12 Shows to Binge This Spring

Why It’s Worth Your Binge Time: Too bloody for some, too slow for others — Penny Dreadful’s theatricality makes it unlike anything on TV. If you love Victorian ghost stories, but sometimes wish they were as sexy and gory as Game of Thrones, this is your show.
Episode to Skip: There are no bad episodes. Showtime allows creator John Logan to determine the length of a season; the first year was eight, the second was 10, and the third will be nine. If you are particularly squeamish though, avoid “Séance,” where a character is literally torn in half, and “Verbis Diablo,” where a baby heart is cut out and placed — still beating — into a creepy porcelain doll.
Where to Watch: Season 3 premieres May 1. The first two seasons can be streamed from Amazon or Hulu with a Showtime add-on, or from www.shoanytime.com with a Showtime cable subscription. —Robert Chan (Credit: Jonathan Hession/Showtime)