HBO's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency"

[Clea Simon]

And I, in turn, take on the Anthony Minghella production in my review in the Boston Phoenix. I quite liked it, largely because Minghella was quite respectful of the books. That said, he did change some things. One difference that I couldn't fit into this review was a new character, an openly gay hairdresser (in the picture to the right of Scott). He's a good character, but I found it a little odd that when the books deal quite openly with AIDS (Mma Makutsi's brother dies of it), the TV adaptation has a gay character and it is never mentioned. Also, the agency's first home is a lot nicer than it is in the book -- I felt a little bit as if the producers wanted to make Gabarone nicer and more open even than it is in the book. Well intentioned, but why?

[I. J. Parker]

Make that "simultaneously". I must have been infected by the anti-adverb crowd. :)

[I. J. Parker]

Haven't seen it, but the books are quite charming. I'm trying to account for this when I'm simultaneous turned off by the simple-minded English with its constant repetitions. I suppose, a world where everything moves so slowly is very soothing to stressed-out Europeans and Americans.
The characters are wonderful. I must say that Mma Ramotswe seemed to have some pounds and years on the actress. And possibly, she is also less stylish. It's Mma Makutsi who has the shoe fetish. And the morality is wonderful in our cynical world.