British comic author P.G. Wodehouse was a prolific writer of short stories, many of which involved the crazy goings-on of the numerous Mulliner clan. In Wodehouse Playhouse: Series Two, viewers are introduced to six more stories from the Wodehouse collections, starring the versatile acting duo of John Alderton and Pauline Collins.

The premise is the same: the two stars, Pauline Collins and John Alderton, appear in each episode, but every time they play two entirely different characters. This has the effect of showcasing the two actors' amazing comic range, and it's by far the best part of Wodehouse Playhouse. Pauline Collins in particular is always amazing, giving an energetic and amusing performance in every episode, particularly when she gets to play a character with a bit of a demented streak. Alderton also does a great job, with characters ranging from a meek and mild clergyman in "Anselm Gets His Chance" to a pompous politician in "Mr. Potter Takes a Rest Cure."

Wodehouse Playhouse: Series Two includes six episodes taken directly from Wodehouse's short stories, published in an assortment of magazines and collections in the 1920s and 1930s. All deal in some way with the extended "Mulliner" family, but as the various Mulliners and their relatives never seem to cross paths with one another, this appears to have been only the loosest of loose frame stories (and probably just allowed Wodehouse to recycle character names without compunction). Wodehouse was also known for his "golf stories," and as in Series One, Series Two contains one golf-related episode, in this case "Feet of Clay."

This second series of Wodehouse Playhouse isn't bad, but somehow it lacks the spark of the episodes presented in the first series. I found them moderately entertaining, but I realized that a lot of my enjoyment was, in a sense, "left over" from remembering the earlier episodes. By themselves, the six episodes of Series Two don't stand up as well. The material that Collins and Alderton have to work with just isn't quite as strong as in the earlier episodes; while the episodes are all based on P.G. Wodehouse's short stories, as were the episodes in Series One, they just didn't strike my funny bone quite as hard. The stories work best when they play on verbal wit and ridiculously complicated scenarios, as in "Strychnine in the Soup," and are weaker when more slapstick physical comedy takes center stage, as it does at various points in several episodes.

Rather sadly, P.G. Wodehouse himself died in 1975, and while he provided introductions to the episodes in Series One, an anonymous voiceover narrator takes his place in Series Two. While this voiceover is undeniably more comprehensible, it's also sadly lacking the peculiar charm of seeing and hearing the author himself.

The DVD

Wodehouse Playhouse: Series Two is a two-disc set, with the DVDs in individual keepcases inside a glossy paper slipcase. Considering that the episodes are only 30 minutes long, and that there are no special features to speak of, it's surprising that the six episodes are divided over two DVDs. There is really no need for this set to occupy two full discs, as it could have fit nicely on just one.

Video

The image quality for these episodes, which are presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratio, is quite good overall, though not perfect. Edge enhancement is minimal, and the image is clean overall, with solid contrast and natural-looking colors. Some of the outdoor scenes, particularly parts that look like stock footage (train stations, shots of the city, and so on) are of significantly lower quality, looking faded and pale, and with substantial print flaws. Fortunately, most of the episodes are entirely or largely shot indoors. The only other problem that crops up is an occasional colored halo around the edges of objects, but this doesn't appear very often.

All in all, these Wodehouse Playhouse episodes are of creditable quality for their 1975-76 air date; looking at them, you wouldn't guess that they're nearly thirty years old, as they look much fresher and newer than that.

Audio

The Dolby 2.0 soundtrack is satisfactory overall, carrying the dialogue (the most important part of the episodes) clearly and without any distortion. The perky theme music is also incorporated well into the program. The only real fault I can find with the soundtrack is really a quibble with the original show rather than the audio transfer: the laugh track is a bit distracting. The audience is quiet for the most part, often not laughing at some of the more minor jokes, but then at certain points the audience will erupt into boisterous and very loud laughter, which is actually rather disconcerting.

Extras

The special features are limited to cast filmographies and a biography of P.G. Wodehouse; we also get an interesting and informative text insert inside the DVD case, providing background on Wodehouse's stories.

Final thoughts

Pauline Collins and John Alderton again turn in an amazing variety of performances in the six different episodes of Wodehouse Playhouse: Series Two, but I found the stories themselves to be not as captivating as those presented in Series One, which is why I've suggested this set as a rental. The overall transfer quality is certainly quite solid, so fans of the show (or of Wodehouse's stories) should feel confident about picking up this set. For viewers who haven't seen any of the episodes, I'd suggest starting with Series One for a better start.