Black Books

Bernard Black runs a small bookstore that somehow survives despite Bernard's non-existent customer service skills and ethos. He hires Manny as an employee. Fran runs the shop next door, selling knick-knacks people don't need. Between the three of them many adventures ensue.

An hysterically funny series, written by and starring Dylan Moran. Wonderfully funny, imaginative and absurdist with some clever plots and biting dialogue. The banter and put-downs are off-the-charts brilliant.

Excellent work by Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey and Tamsin Greig as Bernard, Manny and Fran, respectively. Good chemistry between the three of them - they make a great team.

The show seemed to get better and better as it went on with Season 3 being insanely funny. It's as if Moran loosened up more and more as the show went on, allowing the jokes to feel less forced. A pity then that it ended after just three seasons and 18 episodes.

I see I'm the first American to write a review of this show, so I'll try to do a good job at representing my country. Quite simply, Black Books is the funniest show I've seen in years, if not the funniest I've ever seen. When I heard Bernard spout the line above to a group of skinheads outside his bookshop, I laughed so hard that I missed the rest of the scene. Thanks to Comedy Central for airing the first series of this show (and the second coming up in August), for I would probably have never seen it if they had not. Most British sitcoms (Britcoms?) I've seen have been funny, but I usually forget about them rather quick (probably due to the cultural differences) but Black Books stuck with me so much that I was forced to buy a bootleg VHS of the first series. Luckily, the tapes included the outtakes and running commentary for each episode on a separate tape so I wouldn't have to buy a region-free DVD player to see them (which I probably would have done!). I fear that I'm rambling now, so I'll just conclude by saying that if you have not seen this great series, then see it!

Bernard Black runs his own bookshop even though he doesn't much like people who buy books and hates having customers. Next door to Bernard's shop is the Nifty Gifty gift shop run by Fran, probably Bernard's only friend in the world. When Bernard's accountant goes on the run Bernard employs stress victim, Manny to help in his shop. This leads to a series of surreal adventures around the shop.

This series (soon to return for a second series!) was poorly promoted by channel 4 (usually so good at getting great little comedies recognised - Spaced, Father Ted etc), and didn't get seen by anywhere near the audience it deserved. The storylines are always pretty wild - Manny absorbing the Little Book of Calm into his system in the first show - and never set in reality, ever. However they are never stupid because they are so wildly funny! The surreal adventures of Bernard and Manny are excellent - full of movie references, full of great dialogue and surreal action. As a sitcom it just sparkles with ideas, energy and imagination - for the first showing Ch 4 had it following Friends and it totally showed Friends up to be mass-produced, thoughtless entertainment. Sure, BB doesn't have the gloss of Friends and can feel a bit rough round the edges but you can't beat the fact that it feels fresh and new compared to all that gloss.

The chemistry between Bernard and Manny is great - even if their dialogue is mad at times. Bill Bailey is very funny doing stand-up and here he is really suited to Manny. Moran as Bernard is also great as the abusive drunk Irishman and is just so manically funny - not manic like Phoebe in Friends but manic like Jack in Father Ted. Tamsin Greig is also good as Fran, despite being a smaller character.

Overall this is a flagship for all that is good about channel 4 comedies - British, clever, imaginative, daring and very funny. Well done channel 4!

I totally disagree with the other review. Black Books couldn't be funnier. It's one of a kind that takes on board other people's sense of humour, instead of sticking to the same dull and predictable jokes of programmes like Friends and Will & Grace. To say that it tries too hard to be funny, is unfeasible! Some of its most clever jokes almost go unnoticed, and without the aid of canned laughter! Whilst I am a fan of both, when I saw Black Books, I loved it! It's easy to empathise with the pessimistic Bernard, particularly if you're a similar type of person and to sympathies with the gradually stupider Manny. Everyone knows a Bernard or a Manny in their lives, which makes Black Books hilarious! Watch it!

That's just one of the many classically surreal lines from the brilliant "Black Books". In fact, there are so many more that practically every other line is another bizarre comment that'll have you giggling into your dry white wine (as long as it's not Chardonnay). From the first episode of the first series (Bernard mincing up to a bunch of thuggish looking Millwall supporters and asking "Which one of you bitches wants to dance?") to the last episode of the second series (a restaurant where they have no vegetables and all the meat dishes are served up complete with little tombstones), "Black Books" deals in the sort of off-kilter humour that frequently defies any kind of logic and always manages to be unfailingly hilarious.

If you can, get hold of the DVD of the first series. Apart from the wonderful out-takes, there's also a running commentary from all three of the excellent actors involved. Their insights into the series will make you appreciate this unique show all the more.