles/CC romance is weird, considerng how Niles treated her before he admitted his true feelings for her. Then agan, CC seemed to be a bit cooky herself.

Doesn't it also seem, though, like, by the end of the series, Niles and CC are...how can I say this...even more passionate...than Fran and Max?

We see Niles carrying "toppings" up to his room. We hear about them going at it in not-very-private places...and frequently...and CC sighs over how good it is.

For all the physical attraction between Fran and Max, and as much as he seemed to be...looking forward to the honeymoon...during the episodes leading up to the wedding - doesn't it seem like Max and Fran's personality differences always got in the way of enjoying each other? Remember, how, the second they were home in their bedroom, Max interrupted the romantic stuff to chide Fran for being too loud? Not that I don't understand why that would bother someone, but it makes me wonder if he's still...inhibited in other ways...and it seems like Niles and CC are WAY less inhibited...maybe not enough so.