Advantages: Well writing chaos comedy Disadvantages: Sometimes a little too predicatble
If you haven't seen Black Books before, then you should definately get this box set, make sure you have a few hours to spare and stock up on the red wine to join the fun and drinking of Bernand Black (Dylan Moran), Manny (Bill Bailey) and Fran (Tamsin Greig).
These 3 make up the main cast for the show, but throughout all the series there are appearnces from David Walliams, Nick Frost & Simon Pegg just to name a few.
Bernand (Dylan Moran) is a sarcastic, ... ...Bernard owns the book shop, Black Books, which is any wonder is still open as they rarely seem to sell any books. Rudeness and abuse is just some of the things Bernard treats his customers to. During the third series however, you do find a reason for some of Bernards unhapiness.
In the 1st series, Bernard finds a new assistant, Manny (Bill Bailey), who their shop neighbour Fran (Tamsin Grieg) has to fight with Bernanrd for Manny to be hired.
MKanny ...
paulgood529 04.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of 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. ...
purplesky283 21.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
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 ...
daimeydum 18.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
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 ...
mizzy2 05.12.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
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, ...
jessicadem 30.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
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. ...
southpause 05.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: One of the best British comedies of the decade. Disadvantages: Theres only three series
...Starring Dylan Moran as Bernard Black , owner of a small bookshop, and Bill Bailey as Manny, his trusty assistant. Its a similar sort of comedy to Father Ted, and the first series was written by same writer, Graham Lineham. The characters are strong, and the gags are plenty. This series has me laughing out loud so much. Each episode sees the duo having one funny scenario after another, with Bernard Blacks drinking leading to plenty of jokes, and ...
donnywhite82 30.04.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
Advantages: Hilariously funny and unforgettable Disadvantages: None
I purchased this box set after watching the series on TV. It is orignal, witty and hilariously funny and seems to have been written by someone who has direct knowledge of running a bookshop. My parents owned a bookshop before their retirement and many of the situations in this show struck a chord. My mother often felt the need to chase out the customers with a broom although thankfully never gave into the urge, My step father was once astonished ... ...cookery book off the shelf and remove a pad and pen from her bag. She proceeded to stand in front of my poor speechless stepfather and copy out a receipe only to replace the book when she had finished and leave the shop. The phrase from the show "time wasting bstds" definitely rang some bells here.
I think the show is set on the outskirts of London and features Dylan Moran as Bernard Black, a drunken, rude, social misfit who owns a bookshop (Black ...
Heather220960 23.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Black Books - The Complete Series 1-3 (Box Set) (DVD)
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One of the few genuinely outstanding British comedy shows of the past decade,Black ... more
Booksunites excellent comedic performances, very funny scripts, and plenty of rewatch value. The concept is simple enough. Bernard (expertly played by Dylan Moran) runs ...
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One of the few genuinely outstanding British comedy shows of the past decade,Black ... more
Booksunites excellent comedic performances, very funny scripts, and plenty of rewatch value. The concept is simple enough. Bernard (expertly played by Dylan Moran) runs ...
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All three series of the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed comedy from Channel ... more
4, Black Books.Black Books centres around the foul tempered and wildly eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black (Dylan Moran). Bernard's devotion to the twin pleasur...
From Graham Linehan co-writer of Father Ted comes a new cult comedy set in a second hand ... more
bookshop. Dylan Moran stars as the bohemian and frequently drunk owner who has one major problem with his line of work: he hates customers. Help is soon at han...
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