Detectorists: Series 2

This lovely British comedy created by and starring Mackenzie Crook is the polar opposite of the original The Office, the sardonic comedy that launched Crook as the oblivious Gareth. Set in a club of metal detector enthusiasts in a small town in the English countryside, the show stars Crook as Andy, a husband and new father with an archaeology degree but no prospects, and Toby Jones as his best friend Lance, who discovers that he is also a father when he is contacted by the teenage daughter he never knew. The second season is loosely built around the efforts of the Danebury Metal Detecting Club to help a young German man uncover a World War II plane wreck that his grandfather was aboard, although a little research finds suspicious inconsistencies in his story and reveals a secretive meeting with a rival group (the competitive detectorists that they nickname Paul and Art, after Simon and Garfunkel). The first season won the BAFTA award for Best Situation Comedy and the second lets the supporting cast expand their characters and stories, from Andy's schoolteacher wife (Rachael Stirling), who yearns for a change, to comic moments in the field with fellow detectorists. Overall, this is a delightful series with offbeat character-based humor, presented with a genuine warmth that is rare in modern TV comedy. Compiling all six episodes from the 2015 second season, extras include a Christmas special, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a photo gallery. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)