At the TCA press tour, Michael Lombardo, HBO’s president of programming, spoke about the future of No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Though it won’t be continuing as a TV series, there are plans to continue the story in the form of two movies.
No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency ran for seven episodes on HBO, from March until May in 2009. The comedy-drama was filmed on location in Botswana and follows Mma Ramotswe as she operates a detective agency. The cast includes Jill Scott, Anika Noni Rose, Lucian Msamati, and Desmond Dube.
This weekend, Lombardo said, “We’re talking to our friends at the Weinstein Company about the possibility of, and actually developing two scripts, possibly to do two movies. And if we can get the cast together and if everything can come together we’ve love to do it. So it’s alive.”
If they get the final go-ahead, the two HBO movies would likely be shot back-to-back. It seems they won’t be filmed completely in Botswana however.
It was reported last month that the show’s producers had relocated from Botswana to Cape Town. The Botswana government, hard hit by the recession, balked at the idea of subsidizing film production while South Africa doubled their rebate offer.
If the movies are actually made, they’ll be filmed mostly in Cape Town with occasional lensing in Botswana, the locale where the story is set.
What do you think? Are you a fan of No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency? Would you like to see it return as a pair of movies?
Image courtesy HBO.
I think the no 1 Ladies Detective Agency is absolutely the best show I’ve ever seen; please bring it back. Movies would be great and of course the series would be ideal! Nothing better and people fall in love with this show left and right! Thanks!
Please bring it back! I loved the books AND the TV series. It was refreshincg to watch a show without foul language that shows common sense solutions. The casting was excellent. It gave us a view of another part of the world. We need MORE shows on TV like the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.
I am a huge fan of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series by Alexander McCall Smith.I
I found that the HBO series did the books justice. And I would LOVE
to see the series return for a 2nd season! If not possible, please bring on the double feature!
DITTO! DITTO! DITTO!!! to all above comments. Please bring the “Ladies'” back in any form! We are sitting on the edge of our seats, waiting for more books (installments) by Alexander McCall Smith, so you can keep making more wonderful movies.
Aloha, MaryAlice
i am sorry the series was cancelled and would enjoy seeing the movies.
I loved the Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency!!! HBO, please bring this show back!! As everyone is said, it was a breath of fresh air.
I just discovered this beautiful, wonderful show, how could you cancel this type of talent!! I am sick of disgusting violence, murder, cops and robbers, not to mention prison shows, now escape from prison shows. Why can’t we have one show that is a “feel good” show that everyone can watch? Why do the shows that stay on have to be full of that garbage and the real talent go unrecognized? Please rethink what we really want to watch.
Why would HBO take off a show that has so much positive response? I hope someone there reads these, because I and my wife have really enjoyed watching these.
What a shame that good wholesome shows are taken off but ones that are rude and disturbing are left on.
What has happened?
HBO do the right thing and bring it back.
Rick
I think cancelling this series was a terrile decision. This series was very refreshing, not your typical “Hollywood” show. The cast was very much so in sync with their characters and with each other. The scripts were real, geniune, and delightful. WE MISS THEM!
I just discovered this series on the HBO DVDs from Netflix; how sad to find that the series was canceled! It is joyous and upbeat – very different from so much of TV and movie fare. I spent a month in Swaziland several years ago and found this very positive view of Bantu/Sub Sarahan culture delightful. Bring it back in any form; in the meantime I shall watch the 7 episodes so often that I have them memorized!
I just watched the 1st 5 episodes yesterday 3/2/11 I really enjoyed the show I watched it on HBO on Demand. I wil be watching the other 2 episodes tonight. I felt a little out of touch, being the show aired 2 years ago.. but any time is better than never. I enjoyed this show very funny and realistic, I enjoyed wondering what would happen next. would it be a happy ending or not. I end up I watching epsisodes 1-5 back to back before I went to bed.
Please, please, please!! Bring the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency back soon!!!
Either as a series or a movie.
Thank you.
Deborah Ward
I have been reading the novels for years and just recently discovered the HBO Series. I was extremely disspointed to find out that it was cancelled. I would love for HBO to bring back the series for another season. It was a very unique show. The scenery was beautiful and the acting was excellent. I am sorry to see it go!
Please bring back #1 Ladies. I loved, and continue to read, the books and have gotten my husband hooked on the series via Netflix. It is so refreshing to have something of value to watch.
I just recently discovered the #1 Ladies and am sorry to hear that it has been cancelled. I would rather have it as a continuing TV series than a movie. It is so refreshing and has so many lessons to teach i.e. that people with relatively little have the same intelligence, issues with life and relationships etc. I love the setting, the colors, clothes, accents, encounters with animals and click speakers, on and on. I love the gentle solutions and wisdom of the main character, and the assistance and support she receives from everyone. I am ready to move to… Read more »
I love the show. I’ve been recording and re-watching the episodes of late and thoroughly enjoy the gentleness and tenderness of many of the relationships. In addition to the quality of the program, the pre and post credits are outstanding. Being highly visual (involved in creative pursuits), this show is enthralling from opening credits to the end of the closing credits. I’d love to see it continue as an episodic series, but would settle for the movies.
PLEASE BRING BACK THE SERIES! I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MOVIES MADE AND HAVE THE SERIES COME BACK ! I THINK THERE ARE OTHER SHOES THAT COULD BE TAKEN OFF, SUCH AS THE SOPRANOS AND REPLACED BY THE LADIES NUMBER 1 DETECTIVE AGENCY. I LOVE THE ACTRESSES AND THE ASSISTANT DETECTIVE IS SO FUNNY I LAUGH UNTIL I CRY! PLEASE PLEASE FIND SOME WAY TO BRING IT BACK!
This was a lovely series, a breath of fresh air. The stories were great, the acting superb. I would love to see it continue in any form.