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I only discovered this show existed some months ago. Two weeks ago I found my library has all three seasons and I borrowed them.

Its an English comedy centering around Bernard Black a irritable and selfish, drunk book owner, his "slave" Manny and their friend Fran. Smoking, books and alcohol play a large part in the series and they all try to survive in the modern world.
Its very funny, surreal and just plain good English comedy! (reminiscent of Fawlty Towers and Monty Python, but mostly original weirdness!)


Does anyone else enjoy this series?

I also thought it was very funny.

I don't know if you guys down under get “Green Wing”, a more recent comedy show with Tamsin Greig, but that's pretty hilarious too.

Bill Bailey is quite a character on his own - check out his website! - Recently I saw a stand-up comedy show which he did for TV and the finale was a take on what it would be like if the band Kraftwerk had made a version of “The Okey-Cokey” - with robotic dancing and sung in German! It's required viewing!

Harrock n roll
Recently I saw a stand-up comedy show which he did for TV

I was actually at that recording!! Part Troll, live at the Carling Apollo (not that you see me on screen, but I'm in the balcony...)! It was hilarious, and not just Das Hokey Cokey ("...ein, aus, ein, aus, man schwenkt es alles um. Man macht das Hokey Cokey und man drecht sich herum - das ist die ganze Sache...!") - I was especially pleased with the revelation of what The Edge would sound like if he didn't have effects pedals.

Bill Bailey is a musical genius, as well as being very funny, and is well worth tracking down.

I'm not so keen on the Bernard bloke - I once was in Foyle's bookshop in Charing Cross Road, and he (the actor not the character) was in (Bernard in bookshop - what were the chances, eh...?) and on his mobile 'phone, and he sounded exactly as obnoxious in real life (maybe he was just having an off day...).

jock123 said:
he sounded exactly as obnoxious in real life (maybe he was just having an off day

You probably like the bit in Shaun of the Dead where he gets hoiked out of a window and graphically pulled to pieces by zombies then! ;)

I really liked Black Books, and must admit, I find Tamsin Greig rather fanciable - I was pleased when she turned up in Doctor Who a while ago in a nurse's uniform... ahem...

I'd like to third Harrock and Jock's appreciation of Bill Bailey - he's as funny as a very funny thing, and shares my not-so-irrational hatred of Chris de Burgh's Lady iin Red ("That man has no right to look so smug!" from his Room 101 appearance.)

John Sewell and must admit, I find Tamsin Greig rather fanciable

A mate of mine, the drummer in our band, used to go out with her. I was quite jealous until he mentioned that they were 4 years old at the time...

I'm afraid I didn't like Black Books that much, but loved Bill Bailey in it. Hopefully you'll all like me again if I tell I thought Green Wing was very funny, and I think Spaced is just fantastic.

Oh my god it's amazing! Dave syndrome, pure genius

I thought Black Books was okay but I, too, loved the Green Wing. Surreal, original and overflowing with memorable characters. For my money it's the best TV comedy to emerge in years.

I love this show, I instantly fell in love with it after I saw the first episode (which happened just by chance, out instructor in British Studies had randomly shown it to us before Christmas). Seeing Bernard makes me smile, because I wouldn't believe there is indeed somebody who is more creative at procrastination than I.

I really love this show (despite still being too young to watch it, technically) and I have since I was eleven. I was an odd child. Dave Syndrome is genius.