Special Ops: Lioness season 3 is Taylor Sheridan’s best, most propulsive spy work yet

When Taylor Sheridan first introduced Lioness (then titled Special Ops: Lioness), it looked like another in a string of slightly grim US military dramas, with a key twist: putting female operatives on the frontlines. I thought the idea had legs, though the first series got a bit bogged down after a promising opener. Fast-forward to 2026, and we’ve reached season three—where things genuinely kick off. This year’s run is not only the show at its most intense, but somehow manages to top both previous seasons by a healthy margin.

Lioness premieres on 2nd August on Paramount+.

New Faces, Familiar Carnage

Let’s recap where we’re at. Zoe Saldaña’s Joe McNamara heads up the Lioness program, the CIA’s covert group training women to get places enemy targets never suspect. Season one set up that premise as Joe recruited Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), a Force Recon Marine, and wrangled her own Quick Response Force led by Bobby (Jill Wagner). By the end, they take down the baddie and Cruz walks away.

Season two stepped things up: Joe brought in Josephina Carrillo (Genesis Rodriguez) due to some family ties to a cartel, with action and nerves both at breaking point. There’s a teeth-clenching finale where the lot nearly end themselves before a last-minute rescue. Joe goes home, awkwardly welcomed by estranged husband Neal (Dave Annable), and you can see her staring down the existential void—classic.

Stateside Action, Actual Stakes

Now, onto season three—the one that actually delivers. The action shifts home, with much more of the story unfolding in America, though Ukraine and other overseas hotspots still feature. Sheridan has finally made good on the promise that Lioness could transcend its clever hook and become something genuinely gripping.

The premiere launches flat-out: full hour, no breathers, everything coming down on the QRF team. Instead of the usual CIA abroad shenanigans, the danger literally turns up at their doors, which shakes up the whole dynamic. You get a properly harrowing Ukraine set-piece involving dog soldiers and drone attacks—very 21st-century war, with all its grim weirdness. The events ramp up the pressure on the entire core cast: Joe, Cruz, Bobby, Carrillo, plus Tucker (LaMonica Garrett), Two Cups (James Jordan), Randy (Austin Hebert), and Tex (Jonah Wharton).

Nice to see Kyle McManus (Thad Luckinbill) back in the fold as well. Sheridan himself pops up for a cameo, as does Yellowstone veteran Ian Bohen; proper in-universe winks for the fans. This time, Nicole Kidman, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Kelly actually get to do things instead of just sit at a table glowering at dossiers. Kidman’s Kaitlyn Meade and Kelly’s Westfield finally stretch their legs, while Freeman’s Edwin Mullins is still primarily shuffling through meetings but with a touch more authority this round.

Lioness has taken the Tom Clancy formula—shadowy manipulations, government bickering, and plausibly deniable violence—and given it a brutal, female-led twist. At this point, it feels more Rainbow Six than Yellowstone.

If you’ve made it this far into Lioness and wondered when the stakes would feel real, this season’s your answer. The visuals—especially the violence and nudity—are dialed up, and the military grit feels researched enough to get the nod from fans of The Terminal List or Jack Ryan.

Sheridan's Signature Chaos

Every episode this season is penned by Sheridan himself, who’s apparently incapable of taking a break, as he’s also scripting Landman (and god knows what else for Paramount+). Directing duties for the opener go to Michael Friedman, who’s been in the Sheridan tent since Yellowstone. The pair’s knack for nailing pacing under fire pays off. There’s still the usual family and relationship drama, but it doesn’t swamp the action as in some of his other shows—here, the spy and military stuff is centre stage.

This time round, we also get a new face: Elizaveta Neretin brings a fresh angle as a mysterious operator tied into the Russian war with Ukraine. The ensemble finally clicks as something more than a rotating cast of edge-lords and tragic recruits; Cruz and Carrillo feel like genuine parts of the team, instead of awkward newcomers.

• Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña): CIA officer, main character
• Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman): senior CIA, more mobile this season
• Byron Westfield (Michael Kelly): elevated to proper supporting status
• Edwin Mullins (Morgan Freeman): more involved, not just talk
• Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira): established Lioness operative
• Josephina Carrillo (Genesis Rodriguez): cartel-linked recruit, now full team member
• Bobby (Jill Wagner), Tucker (LaMonica Garrett), Two Cups (James Jordan), Randy (Austin Hebert), Tex (Jonah Wharton): core QRF crew
• Elizaveta Neretin: enigmatic new player, Russian front
• Cameos: Taylor Sheridan himself and Yellowstone's Ian Bohen

As always, Sheridan’s not shy about offing characters, and the structure’s loose enough that anyone can rotate in or out—keeps things unpredictable, and it’s worked three years running. The result: Lioness is more than just ‘female spies infiltrate dangerous places’ now. It’s a proper ensemble thriller with teeth, capable of going absolutely anywhere and genuinely putting its characters through the wringer.