- Title: Black Books - Series 1
- Date: 29th July 1999
- Summary: Episode one: Cooking the Books Bernard's accountant turns out to be a fugitive so he is faced with doing the accounts himself and tries everything to avoid it including befriending some Christian callers and attempting to injure himself. Manny is a stressed out accountant who loathes his job,he purchases the little book of calm from Bernard in an attempt to cope but ends up swallowing it and then ingesting it. Fran has agreed to be her friend Julie's birth partner but is consumed by a strange ball that is delivered to her shop as she cannot work out what it does. Manny wonders out into the streets calming things and quoting from the book until he encounters some thugs who start to beat him up. Bernard is still trying to injure himself so he is exempt from doing his accounts and sees the thugs outside so offers himself to them. The punch brings Manny back to his senses and he and Bernard get talking. Manny becomes Bernard's accountant and assistant. Meanwhile Fran realises she has forgotten Julie and can't get to the hospital,as she looks for a taxi Manny picks up her ball and reveals that it is a lighter.
- Description:Black Books A sitcom following the antics of the foul tempered and wildly eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black,his long haired long suffering assistant Manny and his best and only friend - Fran who owns the shop next door. Written by: Dylan Moran and Graham Linehan Directed by: Nick Wood and Graham Linehan Cast: Bernard Black (Dylan Moran),Manny (Bill Bailey),Fran (Tamsin Grieg) with Tony Bluto,Stephen Boswell,Daisy Campbell,Dominic Carter,Jeillo Edwards,Martin Freeman,John MacNeill,Eamonn O'Neill,James O'Neill,Michael Parkhouse,Muriel Pavlow,Jack Pierce,Rupert Vansittart
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Entertainment
- Producer:Assembly Film And Television Ltd.
- Programme Episode:Episode 1
- Transmission Date:29/07/1999
- Rights:Worldwide
- Decade: 1990s