By Melissa Perez

While the fall has traditionally been the best time for watching new television shows, spring has been steadily growing in popularity. Every year the TV springtime landscape gets more crowded. There has never been a better time to watch new shows, and there are just so many options. There are so many shows on at the same time and there is only so much time students have between school, work and a social life, so here is a guide to the top shows, which are definitely worth the time investment.

Wolf Hall (PBS), yes, it is on PBS, the same channel that airs Sesame Street, is based on Hilary Mantel’s brilliant novels, Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies, about the court of King Henry VIII. It is set in England in the 1520’s and if the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope and most of Europe oppose him.

The story is old from Thomas Cromwell’s perspective. Played by Mark Ryiance he is a truly original man, a charmer, and a bully. Both an idealist and an ambitious opportunist, he is perfect for capitalizing on the frantic Tudor dynasty. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous.

The many court intrigues and subplots keep the story moving along. The witty writing and good acting keeps the audience involved in the story. While PBS might not be on the top of a student’s list for watching a great show, it should be.

Game of Thrones (HBO) is a medieval fantasy series on HBO. It’s set in the fictional seven kingdoms of the Westeros. The series has violent struggles among the noble families who want to take control of the Iron Throne and create a dynasty. The show’s charm is in the competition of these very powerful families filled with kings and queens, knights and renegades, and liars and honest men. Once hooked on the series the subtly of the plot becomes more apparent. The threats that emerge in the Icy north and in the eastern continent of Essos make more sense and are truly compelling.

Game of Thrones is now on its 5th season and gets more and more entertaining with every season and with every episode. There is a lot of plot twists that keeps the audience watching the show and never want to stop. If possible start from the beginning and then continue to watch throughout the seasons.

Many people are familiar with classic characters like Dr. Frankenstein and Dorian Grey. The show Penny Dreadful (Showtime) brings those characters and many more classic characters into this series, by exploring their origin stories. In this thriller that takes place in Victorian London, a character names Sir Malcolm is an explorer who has lost his daughter to the creatures of the city. He will do whatever is possible to bring her back, no matter what. He has an accomplice helping him, a clairvoyant named Vanessa Ives, and she recruits a charming American, Ethan Chandler, to help locate Sir Malcolm’s daughter and help slay the monsters.

Penny Dreadful is well directed and a very entertaining show. There is so much chemistry between the characters that it makes the show really clicks. Penny Dreadful is now going onto its second season.

These three series are definitely worth the time to watch this spring. Wolf Hall, Game of Thrones, Penny Dreadful are excellent shows. Just remember that studies are important and finals are coming.