The Cozy Mystery List Blog

Cozy Mystery (and Other Favorite) Books, Movies, and TV

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Television series (HBO)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency: Season 1 [DVD] I should preface this entry by saying that I absolutely love Alexander McCall Smith‘s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency mystery books. While I have them listed as Cozy Mystery books, I have to say that in my opinion, they are more beautiful, character-driven pieces of fiction>>> in which the “mystery part” of the novel is secondary. (I emphasize that this is only my opinion! I consider Alexander McCall Smith one of today’s best storytellers.)

This HBO series was a collaboration with the BBC, and it shows! The episodes are quite true to Alexander McCall Smith’s mystery books, except for the addition of a secondary character (hair dresser) who, to me, is a nice addition. HBO has not added (again my opinion!) their almost-perfunctory nudity and sex scenes… which totally delights me.

The African (Botswana) setting is phenomenal. I am struck by the realistic “look” of the episodes… no slick Hollywood gloss-overs here! The cattle you see are not corn-fed, “beefed-up Hollywood” animals. The roads are dusty, the houses are modest, and the cars look like the type which would keep Mr. J. L.B. Matekoni (Lucian Msamati) busy at his auto repair shop.

Mma Ramotswe (Precious) is superbly played by Jill Scott, but to me, the stand-out performance is Anika Noni Rose as Mma Makutsi (Grace).

I strongly recommend the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency television series. In the past, I have often had problems watching a screen production of a favorite book/series of mine. There have been a few exceptions to this, the Princess Bride is one that comes to mind. This production of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is yet another exception!

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PBS Masterpiece Mystery! Inspector Lewis Mysteries – 2011 New Season

This is a VERY quick note: Inspector Lewis (starring Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox) is finally back! A new Inspector Lewis season will be airing, starting this Sunday (September 4, 2011) night on most PBS stations. There will be four new episodes for us to enjoy:

Sunday, September 4, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things

Sunday, September 11, 2011 – REPEAT Inspector Lewis: Your Sudden Death Question

Sunday, September 18, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: Wild Justice

Sunday, September 25, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: The Mind Has Mountains

Sunday, October 2, 2011 – REPEAT – Inspector Lewis: Falling Darkness

Sunday, October 9, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: The Gift of Promise

Don’t forget to either set up your current recording device, or make sure to post it on your calendar so you have plenty of time to pop up the pop corn and get comfy in front of your telly!

New (2011) PBS Masterpiece Mystery Episodes: Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Inspector Lewis, & Zen

If you are anything like my family, then you will be VERY pleased to know that PBS has a new Masterpiece Mystery! summer planned for us. I have to tell you, I am EXCITED about their new 2011 line-up!

Our very favorite Belgian sleuth, Hercule Poirot, will be the “opening act” (so to speak). Beginning on Sunday, June 19, David Suchet will be gracing us with three new 90-minute Hercule Poirot mysteries. Yes, Poirot, with the help of his little, grey cells, will be solving crimes for the usually-baffled police. (I am especially excited to see what Masterpiece Mystery! will be doing with Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party. It is one of my seasonal mysteries that I never tire of hearing/reading.)

Enter one of the most beloved little, old lady sleuths, with her knitting needles… That’s right, following Poirot will be Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple‘s turn to solve a crime. Unfortunately, there will only be one new Miss Marple Masterpiece Mystery! movie, but one is better than none. (Miss Marple is played by Julia McKenzie.)

The next Masterpiece Mystery! series to air is Zen, a new series which will be set in today’s Italy. The series is based on the mysteries by Michael Dibdin, and will star Rufus Sewell.

Yet another nice surprise is seeing that Inspector Lewis (starring Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox) will be returning in September 2011. (I have had to guess at the titles of the episodes, as they are not yet listed on the PBS site. I’m pretty sure of their chronological order.)

Sunday, June 19, 2011 – Hercule Poirot:  Three Act Tragedy

Sunday, June 26, 2011 – Hercule Poirot:  The Clocks

Sunday, July 3, 2011 – Hercule Poirot:  Hallowe’en Party

Sunday, July 10, 2011 – Miss Marple: The Pale Horse

Sunday, July 17, 2011 – Zen: Vendetta

Sunday, July 24, 2011 – Zen: Cabal

Sunday, July 31, 2011 – Zen: Ratking

Sunday, September 4, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things (?)

Sunday, September 18, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: Wild Justice (?)

Sunday, September 25, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: The Mind Has Mountains (?)

Sunday, October 9, 2011 – Inspector Lewis: The Gift of Promise (?)

Looks like we will soon be in for a lot of Masterpiece Mystery! sleuthing…

Elizabeth R Television Miniseries with Glenda Jackson

There are a few PBS British miniseries that I believe are classics: Upstairs, Downstairs, I Claudius, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and the 1970s version of Elizabeth R, starring Glenda Jackson.

Elizabeth R follows Elizabeth, the daughter of Ann Boleyn and Henry VIII as she goes from being a young red-head beauty to the gray-haired (red-wigged) reigning queen of Great Britain. Glenda Jackson stars as Queen Elizabeth I her entire adult life. They did not switch out actresses as she aged.

The make up and costumes showed this royal trend-setting woman age, I want to say, at least sixty years. Glenda Jackson was able to depict the vulnerability, intelligence, and strength of this monarch at every age-stage of her life. Jackson (and her make up) was terrific!

The sets are regal, you can almost touch the deep royal blue and crimson velvet. The magnificent jewels make you wonder why there were poor people suffering under her reign…

The people at the BBC outdid themselves on this Emmy award winning production.

We watch as Elizabeth goes from being the banished “bastard” child of Henry VIII, to a strong queen who must put aside her personal feelings to do what she thinks is best for her kingdom. (Her mother was indeed married to Henry, although he labeled her as being that.) The threat posed by Mary, Queen of Scots must be resolved, she insists on making her won decision about marriage, and she must hold on to (and expand!) her country’s borders.

Elizabeth R is a six-part miniseries, which is actually six plays that have been pieced together. Glenda Jackson takes us seamlessly through the Virgin Queen’s life. Robert Hardy (yes, the same Robert Hardy from All Creatures Great & Small) was delightful as “Robin,” Elizabeth’s special friend.

I strongly recommend this 1970s BBC miniseries.

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