Winter has finally ended (or so it seems), and that can mean only one thing: spring is here. While April and May are generally known for plot twist-filled season finales and crazy cliffhangers, there are several shows premiering in the next few weeks. The Daily takes a look at what shows are worth tuning into this spring.
"Game of Thrones" will be darker than ever
Last year, when the "Game of Thrones" (2011-present) episode dubbed the "Red Wedding" (actual title: "The Rains of Castamere") aired, everybody - whether or not they were an HBO subscriber - seemed to be talking about the brutal bloodbath that rocked the popular drama. While this moment in the series was particularly shocking, "Game of Thrones" doesn't show signs of slowing down in season four. In fact, cast members have promised that the show is darker than ever this year - which is hard to imagine on a show that routinely kills off major characters.
Yet, from the tidbits of information showrunners and the cast have offered, "Game of Thrones" does seem committed to delving into increasingly sinister territory. There will be war - Daenerys Targaryen's (Emilia Clarke) army will probably not be heading home on furlough - and innocent characters will commit not-so-innocent acts, although there have been precious few details on this front.
Fans can also expect to see the lavish wedding between King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Lady Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) - which is set to feature a pie stuffed with live birds - as well as numerous grand and expensive battle scenes. The usually taciturn Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) will probably be a bit more talkative, while his ex-lover Ygritte (Rose Leslie) will be on a quest for vengeance.
The fourth season will premiere on HBO on April 6 and will likely bring in impressive ratings.
Tatiana Maslany impresses on "Orphan Black"
Arguably the best show on television, "Orphan Black" (2013-present) has had jaw-dropping performances, spectacular plot twists and one of the most passionate fan bases around. And yet, many television viewers haven't even heard of it. The buzzy Canadian series on BBC America has received universal acclaim from critics and is beloved by its fans, but it has not yet found a place on the radar of mainstream audiences. This will hopefully not be true for long: word-of-mouth, DVD sales and a prominent online fandom have certainly bolstered the show's profile since it premiered last year.
The sci-fi clone drama is deserving of the attention it receives because, to put it simply, there is nobody else like star Tatiana Maslany on TV today. Maslany plays Sarah Manning, a drifter and a thief who discovers she is a clone. She soon becomes involved in a dangerous world that involves both other clones and mysterious organizations battling for control over them. Maslany stars as (all) the clones, which means she is in nearly every scene - and often times she is playing three roles at once. Maslany's ability to make each character distinct and memorable is stunningly impressive, so it's no wonder the show's rabid fans are eagerly looking forward to the April 19 second season premiere.
A new clone plagued with a mysterious illness, schoolteacher Jennifer Fitzsimmons, will be introduced, and her condition will likely shed light on the sickness that fellow clone and evolutionary developmental biology student, Cosima, suffers from. Scene-stealing supporting characters, like Jordan Gavaris' Felix and Kevin Hanchard's detective Art Bell, will also be instrumental this season as they begin to explore worlds they were not previously privy to. Fans have a lot to look forward to - and with any luck, the second season of "Orphan Black" will live up to the steep expectations it faces.
"Mad Men" enters final season
The final season of "Mad Men" (2007-present) begins in less than a month, but details about upcoming episodes are scarce. This is likely not surprising to fans, who have come to expect little in the way of spoilers and teasers from series creator Matthew Weiner. Weiner has developed a reputation for being rather secretive about his show - and as season seven's April 13 premiere approaches, the ever-reticent executive producer is maintaining near silence. This information embargo has also extended to promos, production stills and his cast, whose recent appearance at PaleyFest provided infuriatingly few details about the upcoming season. What is clear, however, is that Don Draper's (Jon Hamm) life is still rather messy. When season six closed, Don had been forced to take a leave of absence from his job, and his marriage was on the rocks. It appears in the new season that he will be grappling with these issues when the show premieres next month.
Although season seven begins in April, it will not conclude this year - like the final season of fellow AMC hit "Breaking Bad" (2008-2013) the last 14 episodes of "Mad Men" are being split into two mini seasons. The first seven installments will air this spring, but fans will have to wait a year to watch the final batch of episodes, set to premiere in spring 2015.
