The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (2008– )

A woman opens her own detective agency in Botswana.

Stars:

Jill Scott, Anika Noni Rose, Lucian Msamati

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jill Scott	...	Precious Ramotswe (7 episodes, 2008-2009)
Anika Noni Rose	...	Grace Makutsi (7 episodes, 2008-2009)
Lucian Msamati	...	JLB Matekoni (7 episodes, 2008-2009)
Desmond Dube	...	BK (7 episodes, 2008-2009)
Thabo Malema	...	Charlie (5 episodes, 2008-2009)
Tau Maserumule	...	Fanwell (5 episodes, 2008-2009)
Lebogang Motubudi	...	Richard Makutsi (4 episodes, 2009)
Harish Patel	...	Mr. Patel (3 episodes, 2009)
Brenda Ngxoli	...	Florence Peko (3 episodes, 2009)
Dipshika Mahajan	...	Nandira Patel (3 episodes, 2009)
Mosako Mogara	...	Wellington (3 episodes, 2009)
Kgomotso Delia Tshwenyego	...	Rose (3 episodes, 2008-2009)

Storyline

After her father's death, sensible and cheerful Mma Precious Ramotswe sells her inherited cattle and opens the country's only female-owned detective agency. She hires Botswana Secretarial College graduate (97% in the final exams!) Grace Makutsi as her assistant. Together they solve problems big and small with their wisdom, big hearts, and endless cups of red-bush tea. Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe's best friend, mechanic Mr. JLB Matekoni, hopes for a chance to win her heart... Based on Alexander McCall Smith's best-selling book series.

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Plot Keywords:

orphan | friendship | sick brother | secretary | africa | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Family | Mystery

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC [uk]

Country:

UK USA South Africa Botswana

Language:

English Tswana

Also Known As:

A Agência Nº1 de Mulheres Detectives

Filming Locations:

Botswana

Company Credits

Production Co:

Weinstein Company, The, Home Box Office (HBO), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When cast, both of the lead actresses in this series were a little better-known for their professional singing than for their film or TV acting careers. Jill Scott was most famous as a Grammy-winning R&B and soul singer, though she had also been a spoken-word performer and poet and a stage actress. Anika Noni Rose won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for the Broadway show "Caroline, or Change," and also appeared in singing roles in Dreamgirls and (after starting The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency) The Princess and the Frog.

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Connections

Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 3 March 2011 (2011)

User Reviews

Fabulous!!!!!!!

I have always been a fan of Jill Scott and her music, and it's wonderful to see her abilities as an actress as well. This show is so engaging it leaves me wanting more and anxiously waiting for the next episode! Anika Noni Rose is excellent in her role as well, and I pray that this show is nominated and awards will be given for the acting as well as the writing of the show. I am also impressed with the positive light it shines on Botswana, for so long parts of Africa is always seen as this poor, devastated country with flies crawling over the faces of starving children. Don't get me wrong, this truly does happen, but poverty is everywhere even here in the states. But for once they are showing another side of life in a country where the people are full of life, a country full of beauty and grace, despite the hardships they face.