STARZ will be premiering their newest television show, The White Queen, tonight, August 10th, at 8pm ET/PT. The new show is based Philippa Gregory’s The Cousins’ War book series.  Set during the War of the Roses, the show the story of three ladies trying to lie, cheat, and love whoever it takes to get them in the Queen’s seat. Based on the few episodes I’ve seen, here are some reasons to tune in to watch The White Queen.

Women Are Center Stage

The story of The White Queen follows three ladies in particular, Elizabeth Woodville (Rebecca Ferguson), Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale), and Anne Neville (Faye Marsay), who are all out to gain power over the throne of England. Elizabeth is particularly interesting since she begins the series as a commoner, but catches King Edward of York’s eye and ends up quickly rising to power… and quickly making some enemies. Only with the help of her wise and conniving mother, Jacquetta (Janet McTeer) is she able to navigate the political minefields of the day.

Good Old Cousin Rivalry

Similarly to The Game of Thrones, The White Queen is about different houses battling for control of the throne. The House of York and the House of Lancaster are cousins at heart, but they aren’t exactly inviting each other to sleepovers and gossip session. That’s why it’s such a big deal when Edward (York) marries Elizabeth (Lancaster) – his family is not exactly pleased that he would cross family lines like that. Also, you have to remember that this takes place back in the 1400s, back when it wasn’t just okay to marry a cousin, it was encouraged.

It’s Based on British History

The White Queen may be based on a series of books, but author Philippa Gregory spent years researching medieval British history in preparation for writing them. In doing so she unearthed the untold story of Elizabeth Woodville, spinning a fascinating tale of historical drama and political intrigue. I’m betting that, like most shows, there will be a few stretches and changes from the books and history in order to adapt it into a proper show, but there’s still a solid foundation of historical accuracy here.

Steamy Romance

The show centers on relationships between people, but it also doesn’t mind focusing on the relationships between people underneath the bed sheets either. It’s on STARZ! Of course you can expect some nudity. Edward and Elizabeth aren’t just in love, they’re trying to quickly conceive a kid, which means they’re going to be hitting those sheets with a vengeance.

Witchcraft and Accents

It’s set in England, so obviously they have British accents. And who doesn’t like listening to an English person speak? Also, the women have a few semi-supernatural abilities. Some seem to catch glimpses of the future, while others can control the weather. The level of power they possess has yet to be fully explained, so whether the show is smashing historical accuracy or not remains to be seen, but either way it makes for interesting television.

This is the Action Flick Chick, and you’ve just been kicked in the ass!