'Patty Duke,' 'Life on Mars' among latest TV series now on DVD

Here are some of the latest TV shows to land on DVD, led by the debut of a 1960s sitcom with Patty Duke in two roles.

"The Patty Duke Show" (Shout! 1963-64, b/w, six discs, $44.99). Fresh from her Oscar win for "The Miracle Worker," 16-year-old Duke switched gears to do this amusing sitcom, a "sibling-rivalry" comedy about twin cousins — one a typical '60s Brooklyn teen, the other a sophisticated Scottish intellectual.

The show has a pleasant supporting cast, led by the always stable William Schallert as the dad, Jean Byron as the mother and John McGiver in an amusing recurring role as Schallert's apoplectic newspaper boss.

But Duke's remarkable talent is what makes it work. She's so convincing at playing both characters that it really begins to feel as if they are different actors after awhile.

Extras: full frame, 36 episodes, featurette (including new interviews with Duke, Schallert, etc.), trailers; 12-page booklet

"Life on Mars: The Complete Series" (ABC, 2008-09, four discs, $39.99). This remake of the British series of the same name is also quite good, despite its being prematurely canceled. Jason O'Mara is the modern-day police detective who goes back in time to 1973 … or is he hallucinating in a hospital? The culture-clash elements keep the humor in the front seat, and co-stars Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol, Michael Imperioli and Lisa Bonet are all good.

Extras: widescreen, 17 episodes, deleted scenes, featurettes, bloopers

"Midsomer Murders: Set 13" (Acorn, 2006, four discs, $49.99). These four feature-length mysteries pit clever veteran police detective Barnaby (John Nettles) against missing people, decades-old crimes catching up with the perpetrators, family rivalries at a glassworks factory and a reuniting of rock stars who start dying off one by one. This police procedural remains highly entertaining and Nettles is great.

Extras: widescreen, four episodes, text biography/filmographies

"Ultraman: the Complete Series" (Mill Creek, 1966-67, four discs, $14.98). This is the original Japanese show that debuted as a campy kids program on U.S. TV in 1972, produced by the creator of "Godzilla" and "Mothra." A team of scientists battles everything from aliens to prehistoric monsters, with one member taking on the role of superhero Ultraman. Still fun for fans.

Extras: full frame, 39 episodes, in Japanese with English subtitles or dubbed in English (as shown on American television), featurettes