In addition to May flowers, the arrival of spring brings a fresh batch of television series to enjoy. From castles to jail cells, Victorian London to 1960s New York, these new and returning shows run the full gamut of stories and promise to keep you entertained before we reach the notorious dead zone of summer reruns.
“Game of Thrones”
HBO
April 6
The fourth season of the massively popular fantasy series will follow the second half of “A Storm of Swords,” the third book in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series by George R. R. Martin – “A Game of Thrones” is the first book in this series. With a slew of major characters and various subplots, “Game of Thrones” may be difficult to follow because as characters die off, new ones return in their place – such as the Icelandic band Sigur Rós, whose members are scheduled to guest star this season. Nevertheless, creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss manage to balance an ensemble cast with engaging storytelling. The season’s first episode has been generally well received among critics, so viewers may expect a great installment.
For fans of: “True Blood,” “The Walking Dead”
“Silicon Valley”
HBO
April 6
Mike Judge, of “Beavis and Butt-Head” and “King of the Hill” fame, brings his personal experiences from working as an engineer in the famous Bay Area high-tech sector to this new comedy. “Silicon Valley” centers on the lives of six programmers (Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Kumail Nanjiani, Martin Starr, Christopher Evan Welch and Josh Brener) trying to strike it rich. In this series, Judge examines the lives of the introverted but gifted computer experts who inhabit this world as they attempt to become the newest start-up millionaires. With a talented young cast and an interesting premise, the show may hold its own against other critical darlings on the same network, “Veep” and “Girls.”
For fans of: “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Big Bang Theory”
“Mad Men”
AMC
April 13
It is the beginning of the end for this Emmy award-winning series. This spring, AMC will release the first of two seven-episode installments to conclude “Mad Men” – a similar approach used by the network for the final season of “Breaking Bad.” Because “Mad Men” has even more material to wrap up than “Breaking Bad,” this tactic seems appropriate to present the show’s seventh season. Although creator Matthew Weiner is notoriously discreet about spoilers, viewers can expect a new West Coast branch of Sterling Cooper based in Los Angeles that will showcase the rise of California as a cultural center alongside New York City during the 1960s. Weiner has also hinted that in this final chapter, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) will face the consequences of the questionable decisions he has made from the very beginning of the series.
For fans of: “House of Cards,” “Downton Abbey”
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
HBO
April 27
After a successful two-month stint subbing for Jon Stewart on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” this past summer, John Oliver presents his own satirical take on politics. In “Last Week Tonight,” Oliver will reject the 24-hour news cycle of most variety shows in favor of a more curated approach. Each Sunday night he will cover the previous week’s top stories, avoiding the mundane stories of slow news days. Although the show’s weekly timeslot may be awkward for viewers more accustomed to daily satirical news programs, Oliver’s success with both critics and “The Daily Show” fans indicates that he has the ingenuity and wit to build a comedy empire of his own.
For fans of: “The Colbert Report,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”
“Penny Dreadful”
Showtime
May 11
John Logan, of “Skyfall” fame, presents a “psychosexual horror” show that brings some of literature’s most nefarious gothic characters to life. “Penny Dreadful,” first screened at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 9, stars Josh Hartnett as the charming, brash Ethan Chandler and Eva Green as the enigmatic heroine Vanessa Ives. The show seeks to bring horror back into mass media, just as the penny dreadful pamphlets of the 19th century brought lurid stories of crime, the occult and the supernatural into the homes of ordinary Londoners. “Penny Dreadful,” set in the Victorian era, offers beautiful costumes and a meticulous set design. Hopefully the show has enough depth to match its appealing aesthetics.
For fans of: “American Horror Story,” “Hannibal”
“Gang Related”
Fox
May 20
From Chris Morgan, a producer of the “Fast and Furious” series, comes another action-packed drama that centers on the activity of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Gang Task Force and the gang members it pursues. Ramon Rodriguez plays Ryan Lopez, an officer who secretly has ties to one of the city’s most dangerous crime organizations. As Ryan wavers in loyalty, he discovers the unclear division between right and wrong. Through “Gang Related,” Morgan attempts to explore the inner workings of gangs in order to debunk racial stereotypes and reveal both the heroic side of villains and the dark side of heroes. With a premise following the anti-hero trend in television, “Gang Related” may garner enough popularity to continue into next season’s programming.
For fans of: “24,” “The Wire”
“Orange Is the New Black”
Netflix
June 6
Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) and her ragtag ensemble of inmates return to Netflix in the second season of this critically acclaimed streaming series. With higher ratings during its first week than both “House of Cards” and “Arrested Development,” Jenji Kohan’s “Orange Is the New Black” must now live up to the hype of its first season. The show initially attracted attention for its realistic portrayal of all types of women, notably transgender inmate Sophia Burset (Laverne Cox). “Orange Is the New Black” derives its complexity from its characters, each with a distinct background story told through flashback. With the addition of new characters such as drug dealer Vee (Lorraine Toussaint), the show hopes to continue telling the stories of underrepresented individuals in television and maintain its popularity.
For fans of: “Weeds,” “The Good Wife”