A rival to Amazon? (Black Books (2000))

Member Name: nightowl

Product:	Black Books (2000)
Date:	21/10/00 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A good belly-laugh

Disadvantages: Side-splitting

A dirty old bookshop piled high with grimy looking books.
The owner Bernard is a young, goodlooking Irish alcoholic who sits behind his desk all day drinking wine (if its available) and reading books. He seems to live in rooms adjoing the shop and these are also filthy and reflect the state of his mind. Bernard hates customers and often refuses them entry with a few abusive words. His new assistant Manny, can be quite useful but has bizarre moments of absolute insanity. The smart female owner of the objets d'art shop next door tries to keep them on an even keel and seems not to notice their strange behaviour.

These three characters form the backbone of the comedy and they are perfectly cast. Other uniquely weird and wonderful characters drop by and add to the mayhem.

I'ts a new series but I imagine that every week we will be taken through a different self-induced crisis which would not normally happen to sane people.

It is very, very funny, manic and in the mould of Fawlty Towers.

I would love a bookshop like this near me - it looks so interesting. Amazon could not possibly compete with it.

Summary: