If Disney+ is the digital playroom and Netflix is the massive warehouse where you find everything from "brain rot" YouTube-style reality hits to Oscar winners, Starz is the premium cigar lounge in the back. Owned by Lionsgate, the service leans heavily into high-budget, "prestige" adult content.

In 2026, Starz has carved out a niche by doubling down on specific "universes"—most notably the Power franchise and historical dramas that make your old history textbook look like a Sunday School pamphlet. It’s frequently offered as an "add-on" channel, which is how most parents end up with it. You signed up for a $1.99/month promo to watch one movie, forgot to cancel, and now your 12-year-old has access to some of the most graphic content on television.

You probably won’t hear a 10-year-old asking for Starz. But if you have a 16-year-old, they’ve definitely heard of the "Power Universe."

Power and its various spin-offs (Raising Kanan, Force, Ghost) are massive cultural touchstones. They deal with the drug trade, family loyalty, and the "hustle." For a generation obsessed with "grindset" culture and "alpha" dynamics, these shows are magnetic. They are also incredibly violent and features heavy sexual content.

Then there’s the "BookTok" crowd. If your teen is into historical romance or "spicy" fiction, they are likely eyeing Outlander. It’s basically the gateway drug to Starz for the historical fiction fandom.

Check out our guide on whether Outlander is appropriate for your teen

Starz’s parental controls are "fine," but they aren't as intuitive as the Netflix parental controls.

You can create up to five profiles. When you create one, you can toggle the "Kids" setting. However, the Starz "Kids" library is... let’s be honest, it’s a little sad. It’s mostly a rotating door of Lionsgate’s back-catalog animated movies. If your kids are looking for high-quality educational content, they’re better off on PBS Kids or Khan Academy.

You need to set a Parental Control PIN.

The Catch: If you are accessing Starz through Amazon Prime Channels or Hulu, the Starz app settings won't matter. You have to lock it down through the "host" app. This is where most parents fail. If you have Starz via Amazon, you need to go into your Amazon Prime Video settings and set the viewing restrictions there.

Ask our chatbot for a step-by-step on locking Starz on Amazon

This is a cult classic for a reason. It follows a group of actors and writers working for a catering company in LA. It’s cynical, hilarious, and feels very "real world." It’s rated TV-MA for language and some drug use, but for an older teen (16+) interested in comedy or filmmaking, it’s actually a smart watch.

Think of this as Gossip Girl but in the 16th-century French court. It’s about Catherine de' Medici, and it’s surprisingly modern in its storytelling. It’s sharp, ruthless, and great for teens who like "anti-hero" narratives. Again, it’s TV-MA, but it’s "smart" TV-MA, not just "shock value" TV-MA.

Because of Lionsgate’s deals, Starz often gets the big Sony theatrical releases. If you have younger kids, this is likely the only reason you’d open the app. It’s a masterpiece. Full stop. If your kid hasn't seen it, stop reading this and go watch it with them.

I’m going to be the "no-BS" friend here: Outlander contains some of the most graphic depictions of sexual violence on television. While it’s a beautifully shot show with a compelling romance, the "spiciness" often veers into "trauma." It’s a popular show, but it’s one where you really need to check the content triggers for Outlander before letting a teen binge it.

It’s a critically acclaimed drama about a strip club in the Mississippi Delta. It’s visually stunning and has deep themes about race, class, and gender. But guys, it is very explicit. If you aren't comfortable with your teen seeing full-frontal nudity and very graphic sexual situations, this is a hard "no."

It’s a comedy about the first erotic magazine for women in the 70s. While it tries to be a feminist "girl boss" story, it’s often just trying too hard to be provocative. It’s not that it’s "bad" art, it’s just that for a parent-teen co-watch, it’s about as awkward as it gets. Just skip the headache.

Learn more about how to talk to teens about graphic TV violence

In our Screenwise community surveys, we see a recurring trend: Parents often overlook Starz because it isn't "the big one" like YouTube or TikTok. But because it lacks the robust "Kids" infrastructure of Disney+, it’s actually a higher risk for accidental exposure to mature themes.

About 15% of middle schoolers in our community report having "stumbled" onto mature content via a parent’s streaming add-on. Don't be that data point.

Starz is a "niche" service. It’s great for adults who love gritty dramas and historical epics. For a family, it’s a "nice to have" but far from essential. If you have it, set the PIN. If your teen is begging for it, they are likely looking for Power or Outlander.

Before you say yes, watch an episode of the show they want. If it makes you want to crawl under the couch in second-hand embarrassment or concern, it’s probably a "wait until you’re 18" situation.