‘Lioness’ Season 2 Review – Zoe Saldana Is the Best Asset of Taylor Sheridan’s Thriller Series

It’s no secret that Taylor Sheridan has made waves in the leisure business, particularly at Paramount. Having pushed himself into the tv sphere again in 2018 together with his hit neo-Western drama Yellowstone, the previous few years have seen the filmmaker and author broaden his pursuits. In 2023, he added the drama collection Lioness (previously titled Special Ops: Lioness) to his repertoire, proving that lengthy-type army and spy thrillers are alive and nicely. With a robust solid that features Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman — each of whom additionally function government producers — it is no marvel that Lioness was renewed for a second season. Having seen the first 4 episodes of this sophomore outing, it is clear that Sheridan and firm have managed to increase the narrative as organically as potential, providing hope for the future of this collection.

‘Lioness’ Season 2 Thrives When It Blends Country and Family

Last yr, I wrote a bit about why Lioness does not want a second season. The irony of that assertion is that now I’m the one scripting this Season 2 overview, which has compelled me to eat at the least some of my phrases. The method Season 1 concluded, with an emotionally wrecked Joe (Saldaña) in the arms of her husband, Neal (Dave Annable), was certainly “a harrowing picture to end on.” While there have been nonetheless some free ends in want of tying up regarding Joe’s household, the principal plot was successfully completed. The mark that the season’s occasions left on these concerned, particularly Laysla De Oliveira‘s Sergeant Cruz Manuelos, was highly effective. Lioness had one thing actual, one thing harsh, to say about the method army operations are typically dealt with, and the profound impact that they’ll have on those that carry them out. In brief, Lioness Season 1 felt largely self-contained, and that was to the present’s profit. Yet, now right here we’re, with a Season 2 that goals to do the identical.

This season of Lioness goals larger than earlier than, and (if the first 4 episodes are any indication) will hopefully stick the touchdown. Chief amongst the present’s strengths, which has confirmed weightier this time round, is the conflicting relationship that Joe has with each her work and her household. On the one hand, there isn’t a one like her. She is the Lioness program, and with out her, it will not perform or possibly even exist. Her willingness to throw herself in the hearth repeatedly and make it out nonetheless respiratory is outstanding. As one of the present’s new characters places it in the Season 2 premiere, “Beware the old soldier, he’s old for a reason.” Joe won’t be that outdated, however she’s definitely nicely-worn and battle-hardened. On the different hand, her household means all the pieces to her. They are why she fights, even when each mission dangers turning her husband right into a widower and leaving her kids with out a mom. It’s a robust juxtaposition that little doubt feels actual to many army households throughout the nation.

This pressure between obligation to nation and obligation to household makes Lioness such a gripping collection to observe. Sure, the gunfights are thrilling, and the camaraderie between Joe’s QRF is at all times pleasant — Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, and James Jordan play off each other in addition to ever this season, with extra characters added in for good measure — however Lioness is such a compelling drama as a result of we perceive why Joe should proceed to place herself in the line of hearth, at the same time as we want greater than something that she would cease. But the place Season 1 largely centered round solely Joe’s struggles on this particular division, Season 2 ups the ante by spreading this theme out amongst multiple character, particularly by newcomer Genesis Rodriguez, whose personal interpretation of this theme is much more lethal.

‘Lioness’ Season 2 Challenges Joe in Ways that Echo Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Sicario’

Again, Zoe Saldaña is the only asset on this collection. The method during which she switches from Joe the soldier to Joe the spouse and mom is very spectacular, at the same time as one id begins to bleed into the different. Joe’s wrestle to reassimilate into on a regular basis life after having simply executed a number of enemy operatives is an impressed image, and Saldaña proves that she was the solely girl for this position. There’s a second in the first episode, after her group completes a mission, when she calls her household to examine in. While they’re again house having a traditional breakfast, she’s out in the desert, holding again tears at the sound of their voices, wanting greater than something to carry them at that second. It’s scenes like these which are the actual meat and potatoes of Lioness, with Sheridan giving his actors the most emotionally wealthy set of circumstances to work with. Frankly, Saldaña deserves an Emmy.

But that is not all there’s to like about Lioness this season. In my aforementioned article about the risks of giving Lioness a second season, I likewise famous that the present could be higher off following the instance of Sheridan’s most profound movement image, the 2015 Denis Villeneuve thriller Sicario. In some methods, the Paramount drama listened. Not solely does the central plot of this season contain the identical types of Mexican felony enterprises that Sheridan explored in the 2015 movie (full with a border crossing scene that, if one has seen Sicario, may need been anticipated to go one other route), however the risks really feel much more actual, and extra private, than the overseas terrorist plot of yester-season. Joe’s wrestle to work extra carefully with CIA colleague Kyle (Thad Luckinbill, who was, mockingly, a producer on Sicario) feels considerably akin to Emily Blunt‘s relationship with Josh Brolin. No doubt, it is an attention-grabbing dynamic so as to add to the present. Thus far, Joe has solely ever had superiors or subordinates, however Season 2 pushes her into an unwelcome partnership with Kyle that solely makes an already delicate scenario all the extra uneasy.

(*2*)

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Zoe Saldaña Is in Charge in New ‘Lioness’ Season 2 Sneak Peek

The second season of the Taylor Sheridan collection premieres later this month.

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‘Lioness’ Season 2 Struggles With Pacing and Character Development

Of course, Lioness is not an ideal collection. There’s an argument to be made that the present runs at too sluggish a tempo at occasions, particularly on condition that that is meant to be a army thriller. While maybe not a good comparability, when put up towards the Prime Video collection The Terminal List, Lioness does not have the identical constant rise in temperature that retains one absolutely engaged. Having already watched half the season, it solely now feels as if the plot is beginning to transfer alongside once more after the premiere, which, when translated right into a weekly launch format, will doubtless really feel like an eternity. Whether that is intentional as a commentary on the sluggish-transferring paperwork that’s the army-industrial complicated or just over-indulgent storytelling is unclear. If the former, then the present is doing a very good job by inserting extra authorities conferences into the narrative and, successfully, giving Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman, and Martin Donovan slightly bit extra to do. If the latter, and I extremely suspect that that is the case (as Sheridan tends to belabor his plots), then the hope is that the again half of the season will have the ability to reconcile with that. It makes one marvel if Lioness Season 2 would have been simpler as a film or perhaps a shorter miniseries.

Additionally, the present does not appear fairly certain what it desires to do with some of its supporting solid. Neal is nice at any time when Joe is house, or he is doing one thing dad-like with their ladies, however the second the present pivots again to his work as a surgeon (one who offers with most cancers-ridden kids), we marvel why the present introduced it up in any respect. Did Sheridan simply need to remind us what Neal does for a residing? Is this going to in some way issue into Joe’s household struggles afterward? Or was it simply an excuse to provide Annable one thing to do? Likewise, whereas Bobby (Wagner) will get slightly extra improvement this season, we nonetheless know little or no about Tucker (LaGarrett), Two Cups (Jordan), and the others on the Lioness QRF. Maybe we actually do not want to know that a lot about some of these guys (particularly since they’ve made a degree to not share private histories with sure newcomers), however given how a lot of Season 1 targeted on exploring Joe and Cruz, wouldn’t it kill the collection to provide us greater than caricature troopers right here? Now that Kyle and members of his group have additionally been added to the combine, it is getting more durable to maintain some of them straight.

Then there’s Nicole Kidman, who’s phenomenal as at all times right here, and so far as the points with Season 2 are involved, her efficiency isn’t one. The method her character can mentor Joe with out ever belittling her is simply flawless, and her scenes with Saldaña are at all times a spotlight. But Kaitlyn is extra concerned in Joe’s operation this time round, or, at the least, the present tells us she’s extra concerned. What that truly means continues to be a bit complicated, since she solely ever steps foot on Lioness base camp as soon as in the first 4 episodes. More than that, when Joe asks if Kaitlyn goes to be overseeing her “on the ground,” her superior responds with an ominous “everyone’s watching on this one,” however then spends most of the season nonetheless participating in closed-door or D.C. restaurant conferences. Maybe Kaitlyn’s place in the company offers her a cross in terms of her position on the collection, however given that Kidman is an EP on this present, it is virtually a disgrace she is not given extra attention-grabbing materials to work with.

‘Lioness’ Is Headed in the Right Direction With Season 2

Lioness could be a powerful present to observe. Its actual-world violence and darkish geopolitical overtones are definitely not for everybody, neither is some of the TV-MA materials riddled all through. Yet, at the least these first two issues are important in reinforcing the collection’ most compelling themes of twin id, the battle between nation and household, and the risks concerned with preserving the American public protected. Lioness relies on the actual-life group, in spite of everything, and whereas the collection differs from the true story, its dedication to inspecting the real psychological results of these operations is each admirable and daunting. As civilians, it may be difficult to attempt to perceive the types of hardships these in the U.S. Armed Forces face, and Lioness does its finest to point out how all of that performs out — each in the discipline and off it. Season 2 is definitely a step in the proper route for this collection and leads us to hope Sheridan will pursue extra thriller initiatives in the future.

Lioness Season 2 premieres on Paramount+ on October 27.

Lioness will get deeper and higher in a sluggish-burn second season that heads in a powerful route for the collection.

Pros

• Zoe Saldaña offers a robust efficiency that ups the ante from final season.
• The complicated themes of twin identities and one’s obligation to their nation vs. household make for some meaty drama.
• Taylor Sheridan revisits concepts beforehand explored in Sicario in a brand new and attention-grabbing method.

Cons

• Season 2’s tempo shifts far too usually for what needs to be a pulse-pounding army thriller.
• Many of the characters nonetheless really feel extra one-dimensional, leaving us wanting extra.

Watch on Paramount+