Black Books: Season 3

BBC Warner (2004)

Comedy
 /   / Color / 147 mins
6867441009399 
/     / 
In Collection
#153
8.6

Plot

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.

Cast

Black Books
Tamsin Greig Fran Katzenjammer
Dylan Moran Bernard Black
Bill Bailey Manny Bianco

Crew

Director
Martin Dennis
Nick Wood
Producer Nira Park , Julian Meers
Writer Kevin Cecil , Graham Linehan

Trailer

Episodes

Disc 01

1
Manny Come Home
25 mins  11/03/2004
Fran returns from a vacation in Cornwall to discover Manny has resigned and Bernard is living amongst piles of his own filth and dead badgers. Manny has taken up work at the new bookstore next to Black Books, where he must contend with a new, and possibly even more demanding manager, played by Simon Pegg.

Director:  Martin Dennis 

Writer:  Kevin Cecil  / Andy Riley 

Guest starring: Judith Jacob,  Simon Pegg

2
Elephants and Hens
25 mins  18/03/2004
It is International Children's Book Week, and Bernard and Manny decide to write their own kids' classic and retire on the proceeds. Fran is off on a hen weekend, but still finds a way to fall out with Bernard and Manny.

Director:  Martin Dennis 

Writer:  Kevin Cecil  / Andy Riley 

Guest starring:  Lucy Davis, Pandora Colin,  Olivia Colman, Tony Bignell, Oliver Golding, Camilla Heaney, Charlie Hicks

3
Moo-ma and Moo-pa
25 mins  25/03/2004
Manny is panicking about the impending visit of his parents - Fran blackmails Bernard into letting them stay by threatening to tell Manny Bernard has been screening his calls to keep him from going anywhere. When Manny's parents arrive however, the duo are forced to corroborate some slightly embellished details from Manny's letters home.

Director:  Martin Dennis 

Writer:  Kevin Cecil  / Andy Riley 

Guest starring: Sam Kelly, Annette Crosbie

4
A Little Flutter
25 mins  01/04/2004
Manny places a bet on the Grand National for Bernard who immediately becomes addicted to the thrill of gambling having previously expressed no interest. But his losses mount, and he starts borrowing gambling funds from increasingly scary people.

Director:  Martin Dennis 

Writer:  Kevin Cecil  / Andy Riley 

Guest starring: Keith Allen, Craig Parkinson, Mac McDonald, Pat Starr, Su Elliott

5
The Travel Writer
25 mins  08/04/2004
Manny organises a travel-writing festival and invites a charming explorer to talk about his adventures. Fran soon falls for his twinkling eyes and lavish hair, leaving Manny ragingly jealous. Meanwhile, Bernard hires an assassin to solve a financial problem with his neighbour.

Director:  Martin Dennis 

Writer:  Kevin Cecil  / Andy Riley 

Guest starring: Patricia Franklin, Catherine Shepherd, Alice Lowe, Paul Hunter,  Julian Rhind-Tutt

6
Party
25 mins  15/04/2004
Fed up with being stuck in the dusty old bookshop on a Friday night, and with the hopes of meeting a delectable young lady at a party, Manny and Fran persuaded Bernard to attend a party. After a night of heavy drinking, a very sloshed Bernard has a nasty surprise waiting for him.

Director:  Martin Dennis  / Dennis Martin 

Writer:  Kevin Cecil  / Andy Riley 

Guest starring: Elizabeth Chadwick

Edition Details

Series Black Books
Release Date 04/10/2006
Packaging Super Jewel Case
Screen Ratio Fullscreen (4:3)
Layers Single Side, Dual Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 1

Features

Bernard's Letter

Images

Poster
Backdrop