Watch These 5 Period Dramas (That Are Not Outlander) Before Canceling Your STARZ Subscription

Many of our readers probably subscribe to Starz primarily for Outlander, and that's not surprising. Based on the acclaimed series of historical fantasy novels by Diana Gabaldon, the show has delighted us for nine years with its ability to recreate the period setting and deliver Jamie and Claire's incredible love story within it.

Unfortunately, the second half of Season 7 won't be hitting our small screens anytime soon, as it was revealed in early June that the release date is not until November 2024.

But don't rush to cancel your subscriptions, folks, because Starz has other excellent historical shows to offer. From the intrigue of the Wars of the Roses to the assassination of James I, from Castile and Aragon to France and Italy, we present the best period dramas to ease the agonizing wait for Outlander Season 7B.

5. The White Queen

Premiere Date: June 16, 2013

Number of Episodes: 10

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

The White Queen, based on the novels by Philippa Gregory, centers on the events of the struggle for the English throne between the House of York and the House of Lancaster. However, the focus is on the behind-the-scenes of the civil war, following three women, Elizabeth Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson), Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale), and Anne Neville (Faye Marsay), whose ingenuity made them key players in influencing the outcome of the Wars of the Roses.

4. The White Princess

Premiere Date: April 16, 2017

Number of Episodes: 8

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

After the success of The White Queen, Starz adapted the Philippa Gregory books and a sequel series, The White Princess, followed. Events begin immediately after the end of the Wars of the Roses with the wedding of Henry VII (Jacob Collins-Levy) and Elizabeth of York (Jodie Comer), uniting the Yorks and Lancasters. But the couple don't trust each other, and the situation only gets worse as their mothers continue the behind-the-scenes rivalry between the houses. The series also stars Michelle Fairley, Caroline Goodall, Patrick Gibson and Suki Waterhouse.

3. The Spanish Princess

Premiere Date: May 5, 2019

Number of Episodes: 16

Rotten Tomatoes score: 75%

The Spanish Princess is also a sequel to The White Queen, this time following Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope), daughter of Spanish monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, who enters the hostile world of the English court as the first wife of King Henry VIII (Ruairi O'Connor).

2. Mary & George

Premiere Date: March 5, 2024

Number of Episodes: 7

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

On March 5, Starz premiered one of the most daring historical crime dramas about an equally daring conspiracy: the assassination of King James I. Adapted from the novel written by Benjamin Woolley, this period drama follows George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine), a minor gentleman who, with the assistance of his mother (Julianne Moore), became one of the most powerful men in England by serving as the lover of the King (Tony Curran).

1. The Serpent Queen

Premiere Date: September 11, 2022

Number of Episodes: 8

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

Catherine de' Medici was a Florentine noblewoman who was only fourteen years old when she married a member of the French royal house of Valois, the future King Henri II. Overcoming the hostility of the French nobility and the royal family itself, Catherine was able to overcome all odds and serve as Queen of France for 30 years. The show is based on the non-fiction book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda and has been praised by critics for how well Samantha Morton conveys the image of the divisive yet determined Queen.