Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)

Advantages: Hilariously Funny
Disadvantages: Sometimes Far fetched, cant think of too many disadvantages

...many hours of play for the same price as a newly released movie. I would recommend this to anyone who is or was a fan of Father Ted, the IT crowd (both from the same creative team as Black Books), Spaced, or who has a dry sense of humour. ... Read review

Advantages: Hours of entertainment
Disadvantages: You loose great chunks of your life

I loved Black Books from its first outing on TV which seemed to slip under the radar undetected by most. Simply a very witty and clever comedy performed by two of the best stand ups our time has seen supported by some rather average acting at times by Tamsin Greig (a face suited to radio, funny that, what with her being in the archers and all...) Obvious jokes in places only add to the joy of the simplicity to the humour but don't think there is ...
...to this comedy which'll keep you're hardened comedy youth as well as your mother laughing (my mum being living proof). The stories of each episode are always an interesting and diverse to say the least not that far from the journeys of our travellers Vince and Howard in the Mighty Boosh although somewhat closer to home. Those who enjoyed faulty towers will no doubt find similar enjoyment in Dylan Moran's character Bernard, the over stressed bitter ... Read review

Advantages: Its got great loveable but annoying characters
Disadvantages: Nothing

I have all the Black Books dvds although I bought them seperately for £7 each with a student discount on top of that. This has got to be my favourite tv series of all time. Even though I have seen each episode a million times, it still makes me laugh til I cry. I think the best moments are when Manny is dressed as a bookworm for the story telling, when his parents come to visit and there is the little bar under the resturant table, when manny works ...
...teachers come to hear Fran play but its really Manny inside the piano with spoons! The main characters are Bernard, Manny and Fran. Bill Bailey is my favourite comedian and he is great as Manny. All three are great comedy genius's and they play their parts so well. All of their series are based around the consumption of alcohol and they get through many a bottle of wine in every episode. I started watching this when I was in my early teens, my ... Read review

Advantages: absolutely hilarious, and some great acting!
Disadvantages: have experienced none

This collection of episodes are among the funniest I have ever seen, with comedians, Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey, they work well together as a comedy double act, with Tamsin Grieg joining as a third party to add to the fun. The Plot The story revolves around the bookshop (Black Books) where Bernard (the shopkeeper, played by Dylan Moran) has a habit of hugely disliking his customers, but all of a sudden, Manny, (played by Bill Bailey) with his ...
...by a very intoxicated Bernard. Fran, who owns the shop next door immediately likes Manny, and becomes a firm friend, much to Bernards distain! Each episode is another comedy filled day inside the four walls of the bookshop. The Characters Each of the characters have their own special habits and style of acting with the others, which gives each episode a fairly repetitive streak, however, this , in my experience, has not made them boring, or sameish, ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant writing, surreal plots. Genius moments.
Disadvantages: Tempting to watch the eps back to back until you're exhausted

Bernard Black is a very nasty man. He's rude, drunk, dirty and very very selfish. But ultimately endearing and attractive, in a byronic sort of way. Fortunately the other two characters are strong enough to offset him, turning what might have been episodes of smart-arsed posturing into a genuine ensemble piece. Fran (Tasmin Greig) is almost equally unpleasant but still possesses enough moral sense to act as Bernard's conscience. Manny (Bill Bailey) ...
...love these characters we can see why no-one else does, which makes the slightly claustrophic format work all the better. My personal opinion is that the first series, written by Dylan Moran with Graham LIneham, is the strongest of the three. An extra bonus is playing spot the celeb as this is quite an old programme and a number of today's 'stars' have tiny roles. Eg David Walliams is on screen for a matter of seconds. ... Read review

Advantages: Very funny, good cast, well-presented DVD
Disadvantages: Could do with some more extras and special features

...for the ‘Little Book of Calm’ to help him get through the day. No sooner has he crossed Bernard’s path than he find himself in trouble at work, choking on his chunky soup and absorbing the book of calm into his body. In his newly beatific state, Manny attempts to bring soothing platitudes to random strangers, resulting in a confrontation with Millwall fans outside the pub opposite ‘Black Books’ – and so the circle is complete. Before you know it, Manny is working in the bookshop, the ‘happy couple’ have a new addition to their dysfunctional family and you have six episodes of slightly surreal situation comedy to enjoy. Accounting problems, fine wine, a new security system, and a boxed set of ‘The Sweeney’ might not seem the most auspicious basis for a comedy series, but the sharp writing... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: The funniest thing I've seen in ages
Disadvantages: May cause alcoholism and bad manners in the impressionable youngster

...a megaphone-enhanced, raucous, Irish-accented yell: "Right, the shop is closed, everybody GET OUT! Go on, out, out?" and the proprietor chases you from his store with the whack of a broom. Such is an everyday occurrence in the eponymous Black Books, the bookstore run by Bernard Black (Dylan Moran). Bernard is an alcoholic, a chainsmoker, and a an unruly, abrasive misanthrope who divides his time between reading, verbally abusing customers and having lunch (ie: bottles and bottles of wine) with Fran (Tamsin Greig), his oldest friend who runs the gift shop next door. This first series of the comedy brings Manny (Bill Bailey), a bearded, childlike former accountant, into Bernard's world when he employs him in the shop, and charts the crackpot antics of the trio over six episodes. Originally shown on Channel Four, I only really got into this... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Hilarious!! different!
Disadvantages: Only 3 Series!

...Introduction ************** Black Books is a British sitcom which was broadcast on Channel 4 and has now been released as a complete box set. The series is set in ?Black Books?, a small independent, second hand book shop in the Bloomsbury area of central London. The shop is owned by Bernard Black (Dyland Moran), an eccentric, foul-mouthed, Irish drunkard. The show is based around the lives and antics of Bernard Black, his assistant Manny (Bill Bailey), and their friend Fran (Tamsin Greig). Each series consists of 6 episodes and there are 3 series in total. Characters ************ Bernard Black played by Dylan Moran Manny Bianco played by Bill Bailey Fran Katzenjammer played by Tamsin Greig These are the main characters throughout all 3 Series. Plot ***** - Series 1 (2000) **Episode 1 ?Cooking The Books... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful