Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-08-14
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 426 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review

One of the few genuinely outstanding British comedy shows of the past decade, Black Books unites excellent comedic performances, very funny scripts, and plenty of rewatch value. The concept is simple enough. Bernard (expertly played by Dylan Moran) runs a bookshop. The only problems are he can't stand people, hates customers, and would far prefer to be barking out cutting remarks and drinking wine. Still, it's after drinking much of the aforementioned wine that he offers Manny (Bill Bailey, again in terrific form) a job. Manny accepts, and finds his daily life involves taking abuse from Bernard, while remaining strangely and resolutely upbeat. Fran (Tamsin Greig) meanwhile also likes her wine, and finds herself stuck between the two of them, with a few odd encounters of her own thrown in too.

So far nothing particularly out of the ordinary, right? Well, mix in some of the creative force behind Father Ted, combine those aforementioned performances, and simmer to the point where episode after episode garners a cocktail of sniggers and belly laughs, and you have something really rather special. Like many of the best shows, the curtain has come down on Black Books after only three series. But the long-lasting legacy are episodes that are set to be enjoyed for a long, long time to come. --Simon Brew

DVD Description

From Graham Linehan, co-writer of 'Father Ted', comes Black Books--a new cult comedy set in a second hand 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 hand, however, in the form of mild-mannered Manny (Bill Bailey), who proves to be something of a star at selling books, and Fran (Tamsin Greig), who owns the shop next door...

Series 1 episodes: 1. Cooking The Books 2. Manny First Day 3.The Grapes Of Wrath 4. The Blackout 5. The Big Lock-Out 6. He's Leaving Home

Series 2 episodes: 1. The Entertainer 2. Fever 3. The Fixer 4. Blood 5. Hello Sun 6. Nice Change

Series 3 espisodes: 1. Manny Come Home 2. Elephants And Hens 3. Moo-ma And Moo-pa 4. A Little Flutter 5. The Travel Writer 6. Party

Synopsis

The Black Books - Complete Box Set DVD contains every episode from the first three series of Black Books--an hilarious series which follows the adventures of bookshop owner Bernard (Dylan Moran), his assistant Manny (Bill Bailey), and Fran (Tamsin Greig) who works in a new age shop next door. In this entertaining and surreal comedy, Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey make a great double act, delivering the tightly written script (by Moran and Father Ted, co-writer Graham Linehan) with consummate ease. Meanwhile, in the role of Fran, Tamsin Greig does an admirable job of diffusing the tensions which arise between Bernard and Manny.

Customer Reviews

Underrated brilliance
One of my most favourite sitcoms of all time. Perfect performances, biting and surreal writing, daftness and cleverness in equal measure, great cameos from quality actors like Simon Pegg and Annette Crosbie: an absolute gem of a TV show.

Rarely do the scenes venture away from the squalor of Bernard Black's bookshop, but they don't need to. The three main characters' foibles perfectly balance each of the comic scenarios. God I wish I had written this!

How Can This Not Be Funny ?!!
One reviewer gave this series just 1 * & seemed almost regretting having to do that ! Quite where that reviewers humour lies I really cannot guess. When so much that passes for "humour",either from the UK or the USA,is utter dross with shallow,vacuous & wooden characters churning out lines that could only be responded to by "canned" laughter, Black Books came like a breath of fresh air - well observed,with sharp,acidic yet truely funny script writing. I have watched this with many friends,some who work in either bookshops or record shops, & all could relate to much of the content of these shows & all found it seriously funny. In fact all of us give it 5 ***** !

Humourless
Only gets 1 star because that's how many times I laughed through all 3 series. "One of the few genuine british comedies" they said. After watching this rubbish, that statement is funnier than anything in this. Can't even begin to describe how bad this is. Was totally sucked in by all the good reviews. I must be on a completely different comedy level to the people who gave these reviews. I want my money back NOW!!