The Bletchley Circle: Season 2

This follow-up to the acclaimed 2012 British mystery series—about four women who worked together in the code-breaking division of British Intelligence during World War II and then reunited in the early 1950s to solve a murder—returns with two new feature-length mysteries spread across four episodes that aired on PBS in 2014. “Blood on Their Hands” opens when Jean (Julie Graham) discovers that former Bletchley colleague Alice (Hattie Morahan, new to the show) is on trial for murder but refuses to put up a defense. Jean reunites the group to ferret out the truth, which involves the cover-up of a wartime scandal. Although the ghosts of World War II haunt the first narrative, “Uncustomed Goods” takes on the black market of postwar Britain as Millie (Rachael Stirling), who dabbles in illegal perfume and cigarettes, discovers that her suppliers are also human traffickers. This second installment feels a bit more contrived, as if writer Guy Burt was having trouble finding ways for these civilians to tackle another case; it's also the first show without Anna Maxwell Martin, who played Susan and left after “Blood.” Alice replaces Susan, with Alice's daughter Lizzie (Faye Marsay) also pitching in during the investigation, which pits the sleuths against a ruthless female racketeer (Brana Bajic). Extras include bonus cast and crew interviews. Offering an intriguing portrait of postwar Britain from the perspective of smart, talented women whose potential is dismissed by a society that expects them to take subservient roles in the workplace, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)