Poison (12 Apr. 2009)

The agency investigates a possible poisoner amongst a feuding family, ivory smuggling, and a series of unexplained deaths at the hospital.

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers:

Alexander McCall Smith (novels), Nicholas Wright

Stars:

Jill Scott, Anika Noni Rose, Lucian Msamati

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Jill Scott	...	Precious Ramotswe
Anika Noni Rose	...	Grace Makutsi
Lucian Msamati	...	JLB Matekoni
Desmond Dube	...	BK
Vusi Kunene	...	Doctor Gulubane
Nyasha Hatendi	...	Doctor Sibenke
Ludo Chalashika	...	Nurse
Boitumelo Makunga	...	Nurse
Dineo Mophakedi	...	Nurse
Mosako Mogara	...	Wellington
Keketso Semoko	...	Mma Potokwane
Lerato Moloi	...	Tabitha
Joe Matome	...	Rre Lisindi
Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba	...	Himself, Bishop of Botswana (as The Right Rev. Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba)
Lebogang Motubudi	...	Richard Makutsi

Storyline

Mma Ramotswe gets caught between a dangerous case of ivory smuggling and a feuding family when she is asked to investigate the unusual behavior of Rra Lisindi, owner of Lisindi's curio shop, and the case of a possible poisoner. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is entrusted with the task of solving Tlokweng Hospital's spate of mysteriously regular deaths.

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Plot Keywords:

attempted murder | success | cook | second wife | family relationships | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Family | Mystery

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Details

Release Date:

12 April 2009 (USA)

Company Credits

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the scene where Precious searches an open medicine cabinet, she turns and opens the door and discovers Mma Makgothi eavesdropping by the washroom door. When the camera's POV switches to view into the washroom we see that the cabinet is now closed.

User Reviews

Amos and Andy

When do exploitative stereotypes become offensive and when endearing? When they are generated outside of the target community for profit? What about when they reinforce what is seen by the target community as deeply intrinsic to the culture?

Supposing that you do not know this...

It is a cheaply produced set of artificially simple "African" fables. The chief character is a bossy, obese black woman with what is proudly called "a traditional shape." Her assistant is obsessively dedicated and daft, clearly a number two. All the men are nitwits, pompous or self-effacing. The "mysteries" are simply an excuse for our number one lady to poke around and to "explain" at the end to the collected characters, Agatha Christy-style.

This is where the manufactured wisdom comes from. Where the standard mystery would have the guilty revealed and reviled, our wise woman spends most of her time explaining why the bad events happened. Culpability is diminished and wisdom about how to repair lives is doled out.

I found it not only trite, but offensive. I imagine that few others will until a few years have passed and the idea of "ethnic identity" matures past this sort of fable.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.