Review: ‘The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency’

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There are so many reasons to watch ‘The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency,’ which premieres Sunday night on HBO, that it’s hard to choose which one to lead with. So we’ll go with what viewers experience first: the green and golden glory of Africa.

Set and shot in Botswana, ‘The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency’ is based on the successful series of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith and co-written and executive produced by Richard Curtis (‘Four Weddings and a Funeral,’ ‘The Girl in the Cafe’) and the late Anthony Minghella (‘Cold Mountain,’ ‘The English Patient’). The patina of that remarkable pedigree is visible from the very first moment the camera soars over the verdant river banks and dusty plains, the haughty giraffes and startled meerkats, lighting then upon the modest village that’s home to Precious Ramotswe (Jill Scott).

Even before we see her on-screen, Scott, a three-time Grammy winner, is a revelation; her summer-glazed creamy tones are the reason the voice-over was invented.

Read the entire review of ‘The No. Ladies Detective Agency’ here.

-- Mary McNamara

Photo: Keith Bernstein / HBO