McNamara’s Picks: ‘Foyle’s War,’ ‘Writers’ Room,’ ‘Breaking Amish’

PBS is chockablock with solid fare this summer, with new episodes of the “Inspector Morse” prequel series “Endeavor” currently airing, along with repeats of “Call the Midwife,” Season Two, and an adaptation of “The Lady Vanishes” coming up next month.

But almost accidentally, I began revisiting “Foyle’s War” in its entirety on Netflix and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Perhaps it’s the green and pleasant countryside, or the constant simmer of WWII emotions held in check by Brits still in full stiff-upper mode. Maybe it’s just the perpetual pash I have for Michael Kitchen since he played the nearsighted villa owner in “Enchanted April.”

Whatever the reason, the tales of police detective Christopher Foyle coping with murder and mayhem in wartime England are once again completely addictive, an oasis of fascinating calm among the sturm and drang of “Dexter” and “Under the Dome.” Seven seasons of two to four episodes (it is British TV after all) are available on Netflix and Acorn, with an eighth season coming our way this fall, so plenty to keep a person occupied and dreaming, perhaps, of a vacation abroad.

BUZZMETER: Emmy 2013 pundit’s picks

AMC’s “Breaking Bad” is pulling out all the stops for the upcoming premiere of the second half of its final season--on the other coast, Lincoln Center is hosting a marathon viewing July 26 -30. Those clever enough to eschew New York in July can catch up with previous seasons on Netflix and tune into to Sundance Channel’s new TV Industry chat fest, “The Writers Room.”

Not surprisingly, host Jim Rash’s first guests include “Bad’s” creator Vince Gilligan, his team of writers, and of course, star Bryan Cranston. (The episode is available right this minute on Sundance.com). Obviously talky, and perfectly timed for Emmy season, the show offers insider info to those who can’t make the rounds of Emmy and Television Academy panels available in L.A. while offering even more proof of TV’s newfound cultural muscle.

Viewers can also prepare for the return of Discovery Channel’s “Amish Mafia” on Aug. 13 by catching up with “Breaking Amish” on TLC. This season, which premiered last week, follows a cast of five new Amish and Mennonite men and women as they ditch the confines and greenery of Pennsylvania Dutch living for the beaches and debauchery of L.A.

PHOTOS: Hollywood Backlot moments

At least two of them have big secrets -- Lizzie is unmarried and pregnant while Matthew hints at having done “something bad.” Possibly even more disturbing is Iva’s plastic baggie full of lard--airport security made her dump the enormous tin before boarding the plane and now she’s not quite sure how she’s going to cook. Welcome to the land of extra virgin olive oil, Iva. TLC, Sundays, 10 p.m.

KCET is having a “Borgen” marathon, beginning July 21 at 10 p.m., if you want to catch up with the Danish drama that’s captivating American audiences, and AMC’s “The Killing,” which airs Sundays at 9 is entering its two final episodes.