In my mind, writer Taylor Sheridan can do no wrong. He’s penned compelling action films such as Sicario, Hell or High Water, and Wind River, and since turning his attention to TV, he’s created series such as Yellowstone and its spinoffs 1883 and 1923, Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and most recently this new series, Special Ops: Lioness, about a team led by Joe (Zoe Saldana), that gets in trouble for operating on U.S. soil.
They’re after a terrorist financier, and Joe thinks the way in is to put a “lioness,” a female special operator, near the financier’s daughter, Aaliyah (Stephanie Nur). The operator in question is Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), a fierce warrior with questionable methods whose troubled background makes her something of a wildcard. Meanwhile, Joe’s got trouble at home with her daughter, Kate (Hannah Love Lanier) and husband, Neal (Dave Annable), not to mention her boss, Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman).
Like all of Sheridan’s work, this is a gritty, macho business, even with the ladies in the lead. Sure, it’s pure fantasy. If you’re looking for a plausible story, this ain’t it. But if you like a mix of action and drama with strong characters and muscular writing, this is on target. (eight approximately 42-min. episodes)
—Glen Starkey
This article appears in Sep 7-17, 2023.