No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

How can this be? My mother and I agree virtually 100% of the time on TV shows. If she likes it, chances are I will too (not sure the 100% rule applies the other way around). So when the first disc of No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency arrived, I was stoked and sure I'd enjoy it since my mother likes watching it.

Indifference is the enemy: The first episode perplexed me. We meet Mma Precious Ramotswe and her secretary who are running the agency. They begin a new case and as a viewer, I am just supposed to come along from the beginning. There's no explanation of who Precious is or how she came to own and operate such a business. I had to double check and make sure I didn't get a later disc (thinking disc 1 would have more narrative of the characters) but no, this WAS the first disc. This unusual launch into stories and cases without offering the viewer any background backfires, in my opinion, because there's no reason to care what happens. Without knowing anything about them, why would I care what cases they're working on?

Mma Precious Ramotswe (left) and assistant Mma Grace Makutsi (right)

Progress not perfection: Set in Botswana, Africa feels like its own character and there is a freshness and newness to the stories that are somewhat refreshing. As the show wore on, I got used to the rhythm of the unfolding stories and less frustrated at the lack of connection. A couple new supporting characters entered the scene including JLB Matekoni (mechanic and suitor to Ramotswe), which gave the show more depth. I smiled a couple times too, which has to mean some enjoyment, right?

Sounds of success: I like the soundtrack, the use of an African music helps this show come alive. The whimsical notes also make the viewer realize the entertainment is found in the foibles of the characters more than the mysteries (kind of like TV show Monk is just as much about Adrian Monk as the crimes he solves).

I think...it's adequately entertaining and what I would consider a decent "filler" TV show, but nothing I will look forward to with much anticipation. Or to put it another way, I didn't bother to "pause" it when I needed to get a drink. 

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