Black Books
2000–2004 · Channel 4 · 25 min · 3 seasons
S03E06 · Party
Thu, 15 Apr, 9:00 pm
It's Friday night. Manny and Fran want to go out. Bernard wants to stay in, get drunk and ignore his friends. And if Manny dares to use 'party' as a verb, Bernard won't be responsible for his actions.
About
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 runs a sort of new-age shop selling the most unlikely bits of arty junk. 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.
Episodes
- E01
Manny Come Home
Thu, 11 Mar· 25 minManny defects to a swish new bookshop next door run by a super-efficient manager (Simon Pegg), and when Fran returns from holiday, she finds the shop a hovel and Bernard completely gone to seed
- E02
Elephants and Hens
Thu, 18 Mar· 25 minIt's International Children's Book Week. Bernard and Manny reckon they can do better than the trash children are offered these days, so they decide to write a kids' classic and retire, Rowling-rich.
- E03
Moo-Ma and Moo-Pa
Thu, 25 Mar· 25 minManny's parents come to stay. Bernard wants rid of them, preferably the day before yesterday. And Fran is rather grumpy about pretending to be Manny's girlfriend to corroborate Manny's letters home.
- E04
A Little Flutter
Thu, 1 Apr· 25 minManny puts a bet on the Grand National for Bernard, who says he's not interested in gambling but immediately becomes addicted, and has to exploit Fran and Manny so he can replenish his dwindling funds
- E05
Travel Writer
Thu, 8 Apr· 25 minManny organises a travel writing festival but has a jealous rage when Fran is captivated by the twinkling eyes and lavish hair of famously charming explorer Jason Hamilton (Julian Rhind-Tutt)
- E06
Party
Thu, 15 Apr· 25 minIt's Friday night. Manny and Fran want to go out. Bernard wants to stay in, get drunk and ignore his friends. And if Manny dares to use 'party' as a verb, Bernard won't be responsible for his actions.
Cast
Tamsin Greig
Fran Katzenjammer
Bill Bailey
Manny Bianco
Dylan Moran
Bernard Black