Precious moments on offer

The determined television watcher, one with the ambition to devote his life to the pastime, can become dragged down by sort of reality that masquerades as reality in reality television.

The enormously obese, the completely insane and the other various levels of human wreckage packaged for our entertainment can drag a fellow down.

It is pleasing, then, to see a return of both the heart-warming and the whimsical to the screen.

The extensive library of important books in my study boasts the full series of Alexander McCall Smith's The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency books, all in perfect condition, all unread.

That little matter will change, after watching the preview of the first edition of a television series based (fairly closely) on the books.

Beginning on Vibe, tonight at 9.30pm, in what seems an unusual relationship in a co-production for the BBC and HBO, The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency springs to life in a very pleasing way.

Precious Ramotswe is Botswana's only - and finest - female private detective.

Upon the death of her beloved father, she inherits a herd of cattle that gives her the financial ability to set up the agency, from which she deals with wayward daughters, missing husbands, philandering partners and curious conmen.

Her methods are unconventional but successful, she is a "traditionally" shaped woman, and her exploits are fun to watch.

The most pleasing aspect of watching The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency is seeing the way it uproots the cultural paradigm of the detective show - good-looking young people with guns in the United States - and places it somewhere completely different.

Precious Ramotswe loves her country (Botswana), worries and cares about its people, and slowly and gently solves the problems of her clients.

In the area of whimsy, Q1, an English comedy game show, begins on Prime on March 7 at 9.30pm.

Q1 is hosted by comedian, actor, author and film-maker Stephen Fry, features television personalities and seems to be a cross between Whose Line is it Anyway? and any other game show with buttons for contestants to push.

Each episode has a different theme on which celebrity guests have to answer questions, most of those questions are so obscure a correct answer is highly unlikely, and the expectation is that panellists will invent the funniest answer possibleIt is quite amusing, and worth a watch.

Also interesting is watching Stephen Fry following the recent documentary he hosted dealing with his experience of having bipolar disorder, and the continuing severe mood swings he has to endure.

It somehow makes his success in hosting Q1 a small triumph in itself.