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 loved the HBO series as much as the books. What wonderful, feel good, yet so beautifully written books. The writing is lyrical, the description fantastic, hard to believe a man could get inside women’s heads as the author has done. The actors do a beautiful job, too. The portrayal is great. I have turned my friends on to No 1 Ladies, and they love them, too. I so hope the movies will be made. I predict the series will enjoy a rebirth.
This was such a sweet and funny show with excellent actors and writing. It was also great to see a positive portrayal of an African country. Very disappointed that the movies or second season don’t seem to be going to happen.
Hard to believe this colourful feel good series had to be shelved when there so many stories left in the book series. So many people are disappointed.
Love this series! Such beautiful characters and background. Watched this show with my 8 year old daughter and she was in awe of the beauty it all. We need more shows like this. Please bring it back AND make movies of it.
I just finished watching season one on DVD and was looking for season two after telling all my friends about this sweet, loving, wholesome series and what wonderful soul food it is. Then I found this site and am devastated. I pray that another network will pick it up. We just don’t get shows like this anymore. All rubbish out there now.
My husband and I watched this Series with our 10yr old granddaughter. We all loved it and are sad that there are not more series like this.
The acting was outstanding, wonderful characters, and a colorful background.
Please do more!
I saw a DVD from the library and thought it was great. Heard mention of it on a Foxtel channel a couple of weeks ago and was hoping it would be on TV. I guess not. What a disappointment.
Yeah it’s sad to see another ax fall on a great series, and even more so to watch another TV channel demonstrate the shortsightedness they criticized the other companies for, and then when push comes to shove do it themselves. I’m extremely disappointed with HBO, another so called “channel with a difference.” Queen hit it right on the head – “another one bites the dust”, the company/not just the show.
I loved the TV series and have been waiting for the second series so am very disappointed to hear that the series has been cancelled. I look forward to the movies now. As I grew up in Africa I love the landscape and the culture as portrayed in the Tv series and Jill Scott has a lovely face and plays the part perfectly.
Yes I agree with everyone else, the series was totally different from many others that we get to see, but would love a continuation, my daughter kudrah alabi featured in the in the series as “little precious” and she loved her film director, the late anthony minghella, may his soul rest in perfect peace.
I loved all the books and adored the TV series. The characters were so true to the book and the storylines too. There is so much rubbish on TV I just can’t understand why you wouldn’t make another series. It was brilliant.
I only just discovered this wonderful series on DVD!! So refreshing, entertaining and full of heart!!! My two eldest grandchildren (11 and 14 (a boy!) watched it with me, and were sold on it as well, which is saying a lot for the value of this series, as they are used to seeing shows with a lot of so called action, bells and whistles!! There is a niche to be filled by The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency that nothing else is filling or likely to fill in this generation….. Please producers, wake up to the marketability and value of the… Read more »
Can’t believe that this series will not continue. The books are still being written and the first series was fantastic. At last a detective series that is different and has humour without being over the top and stupid. A very disappointing decision. I lived in Gaborone for almost 10 years and it brought back so many wonderful memories. I work with a lot of South Africans who absolutely adored this series. We even had a Ladies Detective agency club where we would weekly take it in turns making an African delicacy to have with bush tea before watching an episode… Read more »
So disappointed that this series isn’t coming back. I will settle for two movies but would love to see more of this series of stories.
I can’t believe this worthy program was not continued into Season 2. Finally something on television worth watching! There are many more stories in the books yet untold on TV.