Customer Reviews
Nowhere near as good as it could/should be - By: Mr M J ROSE, 02 May 2008 
This is quite poor tv. The concept is good but the actual delivery is not.
I had never seen the programme before on tv, I live in Spain & depend on recommendations from others who live in the UK to tell me what is good: This time it was a recommendation from Amazon itself - thanks Amazon!! Actuallly I view this programme as I would the 'embarassing friend' in a pub, ie -'Please stop'!!!! As another reviewer has said there are a few good jokes & sketches, but that is about it!!!!!
Undeniable, and yet underachieving - By: adamofthefree, 28 Mar 2008 
I watch Black Books & reallly want to love it. In fairness it's not that hard, there are some excellent gags with terrific ideas & randomness that makes the characters ever lovable, but when watching the episodes as a whole they often feel disjointed & lack a certain flow of plot that its main comparisons (Blackadder) thrived on.
The Box Set contains series 1, 2, & 3. There are a few extras but arn't reallly worth concerning yourself with. It is clear, after watching every episode, that Graham Lineham is the main force behind a continued plot from which humor is strung. Addmittedly in the first episode it fells very much like a pilot or a pilot hybrid; a little jerky & a little likes it trying just that bit too hard to stay on its feet. But after this episode, the first series takes off; with hilareous moments & terrific ideas hitting you like an avalanche of books.
Unfortunatly, as far as I am aware, Graham Lineham had little or not input into the latter two series'. Certainly it becomes clear that the flow has been lost, & episodes tend to be a loose string of gags around a rough & often unutilised plot. Some of the episodes (imparticular ones written soley by Dylan Moran) seemed almost boring.
Of course this isn't a gosbal statement. I'm saying the latter two series are not funny (Blood from series two has some excellent character moments, while the first two episode of series three are two of the best) or that the comedy as a whole is bad, in fact it's good (three stars), I just feel that the often jerky episodes & annoying character actions (in particluar Fran - played by Tamsin Greig - gets to be a royal pain in the arse) let it down, & don't make the Comedy quite as great as many people want it to be (and I can understand that; hello, it's got Dylan Morn AND Bill Baily in it!).
But it, it's good, but only buy it if it's less than twenty pound; I honestly can't warrent spending more.
Pefection! - By: April Leon, 24 Mar 2008 
I watched the first episode on youtube & then impulse-bought this (unbelievably good value) boxset! Worth every penny, I watched virtuallly the whole lot in one sitting! Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey & Tamsin Grieg are comedy geniuses.
'Don't you dare use party as a verb in this shop!!'
Father Ted meets Vicar of Dibley...(But without the religion!!) - By: S. Bradnam, 21 Mar 2008 HAving seen a couple of episodes, I decided to buy the box set (excellent value here at under a tenner). Give it time, & by series 2 it reallly begins to hit it's stride, with excellent performances from the 3 leads. The three series were made in 2000, 2001 & 2004 respectively, & the writing improves consistently as time passes....the final series has guest appearance cameos, which add to the comedy effect. Bill Bailey is excellent throughout, & I now understand where some of his one-man-show skits have their origins!! Overalll, 18 improving comedic episodes, well worth a tenner & some of your time. Highly recommended.
This is - By: Louise Pritchard, 29 Feb 2008 Definatly heaven in a box. I don't need more of Black Books than what they have provided. I love it so much.
