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"Black Books"
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Episodes: All (18)  |  With full-length videos ()  |  With videos ()  | See all videos (18) »

Season: 1  |  2  |  3
Year: 2000  |  2002  |  2004


Season 1


"Black Books" (2000): Season 1: Episode 1 -- When his dodgy accountant goes on the run, Bernard finds himself having to fill in his own tax return - not the easiest thing when you're mathematically illiterate.

Season 1, Episode 1: Cooking the Books

Original Air Date—29 September 2000
Bernard is struggling to cope with getting down to menial but essential tasks for his book shop, such as the accounts when a chance meeting with a customer, Manny, helps him out. Meanwhile, the owner of the shop next door, enlists the help of Bernard and his customers to find out exactly what an object from her shop is and in doing so misses an important appointment.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 1: Episode 2 -- Manny has to navigate the twin perils of a strange boss and an equally strange clientele when he comes to work at Bernard's bookshop.

Season 1, Episode 2: Manny's First Day

Original Air Date—6 October 2000
Bernard wakes up to discover that he has a new employee for his book shop, who infuriatingly has great skill at selling books. While Bernard is reluctant to keep him on, Fran makes her feelings clear on the matter.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 1: Episode 3 -- The discomforting presence in the bookshop of an oddly sensual cleaner forces Bernard and Manny to accept a house-sitting job.

Season 1, Episode 3: The Grapes of Wrath

Original Air Date—13 October 2000
After Manni calls a cleaner to the shop, he and Bernard must vacate it. Luckily they are asked to house sit for a friend. Meanwhile Fran goes on an ill-fated date.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 1: Episode 4 -- Manny, hyper after a night of drinking too many espressos and watching an entire box-set of The Sweeney, is mistaken for a policeman after his high-speed pursuit of a bagsnatcher.

Season 1, Episode 4: The Blackout

Original Air Date—20 October 2000
Manny stays up watching 'The Sweeney' and is mistaken for a policeman after chasing a handbag snatcher. Fran and Bernard exchange stories about their previous day, Bernard recalling a disastrous dinner party with old friends who blanked him and Fran telling him about blanking her boyfriend after catching him with another woman.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 1: Episode 5 -- The installation of a new security system for the shop that neither Bernard nor Manny can operate, results in Bernard being locked out for the evening, while Manny is locked in.

Season 1, Episode 5: The Big Lock-Out

Original Air Date—27 October 2000

"Black Books" (2000): Season 1: Episode 6 -- Manny becomes a runaway when Bernard's relentless bossiness gets too much for him.

Season 1, Episode 6: He's Leaving Home

Original Air Date—3 November 2000
Manni finally gets fed up with Bernards constant abuse and demands on him so he leaves for a better life. However, he doesn't get far when he meets a man at Kings Cross station who wants to make him a star. Meanwhile back at the shop Fran and Bernard are arguing more and more about Manni's departure.

Season 2


"Black Books" (2000): Season 2: Episode 1 -- Ever keen to distract herself, Fran takes up piano. Ever keen to delude himself, Bernard falls in love. All Manny wants is a break. But genius finds no rest as Fran lies to a sweet old blind man and Bernard the recluse deceives his adoring public.

Season 2, Episode 1: The Entertainer

Original Air Date—1 March 2002
Fran decides to take up piano lessons with a very prominent teacher, however all doesn't go to plan and she ends up having to ask Manni for a favour. Meanwhile Bernard asks a girl out and once again Manni is called upon for a favour.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 2: Episode 2 -- Fran can’t sleep in the heat. Bernard needs a girlfriend to stop him staring. And Manny can’t say what will happen if it gets to 88 degrees.

Season 2, Episode 2: Fever

Original Air Date—8 March 2002
On a scorching hot day, Manni tries to maintain his body temperature so it doesn't go over 88 degrees; Fran has problems with a new neighbour, and Bernard tries to find an appropriate "summer girl".

"Black Books" (2000): Season 2: Episode 3 -- Manny uses his underworld connections to find Fran mysterious employment.

Season 2, Episode 3: The Fixer

Original Air Date—15 March 2002
Bernard and Manni have to deal with a gangster turned writer who plans to hold a reading of his autobiography at the book shop, however he can't read. Meanwhile Fran gets an office job where she isn't quite sure what she is meant to be doing.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 2: Episode 4 -- Unemployed and restless, Fran takes comfort in the discovery of her exotic new found cousins. In pursuit of Michelin stars Manny and Bernard transform the infested bookshop into a restaurant.

Season 2, Episode 4: Blood

Original Air Date—22 March 2002
Manni and Bernard try to keep up with modern book shops and in doing so Manni helps Fran get over her boredom by encouraging her to look up her family tree.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 2: Episode 5 -- Fran tries to discover her inner karma at the advise of her disapproving friend Eva. Bernard finds proof positive that Manny is mad. And Manny discovers a new found confidence and his ‘inner king’.

Season 2, Episode 5: Hello Sun

Original Air Date—29 March 2002
Fran tries to cleanse her lifestyle by taking up yoga and going on a radical diet, while Bernard and Manni receive some books on Freud and their lives descend into his famous theories.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 2: Episode 6 -- Bernard and Manny can’t hear themselves argue because of the builders next door. Fran suggests a holiday. But how will the three of them fare when they attempt to venture abroad together?

Season 2, Episode 6: A Nice Change

Original Air Date—5 April 2002
When construction starts next door to the shop, Manni, Bernard and Fran try to decide what to do while it continues.

Season 3


"Black Books" (2000): Season 3: Episode 1 -- Fran (Tamsin Greg) comes back from holiday to discover that Manny (Bill Bailey) has resigned and is now working next door at Goliath Books. Left to his own devices, Bernard (Dylan Moran) has let things slip a little.

Season 3, Episode 1: Manny Come Home

Original Air Date—11 March 2004
When Manny defects to Goliath Books after an "incident" with Bernard, his ex-employer's life spirals out of control. Meanwhile Fran returns from holiday only to be greeted by the squalor of Bernard's shop.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 3: Episode 2 -- It's International Children's Book week in Black Books. Bernard and Manny decide that they can do better than the trash that children are offered these days, deciding to write their own kids' classic and retire Rowling-rich.

Season 3, Episode 2: Elephants and Hens

Original Air Date—18 March 2004
When Bernard holds a children's themed book day in the shop, Fran bets Manni and Bernard they couldn't write a children's book over a weekend, while Bernard bets Fran back that she will have an awful time at her friend's hen party.

"Black Books" (2000): Season 3: Episode 3 -- Manny's parents come to stay. They are a perfectly nice middle-aged couple with one or two slightly annoying habits. Bernard wants rid of them, preferably the day before yesterday.

Season 3, Episode 3: Moo-Ma and Moo-Pa

Original Air Date—25 March 2004

"Black Books" (2000): Season 3: Episode 4 -- Manny puts a bet on the Grand National for Bernard, who claims not to be interested in gambling but immediately becomes completely addicted to it. Fran, looking for work, needs a short-term job to appear employable.

Season 3, Episode 4: A Little Flutter

Original Air Date—1 April 2004

"Black Books" (2000): Season 3: Episode 5 -- Manny is extremely proud of the travel writing festival that he has organised. He has invited the famously charming explorer Jason Hamilton (Julian Rhind-Tutt) to give a talk.

Season 3, Episode 5: The Travel Writer

Original Air Date—8 April 2004

"Black Books" (2000): Season 3: Episode 6 -- It's Friday night. Manny and Fran are determined to go out and do something for once. Bernard would rather stay at home, get drunk and ignore his friends. Manny insists that they go to a particular party. But why? And anyway, who is the best dancer?

Season 3, Episode 6: Party

Original Air Date—15 April 2004

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