The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

[Ginger_Hoffmeier]

I found this movie/show on HBO enchanting, relaxing, and a perfect escape from our world.

The opening animation and music is some of the best I've seen. It's light! It's colorful! It dances with joy! I'm tired of the flash and dazzle of images generated or overly enhanced by computer technology, electronic noise and supersonic blasts of explosions and crashes that precede so many movies of this era -- or the dark, gloomy noir films that remind me of the beatnick days of Kerouac that this clean, simple, primitive style of music is spellbinding. We need this!

The main character, Precious, is a woman of 'traditional build' -- a 'fatty' in fact. This is a term of endearment in one of the episodes and her beauty is apparent to all. Her face and manner are sweet but intelligence of the 'common sense' variety shines through. She carries herself with grace and confidence.

The rest of the characters are beleivable whether lovable or dispicable,  and the plot lines inventive. It's not the usual plots played over and over again that we see on so many shows. The scenery is wonderful and it's nice to see a place without one McMansion in site! The movie has scenes that are sensual and playful rather than sexy and lewd. The end of a case does not come with flashing lights and screaming sirens and blood spilled on a wet street, but as it often does in real life -- with quiet satisfaction or those involved. Other life goes on. No dancing in the streets, no torches and pitchforks.

We see so many newsclips of people starving in Africa, of genocide and dusty refugee camps that it's easy to forget that there is so much more to this continent. I'm curious if anyone else has the same reaction to this show that I do.