Thanks to the all-star cast, intriguing plot, and association with prominent filmmaker Taylor Sheridan, the expectations for Special Ops: Lioness were high. I mean, Zoe Saldaña as a specially trained secret agent leading a team of all-female operatives who go undercover to take down suspected terrorists? With Nicole Kidman as her high-ranking CIA boss? And Morgan Freeman just so happens to be the Secretary of State? Count me in.
But the finale episode of the first series just wrapped—and the reviews aren't as stellar as fans might have hoped.
Rotten Tomatoes rounded up 30 reviews to give it a 55% approval rating and an average rating of 6 out of 10. It summed up critics' collective consensus by reporting: "Zoe Saldaña provides the energy of a Lioness, but these Special Ops are largely derivative and unconvincing." Variety was a little more fault-finding and criticized the show for being clichè and predictable.
"It is perhaps predictable that the Sheridan take on pop feminism would weaponize women's liberation in service of the military industrial complex," wrote Alison Herman. "After all, that rhetorical sleight of hand is as much a cliché as the rest of Lioness."
Despite the negative critical response, fans, however, gave it a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes—suggesting there are a good amount of people who'd like to see the story continue for a second season.
But was it enough to convince Paramount+ to renew the series? Here's what we know.
Season 2 is not confirmed
Credit: 101 Studios, Blossom Films, and K Films
No one has reported or announced anything about a renewal or cancellation of the Special Ops: Lioness as of yet. And to be fair, the finale of the first season just premiered on September 3. Considering the status of the Writers Guild of America strike—which has been going on since February of 2023—it could be quite some time before we hear anything about Season 2.
However, Sheridan is not one to tell a half-hearted story. Nearly all of his shows, the most prominent example, of course, being Yellowstone, expand into multiple seasons and spinoffs. The fact that he would bring in such a star-studded cast for Lioness makes it seem like he and Paramount+ have much bigger plans for the franchise. Even though the critic reviews were mixed, the show did have quite the viewership.
"Special Ops: Lioness scored as the #1 new scripted series of the year on cable and one of the highest performers of all time on Paramount+," said Paramount Media Networks CEO Chris McCarthy in a statement. "Brilliantly created by Taylor Sheridan and brought to life by our stellar cast, this heart-pounding thriller inspired by real-life events clearly struck a chord with a huge audience."
Men's Health also theorized that the title of the show itself may be a hint that this is just the beginning. The fact that it's Special Ops: Lioness rather than just Lioness could signal that it's more of an anthology series, with each season having its own story arc about a different operation than a single, ongoing narrative about one team of operatives.
As cool as that would be, it is just a theory.
What is Special Ops: Lioness About?
Credit: 101 Studios, Blossom Films, and K Films
If you haven't yet binged Sheridan's newest spy thriller series, allow us to brush you up on the basics.
Special Ops: Lioness follows an elite group of female operatives who go undercover to befriend the wives, girlfriends, sisters, and daughters of high-value terrorists in order to gain intel. While it's based on a real-life CIA program called Team Lioness that ran from 2003 to 2004, the story itself is fictionalized and follows CIA officer-in-charge Joe (Saldaña as she's tasked with enlisting a rookie operative named Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) on a new mission.
Saldaña told The Hollywood Reporter that she was "instantly hooked" on the show from the moment she read the script and that Sheridan wrote the part of Joe with her in mind.
"She's a straight shooter. She's clean. There's nothing dirty about what Joe does. If Joe goes off the grid, it's because she's going to do the right thing and save people."
We won't spoil the gritty details if you plan on watching, but expect to see other notable faces and names, such as:
- Dave Annable as Neil, Joe's husband, who's also a pediatric oncology surgeon
- Jill Wagner as Bobby, a team leader within the Lioness program
- Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade, a high-ranking CIA official who's also Joe's supervisor
- Morgan Freeman as Edwin Mullins, the Secretary of State
Even if it didn't live up to all its original hype, it's still a fun watch, considering the star power involved.
Where to Watch Special Ops: Lioness
Now that the first season has officially wrapped, you can binge all of Special Ops: Lioness in its entirety on Paramount+.
