'Lord Wimsey' sleuthing onto DVD this week

Mysteries featuring the beloved British detective Lord Peter Wimsey lead off this collection of TV shows released on DVD this week.

"The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries: Set One" (Acorn, 1972-73, three discs, $49.99). Two of the five Wimsey series starring Ian Carmichael are collected here, the five-episode "Clouds of Witness" and the four-episode "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club."

Let's hope the other three follow soon, as this is a delightfully droll murder-mystery series with Carmichael in rare form as the uppercrust amateur detective. And Glyn Houston is perfect as Wimsey's "man" in "Clouds," though he is replaced by Derek Newark for "Bellona." (Houston later reclaimed the role for the final two series.)

"Clouds" has Wimsey returning home from a vacation to try and clear his brother of a murder charge, while "Bellona" has Wimsey in his private club when a body is discovered, first thought to be a natural death until something more sinister surfaces. The pacing here is languid, allowing for great character development, and there's plenty of dry British wit on display to keep the audience amused while trying to puzzle out whodunit.

Also, the 1920s is captured well and the two shows have excellent players — save one ridiculous over-the-top performance in "Bellona," by John Quentin as George Fentiman, which is all the more noticeable since everyone else is on the mark.

Even with that flaw, however, this remains British mystery TV at its best.

Extras: full frame, nine episodes, interview with Carmichael, text production notes/biography of author Dorothy L. Sayers

"Rhoda: Season Two" (Shout! 1975-76, four discs, $39.99). Valerie Harper's supporting character from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" has a terrific supporting cast of her own in this funny domestic sitcom set in New York City.

Nancy Walker and Harold Gould are great as her parents, Julie Kavner (the voice of Marge on "The Simpsons") is pitch-perfect as her insecure sister, David Groh is fine as her husband and the disembodied voice of Carlton the doorman (Lorenzo Music) is a hoot. Guests this season include Ruth Gordon, Vivien Vance, Ron Silver, John Ritter, Tim Matheson, Jack Gilford and David Ogden Stiers.

Extras: full frame, 24 episodes, trailers; 8-page booklet