Black Books centres around the foul tempered and wildly eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black. Bernard’s devotion to the twin pleasures of drunkenness and wilful antagonism deepens and enriches both his life and that of Manny, his assistant. Bearded, sweet and good, Manny is everything that Bernard isn’t and is punished by Bernard relentlessly just for the crime of existing. They depend on each other for meaning as Fran, their oldest friend, depends on them for distraction. 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.
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The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 7.63.
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Dylan Moran
Bernard
Bill Bailey
Manny
Tamsin Greig
Fran
All 18 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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This may take a moment for shows with many seasons.
6 episodes • 2000Avg: 7.6Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooking the Books | Sep 29, 2000 | 7.9 |
| 2 | Manny's First Day | Oct 6, 2000 | 8.1 |
| 3 | Grapes of Wrath | Oct 13, 2000 | 7.6 |
| 4 | The Blackout | Oct 20, 2000 | 7.4 |
| 5 | The Big Lock-Out | Oct 27, 2000 | 8.0 |
| 6 | He's Leaving Home | Nov 3, 2000 | 6.8 |
6 episodes • 2002Avg: 7.3
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Entertainer | Mar 1, 2002 | 7.7 |
| 2 | Fever | Mar 8, 2002 | 7.6 |
| 3 | The Fixer | Mar 15, 2002 | 7.3 |
| 4 | Blood | Mar 22, 2002 | 7.0 |
| 5 | Hello Sun | Mar 29, 2002 | 7.4 |
| 6 | A Nice Change | Apr 5, 2002 | 6.9 |
6 episodes • 2004Avg: 7.5
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manny Come Home | Mar 11, 2004 | 7.4 |
| 2 | Elephants and Hens | Mar 18, 2004 | 7.9 |
| 3 | Moo-Ma and Moo-Pa | Mar 25, 2004 | 7.5 |
| 4 | A Little Flutter | Apr 1, 2004 | 7.3 |
| 5 | Travel Writer | Apr 8, 2004 | 7.1 |
| 6 | Party | Apr 15, 2004 | 7.5 |
