While top-tiered networks such as HBO, Showtime, and FX seem to get all the attention, Starz offers some great programming as well. The network has had its share of fantastic shows across all genres, from historical and crime dramas to hilarious sitcoms, sci-fi, and horror. Here’s a look at some of the best shows the network has offered of late, including some that have already ended and others that continue on.
If you’re looking for additional content to stream, we have guides to the best new shows, as well as the best shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.
Outlander (2014)
76%
8.4/10
6 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Richard Rankin
Created by
Ronald D. Moore
Watch on Starz
Based on the novel of the same name by Diana Gabaldon, this historical drama has become a must-watch for those who love history and crave intense romance. Set post-World War II, a former nurse somehow gets transported from 1945 back to 1743 Scotland, where she gets caught up with the Jacobite risings and catches the eye of a handsome young warrior. Airing since 2014, the fifth season premiered in February, and the show has already been renewed for a sixth.
Power (2014)
61%
8.1/10
6 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Omari Hardwick, Joseph Sikora, Naturi Naughton
Created by
Courtney Kemp Agboh, Vladimir Cvetko
Watch on Starz
The crime drama aired for six seasons — from 2014 through February — and quickly became one of the network’s most lauded shows. Created and produced in part by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, it follows the story of a young man named James St. Patrick, who is dealing drugs in New York while working as a nightclub owner. He longs to go legitimate, but it’s not easy to get out. St. Patrick continues his double life while trying desperately to evade police and run his business.
American Gods (2017)
72%
7.7/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning
Created by
Michael Green, Bryan Fuller
Watch on Starz
With a third season forthcoming, this fantasy drama based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name analyzes the fight between New Gods and Old. After getting out of prison, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) meets Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane), who offers him a job. Soon, he finds himself in the midst of a conflict of Gods in a magical world as the New Gods try to take over. Praised for both acting and incredible visuals, keep an eye out for appearances by Gillian Anderson, Cloris Leachman, and Betty Gilpin in recurring roles.
Black Sails (2014)
59%
8.2/10
4 Seasons
Genre
Drama, Action & Adventure
Stars
Toby Stephens, Luke Arnold, Hannah New
Created by
Jonathan E. Steinberg, Robert Levine
Watch on Starz
Combining history with adventure, this series is set in New Providence Island and is designed to serve as a prequel to the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Following the 2014 debut on YouTube, the series, executive produced by Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and others, aired for four seasons, concluding in 2017. Set about 20 years prior to the events of Treasure Island, Captain Flint leads the charge to help fight for the survival of the island. Both audiences and critics viewed the series favorably through the final season.
Ash vs Evil Dead (2015)
76%
8.4/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Comedy, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Stars
Bruce Campbell, Lucy Lawless, Ray Santiago
Created by
Sam Raimi
Watch on Starz
Set in the Evil Dead universe created by Sam Raimi, this comedy-horror sees Bruce Campbell reprise his role as Ash Williams, now working as a stock boy after returning from 1300 AD. Of course, he gets sucked in once again and finds himself tasked with saving humanity and fighting the Evil Dead. Serving as a sequel to the original film trilogy, it aired for just three seasons from 2015 to 018, but fans have been campaigning for a resurrection, despite Campbell’s confirmation that he is retiring the character.
The Missing (2014)
81%
8.2/10
2 Seasons
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars
David Morrissey, James Nesbitt, Keeley Hawes
Created by
Harry Williams, Jack Williams
Watch on Starz
Debuting first on BBC One, this British anthology drama aired for two seasons from 2014 to 2017, followed by a spin-off series Baptiste, which broadcast on BBC One last year. The first season follows the search for a missing boy in France and the detectives leading the case, while the second moves to Germany as detectives try to solve the case of a missing girl. The first series stars James Nesbitt, and the second stars David Morrissey. Called a “gripping dramatic thriller,” both seasons have been lauded.
Counterpart (2017)
76%
8.1/10
2 Seasons
Genre
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
Stars
J.K. Simmons, Nazanin Boniadi, Harry Lloyd
Created by
Justin Marks
Watch on Starz
J.K. Simmons stars in a double role in this sci-fi thriller where a parallel Earth was created by East German scientists in the late ’80s. Called the Prime world, it is populated by replicas of everyone from the Alpha world. Drastic societal differences, mainly due to a deadly virus that hit the Prime world in 1996, means doubles lead very different lives. Most people are unaware that the opposite world even exists except for high-level government workers and counterparts who work as spies and sleeper agents. Howard Silk Prime (Simmons) must assume the life of Howard Silk (Simmons) to help uncover and stop a revenge plot from the Prime world against the Alpha world, organized by a Prime group who knows about the Alpha world and believes they caused the virus. It aired for just two seasons from 2017 to 2019.
Party Down (2009)
75%
8.2/10
2 Seasons
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Ken Marino, Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan
Created by
Paul Rudd, John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge
Watch on Starz
This sitcom, created and written in part by Paul Rudd, is one of the oldest on the list, having aired for two seasons from 2009 to 2010. It starred Adam Scott, Ken Marino, and Lizzy Caplan as three of a group of six caterers in Los Angeles trying to make it big in Hollywood and getting entangled in the lives of the colorful and affluent guests they serve at each event. The series was viewed favorably, but many attributed scheduling as its main downfall: It aired alongside massively popular series like Glee and Parks and Recreation, against which it just couldn’t compete for ratings. Ironically, Glee‘s Jane Lynch was also on the series, along with Jennifer Coolidge and Megan Mullaly. Others who had recurring roles include J.K. Simmons, Ken Jeong, and Kristen Bell.
Vida (2018)
7.3/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
Melissa Barrera, Mishel Prada, Ser Anzoategui
Created by
Tanya Saracho
Watch on Starz
Inspired by the short story Pour Vida by Richard Villegas Jr., the third and final season of this drama premiered in April. The story is centered around two Mexican American sisters, Emma and Lyn, who grew up to be very different from one another. Lyn is a vegan who dates wealthy white men, while Emma is a Type-A corporate career woman. The sisters find themselves reuniting in their old neighborhood when they get word that their mother has passed away. While there, they discover that their mother might not have been who they thought she was.
The White Princess (2017)
This series is an adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s novel that picks up where the previous book and 2013 miniseries The White Queen left off. The plot revolves around the marriage of Henry VII to Elizabeth of York. Their marriage facilitated a peace process called the War of Roses that effectively put an end to a period of English civil wars. The White Princess was an 8 episode program released in 2017. The Spanish Princess followed in 2019, documenting the adventures of Catherine of Aragon and her quest for the English throne.
The Girlfriend Experience (2016)
77%
7/10
3 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
Julia Goldani Telles
Created by
Lodge Kerrigan, Amy Seimetz, Anja Marquardt
Watch on Starz
The Girlfriend Experience is an adaptation of executive producer Steven Soderbergh’s 2009 film. A young law intern who moonlights as a high-class escort is the main character in the first season. Her role is to give her clients a realistic “girlfriend experience” (GFE), which involves her selling services to satisfy both her clients’ emotional and sexual needs. Two storylines are happening in the second season. The first hones in on an escort enlisted by a Republican super Pac director in a plot to create a blackmail scheme to meet her fundraising goals during the midterm elections. In the second one, an ex-escort faces a life-threatening situation in which she flees from a dangerously violent relationship by accepting witness protection from the government. Anja Marquardt will be directing a third season, which is scheduled for release in 2021.
Magic City (2012)
57%
7.6/10
2 Seasons
Genre
Drama
Stars
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Olga Kurylenko, Steven Strait
Created by
Mitch Glazer
Watch on Starz
This drama series documents life in the underworld of Miami during the late 1950s. Ike Evans, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, is forced to partner with a Jewish Mob boss in a final plea to save his luxury hotel. Set in 1959, shortly after the Cuban Revolution, Ike must balance dealing with the mafia, the CIA, and his ex-showgirl wife as he tries to keep his business above water. You’ll find mixed reviews from critics on this show. Poor reviews complained that the show’s gradual pace was boring, while good reviews commended its accurate portrayal of the time period in which it took place.
