Taylor Sheridan, the king of Paramount+ entertainment, is back with the third season of what seems to be his least talked-about show, Lioness. Similar to Mayor of Kingstown, the lack of Yellowstone branding has led to a relative lack of attention despite strong viewership numbers. Despite that, the show has found its audience, even if it still feels like a relatively small one. That audience has been eagerly anticipating the latest season. However, across its first three episodes, the show feels strangely disconnected and standalone, while also taking its time to establish its narrative. Despite that, there is enough here to keep loyal fans entertained.
Opening with a recap of the previous season, we follow Joe (Zoe Saldaña) and her Lioness team as they investigate hidden foreign operatives within the United States. While battling an unknown threat, the lines between her duty as a soldier and her responsibilities as a wife and mother are put to the test as the two worlds begin to collide in unexpected ways.
The show taps into the political thrillers of yesteryear, drawing on classic Cold War-era tropes centred around the fear of hidden enemies operating from within. At the same time, it remains rooted in today’s geopolitical landscape, where conflicts rage across the globe. While its political stance is relatively safe, it never takes a clear position on the current administration or reaches the complexity of Sicario. The first three episodes effectively explore how modern warfare can still feel surprisingly old-fashioned. In a world where swarms of drones fill the skies, combat is still fought in muddy trenches, echoing the battlefields of World War I, a comparison that the show itself directly references.
How the show is structured to start with is unexpected to say the least. The first three episodes are presented as one continuous flashback, gradually building toward the intense opening moments of episode one. While it takes some getting used to, by the end of episode three I couldn’t help but become invested in the story and begging for more from this season. It serves as a reminder of why Sheridan is one of the most captivating writers in the modern streaming landscape.
The cinematography perfectly captures all the action and intense political intrigue that we expect from a show of this magnitude. As mentioned earlier, seeing the swarm of drones is a powerful moment that left me in sheer awe of the events unfolding on screen. Even then, the dialogue is shot with technical precision. We are living in an era where television has never looked more cinematic and, at times, can rival the epic scale of seeing a film on the big screen.
The acting is also excellent. Saldaña delivers a powerful performance as Joe, providing an emotional anchor for the show as she balances the conflicting demands of her life as a soldier and a family woman. A scene in which she finally reveals her profession to her family serves as a major turning point in this dynamic, as they come to understand the risks she takes, not only to her own safety but also to theirs. The supporting cast is equally strong, with Nicole Kidman proving captivating as always, while Sheridan regular James Jordan is a welcome presence and an entertaining mainstay for fans of the writer’s work.
Lioness Season Three is off to a promising start. While it’s not perfect – far from it – it remains an engaging opening to what could be a great season of television. However, based on the first three episodes, there’s a lingering sense that it could have been even more compelling.
Streaming on Paramount + from August 2nd / Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, James Jordan, Morgan Freeman, Michael Kelly / Showrunner: Taylor Sheridan / Paramount +
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