Air date: 2000-09-29

Meet Bernard Black, a foul tempered and eccentric bookshop owner who loves his books but hates his customers. Manny is Bernard's long-suffering assistant and Fran is the owner of the gift shop next door to Black Books. Black Books explores Manny and Fran's efforts to ensure Bernard has some contact with the outside world and charts the comical consequences of their efforts.

Air date: 2002-03-01

In season two, Bernard is convinced the Manny is mad; Manny worries about the reliability of his magic hot water bottle and uses his underworld connections to help find Fran a job. Fran struggles to find her inner karma in-between trying to find her cigarettes and making excuses to have another drink. Under the constant threat from the nasty, unfeeling outside world, Bernard, Manny and Fran attempt to maintain the heaven of the bookshop even as their own relentless stupidity pushes them towards mayhem.

Air date: 2004-03-11

Bernard Black is back for a third season of his multi-award winning and critically acclaimed comedy. Black Books continues to explore the musing and time-wasting techniques of raddled proprietor Bernard Black, his shy, multi-challenged assistant Manny Bianco and their underachieving friend Fran Katzenjammer.