Editorial Review
Black Books centers around the foul tempered and wildly eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black (Dylan Moran). Bernard's devotion to the twin pleasures of drunkenness and willful antagonism deepens and enriches both his life and that of Manny (Bill Bailey), his assistant. Bearded, gentle, sweet and good, Manny is everything that Bernard isn't and is punished by Bernard relentlessly just for the crime of existing. They depend on each other for meaning as Fran (Tamsin Greig), their oldest friend, depends on them for distraction. Black Books is a haven of books, wine and conversation, the only threat to the group's peace and prosperity is their own limitless stupidity.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Other
Outtakes
Photo gallery
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Customer Reviews
Amazing, buy it! 
2008-08-23
Absolutely hilarious, one of the best sitcoms I've ever seen. Smart, witty humor with some light slapstick to keep it all together. It's a shame only 3 seasons were made and an ever bigger shame that nothing else is even close to the charm of Black Books. You will not be disappointed.
Best show EVER! 2008-08-19
Black Books is one of my favorite shows of all time. It's witty, funny, and loveable. While the plot reads out to be kind of boring, Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey are absolutely histerical and have such great chemistry. Black Books is a bit offbeat, so I guess it takes a couple episodes to get into, but if you're already a fan of such movies as Run Fatboy Run, Shaun of the Dead, or Hot Fuzz, you'll love this show.
Also, while the extra features are few, each of the series has a set of outtakes which are extremely funny, as well as some cast commentary, and series 3 has deleted scenes. My only complaint is that they only made 3 seasons!
To be anti-social as a social art 2008-06-07
The English have a genre no one else has anywhere in the world. They call that comedies on television. Short less than half an hour episodes of situational humor positioned in one particular social niche. In this case it is a marginal book store held by a social drop out who hates all other human beings and yet cannot survive without constant contact with some of these strange animals we call human beings. Unable to love, unable to have any sentimental life with any person that would approach a gender definition. Yet he recuperate in his book store that becomes a haven for stray cats, though he hates cats, a flunked and failed accountant who is fired from his job because he is kind of abnormal for the job, both in looks and behavior. And he has a neighborly relation with the next door shop lady who is soon going to get out of business and remain behind like an errant animal. And the three of them are going to live the daily life of this book store. But it is nothing close to a social drama or anything social. It is nothing like a soap opera or even a sitcom. Those are more American, more normal, banal and less out of the way, funny or strange. The fun in American sitcoms or soap operas comes from the wit of the characters. The fun of English comedies comes from the situation and the slight details in the behavior, appearance, reactions of the characters that make them weird. There is always something unforeseen and unforeseeable because so much out of the way that we could not even think of it as being possible. Each episode has one unifying element that may get some follow up in the next episode, but there is no obligation. So the episode is not supposed to end on any suspense but on a punch line that signs the end as inescapable. And that final touch or detail is so amazing that you can only sit there flabbergasted and laughing like a baboon in the jungle shade. Have you ever heard one? Very weird, the laughter of the baboon. If you haven't I would advise you to go fast to some jungle and hear it, record it and then multiply it one thousand time into a two or three hour long baboon laughter. That should make you both happy and sad for some time and give you some pleasant dreams. Just like Black Books if you can put your hands or your dirty grubby fatty fingers on the series.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
For the smoking, alcoholic cynic in every person 2008-06-01
Black Books as a profoundly comic British TV show. Similar to Seinfeld, the show revolves around Bernard Black (Dylan Moran), Manny Bianco (Bill Bailey), and Fran Katzenjammer (Tamsin Greig) in Bernard's bookshop.
The combination of Bernard's rude, cynical demeanor toward customers and his friends is highly entertaining. Manny has transitioned to the shop from a high-stress regular job and now spends his time minding the shop while taking constant flak from Bernard. A wonderful dark comedy that you cannot find in America...anywhere. There's many great quotes that are instantly memorized thanks to the sheer aptness and unmistakable abusive nature for the moment. The constant wine drinking and smoking by characters is something rather absurd in American culture today, but Dylan Moran (also a writer of the scripts) manages to find many amusing methods to underline the characters' apparent addiction while keeping the show from dwelling on the fact through the episode.
Myself and many friends have fully enjoyed Black Books and plan on a marathon of the show. It's just a shame that, "The Complete Black Books" is only three seasons long. At only 6 episodes per season, it may seem a stretch for the price, but there are extra features available such as trailers for new seasons, outtakes, a few other shorts and additions, and commentary (which sometimes can get annoying and you don't get much that is interesting. The characters just sound like they're talking you through the whole scene with some of their backstage anecdotes). Commentary is the only real drawback for the seasons.
I highly recommend this to the audiences of British comedy. If you haven't watched anything from this genre before, this is a good start if you're not the type to easily hold contempt for people's vices or first impressions. The episodes are well written.
I saw some clips of this show online and I instantly bought the whole set when I found that I could get it for DVD Region 1
Great show! 2008-05-13
Deliciously dark, Black books is hilarious. Unfortunately there aren't too many episodes- 18 total, 6 per season. There are 3 main characters, Bernard Black, the surly bookstore owner, Manny, the not all the way there assistant, and Fran, the alcoholic spinster neighbor. Their comedic chemistry is amazing. This is definitely one of the better shows to come from the BBC. Enjoy.
Black & Antisocial : The Mastery of a Genre 2008-05-12
Black Books centers around the foul tempered and wildly eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black (Dylan Moran). Bernard's devotion to the twin pleasures of drunkenness and willful antagonism deepens and enriches both his life and that of Manny (Bill Bailey), his assistant. Bearded, gentle, sweet and good, Manny is everything that Bernard isn't and is punished by Bernard relentlessly just for the crime of existing. They depend on each other for meaning as Fran (Tamsin Greig), their oldest friend, depends on them for distraction. Black Books is a haven of books, wine and conversation, the only threat to the group's peace and prosperity is their own limitless stupidity.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Other
Outtakes
Photo gallery
#3 All Time 2008-04-24
This series went from a complete unknown to a perenial favorite thanks to an inadvertant click on an Amazon recommended list. A few U-Tube pre-views later I plonked down the very reasonable price and gave it little more thought. From the first episode I was hooked.
#1 - Black Adder. Black Books is this classic serial revisited in spirit, but certainly not copied. The dynamic between the lead and the supporting cast are similar, but setting, acting and plot development allow for a very well sown comedy crop.
#2 Red Dwarf. The brief span of Black Books almost automatically relegates it behind Red Dwarf in the standings. However, while Red Dwarf's Lister is as funny and endearing as any character created, Black Books Bernard Black is far more identifiable, equally clever, and far more sardonic.
If you are a fan of eith Black Adder or Red Dwarf, this series is a must.
From the moment you start the first episode.. 2008-04-20
Within a minute of hitting the "play" button on the first episode you know you're in for a treat, Dylan Moran in a masterfully comedic move evades answering a customer's questions and from that moment on you know the humor will be dark, cruel and often ridiculous.
Absolutely the best dollars I've ever spent towards comedy; the trio of series stars are just incredible and their antics are varied and endlessly funny. I can't recommend this enough. If you like dry humor, this is what you need to watch.
Blackbooks is far better than Faulty Towers 2008-04-05
This DVD series is by far one of the best I have ever seen. If you are a fan of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, or Run Fat Boy Run, you are guaranteed to be an avid follower of this series. The individual that sold me this did a fantastic job assuring it got to me.
One of the Best Comedies to come out of the UK 2008-03-15
Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey are as wacky as the Monty Python boys, and the show conjures images of Cleese's Fawlty Towers. "Black Books" is hilarious, candidly sordid, incredibly sharp, and also incorrigibly bizarre. For anyone who hasn't seen this show but loves a good laugh from Britain, check this out now. I challenge you to attempt watching the first disc without wanting to immediately own this complete boxed set.
