Right now on Paramount+, Taylor Sheridan’s Lioness, starring Zoe Saldaña, sits at the top of the service’s charts at No. 1. In its third season, the political thriller mixes the spy drama of Homeland with the hard-hitting action of Sicario, a film Sheridan wrote back in 2015.
Season 3 centers on CIA senior case officer Joe McNamara, who oversees a secret program of female operatives. The show has moved toward a more direct, action-heavy approach, with McNamara facing off against Russian intelligence agents working inside the United States.
The Three Rules of the Lioness Program
The film draws its inspiration from a genuine CIA operation. McNamara oversees operatives who enter the intimate orbits of important people, gaining their confidence and approaching their objectives with great peril.
The program operates off the books. There is no CIA protocol telling these agents what is right or wrong. There are only three rules: don’t get caught, don’t get killed, and don’t break under any circumstances.
The death of McNamara’s first Lioness agent in season 1 set the stakes for the series. She then brought on Sergeant Cruz Manuelos, played by Laysla De Oliveira, to get close to the daughter of a billionaire oil tycoon who was suspected of funding terrorists. In season 2, the focus shifted to a different agent, soldier and helicopter pilot named Josie Carrillo, played by Genesis Rodriguez, who went undercover inside a Mexican cartel.
McNamara is the type to pick up a person’s inconsistencies. She quickly notices something amiss with Josie’s background.
The Cost of Patriotism
The novel Lioness does not celebrate the birth of an American champion. Instead, it presents a sorrowful account of what patriotism demands.
The selection process for the program takes an enormous physical, mental and emotional toll on those who go through it. Prior to being deployed into the field, agents endure harsh training sessions that aim to do more than merely harden their resolve; they are meant to reveal whether an individual possesses any capacity at all to crack under the pressure of enemy interrogation.
The safety of its agents is the program’s least concern. What matters more is ensuring they never expose the CIA’s involvement in international affairs, eroding other countries’ trust in the U.S. government.
Cruz and Josie are soldiers who have spent their whole lives training to kill for America’s safety. Once on the battlefield, they become mere pieces that can be replaced at any moment.
“There are only three rules: don’t get caught, don’t get killed, and don’t break under any circumstances.”
Lioness agents are not merely soldiers anymore; they are the operations themselves, operating deep undercover. Their identities, every move they make, and even the smallest conversation, are all arranged with care so as not to raise suspicion. There is no assurance that the CIA will rescue them if their cover is exposed.
Season 3 Puts Joe in an Impossible Situation
Season 3 approaches its conclusion with the stakes higher than ever. For the first time, the story unfolds across two timelines, slowly revealing the events that have put McNamara and the CIA in an increasingly dangerous situation.
The agency’s greatest rival has arrived, not from a billionaire-backed terror group or a Mexican cartel, but from Russian intelligence operating in secret on American soil. With dangers lurking unseen, McNamara must rely on allies who say they stand with the CIA.
After the Season 2 finale left her shaken, McNamara has grown closer to her family. Still, she cannot bring herself to leave the CIA, even though reconnecting with her loved ones should be enough to pull her away.
As shadowy figures begin to blend her professional duties with her private life, she wonders if she can truly hold the two apart. Her concern is twofold: she must guard those back home, and she must guard herself.
Season 3 has faced countless trials while defending her nation, and she is now on the verge of showing that even the strongest individuals have limits.
The Creative Team Behind the Show
The Paramount+ original series Special Ops: Lioness stars Saldaña and Nicole Kidman. It follows a marine and a CIA agent who team up with the daughter of a dangerous terrorist group to take down the organization.
The show was created by Sheridan and Jill Wagner, with direction from Paul Cameron and Anthony Byrne. Sheridan’s most notable work is as the co-creator of Yellowstone.
| Season | Focus | Lead Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Billionaire oil tycoon’s daughter | Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) |
| Season 2 | Mexican cartel infiltration | Josie Carrillo (Genesis Rodriguez) |
| Season 3 | Russian intelligence on U.S. soil | Joe McNamara (supervising officer) |
Why the Show Works
The series draws viewers in by refusing to elevate counterterrorism work into something glorious. Its agents aren’t presented as heroes in any traditional way. Instead, they’re treated as mere tools, discarded and replaced whenever the story demands it.
Both series follow CIA officers on the front lines protecting the U.S. from terrorism and other international threats, which makes the comparison to Homeland accurate. The comparison to Sicario also holds up, especially given Season 3’s more aggressive tone.
There is no attempt to make the work look pure here. Instead, the show makes clear the price paid by those who do it.
Streaming on Paramount+
Paramount+ is where Lioness can be found streaming. The current season is Season 3, which began with its premiere on July 23, 2023.
The thriller Lioness holds audiences’ attention from start to finish. Its story springs from true events, wrapped in tightly drawn characters and suspenseful scenes. It leads the streaming charts on its platform right now, and the reasons for that success are easy to point to.
Source: collider.com
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