Black Books - DVD

Black Books: The Complete 3rd Series

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great stuff for the lunatic fringe 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is as funny as the first two series, although it's hard to beat Manny playing a duet inside a piano with a pair of spoons (series 2). Dylan Moran is as funny as Foster Brooks and as screwed up as Basil Fawlty.

wonderful! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

From purchase to getting in the mail, the entire process was easy and dependable and wonderful!

The item itself is some of the funniest comedy I have seen in a long time! my daughter had season one and I just had to get season two and three. I have enjoyed it so much!

Kmulli

The Most Brilliant British Comedy! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have been in love with this series for quite some time--its inane comedy is the sort of relief that so many of us wish that we could get away with in our daily lives. Bernard Black is a grumpy, sarcastic, caustic character who speaks aloud all the naughty things that the voices in the back of our heads say.
For a crazy good laugh and the release of some stress that bogs down all working people, try Black Books!

Editorial Review:

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/13/2007 Rating: Nr

Black Books - The Complete First Series

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Pacman. It's pronounced Pacman. 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Going into the bookselling world, I didn't know what to expect. I haphazardly searched for a guide that would best instruct me on the ways of customer service, marketing, and security. Whilst several video's failed, I knew that I could rely on the help of the BBC to fill the void. Thankfully, those islanders came through with a short series (only three seasons) entitled Black Books in which we are taken out of the office environment (aka the original Office) and into the small-box world of bookselling. The job is simple, sell the books, make the consumers happy, and leave a happy man at the end of the night. That would seem simple enough unless your names are Bernard Black or Manny Bianco, the ill-fated employees of this independent bookstore. Their hobbies include getting smashed off wine, smoking till their blue in the face, and avoiding actual conversations with those that patron their store. They are the direct opposite of what you would expect in your typical American bookstore. They are crass, they are cruel, they are drunk - but, most importantly, they are genuinely funny. While this wasn't as phenomenal as The Office, it did provide some great laughs, some Python-esque moments (we can all recite the words to "Bookshop" can't we?), and a great reason to enjoy the world of customer service.

This first season introduces us to the beginnings of a relationship like those we can only see in the movies, like Pitt and Jolie or Cruise and Holms, there will always be a Bernard and Manny. In the first episode, we learn how they meet and how the two decide to be working companions, and well, even more in further episodes. We see our duo become a set of triplets with the introduction to the "girl next door" Fran Katzenjammer (played by Tamsin Greig) who seems to carry the same philosophy with her that the two shopkeepers do as well. She understands their need for booze, insults, and disgruntled nature, and in fact, she feeds it further. Through the course of the first season, we go from a struggling bookshop, to a friendship, to a need for security, to a snub, all the way to helping a friend by house sitting overnight and sampling his wine. The opportunities seem to mimic the humor in this program - it is endless. The chemistry between the characters is superb as well as the ideas generated by creator Dylan Morgan. The timing is fantastic, providing the viewer with a combination punch of both slapstick and verbal routines.

This was a great show to view, but alas, it is only once that I could find myself sitting through it. I don't mean to change the tables on this review, because I did love what this program offered in the form of obscenely funny retail sales moments, but what started out strongly eventually lost the speed it began with. The first four episodes came out of the gate rather strongly, instituting laughs and originality with character driven scenes and relatable humor, but then with the latter part of episode five and especially episode six (where it seemed to fall into the Chef scenario of getting too much money per episode), we seemed to change gears suddenly. It is extremely noticeable with the final episode entitled, "He's Leaving Home". It was up until this moment that I thought this would have been worth purchasing, but this singular episode soured the entire experience for me. It also lead me into a hesitant viewing of the second season. I would like to restate that I loved so much about this series, but the dramatic change in appearance with the final episodes leaves me with just a regular taste in my mouth.

Overall, Black Books, the first season, is definitely worth a viewing. There is so much to appreciate and enjoy with the characters, stories, and environment that I am surprised it didn't pick up as much "cult" rave as say, The Office did in the states. Bernard Black is hysterical with his drunken raves and slanderish remarks - he will truly inspire anyone that spends time in the retail sector of our great nation. Manny is the perfect patsy with phenomenal facial expressions and an ability to control the physical humor. Manny and Bernard was a great pairing, while Fran seemed to be the anchor between the two. Again, I cannot state that I loved the characters in this series, it just seemed to take a dramatically different course by the end of the first season - a direction I didn't think was one that fit the already standard mold. I would suggest this first season to those that enjoyed Little Britain or The Office, but don't think it deserves any more than a singular viewing.

Grade: **** out of *****

Editorial Review:

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/13/2007 Rating: Nr

Black Books - The Complete Second Series

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

You said we'd never mention Canada!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Dylan Moran is brilliant. The perfect antidote to those oh, so perfect american sitcoms filled with bright and shiny people. You know, the ones with impossibly white teeth who never look rumpled or stinky or real. Moving walls, thongs, and summertime girlfriends...this one's got it all. You will need your pause button as you'll laugh right through the next jokes!

Come on Bernard, show Manny some employee love... 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Quickly after watching the first season of Black Books, I jumped headfirst into the second season. Sure, there were elements that I was unhappy with by the end of the first season, but I was excited about going forward. I missed Bernard, Manny, and even Fran with their wit, charm, and disgust with the worldly consumer. I, as a business owner, went into this next season with a pen in hand - eager to see and hear how this rag-tag bunch would handle the next bunch of complaints or customer service issues that entered into their shop. Alas, this pen never quite hit the pad as I found that the wit and blasphemy from the first season somehow didn't quite conjure into the second season. While I would agree that a typical second season to any series should develop the old characters, it should also improve the humor, take the audience to new places, and perhaps bring in some new faces - Black Books didn't seem to follow that mantra. Instead of pushing forward, this next series felt like it was taking a step backwards. With formulaic episodes that embarrassingly pitted Manny against Bernard (instead of working together), nearly dropped Fran's character out of the mix, and introduced us to recycled material instead of new original concepts - Black Books season two doesn't quite fit within as strong of a mold as the original series did. Like similar BBC series (aka Chef!), Black Books leveled down to mediocrity as more funds were thrown into its direction.

There is a curse surrounding furthering a series featured on BBC. It seems that with several that I have watched (Chef! and Vicar of Dibley's Specials) once the first season passes, the BBC decides to throw more money at a potential hit and lessening the hold on the elements that mattered most - in this case - the dialogue and devilish interactions with the customers. The first season of Black Books provided endless enjoyment of banter between Manny and Bernard (due to their polar opposite lifestyles), thus leading to cult-like quotes that would reign for eternity. Manny and Bernard held the show together. It was the reason that I continued to watch from beginning to end in the first place - so you can see my upset when I got into this second season only to discover the dynamics had changed. The Manny and Bernard that I grew to love were not the same two from the original - they had changed ... dramatically. Instead of being a couple with quips and zingers towards each other that kept us laughing with comedic response, we were introduced to two people that seemed to hate each other with utter disgust. The friendship was still there, but you could feel less comedy more bitterness with their words towards each other. Fran, once thought of as the anchor of the two, seemed more like a bumbling idiot that was useless and out of place. The episode where she discovers her potential family nearly infuriated me with the intellectual-less premise and dampened concept. What made this odd was that it was disguised very well. The characters were there, they were doing the same motions, they were visually in a comfortable zone (i.e. a place the viewer remembered), but the words out of their mouths were not the same. The tone of the show was completely different, and my experience was ultimately ruined.

I wanted to like this season, I went in with a clean slate even with the debauchery of the final episode, but there just seemed to be a missing foundation. Occasionally you could see it - say - in the episode where Manny and Bernard attempt to be just like the "Big Box" booksellers with the coffee and the full-course meal (oddly, the same episode that I hated Fran in), but the rest seemed to fall through the wayside. Was I tired of the concept? I don't think so because it was a relatable one, I think I expected a higher level of humor and original episodic creations, when in fact, it seemed to feel just like any other program on the television. The uniqueness of it all had ended. Manny and Bernard, without sound repetitive, just weren't the same. They felt like an old married couple that we once enjoyed that now was merely staying together for their children. It was awkward at times and completely unfunny. While I would find myself smiling at some moments, there were other times that I just wanted this to end. I hope that with the final season I can hopefully say that it surprised me and returned me to my favorite roots of the show, but I am not holding my breath.

Overall, I cannot say that I was impressed with this second outing. I realize that I will be a minority here, but for someone that enjoys British comedy with a passion, I just felt like this second series was formulaic and dull. I could see where the episodes were headed before they went there, and I cannot state enough that I just missed the old crowd. It felt like going to a High School reunion where nobody talks because there is nothing in common any further. That first season can stand on its own, this second one - desperately needs a pair of crutches. Maybe I can suggest one viewing, but if you want to keep a great taste in your mouth with this series - just stick with the opening act.

Grade: *** out of *****

Editorial Review:

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/13/2007 Rating: Nr

Black Books - The Complete First and Second Series

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

I just did not get it... 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I'm originally from the UK and look forward to 'fixes' of UK comedy and drama whenever I can get them. 'Shameless' is excellent, 'The Office' is priceless and I was looking forward to this as it had been recommended to me by my brother.
I tried, but this seemed immature and poorly acted. In fact, it really started to annoy me after about 10 minutes.Lots of shouting, over dramatization and a reliance on slapstick left me cold.

Outstanding Dark Comedy from the UK 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This wildly funny British series was a blind pick based on a recommendation from my on-line DVD rental subscription. The first episode left me stunned - hard to believe I'd never heard of it before. The performers mesh in a way that makes the dark and crazy comedy even funnier, and the outtakes and extras (particularly Black's Puppets) are even better. I just returned my rental disks and am already in withdrawal; needless to say, I just ordered my very own copy. This series is one of the funniest I've ever seen, and worth owning and watching over and over. Highly recommended!

Editorial Review:

Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 11/14/2006

Black Books: Series 3 [Region 2 Import - UK]

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Features:

• Deleted Scenes
• Outakes

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

when . . .when . . . 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

When will Black Books season 3 arrive on our parched shores . . .!!!

I NEED IT!!!!!

Sublime Comedy 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This third series is as good the first two series if not better.
The opening episode is one of the best of all. A competitor bookshop 'Goliath Books' has opened next door and Manny (Bill Bailey) is now working there. He left 'Black Books' after his hand was burnt by Bernard. Simon Pegg plays the Manager of Goliath books and really adds another dimension to the show. Shame he couldn't have done more. This episode is absolutely brilliant and I must have watched 8 or 9 time now.

The episode 'Moo-Ma and Moo-Pa' contains perhaps the most surreal moment of the entire series when Bernard and Fran go a under a dinner table in a restaurant to pick up a piece of cutlery and there is a whole bar under the table! In case you hadn't worked it out Moo-Ma and Moo-Pa are Manny's parents who come down to visit, much to Bernards disgust.

Sadly there is no commentary on the series 3 disc. The commentaries on series 1 & 2 were almost as good as the shows themselves. However the out-takes and deleted scenes are good, and as whole the DVD easily merits 5 stars.

If you've got a multi-region player you should get this.

Editorial Review:

The third series of Channel 4`s multi-award winning and critically acclaimed comedy Black Books starring creator and co-writer Dylan Moran, with Bill Bailey and Tamsin Greig. Black Books concerns the musings, doings and time-frittering techniques of raddled proprietor Bernard Black (Dylan Moran), his shy, multi-challenged assistant, Manny Bianco (Bill Bailey) and their under achieving friend, Fran Katzenjammer (Tamsin Greig). This dubious trio form a family of sorts to protect each other from the realities of modern London, but nothing can protect them from each other. 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.

Black Books: Series 2 [Region 2 Import - UK]

Amazon Price: List Price: By: Channel 4 Video Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $79.99

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Editorial Review:

The second series of the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed comedy from Channel 4. Black Books stars creator and co-writer Dylan Moran, with Bill Bailey and Tamsin Greig. Bernard Black (Dylan Moran), proprietor of the grubby bookshop Black Books, prefers the company of his books to his customers. Devoted to the twin pleasures of excessive drinking and wilful antagonism, Bernard enriches his life and the lives of his only two friends Manny (Bill Bailey) and Fran (Tamsin Greig) in the process. In this second collection of episodes, Bernard finds positive proof that Manny is mad; Manny worries about the reliability of his magic hot water bottle and uses his underworld connections to help the recently unemployed Fran find a job. Fran struggles to find her inner karma in-between trying to find her cigarettes and making excuses to have another drink. Under constant threat from the nasty, unfeeling outside world, the characters in Black Books attempt to maintain the haven of the bookshop even as their own talent for relentless stupidity pitches them towards mayhem.