The 19 Best Shows to Binge on Starz Right Now (April 2024)

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.

‘Mary & George’ (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.0/10

Read Our ReviewMary and George is a British limited series created by D. C. Moore and based on Benjamin Woolley‘s 2017 book The King’s Assassin. Chronicling the affair between King James and George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, the show follows George’s mother, Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham (Julianne Moore), who orchestrates and manipulates events to use her son’s illicit relationship to her advantage. The series stars Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, and Tony Curran. A steamy story of court intrigue, Mary & George is anchored by Julianne Moore’s commanding performance as a seasoned and ruthless manipulator. The show received favorable reviews from critics who found it thoroughly entertaining. The historians, however, were less amused. This historical drama series is a bit light on the historical accuracy, but it’s got drama in spades. If nothing else, the seven-episode show makes for a very fun binge-watch, especially for fans of costume dramas with decidedly adult content.

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‘Vida’ (2018 – 2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.4/10

Inspired by Richard Villegas Jr.’s short story Pour Vida, Tanya Saracho’s Vida is a drama series that follows two Mexican American sisters who return to their childhood home after the death of their mother. The show stars Melissa Barrera, Mishel Prada, Ser Anzoategui, Chelsea Rendon, Carlos Miranda, Maria-Elena Laas, and Roberta Colindrez. With three universally acclaimed seasons to its name, it’s surprising that Vida isn’t talked about more. While its premise may seem familiar, the show’s perspective on familial dynamics is honest and grounded, and it never ceases to hold your attention. It’s an intelligent, clear-eyed exploration of the themes of family and identity. The series won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2019 and has been praised by critics for its narrative and performances, especially those by Barrera and Prada.

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‘Raising Kanan’ (2021 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 87% | IMDb: 7.7/10

Created by Sascha Penn, Power Book III: Raising Kanan is the third chapter of the Power franchise, serving as the origin story of 50 Cent’s character from the parent show. The crime drama series stars Mekai Curtis as the young Kanan Stark, appearing alongside Patina Miller, London Brown, Malcolm Mays, and Joey Bada$$. Set in the 1990s, the show follows Kanan’s early years stepping into the drug game. With three completed seasons and two more on the way, Raising Kanan is an exciting addition to the Power franchise that has received near-universal acclaim. The series has some captivating performances, especially by Mekai Curtis in the central role. However, the show isn’t just about Kanan; it fleshes out the world of the series with fascinating characters and interpersonal dynamics. Besides the performances and the writing, the show’s costumes and styling are another reason for its appeal. Simply put, Raising Kanan is a well-crafted series that’s easily the best Power spin-off and one of Starz’s best crime dramas.

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‘Minx’ (2022 – 2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 7.6/10

Ellen Rapoport’s Minx stars Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson in a story that occupies the hilarious intersection of feminism and dirty magazines. The comedy series is set in the 1970s and follows an earnest young editor who teams up with a low-rent publisher to create the first women’s erotic magazine. The show originally ran on HBO Max but was canceled while Season 2 was still in production. It was subsequently picked up by Starz for the second season. Don’t let the cancelation fool you — Minx is a seriously underrated show that ended way too soon. The show was nominated for two Satellite Awards and received critical acclaim for its intelligent and irreverent humor, as well as for the chemistry between its two leads. Their unlikely connection is the driving force of the show, and both Lovibond and Johnson are more than up to the task. If you’re looking for something smart, sexy, and funny, you need to pick up your copy of Minx right away.

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‘P-Valley’ (2020 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.4/10

Created by Katori Hall, P-Valley is a series adaptation of Hall’s play, Pussy Valley. The show follows the employees and owner of The Pynk, a strip club in the Mississippi Delta, as they take on various challenges to their livelihoods. The series stars Brandee Evans, Nicco Annan, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Elarica Johnson. With two completed seasons and a third on the way, P-Valley is a popular and critically acclaimed series that’s earned a number of accolades, including nominations for GLAAD Media Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and NAACP Image Awards. The first season received universal acclaim, with critics calling it a “lyrical piece of neon noir.” Elevated by its stunning performances and dance sequences, P-Valley combines elements of Southern Gothic literature, noir storytelling, and a grounded yet kaleidoscopic narrative into a singular story. Many screen adaptations of plays can feel like just a play captured on camera; P-Valley, on the other hand, is so visually rich it makes it hard to imagine it any other way.

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‘Gaslit’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 7.3/10

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.

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‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ (2013 – 2015)

Rotten Tomatoes: 75% | IMDb: 7.9/10

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.

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‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ (2015 – 2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 99% | IMDb: 8.4/10

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.

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‘Black Sails’ (2014 – 2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 8.2/10

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.

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‘Dublin Murders’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 79% | IMDb: 7.1/10

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.

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‘Power’ (2014 – 2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 8.1/10

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.

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‘Survivor’s Remorse’ (2014 – 2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDb: 7.2/10

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.

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‘Party Down’ (2009 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 8.2/10

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.

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‘Outlander’ (2014 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 8.4/10

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.

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‘Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham’ (2021 – Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 8.5/10

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.

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‘Sweetbitter’ (2018 – 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 58% | IMDb: 7.0/10

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.

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‘Hightown’ (2020 – Present)

​​​​​​​Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 6.9/10

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.

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‘The White Queen’ (2013)

​​​​​​​Rotten Tomatoes: 80% | IMDb: 7.7/10

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.

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‘The Spanish Princess’ (2019 – 2020)

​​​​​​​Rotten Tomatoes: 75% | IMDb: 6.9/10

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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