It was a satisfying moment, a critical about-face that resonated deeply. Mike Hale, the esteemed TV critic for the New York Times, initially dismissed ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ upon its July 2023 debut. He wasn’t alone; critics were quick to wield their knives against this counterterrorism action series on Paramount+, starring Zoe Saldana as Joe, a CIA operative training female assassins, including the badass marine Cruz, brilliantly portrayed by the rising star Laysla De Oliveira.
‘Lioness’ was an easy target. Its creator and writer, Taylor Sheridan, is the mastermind behind ‘Yellowstone,’ the television juggernaut that redefined the Western genre, and a host of other series like ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ ‘1883,’ ‘1923,’ and ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves,’ known for their nostalgic, pro-military, pro-law-and-order narratives. ‘Lioness’ seemed to follow Sheridan’s familiar formula – rugged gunmen, explosive firefights, and solemn debriefings. The show’s focus on female characters was noteworthy, but so was the danger they faced, the violent deaths that marked their journeys. Critics, including Hale, were only given a glimpse of the show’s brutality through a single episode. Their reviews, often dismissive, labeled Sheridan’s first female-centric show as exploitative.
However, I was immediately drawn in by ‘Lioness.’ Yes, the opening sequence depicting the brutal elimination of countless ISIS fighters and the violent sacrifice of an undercover CIA recruit was raw and forceful, but it was exactly what I craved from television at that moment. Then, Nicole Kidman graced the screen as a cold, calculating intelligence official in a sharp navy suit, uttering lines like, “Walk us through your decision to call a drone strike.” The casting felt so impossibly perfect that I was instantly hooked. Kidman’s performance, though divisive among fans, is a highlight for me – sharp, commanding, and impeccable. And Saldana, she inhabits Joe with a fierceness that’s captivating. Joe lives a double life: a devoted wife to a handsome surgeon who handles all the domestic duties, and a ruthless CIA operative on dangerous missions. Saldana excels at delivering high-octane yelling, and no one looks more badass with wraparound shades and an assault rifle.
Week after week, I found myself glued to the screen, thinking, ‘This is probably a terrible show, morally questionable even, but I can’t tear myself away.’ And then, unexpectedly, Hale published another article in The Times, this time at the end of the season, admitting he had misjudged ‘Lioness’ in his initial review. He acknowledged that it was, in fact, high-quality genre television that had captivated him just as it had captivated me. What a satisfying twist! It mirrored the genuine experience of watching television, where some shows need time to win your trust. Besides, does everything on TV have to be morally perfect? Who can live without their guilty pleasures?
‘Lioness,’ now simply titled ‘Lioness’ (sans the ‘Special Ops’), is back for its second season this weekend. Having previewed the first four episodes, I can confidently declare that the show absolutely rules. I won’t claim it’s a feminist masterpiece, but I defy you to find more formidable female characters on television. This season, you can jump right in without needing to watch the first – Joe is sent to the Mexican border to rescue a kidnapped American congresswoman, whose family was brutally murdered, from a ruthless cartel. China, it seems, is collaborating with the cartel to undermine US interests, and Joe, ever the patriot, must find a ‘lioness’ to infiltrate and take down the cartel leader. The best candidate is a helicopter pilot in Iraq, with a hidden connection to the cartel.
The plot sounds ridiculous, and it kind of is, but the relentless pace of the action and the complexity of its five female heroes, each forged of iron, is commendable in a genre show like this, a show designed, let’s face it, to appeal to the Fox News crowd. While ‘Lioness’ is deeply rooted in patriotism and military might, it also fervently believes in female strength, authority, and independence. Watching these elite women warriors operate alongside special forces without needing rescue, becoming objects of desire, or being subject to ridicule, but instead treated as equals, is almost radical.
‘Lioness’ was already a hit for Paramount+ in its first season, and from what I’ve seen, the second season is even better. Let’s see if the critics agree.