Will There Be a Special Ops: Lioness Season 2? The network has not released the official renewal of the espionage drama series.
Our hope is that it will renew a second season for Paramount+. From the Academy Award® Nominee Taylor Sheridan, this spy thriller featured an amazing cast, including EP and lead actor Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Emmy® Nominee Michael Kelly, Oscar® Winner Morgan Freeman, and Oscar Winner and EP Nicole Kidman.
In the gripping “Special Ops: Lioness,” based on a real U.S. Military initiative, viewers journey alongside Joe (Saldaña) as she grapples with personal and professional challenges at the heart of the CIA’s counterterrorism efforts. Under the watchful eyes of Kaitlyn Meade (Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Kelly), the Lioness Program recruits the fierce Marine Raider, Cruz (De Oliveira), to covertly join Joe, navigating the treacherous maze of state terrorism’s elite, all while keeping another 9/11 at bay.
The first season debuted on July 23, 2023, exclusively on Paramount+, and concluded on September 3, 2023. The finale teased viewers with suspense and uncertainty!
TV Show Recaps rated the entire series 4.8 out of 5 stars. Stating, “Joe, brilliantly portrayed by Zoe Saldaña. And as the series unfolds, it’s not just covert missions that captivate but also a medley of personal dramas—from Joe’s home-front hurdles to Cruz’s romantic quandaries.” Chief Editor Sir Anthony continues, “Whether it’s navigating political landmines, explosive ops, or heart-tugging familial ties, this series masterfully blends action and emotion.”
JoBlo rates it 8 out of 10 and remarks, “There have been a lot of military-centric series over the years, but few have been as rousing to me as this one. Zoe Saldana and Laysla De Oliveira live up to the title of this series as fierce warriors.”
Special Ops: Lioness Season 2 Release Date
If there were to be a Special Ops: Lioness Season 2, we can anticipate its release date in the Summer of 2024.
But this is wishful thinking. With the WGA strike occurring at the time of this piece, we can expect normalcy bumping the release another year- if it returns at all.
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Lioness Season 1 Review
The thrilling soy drama unfolds with Joe, brought to life by Zoe Saldana, transforming the Lioness program into an undercover sensation. With her personal and professional lives constantly at odds, Joe scouts the formidable Cruz Manuelos, played by Laysla De Oliveira. A Marine with a chip on her shoulder. By Episode 2, Cruz faces an endurance challenge of the ages. She’s immediately thrown into the lion’s den to befriend the daughter of a terrorist financier.
By Episode 3, the spy stakes soar. Cruz navigates a world of petroleum powerhouses and covert shenanigans, while Joe, balancing CIA intrigues and teen tantrums, showcases some slick tracking skills. And as if espionage wasn’t enough, by Episode 4, Joe grapples with parental tsunamis while Cruz ends up drugged and nearly accosted until her team rescues her!
Just as viewers catch their breath, Episode 5 unleashes family revelations, marital minefields, and one adrenaline-packed unsanctioned op against terrorists. Explosions? Check. Midnight stealth missions? You bet. And just when you thought personal and professional lines couldn’t blur further, Episode 6 delivers Joe’s political tightropes, plus Cruz’s spa escapades, and some unexpected heart flutters.
Episode 7 delves deeper into the heart’s labyrinth mixed with guilt. As the team hunts down Aaliyah’s wedding venue, Cruz is entangled in passion and politics, questioning where her loyalty lies. Joe faces her own crossroads, weighing the allure of a safer desk job against the thrill of the field. And if you weren’t already on the edge of your seat, Episode 8’s finale serves a delicious blend of political ploys, Cruz taking out her target, her blow-up with Joe, and vowing to quit the Lioness program. The program has taken its toll on Joe’s mental and emotional well-being. She vowed to transition to a desk gig, leaving the field.
Special Ops: Lioness Season 2 Speculations
If there is a second season, we speculate a new recruit will take Cruz’s place as she stated she’s done. But is she really? One story arc we suspect is that she will reluctantly return and will bond with the newbie soldier, shaping her into the ultimate Lioness spy.
Joe will take a desk job, but threats to her old team will force her back into the field.
Political and revenge will follow in the attack on a terrorist financier. We predict someone will take his place, and the new chairman will be more menacing…
Editor’s Note
This show was amazing television at an odd time when we would normally transition from summer TV schedules to fall shows. It was a thrilling ride as we went beyond the stone-cold facade of a soldier and deeply connected on an emotional level.
The penultimate episode encapsulated the precipice of the show when Joe explained to Cruz the order of guilt. She described times when soldiers fear the most, deep into a firefight. After the melee, the guilt sets in. However, in her role in espionage betrayal, the guilt sets at the beginning.
As much as I personally would love to see this show return, due to it being a summer release series (which has a 50/50 chance of survival) and the WGA strike, it may not renew. If it ends up being a lone series, it made a classic mark that will be a challenge to top as we grew emotionally attached to the two main characters.
What are your thoughts? Do you think we will see a Special Ops: Lioness Season 2? Let us know in the comments!
Photo credit: Paramount+
