Black Books

[cannibalnuns]

Dylan Moran has to be one of my favourite comedians and this is a television show that he created.

Does anyone else like the series or know of it?

Black Books:

Black Books is a second-hand bookshop in London run by an Irishman named Bernard Black. He is probably the planet's worst-suited person to run such an establishment: he makes no effort to sell, closes at strange hours on a whim, is in a perpetual alcoholic stupor, abhors his customers (sometimes physically abusing them) and is often comatose at his desk. Help comes in the lumpy shape of Manny Bianco, a hairy, bumbling individual who (almost by osmosis) becomes Bernard's assistant. Manny is not exactly great at the job either but he is a million times better than Bernard. Next door is Fran, an anxious, frustrated woman who (in the first series) runs a sort of new-age shop selling the most unlikely bits of arty junk. (In the second, her shop was neither seen nor mentioned.) Fran is friends with Bernard and, through him, with Manny; together the trio become embroiled in escapades that are sometimes extreme or violent or fantastically ludicrous, and always bizarre.

Black Books arrived on screen two years after impressing at the fourth Channel 4 Sitcom Festival, held at the Riverside Studios in London in July 1998. (At this embryonic stage Bernard Black's friends had different names and occupations - there was Valerie, a philosophy lecturer, and Manny Zimmerman, who performed depression-o-grams for a living.) The TV show was a hugely affable slice of lunacy, launched with scripts co-written by popular standup star Dylan Moran - Bernard Black - and Father Ted co-creator Linehan. Much surrealism and whimsy was on offer, the show taking place in a bizarrely twisted version of reality. There was great chemistry between Moran and fellow standup Bailey, with both characters getting laughs and neither forced into a straightman role for the other. The character of Fran was perhaps less well drawn but the main treats were the weird and wonderful plots and dialogue which, at times, recalled Father Ted but also owed a sizeable debt to the great Irish surrealist author Flann O'Brien. The sum was a greatly rewarding view, unquestionably one of the best comedies of its day.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/ar...66600660.shtml

Bon Apetito.

[pitseleh]

I looooove Black Books. One of the best television comedies ever, with a delightfully misanthropic main character in Bernard Black. Manny is also great fun.

I've seen it all several times, on TV and DVD, and I've never laughed so hard at any sit-com in my life.

[cannibalnuns]

I must concur with you there mate. Pity many others do not know of the goodness.

Manny: There's a girl.

Bernard: A what? You know I don't approve of you seeing other girls- people. Who is she?

Manny: Roweena, a friend of Anne's. I met her once and was hoping to meet her again.

Bernard: Oh, I see.

[Mockingly]
Bernard: Roweena! Roweeeeena! And what am I supposed to do while you're doing the underpants charleston with this insane, blind tart?

Manny: Why are you getting so angry?

Bernard: I can't help being angry when I'm furious! So, before you go off to raise your bearded freak circus, what's she like?

Manny: She's nice.

Bernard: She's nice, she- dont make me sick into my own scorn. What are her prospects? Does she play the viola? Does she embroider? Is she kind to the servants?

Manny: I don't know. All I know is I like her and there's a good chance that she likes me.

[Later]
Bernard: Well, we're going to this party because I'm trying to picture this girl who likes you and all I can see is you in a dress.

[mortalitas incomitatus]

hahahahahaha, when i saw the name of this thread i thought you were asking if any one kept little black books of their sexual conquests.
LOL!

[mortalitas incomitatus]

i really should get my mind out of the gutter...........

*wonders off*

[She_Is_My_Sin]

I used to love watching Black Books when it was on T.V.Though it has been a while so I can't really remember much...I recall one episode where Manny goes to work for the bookshop next door...that was a good one.