Look, if a series includes swords, sandals, scandals, and a large amount of bloody action, I’m bingeing it, multiple times. I love a good historical fiction series, but with so many excellent options out there, it’s hard to pick a favorite. I will tell you, though, thatStarzOriginalSpartacusis one of my top five. I was sad when it ended—I missed its scandalous intrigue and all that gladiator action. You can imagine, then, how excited I was when Starz announced a spinoff, set to air this winter.
While you await the arrival ofSpartacus: House of Ashur, binge these eight other epic Starz Originals, which are sure to have you salivating in no time.
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38
~ 60 minutes per episode
Starring
Zach McGowan, Toby Stephens, Eleanor Guthrie, Ray Stevenson
If you’re up for a gritty pirate adventure, this is your show.Black Sailsis a fabulously entertaining series about the outlaws of the open seas, with many of its characters based on actual historical figures. It also serves as a prequel to the classic novelTreasure Island, which I was glad to see. There are still so manyfantasy books that deserve their own series.
It’s 1715, and our story follows the tales of Captain Flint (Toby Stephens), who’s known throughout the West Indies as the most brilliant, yet most feared, of all the Golden Age pirates. In the wake of British and Spanish threats, he fights for the survival of New Providence Island, where a den of prostitutes, pirates, thieves, and fortune seekers have staked their claim.
Why you’ll love it:Of course, pirates, butBlack Sailsalso features a great mix of adventure and intrigue with clever dialogue, excellent acting, and striking visuals. Its plot twists also feature some of the best explorations of sex, sexuality, race, and colonialism while still managing to remain surprising, gripping, and funny.
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7
~ 52 minutes per episode
Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, Tony Curran
Starz Original Limited SeriesMary & Georgeis an audacious historical psychodrama about a cunning mother, an impressionable son, and a shockingly unbelievable plan that’ll leave you seated, with your jaw on the floor.
Set in the early 1600s,Mary & Georgefollows the efforts of The Countess of Buckingham, who schemed, seduced, and killed to turn her family’s fortune around and conquer the Court of England, and the bed of the king. Through unnerving psychological intrigue, the treacherous mother used and molded her son to seduce King James I and become his all-powerful lover. In the process, she became richer, and her family became more prominent and influential in a way England had never seen.
Why you’ll love it:It’s outrageous, and it’s inspired by the true story of Mary and George Villier, who pulled this off, but not without consequences. The series is sexy, a bit soapy, and so delicately refined that it’s truly a nasty little delight. It also showcases one of the most extreme cases of helicopter parenting in history.
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Rebecca Ferguson, Max Irons, Oscar Kennedy
The White Queenis a mouth-watering miniseries based onThe Cousin’s Warseries of three interwoven novels by esteemed historical fiction author Phlippa Gregory. Set in the mid-15th century during a nine-year-long blood feud between the House of York and the House of Lancaster over who is the country’s true king,The White Queenpresents the story of the ruthless women involved. It’s a riveting portrayal of one of the most dramatic, turbulent times in English history.
A young Edward UV, heir to the House of York, is crowned king with help from a master manipulator known as The Kingmaker, who has a plan to control the throne. When Edward falls in love with Lancastrian commoner Elizabeth Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson), that plan comes crashing down and a violent struggle for the crown ensues between Elizabeth, adversary and Lancastrian Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale), who is mother to Tudor king Henry VII, and Yorkist Anne Neville (Faye Marsay), a pawn in her own father’s power game.
You’ll lap this series up as each of these women schemes, seduces, and manipulates their way right to the top.
Why you’ll love it:Though not historically accurate, its narrative is compelling and engaging, with its focus on strong female characters. You’ll also appreciate the impressive production design and those gorgeous costumes. The feeling in this one is palpable, and Rebecca Ferguson gives a riveting performance.
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Jodie Comer, Jacob Collins-Levy, Essie Davis, Michelle Fairley
Adapted from Philippa Gregory’s bestseller of the same name,The White Princessserves as a follow-up toThe White Queen. In this enchanting tale of love, family, power, and betrayal set in the late 15th century, our story comes from the perspective of three noblewomen waging an ongoing war for the English throne at the end of the War of the Roses.
Princess Elizabeth (Jodie Comer) is promised in marriage to the newly crowned King Henry VII in hopes of uniting the Kingdom, only she resents him and winds up plotting against him. His mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort (Michelle Fairley), finds herself in a battle of wits and will with the princess as they both maneuver to gain control of Henry’s trust. Meanwhile, Lizzie’s mother, Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville (Essie Davis), faces rumors that her long-lost son, Prince Richard, is alive.
So, what will The White Princess do: choose her new Tudor husband or the boy who could be her brother, and the rightful King of York?
Why you’ll love it:The seriescontinues charting one of the most tumultuous times in British history from a unique perspective. Its intricate, compelling, well-paced plot is enhanced by—once again—strong characters, impressive production design, and stunning visuals. It also offers enough political intrigue, romance, betrayal, and battle to keep you hooked from start to finish.
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16
Charlotte Hope, Richard Pepper, Harriet Walter
Audiences just can’t seem to get enough of Philippa Gregory’s adaptations of Tudor history, and neither can I. Lavishly produced limited seriesThe Spanish Princesstells the heartbreaking story of Catherine the Great and King Henry VIII, again from a unique perspective.
Return to Tudor royal court intrigue, as our story fromThe White QueenandThe White Princesscontinues. Also told from multiple female perspectives, the series focuses on the teenage Catherine of Aragon, the strong-willed Princess of Spain who eventually wound up as the official, then unofficial, first wife of Henry VIII. Before that, though, she was the wife of Henry’s brother, Arthur, who died suddenly not long after they were wed.
Her tale is one of curiosity, hope, strength, and faith in the face of cruelty and fear. As the daughter of King Ferdinand of Aragon, she was not one to back down, as you’ll see here.
Why you’ll love it:What makesThe Spanish Princessunique, aside from its perspective, is its ability to shed light on the lives of people of color who were living and working in 16th-century London. This aspect adds an entirely new layer of fascination to the story and the history.
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~ 58 minutes per episode
Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies, Sophie Skelton
Also based on a book of the same name,Outlanderis anepic historical fiction and fantasy seriesthat had every woman glued to their screens, all hot and bothered, start to finish, every single episode. Men, too.
This time-traveling fantasy series follows former World War II British Army nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) as she’s suddenly transported to 1743 Scotland, into an unknown world that threatens her freedom and her life. When she’s drawn into an epic rebellion, she does what she must to survive, and when she marries a strapping Scots warrior (Sam Heughan), a passionate romance ensues, and it is very different from the life and marriage she left behind in the 20th century.
The series will wrap up its epic love story across time with season eight, scheduled for early 2026, so now’s the time to binge seasons one through seven if you haven’t yet done so. This is one hypnotizing tale best digested in its entirety so that you really feel its passion and intensity.
Why you’ll love it:Outlanderfeatures tremendous, visceral performances from Balfe, Heughan, and Menzies, as well as a captivating blend of fictional storytelling and historical accuracy. It’s also heavy on sexual content and violence, some of which will push you to (and sometimes over) your edge, like a spectacular work of fiction should.
Samantha Morton, Charles Dance, Nicholas Burns
The Serpent Queenis cunning and captivating in its presentation of Catherine de Medici, who became one of the most powerful and longest-serving rulers in French history.
Once considered a common, plain immigrant, Catherine (Samantha Morton) married into the 16th-century French court as an orphaned teen expected to bring a fortune in dowry and produce heirs. After her dowry goes unpaid, and she’s unable to produce any heirs, she quickly discovers her husband is in love with another woman. She doesn’t let that stop her, though, and that’s what we come to admire about her, slippery as she is.
Armed with her intelligence, tenacity, and determination, she manages to keep her marriage alive and intact as she focuses on mastering the historical bloodsport that is the monarchy, then rules it for 50 years.
Why you’ll love it:The Serpent Queenspits out sharp, witty dialogue amid its boldly inventive storytelling, and its narrative is just as engaging as Samantha Morton’s performance.
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30
~ 54 minutes per episode
Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless, Peter Mensah, Nick E. Tarabay
A must-see epic portrayal for fans of Ancient Roman history,Spartacustells the story of the famous Thracian gladiator who, from 73 to 71 B.C., led an iconic slave rebellion against the Roman Republic, departing from Capua.
The Starz Original is a gritty depiction of how Spartacus was torn from his homeland and forced into slavery, ultimately condemned to fight in the excessively brutal, bloody gladiator arena in Rome. It’s in his struggle for vengeance that we learn of his heroic journey to free himself and his people, and that’s where we connect on a visceral level.
While the series ended after three seasons, it’s finally being revived with a long-awaited new installment,Spartacus:House of Ashur.
Why you’ll love it:Aside from all the thrilling debauchery, political intrigue, and scathing highlights of the Roman Republic’s depravity, the show is ripe with violence, intensely visceral gladiator training, and brutal, bloody arena battles. This is gladiator history at its boldest depiction, and it is delicious.
Whether your jam is the royal court or the gladiator arena, Starz has you covered with some of the sexiest, most audacious original series on television. History is in session.
STARZ
Live it up with cunning queens, outlaw pirates, and rebel gladiators in these epic historical fiction originals.
