STARZ Releases October 2023 Programming Lineup

Written by John Edward Betancourt

This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
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October is certainly an exciting time for pop culture fans. In part, because there’s plenty to watch thanks to the fact that the air is getting colder, and we’d rather be indoors with a warm drink and good show or movie on our screens, and networks know that and plan accordingly. But also, there’s a lot of spooky programming on the airwaves this time of year. For this is Halloween’s big month, and everyone looks forward to taking in a few spooky stories now and again, or several… depending upon what you like and well… it just so happens that STARZ has quite the programming mix prepared for us the coming weeks.

For they recently released their October programming lineup, and it is quite robust and delightful. For it features something for everyone really. For instance, if you’re just wanting to enjoy a good show or a good movie, you’ll find plenty of those, and if you want something spooky and eerie, well you’ll find that too. For this programming lineup just wants to make sure every member of your family is covered during the chilly and creepy month of October and since you’re curious as to what exactly STARZ has to offer in October, here is that lineup, and some promos for you… to help you plan accordingly.

‘STARZ announces its programming highlights for the month of October, featuring the season two premiere of “Shining Vale” and new episodes of “Power Book IV: Force.” On the film front, the critically acclaimed Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret premieres on October 11. And just in time for Halloween, The Blackening joins a robust slate of scary films available including the first 7 films in the Saw franchise, Scream 4, Zombieland: Doubletap, Meet the Blacks, The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2, The Exorcism of God, Prey for the Devil, Fear (2023), A Southern Haunting, and Slenderman.’

STARZ Original Series

Key Art from ‘Shining Vale’, ‘Power Book IV: Force’, and ‘The Blackening’ Courtesy of STARZ.

“Shining Vale” season two is set to premiere on Friday, October 13th, at midnight ET on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and on LIONSGATE+ streaming platform in the U.K. and Ireland. On linear, it will debut on STARZ on Friday, October 13th, at 9PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada.
 
Season one of “Shining Vale” introduced Pat and Terry Phelps, a dysfunctional family that tried to run from their problems by moving their kids into a Victorian mansion in small-town Connecticut. The only problem? It may be haunted. Once settled in, Pat encountered Rosemary, a demon who possessed her body and turned her life upside down. When the family steps in to “save” Pat, they commit her to a psychiatric hospital where she sees an old photo of a nurse who looks just like her demon Rosemary.
 
Season two kicks off four months later, when Pat’s insurance runs out and she is released from the psychiatric hospital early. Pat returns home, determined to pick up the pieces of her broken family, but she quickly finds out her children don’t need her, Terry doesn’t remember her and to make matters worse, Pat’s new neighbor Ruth looks exactly like Rosemary. Meanwhile, the house starts to reveal the shocking secrets of its dark past. Every mother feels like they live in an insane asylum, but Pat may be right!

• Friday, October 13 “Shining Vale”
• Episode 201: “Chapter 9: Homecoming” **Season Premiere**
• Linear Premiere Friday, October 13 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT
• Pat returns home after four months of intensive electroshock therapy and tries to put back together the family she broke. Terry meets his family for the first time after suffering a traumatic brain injury that wiped out his memory. Gaynor battles with Pat over the role as head of household, while Jake celebrates his new found celebrity as school mascot.

 

• Friday, October 20 “Shining Vale”
• Episode 202: “Chapter 10: She’s Real”
• Linear Premiere Friday, October 20 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT
  
• As the family struggles to reconnect, Pat's peculiar new neighbor brings a logical explanation for her psychotic break.

 

• Friday, October 27 “Shining Vale”
• Episode 203: “Chapter 11: The Goat”
• Linear Premiere Friday, October 27 at 9:00 pm ET/PT, 8:00 CT
• Terry struggles to process the knowledge that Pat hit him with an axe and he may have cheated on her with his colleague Kathryn. Meanwhile Gaynor gets some potentially good news, and Jake has a run-in with the scary goat.
  

“Power Book IV: Force” continues its second season, with new episodes available all month long on Fridays at midnight (ET) on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms. On linear, they will air on STARZ at 8:00PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada.
 
Tommy Egan is on a mission to avenge the death of Liliana, and with the Flynn organization weakened, he’s more determined than ever to take over the Chicago drug world. But with CBI split down the middle, Tommy and Diamond first must maintain their edge over Jenard. As their factions feud in the streets, Tommy capitalizes on another rivalry between the Serbs and Miguel Garcia, the most formidable drug lord in Chicago. After setting off a chain reaction of violence in pursuit of his ambition, Tommy must race to stay ahead of the men who are coming for what’s theirs, a federal task force that’s closing ranks, and a sadistic supplier with a direct line to the Cartel. All the while torn by the promise of a second chance with his blood family, Tommy must decide what he is willing to sacrifice to finally ascend the throne of a kingpin.
 

• Friday, October 6 “Power Book IV: Force”
• Episode 206, “Here There Be Monsters”
• Linear Premiere Friday, October 6 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT
• Tommy and Diamond expand their coalition by bringing Vic and Jenard into CBI, just as the Serbs declare war against them all.

 

• Friday, October 13 “Power Book IV: Force”
• Episode 207, “Chicago Is Heating Up!”
• Linear Premiere Friday, October 13 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT
• Tommy and Diamond continue gaining territory behind Miguel’s back, but Diamond is pulled in other directions while Tommy puts Vic’s loyalty to the test.

 

• Friday, October 20 “Power Book IV: Force”
• Episode 208, “Dead Reckoning”
• Linear Premiere Friday, October 20 at 8:00 pm ET/PT, 7:00 CT
• Tommy makes bold moves to connect CBI directly with the Cartel as he hustles to stay ahead of the many adversaries out for his blood.

Note: No new episode on October 27

Notable Film Additions to the STARZ app in October

‘The Blackening’

‘Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret’

Notable Film Additions to the STARZ app in October:
Available October 1:

• About a Boy
• All About the Benjamins
• Bachelorette
• Cherry (2023)
• A Day in the Life
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
• The Green Hornet
• Half Sisters
• The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2
• I Spy
• Irish Jam
• Lawless
• Made of Honor
• Malum
• Mo’ Better Blues
• Next Day Air
• Pineapple Express
• The Siege
• A Snowy Day in Oakland
• Speed
• Speed 2: Cruise Control
• Summoning Sylvia
• Survive
• Weird Science
• X-Men: The Last Stand

 
Available October 4

• The Blackening

 
Available October 8

• Megan Leavey

 
Available October 11

• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

 
Available October 13

• 30 Minutes or Less
• Brüno
• Officer Down
• The Son of No One​

Notable Film Stunts and Collections available on the STARZ app in October

• If You Like Power (August 25- January 31)
  • Titles include: “Origins of Hip Hop,” 88, Armored, Blood Out, Brooklyn’s Finest, City of Lies, Clockers, A Day in the Life, Destined, The Devil You Know, Fear (2023), Gridlock’d, I’m Charlie Walker, Jamesy Boy, Killing Them Softly, The Last Deal, Lawless, Next Day Air, Officer Down, Proud Mary, The Son of No One, Stripped: Los Angeles, The Traitor, and White Boy Rick.
• Latin and Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15- October 15)
  • Titles include: “Hightown,” “Vida,” The 355, All About the Benjamins, All the World is Sleeping, As Good as Dead, Babysitters Beware, The Big Bang, Bloodshot, Border Run, Chef, Collection, Cuban Fury, Deliver Us from Evil, El Jeremias, The Exorcism of God, A Fantastic Woman, Fantasy Island, The Games Maker, Gringa, A Haunted House 2, The Hollow Point, Jockey, Julieta, Life (2017), Loving Pablo, Marry Me, Musical Chairs, Off the Menu, Oscar Nominated Short Films 2022, Pain and Glory, Parallel Mothers, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Queen of Spain, Summer Night, Superfly, Tortilla Soup, The Veil, A Walk in the Clouds, The Wedding Planner, Wild Card, Wild Tales, and Zombieland: Double Tap
• Get in On the Action (September 15- October 31)
  • Titles include: Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, Plane, The 355, The System, Fall, Bad Boys for Life, The Equalizer, Fury, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Independence Day, Asher, The 2nd, The Last Deal, Bloodshot, Speed, Speed 2: Cruise Control, Homefront, Die Hard 2, Kingdom of Heaven, League of Gods, Armored, The Hurricane Heist, The Misfits, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, SAS: Red Notice, Wild Card, Waterworld, The Warrior’s Way, and Underworld: Blood Wars
• Saw Saga (September 19- October 9)
  • Titles include: Saw 1, Saw 2, Saw 3, Saw 4, Saw 5, Saw 6 and Saw: The Final Chapter
• Denzel Washington- My Man (October 3- October 9)
  • Titles include: The Equalizer, The Siege, Antwone Fisher, Mo’ Better Blues, Roman J. Israel, Esq., The Hurricane, A Journal for Jordan, Philadelphia, Courage Under Fire, and Cry Freedom
• Team Apatow (October 10- October 31)
  • Titles include: 22 Jump Street, Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Admission, Sex Tape, Rapture-Palooza, 30 Minutes or Less, Charlie’s Angels (2019), Girl Most Likely, and MacGruber
• Supernatural Suburbs- “Shining Vale” is Back (October 10- October 16)
  • Titles include: The Blackening, Scream 4, The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Meet the Blacks, The ‘Burbs, The Craft: Legacy, Black Friday, Meet Joe Black and Silent Night
• Black Horror- Block-Chilling Tales (October 24- October 31)
  • Titles include: The Blackening, Fear (2023), The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2, Meet the Blacks, A Southern Haunting, Malum, Summoning Sylvia and Incarnation

Notable Marathons

STARZ

• “Shining Vale” Season One Marathon, October 7 at 1:00 pm
• “Shining Vale” Marathon of Season One and 201-203, October 28 at 11:00 am

 
STARZ Encore

• “Shining Vale” Season One Marathon, every night October 9-12 at 10:00 pm
• The Saw Saga A Saw Movie every night October 24- October 30 at 11:00 pm
• A Very “Unlucky” Halloween! Leprechaun Movie Marathon, October 31 at 12:30 am with an encore marathon beginning at 1:30 pm

 
STARZ Edge

• “Shining Vale” Season One Marathon, October 11-12 at 11:00 pm

 
STARZ Encore Westerns

• Breakfast with the Duke- Saturdays at 8:00 am
  • Titles include: Blue Steel, The Lawless Frontier, The Star Packer, and Paradise Canyon
• Classic TV Westerns Block- Weekdays at 2:00 pm
  • Titles include: The Deputy, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Wagon Train, Laramie, The Virginian, The Rifleman, Tales of Wells Fargo, and Lawman

 
About STARZ
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its international premium streaming platform STARZPLAY, now LIONSGATE+, to provide subscribers access to bold, curated storytelling. LIONSGATE+, coupled with the STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture in MENA and Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia, has a footprint that extends across the globe. STARZ and LIONSGATE+ are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.