A Spirit-Lifting Library DVD Series
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency was filmed in Botswana, southern Africa
A few years ago Sam and I discovered The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and watched it straight through its first, and only, season.
When the first books in this series by Alexander McCall Smith came out in the 2000’s, I read every one. The characters solve real-life problems in a beautiful but impoverished African setting. With their inherent kindness comes the courage they need to help bring justice and healing to others.
The opening scenes of the pilot on Disc 1 are a small, perfect work of art, showing how Precious Ramotswe’s father taught her the life principals that still give her strength. The music is by Gabriel Yared.
Her adult voice speaks over the images.
I learned many, many things from my father. To use my eyes, to use my ears, and my memory. He taught me to be patient. Most of all he taught me to love my country, Botswana, the finest place on God’s earth. And all the creatures great and small that live here, except — snakes. … Finally, my daddy gave me one-hundred and eighty cows.
The story begins when Mma Ramotswe sets up a modest detective agency outside the capital, Gaborone.
New friends help her. BK, the hairdresser next door, will send her clients and she will send hers to him. JLB Matekoni, a mechanic who owns a garage, brings her two used typewriters. Each typewriter is missing several keys, but perhaps they will be useful as a pair.
At first business is slow, but then Mma Ramotswe hires Grace Makutsi as her secretary. Early in the story Mma Makutsi is recording an answering machine message for the new office telephone.
Mma Makutsi: Hello. Is your husband missing? Did someone steal your cow? If so, you have reached the Number One Detective… No. [Beep] Hello. Are you looking for your husband? We do not … No. [Beep] Hello.
Mma Ramotswe: Mma Makutsi!
Makutsi: At your service, at the ready!
Ramotswe: No, there’s nothing to write down. I’m just wondering …
She is lost in thought about how to solve one of the Agency’s first cases.
Makutsi: There’s always something to write down. Procedure is very important. This is my training. We go back over our cases, the dates interviews, every hunch, every hint — or in our case, every unch and every int. It transpires we have no H on either typewriter.
Ramotswe: We have lost the H?
Makutsi: No. It was missing already.
Ramotswe: Wait a moment. Say that again.
Makutsi: We have no H.
Ramotswe: And the next. We haven’t the H because —
Ramotswe and Makutsi: It was already missing.
Ramotswe: Excellent, brilliant! Another breakthrough. You are an excellent secretary!
The series is ambitious and at times there’s a bit of unevenness, but I suggest that if you give them a try the pilot and the six episodes will be memorable. The music is beautiful and full of spirit. The production is unique, filmed in Botswana where diamond mining is the only resource and the wealth is unevenly shared.
It’s about strength of character in community. As the author McCall Smith explains,
[Mma Ramotswe] does have a very strong sense of justice and what is right. But there's another thing that she has — she tries to achieve some sort of resolution between people, which may mean actually forgiving somebody.
A Note:
Some of the stories in this series are difficult. The people of Botswana in the early 2000’s were suffering poverty and other effects of often criminal diamond and drug profiteers. McCall Smith is clear-eyed about this, as well as about certain ruinous traditions.
We watched the pilot again this week after about 8 years. We were surprised this time by how much more directly we felt not only the cruelties depicted, but also, and especially, the compassion that fuels the fight against them. We realized that our own culture has changed in these past few years in ways that make us more sensitive.
In the end, though, I accept McCall Smith’s offer. Hope for change can be inspired by natural beauty and by a belief in the power of kindness. Now, here, it is up to us to put that hope into action.
Oh how sad I was when it was over! I had to buy the book "Mma Ramotswe's Cookbook - Nourishment for the traditionally built" (Used from abebooks.com, a fantastic source with great prices. They offered ratings of quality and they always seem to arrive in better condition than rated.) My only disappointment was rooibus tea (bush tea) which I had to try and turned out to be "eh".If anyone is interested in the book I would offer that it might be difficult to read by people who have trouble with smaller fonts. I checked out the price on Amazon and with shipping a used copy added up to about $30. Can you had MUCH cheaper at Abebooks.com! These days, however, I am trying to buy ONLY ebooks, or listen to them on Audacity - nothing to make for clutter!
I too watched it when it first came out. Always looked forward for the next one. Heart warming.
Gracie was so funny to watch. Thanks for reminding me.