The latest series of "Black Books" has concluded. This is a UK series about an abusive, evil tempered used book shop owner, which is why you haven't seen it in the States, since book shops don't exist, and certainly not ones owned by foul-mouthed alcoholics.
Part of that is due to the peculiarities of the UK teevee system. They aired the first two series of "Black Books" on the CBC, but I thought it got cancelled. It turns out there were only 12 half-hour eps. The third series consists of six eps. So, if they get another series, they'll have barely enough for a full season in NorthAm (where we, like Magnus, Robot Fighter run around in hot pants and nothing but).
Anyways, back to to "Black Books". The shop sells used books, it is run by an abusive alcoholic called Bernard Black, he has a fat hippy factotum called Manny and there is a bint called Fran who largely exists to drink and be abusive. Largely, a sitcom about nasty people.
Which is why you probably won't ever see it in the States. Because the news has enough nasty people and the quota is full.
Article comments
1 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Jim, couldnt agree more. Black Books is wonderful. it's patchy, but its so damn original that it gets by. This series just past has been wonderful. The first episode, the one with the rival bookshop run by Simon Pegg, was brilliant.
As to the number of ep's, series 1 and 2 are both out here on DVD, both have 6 episodes. we tend to do the series and not the season, since there's only so far you can go with jokes about farts and so on, and really, it would start to get old by about the 400th episode or however long you damn americans run things on the telly for. I mean come on, man, fawlty towers only ever had 12 episodes. That's not even half of one season of 24 Hours In The Life Of A Soprano or whatever the latest HIP thing might be.
Channel 4 is behind this, and kudos for them, for bringing us not only the delightful bernard black, but also Spaced, Ali G and Brass Eye, not to mention Jam and Bo Selecta, the first series of which was wonderfully brilliant. We also have them to thank for Ricky Gervais, before he ran off to Auntie BBC for to make The Office. Thanks C4.
2 - Jim Carruthers
Here in Canada, we tend to go for the 13 half-hour eps for example, "Corner Gas", "Trailer Park Boys" and "Puppets Who Kill" (who just concluded their season -- it is about a half-way house for criminal puppets who get up to various really nasty things such as fucking co-joined twins, getting castrated to avoid prison and somesuch). You just can't get tired of puppet dick jokes.
3 - jadester
i think i saw somewhere that the series creators reckon it's run its course, and won't be making another series.
It's a shame, cos it is a great series, but i suppose it's better to let it go out on a high than a low, as so many good comedy series end up doing.