Original title
Black Books
Released
9/29/2000
Origin country
GB
Genre
Comedy
Production companies
Big Talk Studios, Channel 4 Television, Assembly Film and Television
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
3
Number of episodes
18
Black Books centres around the foul tempered and wildly eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black. Bernard’s devotion to the twin pleasures of drunkenness and wilful antagonism deepens and enriches both his life and that of Manny, his assistant. Bearded, 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, 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.
A doll-version of Black Books in which Fran takes Manny into the real world where she feeds him drugs and grapes. Manny eventually decides that the real world is too tough for him, and after a 'talk' from Bernard he promises to stay in the shop.
The reply that a typically furious Bernard writes to the editor of a publishing firm after they refuse to publish the novel that he had spent the entire weekend writing.
Meet Bernard Black, a foul tempered and eccentric bookshop owner who loves his books but hates his customers. Manny is Bernard's long-suffering assistant and Fran is the owner of the gift shop next door to Black Books. Black Books explores Manny and Fran's efforts to ensure Bernard has some contact with the outside world and charts the comical consequences of their efforts.
Bernard’s dodgy accountant has to go on the run, leaving him ill prepared to fill out his own tax return. In fact Bernard would rather do anything than fill it out.
After Manny’s help with the tax return Bernard is persuaded to hire him in the shop. Unfortunately he actually sells some books, much to Bernard’s annoyance.
Bernard and Manny accept a house-sitting job to get away from their new cleaner. They also drink some wine.
A hyper, coffee fueled Manny is mistaken for a policeman.
The shop gets a new security system that no-one can work.
Manny runs away from the bookshop into the arms of a beard loving photographer.
In season two, Bernard is convinced the Manny is mad; Manny worries about the reliability of his magic hot water bottle and uses his underworld connections to help find Fran a job. Fran struggles to find her inner karma in-between trying to find her cigarettes and making excuses to have another drink. Under the constant threat from the nasty, unfeeling outside world, Bernard, Manny and Fran attempt to maintain the heaven of the bookshop even as their own relentless stupidity pushes them towards mayhem.
Fran decides to take up piano lessons with a very prominent teacher, however all doesn't go to plan and she ends up having to ask Manni for a favour. Meanwhile Bernard asks a girl out and once again Manni is called upon for a favour.
On a scorching hot day, Manni tries to maintain his body temperature so it doesn't go over 88 degrees; Fran has problems with a new neighbour, and Bernard tries to find an appropriate "summer girl".
Bernard and Manni have to deal with a gangster turned writer who plans to hold a reading of his autobiography at the book shop, however he can't read. Meanwhile Fran gets an office job where she isn't quite sure what she is meant to be doing.
Manni and Bernard try to keep up with modern book shops and in doing so Manni helps Fran get over her boredom by encouraging her to look up her family tree.
Fran tries to cleanse her lifestyle by taking up yoga and going on a radical diet, while Bernard and Manni receive some books on Freud and their lives descend into his famous theories.
When construction starts next door to the shop, Manni, Bernard and Fran try to decide what to do while it continues.
Bernard Black is back for a third season of his multi-award winning and critically acclaimed comedy. Black Books continues to explore the musing and time-wasting techniques of raddled proprietor Bernard Black, his shy, multi-challenged assistant Manny Bianco and their underachieving friend Fran Katzenjammer.
When Manny defects to Goliath Books after an "incident" with Bernard, his ex-employer's life spirals out of control. Meanwhile Fran returns from holiday only to be greeted by the squalor of Bernard's shop.
When Bernard holds a children's themed book day in the shop, Fran bets Manni and Bernard they couldn't write a children's book over a weekend, while Bernard bets Fran back that she will have an awful time at her friend's hen party.
Manny's parents visit the shop for the weekend, and the lies he's told them throw Fran and Bernard's lives into chaos.
Bernard becomes addicted to gambling and forces Manny and Fran to compete for one job at the shop in order to finance his bets.
Fran & Manny become enamored with a dashing travel writer giving a talk at the shop, while Bernard contends with a most unorthodox new landlord.
Manny and Fran drag Bernard along with them to a party, but the drunken aftermath dredges up secrets and bitterness.
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