No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
by Oline H. Cogdill
March 25th, 2009
If the advance screenings and sneak peeks I’ve seen are any indication, HBO’s new series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency should be a winner.
Based on the lovely, yet provocative novels by Alexander McCall Smith, the HBO series will feature the adventures of Precious Ramotswe, the Botswanan divorcee turned private investigator.
The series will air Sundays at 8 p.m. with numerous encores. The two-hour premiere will be Sunday March 29. Sneak peeks about the series and the history of the Botswana have been airing frequently and are available On Demand, if your cable company has that feature.
American singer Jill Scott seems perfect for the role of Precious. Scott captures Precious’ intelligence, her independence, her confidence, her refusal to submit to conventional thought.
Precious knows that she won’t make much money as a private investigator. But then no one else does either in the poor, dusty neighborhood of Gaborone.
But Precious knows that poor people have the same problems as the more affluent, but less opportunities to get help. Precious is there to help the “lost, the frightened.” She knows she can change people’s lives.
While there is an optimistic feel to Precious and her career choice, the series, like the novels, also delves into the darker side. Precious was an abused wife who lost her baby because of her husband’s beatings.
In addition to the wonderful Scott, Tony winner Anika Noni Rose makes a great turn as the whip-smart assistant, proud of making the highest grade at her business school. Rose’s plain clothes and thick glasses are a huge change from her role in Dreamgirls.
Except for the addition of a new character, B.K., The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series seems fairly faithful to the novels.
At least the clips I saw were right on target.
So, readers, what do you think of HBO’s new series The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency?
PHOTO: Jill Scott as Precious; Keith Bernstein photo/HBO
I love the Mma. Ramotswe books– can’t wait to see the series. Guess I’ll have to sign up for HBO again….
I have just watched the first four episodes, courtesey HBO. Just terrific
Oline: Do you recommend reading the books before watching the series?
Deborah, I always recommend the book first. Most films/TV do not capture the insightfulness of the book. The films can only give so much of the book, leaving out characters, angst, motives, etc. But there are some films that capture the essence of the novel. Hey, perhaps this is my next blog! I’ll save the rest for the blog there
Here in Britain, we have episode 3 tonght of #1 LDA on BBC1.
I adore this series and agree that a familiarity with the books enhances the TV series. (I enjoyed the books up until the third where McCall Smith’s tone became just a bit too overly paternalistic and moralistic).
Jill Scott is an amazing ‘find’ as an actress. She is superb in everything to do with the part. And her accent and intonation is perfect. The camera captures those wonderfful facial expressions which are always interesting to watch, as is her acting generally. The other 3 lead supports, her secretary, JLB (Speedy Motors), and BK, the hairdresser, bring great strengths to the programme. The Botswana landscape is a big star.
A big salute to Jill Scott, who pulled off such a tour de force with her director A. Minghella first time round. And now, even more so for carrying on since his death, tough for her as it was.
(P.S. Looking forward to seeing CCH Pounder in tonight’s show. Would love to see more of her on TV).
Lamorna:
Thanks so much for posting on the Mystery Scene site. Glad you are also enjoying this series. It is among the best HBO has done and I hope it catches on. Since you are in the U.K., you may have seen A Place of Execution. The book remains one of my favorites and I am looking forward to the filmed version when it comes to the U.S. Happy reading and watching and thanks again for coming to the blog site. Tell your friends.
Oline, very much enjoying exploring the Mystery Scene Magazine site. Have not read Val McDiarmid’s Place of Execution, but did see the ITV adaptation (www.itv.com). It was dark and intriguing. The excellent Juliet Stevenson plays the central role of Catherine. She says it differs quite a bit from the book as she has a teenage daughter, whose role is quite pivotal in the film. Philip Jackson (Inspector Japp in the Poirot TV series) plays a retired policeman.
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