Comedians Dylan Moran and Bill Bailey star in the much-loved offbeat sitcom about bad-tempered, eccentric bookshop owner Bernard Black and his long-suffering assistant, Manny. Bernard has no use for people outside his shop and sometimes, not much use for the people inside it either. He prefers to spend his time reading, drinking and smoking. Manny, assisted by Bernard's oldest friend, Fran, who runs Nifty Gifty, a shop down the way, frequently tries to adjust Bernard's attitude and get him to be more social.