Special Ops: Lioness released on Sunday, July 23, 2023, on Paramount+ with a two-episode premiere. Taylor Sheridan (1883, 1923, and Yellowstone) brings his latest show to streaming in a gritty spy action drama. Here’s everything you need to know about the show, including the plot, episode synopsis, cast, trailers, and spoilers!
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- How To Watch Special Ops: Lioness Online For Free
- Special Ops: Lioness Plot
- Special Ops Spoilers
- Season 1 Episode 1 Premiere "Sacrificial Soldiers"
- Season 1 Episode 2 "The Beating"
- Season 1 Episode 3 "Bruise Like a Fist"
- Season 1 Episode 4 "The Choice of Failure"
- Season 1 Episode 5 "Truth Is the Shrewdest Lie"
- Season 1 Episode 6 "The Lie Is the Truth"
- Season 1 Episode 7 "Wish the Fight Away"
- Season 1 Episode 8 Finale "Gone Is the Illusion of Order"
- Lioness Trailer
- Special Ops: Lioness Episode 3 Cast
- Top Questions
Special Ops: Lioness Plot
In the riveting narrative fabric that is Taylor Sheridan’s Special Ops: Lioness, a spectacle inspired by the very fabric of U.S. Military realism, we find ourselves marching lockstep with our heroine, Joe (masterfully embodied by Zoe Saldaña). As she attempts to navigate the perilous tightrope between her personal and professional life, Joe is thrust into the sharp end of the CIA’s relentless spearhead in the relentless war on terror.
Guiding her through this minefield of duty and deception is the Lioness Program, masterminded by the indomitable Kaitlyn Meade (an unforgettable Nicole Kidman) and the unyielding Donald Westfield (a steadfast Michael Kelly). But just when you thought the stakes couldn’t get higher, enter stage left: Cruz (a fiery Laysla De Oliveira), an aggressive Marine Raider co-opted to go undercover alongside Joe.
Their mission? To infiltrate the shadowy echelons of state terrorism, undermining the plots and ploys in the ever-present struggle to prevent another 9/11. The curtain is up, and the stage is set… this is the tense, terror-riddled tango of ‘Special Ops: Lioness.’ Buckle up, folks, for a viewing experience that’s anything but routine.
Special Ops Spoilers
Here are mini recaps (and spoilers) of each episode from the premiere season…
Season 1 Episode 1 Premiere “Sacrificial Soldiers”
Air Date: July 23, 2023
Things go awry for Joe and her team during a mission out in the field. Joe is left devastated. Upon her return home, Joe’s family life presents it’s own challenges. Cruz tries to escape a dangerous situation. Joe must choose an agent.
“In the sizzling premiere of “Special Ops: Lioness,” Zoe Saldana’s Joe scouts a rebellious marine recruit, Cruz (the fierce Laysla De Oliveira), after a heart-wrenching loss of her top operative. Torn between the high stakes of terrorism and family drama at home, Joe’s world is one wild rollercoaster. Dive in to watch Cruz navigate undercover friendship with the Middle Eastern heiress while Joe juggles national threats and teenage tantrums!”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 2 “The Beating”
Air Date: July 23, 2023
Joe continues her training with Cruz. Her methods are questionable. Cruz starts to build a relationship with Aaliyah. Kate gets into a fight during her soccer game. Neal has to deliver difficult news to a patient.
“Joe takes “tough love” to new heights, plunging Cruz into a SERE test that’s so intense, even Bear Grylls might say, “Thanks, but no thanks!” But Cruz isn’t just about grit and grind; she’s also about glam, getting an invite to a swanky pool party amidst a bar brawl. Talk about mixing business with pleasure!”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 3 “Bruise Like a Fist”
Air Date: July 30, 2023
Cruz is invited to spend the weekend with Aaliyah and her inner-circle. Joe keeps Kaitlyn informed of Cruz’s progress. Kyle comes to Joe desperate for help with an asset.
“Cruz delves deep into Aaliyah’s gold-plated world, only to be surrounded by drama, suspicions, and way too many watchful eyes. Joe trades some team members for a favor, resulting in an unsanctioned, explosive, EMP-induced extraction fiasco. And while Cruz is jet-setting with the elite, Joe is left playing a high-stakes game of “Who’s That Mystery Voice?”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 4 “The Choice of Failure”
Air Date: August 6, 2023
Cruz is put in a compromising position while out with Aaliyah and friends in the Hamptons. Causing Joe and Kaitlyn to doubt her. Kaitlyn and Westfield confront Kyle over what happened at the border, complicating things further for Joe and her team.
“Joe deals with the aftermath of her team’s messy extraction, which was was caught on tape, leaving them exposed! While grappling with this, Joe’s hit with a parenting uppercut: her teen daughter’s life-altering car crash and baby news. Cruz, their green operative, gets drugged and nabbed at a party, but the team saves her. The silver lining? Cruz’s intel points to a high-stakes wedding in Dubai, drawing them closer than ever to their ultimate target.”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 5 “Truth Is the Shrewdest Lie”
Air Date: August 13, 2023
Joe and Neal deal with the aftermath of Kate’s accident. Westfield and Kaitlyn deploy Joe’s team to subdue a terrorist threat. Cruz’s cover may be in jeopardy.
“Joe reunites with her daughter Kate, spilling motherly advice and some unexpected family secrets. Joe’s duty puts her marriage is on the brink. Meanwhile, the team navigates a high-stakes, unsanctioned operation against terrorists, with explosions, stealthy nighttime kills, and a side dish of personal drama. As the dust settles, whispers of truth, intrigue, and unexpected crushes hint that the battlefield isn’t the only place where sparks fly!”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 6 “The Lie Is the Truth”
Air Date: August 20, 2023
Aaliyah bonds with Cruz over a spa day. Bobby, Tex, Two Cups, Randy and Tucker confront a threat at the Safe House. Kaitlyn and Joe are scolded for the San Antonio mission in a debrief.
“Cruz gets a pampering spa day and unexpected matchmaking courtesy of Aaliyah, while Joe dives deep into White House drama, navigating kill mission politics and explosive secrets. Amidst all this, a trio of teen trespassers get more than they bargained for, and love is in the air: a tender moment between Cruz and Aaliyah leaves them stunned, and Joe reignites sparks at home. Politics, passion, and punks—just another day in the Lioness program.”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 7 “Wish the Fight Away”
Air Date: August 27, 2023
While shopping in Manhattan for the wedding, Aaliyah and Cruz get closer. Kate returns home only to say goodbye to her mom once again. Joe guides Cruz through internal struggle and doubt in completing the mission.
“A web of espionage, romance, and danger unfolds as Joe, Kaitlyn, and Westfield race against time to locate Aaliyah’s wedding venue. Amid luxury shopping sprees and steamy rendezvous in New York, Cruz grapples with her feelings for Aaliyah, whose familial ties to terrorism deepen the mission’s stakes. Cruz’s secret mission with heiress Aaliyah takes unexpected emotional turns. Joe considers a desk job, worried about the mission’s dangers. Personal loyalties clash with duty, revealing the intricate balance between love, power, thwarting terrorists, and the looming specter of nuclear conflict.”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Season 1 Episode 8 Finale “Gone Is the Illusion of Order”
Air Date: September 3, 2023
In the season finale, the tables turn as Westfield deftly ensures mission control stays away from politicians, much to Secretary Mullins’ dismay. Cruz, now on her lonesome, faces challenges that could make or break her and the entire Lioness program. Amidst covert operations, confrontations, and deadly chases, the finale teases viewers with suspense and uncertainty. Will there be a Special Ops: Lioness Season 2? Find out the answer here!
“In the pulse-pounding finale of “Special Ops: Lioness,” Cruz’s undercover escapade at a posh ceremony spirals into chaos when she’s exposed and ends up taking out terror magnate Amrohi in a frenzied kitchen showdown. Amid the political backlash and the personal emotional fallout of her actions, a guilt-stricken Cruz confronts Joe and vows to leave the Lioness program, fearing they’re only sparking the next wave of terrorism. Meanwhile, as Joe grapples with the mission’s weight, she finds solace in her husband Neal’s embrace.”
-Review by Sir Anthony
Lioness Trailer
Special Ops: Lioness Episode 3 Cast
- Zoe Saldana as Joe
- Laysla De Oliveira as Cruz Manuelos
- Dave Annable as Neal
- Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn Meade
- Morgan Freeman as Edwin Mullins
- Michael Kelly as Byron Westfield
- Jill Wagner as Bobby
- LaMonica Garrett as Tucker
- James Jordan as Two Cups
- Austin Hébert as Randy
- Jonah Wharton as Tex
- Stephanie Nur as Aaliyah Amrohi
- Hannah Love Lanier as Kate
- Celestina Harris as Charlie
- Martin Donovan as Errol
- Thad Luckinbill as Kyle
- Bassem Youssef as Asmar Ali Amrohi
- Clark Carmichael as Senator Palmer
- Ray Corasani as Ehsan
- Carla Mansour as Malika
- Layla Mohammadi as Nashwa
Top Questions
How many episodes of Lioness Special Ops are there?
There will only be eight episodes of Special Ops Lioness.
When is Special Ops: Lioness finale?
The Special Ops: Lioness finale will air on Sunday, September 3, 2023, at midnight ET on Paramount+.
Is The Special Ops: Lioness on Netflix?
Special Ops: Lioness is not on Netflix, it is only available to stream on Paramount+.
Photo credit: Paramount+
