The Starz streaming service is full of epic crime dramas, historical sagas, and some surprising comedies. Whether you’re looking for female-fronted badassery, comedic catering companies, pirates, knights, detectives, or gods, Starz will have something that you just can’t stop watching. You don’t have to be an astronomer to get the details on what’s going on with Starz. Here’s a detailed list of the best shows to binge on the streaming service right now.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 8
Average Run Time: 60 minutes
Creator: Robbie Pickering
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Cast: Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Dan Stevens, Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham
In this unheard true story, audiences learn about the boldly honest woman whose interviews led to the unearthing of one of the United States’ biggest political scandals. In Gaslit, Richard Nixon‘s loyal Attorney General, John N. Mitchell, must choose between the president and his celebrity socialite wife, Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts). Set in 1972, frank and nervy Martha is known for calling reporters after her evening drink to share what she had learned while rifling through her husband’s documents and eavesdropping on his conversations. Though this was odd behavior for the wife of a political figure, Martha proudly stood by her husband and their party’s decisions. Following the Watergate burglary, though, Martha reads some disturbing facts over the shoulder of her husband, and publicly sounds the alarm on the president for his involvement. Martha, thrust into the political limelight, shares with reporters that she is unafraid of the consequences of her actions, lamenting that she is standing up for democracy and the American people.
Unfortunately for Martha, she soon learns that Nixon’s subordinates will do anything to silence her. In this thrilling series, audiences learn about the shocking underside of the constitutional crisis that led to the impeachment process and eventual resignation of President Nixon. Complete with wire-tapping, violent struggles, kidnappings, and fantastic 70s fashion, the political thriller is a thought-provoking depiction of some shocking American political history, focussing on the unsung hero, a silenced woman in a pink pillbox hat. Audiences have applauded the understated set design, and Matt Ross‘s crisp directing, as well as the performances by leads Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, who take on the emotionally charged roles of Martha and John.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 8
Average Run Time: 32 minutes
Creator: Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs
Cast: Jasmine Cephas Jones, Jaylen Barro, Candace Nicholas-Lippman, Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward
Blindspotting is a spin-off sequel to the 2018 film of the same name and takes place six months after the events of the film. The series follows the supporting character Ashley after her boyfriend Miles is suddenly incarcerated. Ashley and her son are then forced to move in with Miles’ mother, who is happy to help, but Ash wants to make her own way. The comedic drama is full of emotion, pulling at your heartstrings as you follow the story of a hard-working mother and her young son who have fallen on hard times. But the duo finds ways to turn things around and show audiences the bright side in a series that is full of hope, colorful cinematography, and a powerful combination of spoken word and dance that was also used in the film. The first season of the series was released in June 2021. Now is the time to catch up while the second season is in production, and see why critics are saying it exceeds what the film was able to do.
Seasons: 3
Episode Count: 28
Average Run Time: 51 minutes
Creator: David S. Goyer
Cast: Tom Riley, Laura Haddock, Blake Ritson, Elliot Cowan, Lara Pulver
This historical fantasy drama is a fictional account of the early life of famed theorist and artist, Leonardo da Vinci. The young genius jack-of-all-trades engineers his inventions in a version of Florence where sorcery is everywhere, and the Vatican faces off with the politics of Rome, threatening to change the citizens’ way of life. The eccentric intellect sets off on quests, which lead him to discover that he has the power to see the future, and the ability to shape it as well. Entrench yourself in the world where Renaissance meets steampunk, magic meets machinery, and Leonardo da Vinci is ruggedly handsome and entangled in a steamy affair. The energetic and fun fantasy series, which was Starz’s first collaboration with BBC Worldwide, has three seasons that critics have called enjoyably escapist.
Seasons: 3
Episode Count: 26
Average Run Time: 57 minutes
Creators: Bryan Fuller and Michael Green
Cast: Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, Crispin Glover, Bruce Langley
Based on the 2001 Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, American Gods is a thrilling fantasy drama series that holds a mirror to the modern consumer. When Shadow Moon is told that his wife had died in a car accident days before his release from prison, he gets out early to attend her funeral. It’s on his way to her service that he meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who offers him a job. He becomes the bodyguard of his supernatural superior, who he learns is one of the Old Gods. Shadow is suddenly thrust into the hidden world where the Old Gods are preparing to battle the New Gods of consumerism and technology. See why critics praised the rich visuals and impactful narrative of the three seasons of American Gods.
Seasons: 3
Episode Count: 30
Average Run Time: 31 minutes
Creators: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Tom Spezialy
Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, Jill Marie Jones, Lucy Lawless
The American horror-comedy series Ash vs Evil Dead picks up thirty years after the fateful and gory events in the Value Stop market at the end of Army of Darkness, the third Evil Dead film, which premiered in 1992. Ash Vs Evil Dead follows an aged and lonely Ash, who has done everything that he can to forgo his responsibilities into adulthood, remaining emotionally immature, socially stunted, and stuck in his dull ways. Things aren’t looking up as Ash drunkenly drifts from town to town in his mobile home trailer, working dead-end jobs and eventually returning to his hometown of Elk Grove, Michigan where there is a sudden invasion of Deadites. Ash pulls himself out of the hole that he has dug to face off once again with the Evil Dead. If you’re a fan of classic zombie films, then be sure to check out the three seasons of the award-winning Ash Vs Evil Dead.
Seasons: 4
Episode Count: 38
Average Run Time: 60 minutes
Creators: Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine
Cast: Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Luke Arnold, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper
Set on New Providence Island in the 1700s, Black Sails is a period drama and prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s fiction novel Treasure Island. The Emmy Award-winning series centers around a group of Pirates with many historical and fictional characters making appearances, such as Anne Bonny and Long John Silver. Black Sails was praised for including LGBTQ+ characters in its story, which follows the pirates on their journeys hunting for treasure on stranded shores and battling with soldiers of the British Empire. Fans of the series have noted the brilliant characters and deep, intertwining storylines that are in no way over the top. If you are looking for a saga of pirates without the comedic theatrics, then this dramatic take on life at sea will quench that salty thirst.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 8
Average Run Time: 60 minutes
Creator: Sarah Phelps
Cast: Killian Scott, Sarah Greene, Michael D’Arcy, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Eugene O’Hare
Based on the novels In The Woods and The Likeness by Tana French, Dublin Murders follows Detective Rob Reilly as he investigates the killing of a 13-year-old girl whose body is found in the very woods that he himself was found in 20 years earlier, covered in blood and the only survivor of a night he is unable to remember. Now the detective sees the creeping similarities with his own case, which motivates him to look into the unsolved mystery while trying to uncover the truth behind the young girl’s death. Applauded for its rich atmospheric visuals of Irish woodland and gripping, complex story, the series is one you have to pay attention to in order to follow, though, finding the answers to the mysteries through new pieces of evidence and twists of flashbacks makes the attention to detail worth it. Fans of the original novel have expressed their appreciation for how the two storylines of the novels were melded into one series, and have praised the way that the characters were played, especially the use of Irish slang dialogue.
Seasons: 6
Episode Count: 63
Average Run Time: 66 minutes
Creators: Courtney Kemp Agboh and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
Cast: Omari Hardwick, Joseph Sikora, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton, Curtis Jackson
Produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Power is a crime drama story about James “Ghost” St. Patrick, a man fighting for what he needs most in life: a way out. Ghost is a big-time New York drug dealer but is trying to follow his dreams of becoming a club owner and a Fortune 500 entrepreneur. Known for being intelligent and ruthless, he wants to become a legitimate businessman, but not everyone around him supports his dreams to get out of the cut-throat drug dealing business. There are six seasons of Power, but the story doesn’t end there. Also available to stream on Starz are four spin-off series that take place in the same universe as Power, and follow some familiar characters. Power Book II: Ghost follows Ghost’s son Tariq shortly after the events at the end of the original series and co-stars Mary J. Blige and Method Man. Power Book III: Raising Kanan follows 50 Cent’s character in a prequel to the original series. Power Book IV: Force was recently released in February 2022, with talk of a Power Book V titled Influence to come, focussing on the political side of the universe. Watching the original Power series is the best way to dive into the complex universe created by 50 Cent and Courtney Kemp before the next “book” is released.
Seasons: 4
Episode Count: 36
Average Run Time: 29 minutes
Creator: Mike O’Malley
Cast: RonReaco Lee, Jessie T. Usher, Erica Ash, Teyonah Parris, Tichina Arnold, Robert Wu, Mike Epps CHris Bauer, Meagan Tandy, Catfish Jean
Cam Calloway’s life changes completely after signing a pro-basketball contract and moving to Atlanta. Now that he’s doing well he feels the guilt of getting out and leaving behind those he says are still drowning in his impoverished community back home. Cam and his cousin Reggie wrestle with the guilt they feel for the success they now have, and find new challenges that come with the money and fame that they are rewarded with. Produced by NBA star LeBron James, who makes a guest appearance, the sports-centered series is a mix of comedy and drama. The critically acclaimed series has been called sharp and provocative with audiences noting the intelligent and sometimes raunchy discussions the show has on topics such as race, class, and sexuality.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 5
Average Run Time: 56 minutes
Director: Joe Berlinger
Cast: Jillian Lauren, Ron’Netta, Alena Acker, Nyrasia Hall, Camila Marte, Jerome Fontenette, Anthony Walker, Pierre Armani Smith
Released in 2021, the crime documentary, Confronting a Serial Killer, is a chilling deep dive into the 93 murders that were carried out by the US’ most prolific serial killer, Sam Little, and his strange relationship with the author who’s trying to get a story out of him. In the five-episode series, author Jillian Lauren (Some Girls: My Life in Harem) lures Sam Little into giving her information, sketches, and confessions to the cold case murders he carried out over 19 states and got away with for 35 years. Little gives Lauren the information from the other side of a jail cell, finally having been caught after four decades of gruesome crimes, and tells Lauren she would be dead too if he wasn’t locked up. Are his 93 confessions lies to string Lauren along or did Little really kill all those women? You’ll have to watch to find out the truth.
The Gloaming (2020-Present)
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 8
Average Run Time: 52 minutes
Creator: Vicki Madden
Cast: Emma Booth, Ewen Leslie, Aaron Pedersen, Rena Owen, Anthony Phelan, Nicole Chamoun, Ditch Davey, Max Brown, Josephine Blazier, Matt Testro, Markella Kavenagh, Zenia Starr, Marin Henderson, Ben Morton
Set and filmed on the enchanting island state of Tasmania, The Gloaming is a supernatural crime thriller that centers around two murder cases 20 years apart. Policewoman Molly McGee must team up with Alex O’Connell, whom she has a troubled past with and hasn’t spoken to since the last murder case. As they dive into the two murders and their similarities, they uncover political corruption and mysterious occult practices that change their lives forever. Forced to confront their pasts, the two must work together to find the answers to the strange and unnatural deaths that took place at the bottom of a waterfall. The film’s use of beautiful Tasmanian landscapes and noir darkness amongst the greenery keeps you visually entertained as you follow the clues. While the series has only eight episodes at this time it is rumored that a second season is in the works.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 6
Average Run Time: 60 minutes
Director: Claire McCarthy
Cast: Eve Hewson, Eva Green, Himesh Patel, Marton Csokas, Ewen Leslie, Erik Thomson, Callan Mulvey, Benedict Hardie, Richard Te Are, Matt Whelan, Matthew Sunderland, Joel Tobeck, Gary Young, Paolo Rotondo, Byron Coll
Based on the Eleanor Catton novel of the same name, The Luminaries is an epic drama series that follows a young adventurer named Anna, who sets out for a new life on New Zealand’s South Island during the 1860 gold rush. In a script written by the author of the original novel, Anna fights to make her fortune after traveling from her home in the United Kingdom. While she sets her sights on deepening her pockets, Anna deals with the hardships of love, murder, and revenge on her travels. Fans of the series applaud the gorgeous landscapes in what has been called a woozy and strange storyline with magical chemistry between its characters.
Seasons: 2
Episode Count: 20
Average Run Time: 28 minutes
Creators: John Enbom, Dan Etheridge, Paul Rudd, Rob Thomas
Cast: Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Lizzy Caplan, Megan Mullally, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Coolidge, Kristen Bell, J.K. Simmons
Party Down is a comedy sitcom starring a hilarious ensemble cast that features some of comedy’s favorites all in one strange show. The series focuses on a catering company in Los Angeles made up of aspiring and failed Hollywood actors and writers. Each episode takes place at a different event that the group is catering to. While trying to catch their big breaks, the crew of waiters and bartenders can’t help but fight like siblings, interfere with the events, and get tangled up in the messy drama. The show was canceled in 2010 after losing Jane Lynch to Glee and Adam Scott to Parks and Recreation. Starz ordered a six-episode revival of the series which has now finished filming.
Seasons: 6
Episode Count: 75
Average Run Time: 70 minutes
Creator: Ronald D. Moore
Cast: Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, Tobias Menzies, César Domboy, Lauren Lyle, John Bell, Graham McTavish, Grant O’Rourke, Caitlin O’Ryan
Outlander asks the question, what if your future was the past? In this historical drama based on the ongoing novel series of the same name, Claire Randall, who served as a nurse in the British Army during the Second World War, accidentally travels through time from 1945 to 1743. After being rescued from a British redcoat by a member of the rebellious Highlanders, Claire joins the ranks of the clansman as a healer. Claire soon discerns that the sadistic Captain Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall who is pursuing the clan is her 1945 husband’s ancestor. After marrying a Highlander out of necessity, the pair quickly fall in love, and she must decide between staying behind to assist a rebellion that she knows will fail or going back to the future where she is married to the descendant of a ruthless, torturous murderer.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 8
Average Run Time: 30 minutes
Director: Kevin Johnston
Cast: Sam Heughan, Graham McTavish
A Starz original series, Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham, features Outlander actors Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish as the pair head off to explore Scotland’s rich and complex heritage, culture, and past. Outlander fans will enjoy the comedic documentary that shows the two actors learning about the battles which they themselves portrayed in the drama. If you have not watched Outlander, do not fret, as Men in Kilts is its own standalone exploration into the country. Fans of the series have noted the hosts’ charm, ease of conversation, and hilarious back and forth as amusing close friends. The audience’s only complaints about the show are that they want more of it, with its lighthearted road trip banter, intriguing teaching moments, and breathtaking, mountainous landscapes. Turns out Starz has been listening though because the show has now been renewed for a second season.
Seasons: 3
Episode Count: 37
Average Run Time: 29 minutes
Creators: Lodge Kerrigan, Amy Seimetz, Anja Marquardt
Cast: Riley Keough, Paul Sparks, Julia Goldani Telles, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Briony Glassco
Second-year law student Christine Reade needs a solution to the mounting struggle of expenses and workload that she is facing when her close friend Avery tells her about a business opportunity. Under the pseudonym Chelsea Rayne, Christine takes on work as a high-end escort who provides what they call a “girlfriend experience”. Christine must now balance her classwork, her internship, and her clients while uncovering corruption at the law firm in this sexy and thought-provoking drama. The series, which has three seasons released between 2016 and 2021, follows a different storyline with each release, focusing on sex workers who offer the “girlfriend experience” in multilayered, alluring, and daring situations. Critics have praised the drama’s beautiful cinematography, haunting soundscape, and intimate, immersive stories.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 8
Average Run Time: 28 minutes
Creator: Leigh Davenport
Cast: Amber Stevens West, Andrea Bordeaux, Bresha Webb, Corbin Reid, Stephen Bishop
With only eight episodes so far, Run the World holds a 100% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with Starz ordering a second season of the female-fronted comedy series. In Run the World, four best friends, Whitney, Ella, Renee, and Sondi live it up in Harlem as they plan to take on the world. The series has been called unapologetically female and focuses on the depth of the women’s friendship and the support they give each other, as they work, live and love their way through sticky situations with college thesis professors, exes they share homes with, career changes, and wedding planning. The series is seriously fun and deeply influenced by the sense of belonging in the women’s Black community. The warmth of the interactions makes audiences feel as though they are enjoying cocktails and gossiping with friends.
Who Killed Tupac? (2017)
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 6
Average Run Time: 42 minutes
Director: Jason Sklaver
Cast: Chuck D. P. Frank Williams, Lolita Files, Benjamin Crump, Michael Eric Dyson, Randall Sullivan
In Who Killed Tupac, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump investigates the 1996 murder of one of the world’s most influential and loved rap artists, Tupac Shakur, who was gunned down in a drive-by shooting as he left a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas, Nevada. The investigative series features interviews with detectives, reporters, and recording artists as well as those close to Shakur as they try to answer a question that many of the rapper’s fans have been wondering for years, who killed Tupac? While the series didn’t lead to any arrests or charges in the case, it is a deep dive that any Tupac, or true-crime fan would appreciate.
Seasons: 2
Episode Count: 14
Average Run Time: 28 minutes
Creator: Stephanie Danler
Cast: Ella Purnell, Tom Sturridge, Evan Jonigkeit, Eden Epstein, Jasmine Mathews
Based on the novel of the same name, Sweetbitter tells the bitter-sweet story of Tess, a young woman who moves to New York City and lands a job at a famous downtown restaurant. Tess, though, doesn’t know anything about serving, wine, or how to navigate the tumultuous social aspects of life working at the restaurant. As she looks to her chaotic and alluring coworkers for help she gets swept into a world of lust, drugs, drinking, and dive bars in the beautiful and sometimes punishing bright lights of downtown New York City. The big-city coming-of-age drama features breathtaking cinematography, intimate characters, and heavy emotions in its two seasons.
Seasons: 2
Episode Count: 18
Average Run Time: 56 minutes
Creator: Rebecca Perry Cutter
Cast: Monica Raymund, Riley Voelkel, Atkins Estimond, Amaury Nolasco, Dohn Norwood
Jackie tells her therapist about the dead body of a young woman that she found on the shoreline the day previously in Hightown. The crime drama handles themes of LGBTQ+ culture, drug addiction, and organized crime while the story’s protagonist fights with her own choices and obsessions. The dark story follows Jackie as she deals with her partying lifestyle and drug addiction while believing that it is up to her to solve the case of the young woman she found dead, sending her into a desperate downward spiral. The multilayered series shows audiences how complicated the world of addiction can be. Critics have praised the character development and how the show deals with its heavy themes without feeling sanctimonious. After a successful two seasons of sex, drugs, and murder, the series was renewed in March 2022 for a third season.
Seasons: 1
Episode Count: 10
Average Run Time: 58 minutes
Directors: Colin Teague, James Kent, Jamie Payne
Cast: Aneurin Barnard, Rebecca Ferguson, Amanda Hale, Faye Marsay, Max Irons
In The White Queen, the men go to battle, and the women wage war. The historical drama, which is based on the Cousins’ War novel series by Philippa Gregory, is set in the fifteenth century during the War of the Roses and tells the tale of the women involved in England’s turbulent conflict over the throne. While the nation battles for years over whom the rightful king is, three relentless women vie for their place on the throne as queen. Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort, and Anne Neville scheme, manipulate, and seduce those who stand in the way of their quest for power. While some viewers have stated their annoyance with the show’s deviation from history, the story is compelling, the acting is top-notch, and the costume design is breathtaking. Additionally, the ten-episode limited series has inspired two spin-offs, The White Princess and The Spanish Princess.
Seasons: 2
Episode Count: 16
Average Run Time: 57 minutes
Creators: Emma Frost and Matthew Graham
Cast: Laura Carmichael, Aaron Cobham, Charlotte Hope, Stephanie Levi-John, Ruairi O’Connor
The historical drama series, The Spanish Princess, is a sequel to the fan-favorite series The White Queen, and follows teenage Catherine of Aragon, daughter of Spanish rulers, who travels to meet her betrothed husband Arthur and marry into the royal family of England. Catherine struggles to adapt to English customs upon her arrival, where some are unwelcoming of her and her diverse court. Catherine wants to be more than a royal wife as she dons armor and fights for what she believes in, eventually becoming Queen of England as the first wife of Henry VIII. This romantic saga, while oftentimes historically inaccurate, is wildly entertaining as the layered story of an overlooked queen who stands up for what she believes in. Audiences have appreciated the beautiful sets, costumes, and scenery in what has been called a soapy melodrama melded with an enthralling tale of battle.
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