Hollywood, CA — Get ready for the most unique and entertaining series to hit television; HBO’s “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” starring Grammy award winning singer Jill Scott (“Why Did I Get Married?”) and Anika Noni Rose (“Dreamgirls”). It’s not enough that it is a one hour series that stars a Black woman; as a matter of fact a lot of Black women and men, but it takes place in Africa, Botswana to be exact, and it quickly becomes a feast for your eyes. It is a cultural and spiritual coming together of art, customs, familiarity, and nature.
It’s a treat to meet, and to become enthralled with African actors and actresses that you’ve never seen before, but hand in excellent portrayals of characters we’re all to familiar with. It becomes a learning experience when we’re introduced to their customs, the kindness they show each other in a simple greeting, and its awe inspiring to look at the beautiful country in which our brothers and sisters live. This makes the “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” more than just a well written and executed television series.
Based on a popular series of novels written by Alexander McCall Smith, “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” stars Scott as Mma Ramotswe a very wise, gentle woman who is smart, intuitive and will be the first to tell you she’s made of strong stuff.
The series begins with a two hour movie introducing us to a woman who is fighting to gain a sense of herself after the loss of a child as a result of an abusive husband. Raised by her father, we learn the many special things he taught her as a child growing up in the country filled with giraffes, elephants and other animals roaming free. We share in the love between a father and daughter and how his teachings impact her life. Her father’s passing marks a new beginning, but she has to heal old wounds, which puts her in a strong position to help others facing some of the same issues.
Using her inheritance, she moves to the city and her exciting, sometimes dangerous journey begins. She decides to open a detective agency to help people solve the mysteries in their lives. But she will need assistance and a delightful group of characters to help her along the way.
Anika Noni Rose, a 2004 Tony Award winner, stars as her very apt but extremely uptight and thorough assistant Mma Makutsi. Agreeing to work without pay to help get the agency started, she gets heavily involved, even when she’s not invited to do so. Mma Makutsi too, has a back story that develops throughout the series.
We meet Lucian Msamati who stars as JLB Matekoni, a mechanic who befriends Ramotswe right away. And her next door neighbor, BK played by Desmond Dube owner of a hair salon, quick witted, and as Mma Makutsi says “That man is very much like a woman.”
Guest stars such as CCH Pounder and Idris Elba add to the richness of the series which include tales of poisonings, disappearances, accidental deaths, and even a rival detective agency.
Challenges abound, in the land where the ‘traditional’ build of the African woman is looked upon as a vision of beauty…fat and fabulous. Given much respect, Mma Ramotswe is bound to be a very popular detective, using brains and beauty.
“The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” is a collaboration of the BBC, HBO Entertainment and the Weinstein Company in Association with Mirage Enterprises and Cinechicks.
“The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” premieres Sunday, March 29 at 8 p.m. on HBO.
Get ready for a new viewing experience, you won’t regret it.
– Contact Gail at gailchoice@strictlyhollywood.com.
