Black Books episode guide: The Grapes Of Wrath (episode 3)

Manny decides to put his foot down. The shop is in a horrific state: filth everywhere, a week old pizza still in it's box lying on the front desk. He informs Bernard that he is calling in a cleaner, and they have to move out for a week. Fortunately, one of Bernard's "friends" has asked them both to house-sit for him as he goes away on holidays. It all works out rather nicely.

Meanwhile, Fran has a date with an absolutely charming, intelligent, and attractive new man. It's a complete disaster, as she plays psychoanalyist and aids him in discovering the realities of his sexuality. ("How often do you speak to your mother?" "I don't know, the usual amount. Three... maybe five times a day?")

The man-who's-house-they're-sitting happens to be quite the wine boffin, and instructs Manny that he can drink any of the new, cheap wine on the left but he must not touch any of the old, expensive stuff on the right. Surprise, surprise, Manny gets it the wrong way around, and before you can say "sacrelicous" they've downed the one bottle that their friend was due to present to the Pope the following month.

Previous: Manny's First Day
Next: The Blackout