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 like to plant a seed. Have you persued other networks? (ie, BET, TV ONE and OWN.) “The Game” is an example of the possibilities. I stumbled across the series in a video store. My family as well as myself enjoyed it. Like previous comments I would love to see the series continue. Mr. Perry, Ms. Winfrey, Mr. Cannon . . . can you help us?
Thanks in advance,
A fan.
Would like to see the series come back – loving the fact that it could be made into movie
I just finished seeing the seven episodes of The No. 1 Ladies Dectective Agency and was so disheartened to find out that there would not be any more filming for HBO. I was fortunate to spend time in Botswana this past summer and fell in love with the country and it’s warm and wonderful people. This series captured what I think McCall understood and intended his books to portray. How wonderful that people all over the world get a chance to see this friendly and peaceful part of Africa through this TV program when most everything else from that continent… Read more »
Loved the books, the show and look forward to the movies
What a wonderful series…the characters, the music, the culture, the locale…Would love to see more episodes or movies, if they were as fine as the first season
I just finished watching the Pilot and the 7 episodes back to back. OMGoodness, please brink this show back. IThe are so many shows filled eith sex and violence. Then a descent one comes along that is captivating and it is cancelled! That is crazy. Though I do not have much, I would love to invest in this series. Ms. Scoot and Ms. Rose are outstanding talents. We need shows like this. Let’s get families to watch tv together again.
My husband and I loved the show…..very refreshing and would love to see MORE!!!!
Love.love.love this show. Please bring it back. So disappointed it’s gone. I even caught my 10 year old twins watching.
Please bring it back! Why would you leave us hanging like that? Beautiful stories, awesome acting, wonderful people!!!
I don’t understand this trend of cancelling highly popular shows, like this one. It doesn’t seem to be aboug viewership (witness the fact that websites have been developed to protest the cancelling of this show alone.) I would love to see more made, but am puzzled as to why only 2 movies. Yes, I would be in line to watch them, for sure.
Iam presently watching the first episode via Netflix. WOW! What a wonderful, funny series. I can’t belive it has been cancelled. Making two movies would be like throwing bones to a dog. I am confused as to why they would cancel the series. Was it lack of viewership? Oh my! Idris Elba just came onto the screen. PLEASE bring this back to t.v.
I loved this series, hate to see it go. I really hope they make something of the movie series. It seems like it was hardly cut compared to some of the other HBO series.
I was so disappointed the series was cancelled. I have read all the books and would love it if filming would continue. However, I do think it should be done primarily in Botswana. If the movies are made, I do hope they use the original cast as they are PERFECT!
The characters seemed to be left hanging at the end of the last episode. It is a shame not to finalise the story. I hope the two movies will be made and released for fans like me.
Loved the show. I am terribly disappointed that it has been cancelled. The cast is great as well as my #1 girl, Jill Scott.
Would love to see the series continue but disappointed to hear it will not be filmed in Botswana.