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.
Yes please bring it back – both my Mother and I enjoyed the show…
This is such a wonderful series. Please bring it back or make the 2 movies.
My family and I loved this series. We have been waiting for it to return. I was so disappointed when I heard it had been cancelled. There are so few shows that are by enjoyed by our entire family. This was a well written very entertaining show that was interesting to males as well as females. I really want the series back. The movies are better than nothing. We have read most of the books and are ready to see them on the TV.
My daughter and I loved the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series on HBO. We watched every episode and would love to have the series come back or some movies based on the books.
Please bring back the show in any form. We love it and signed up for HBO just to watch it and canceled when HBO canceled the series. I know many people who did the same!
If two movies were the only option, that would be better than nothing. But I was looking forward to another eleven seasons, to keep up with the books! Such a lovely show, such a shame it was canceled! I don’t understand why nothing good can ever stay around?
Loved this show. It’s got humor, interesting characters still being developed in the last episode, some great scenery in Botswana, a glimpse into the culture of another country, and doesn’t need violence to keep audience interest. If you choose not to pick it back up, how about selling the rights to network TV?
Cannot understand why such a wondeful series was canceled….With all of the “junk” on TV this was truly refreshing. Feel it would have gone over big on network TV.
PLEASE do more of this sort of things from countries all over the world.
Bought the video set on a whim. Loved it. Even won another set, but didn’t let the presenter know that I already had one. That’s how much I wanted it. Please, please bring it back, or at least a movie so they could get married.
I agree with all the above comments. This was a fabulous series of shows – actually one of the few times I haven’t hated to see favorite books brought to the screen. It was so perfectly done. I’m so disappointed it wasn’t continued. Movies would be better than nothing, but oh I would love to see a season 2 – shot in Botswana!
I thought I’d read that there were actually more episodes filmed, just not edited. No matter *how* it returns, yes, I want to see it return!
This is an excellent show, and obviously well loved by many people. Naturally, it gets cancelled. So typical, and so sad. I would humbly request that you reconsider cancelling it, but know in my heart that individual comments like mine go completely unnoticed. Thanks anyway for a few wonderful episodes.
This show was such a joy and so disarming ………………..HOW COULD YOU CANCEL SUCH AN OUTRIGHT GEM? You must be deaf, dumb, and blind with no sensibilities whatsoever. So of course, you’re the head of programming! Please reconsider. Everyone makes mistakes…..it takes a mensch to admit it and correct it.
this was an amazing show with a wonderful cast–I hope it all comes together soon
please bring back the show we miss it!!!!!