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 would love to have the tv series back….the weekly joy is more than a one time sitting for the movie….AND there is absolutely NOTHING on tv that compares to the shows produced in the series…NOTHING…it was brilliant …truly….
I was crushed to hear the series has been discontinued, I finally find a truly feel good show and poof it’s gone. My fingers are crossed for the movies.
I have watched the series twice now in NZ and am still amazed at how many people have never heard of it, yet when they do watch it they rave on about its uniqueness and originality. With better promo and exposure , I cannot see how it woldnt draw repeat followers. Loved it and would love films or further series (with original cast)
I just discovered the series on HBO ON Demand and I Love it. I watch it with my three year old and she loves to listen to the language and watch the people. I think it is nice that HBO had a series that I could actually watch with my child. If you can, please bring it back. If not then I would have to settle for the movie. I hope Anika Noni Rose will still be part of the cast, I loved her acting in this series.
Love the books and the series is SOO well done would LOVE to see more…
I loved this program so much that my girlfriends and I looked forward to it each week. we even ordered Bush Tea to drink during the show. I do hope you reconsider and bring this program back , weekly. There are some of us who are tired of the bad News on Tv and lets face it who wants to watch bad news stories, Somebody’s dead police programs and rude people reality TV all the time? Please give some writers a job, and us some hope , smiles and simple laughter, a program that allows the viewer to enjoy a… Read more »
Please, please give s more No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. We loved the series and were really sorry when it ended.
It was a refreshing change from everything else on TV; the casting was superb, the locations wonderful, and the acting deserving of awards.
So let’s have more episodes
I loved it, loved it , loved it!! It would be a terrible shame if there wasn’t a second season. I would happily settle for two back to back movies though. I have given the first season to many family and friends as a gift. Everyone has loved it. Please continue the season if at all possible.
My whole family loved watching those 7 episodes and would love to see more. It is the most upbeat and positive treatment of life in Africa that I have seen
Absolutely awesome. Loved every down to the last perfect detail. Hbo fans need this. It is feminine, philosophical, non violent mostly, and the actors are incredible. A refreshing series, set is an incredible place, with people full of kindness, respect and heart. It is truley different, and needed unlike all the other male oriented stuff you now have. Up with an inspirational piece, in a world of brain washing tv, something that makes being human a good thing.
I love the series. I was crushed to hear that they canceled it. I guess the movies are better than nothing.
A wonderful “feel good” show that demands a second series but I would happily settle for a couple of movies.
re No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, love the books, TV series and bought the DVD’s, would be happy with two movies which would encompass the other marvelous stories contained in the books. I tell my friends about the TV series now showing and they love it as well.
Yes, I think that it would be a wonderful idea to have these movies. I think some advertisement would help. It was a wonderful series in pure South African form; very educational also. These types of series are so enjoyable. They represent geography and culture in ways that children cas easily grasp and as fun for individuals as well as the wholel family. They were superb performances. Not may people seem to know about the program. The critics just had nothing better to tare apart. What do they know? They are not use to working with substance. Bring the series… Read more »
Love the books, love the series. It would be wonderful to have another series but I’d settle for a couple of movies. (I’m still waiting for it to be shown on free-to-air TV in Australia. ended up buying the DVD set of the series.) I even think the stories would work as a series of radio plays (with podcasts).