Special Ops: Lioness, Taylor Sheridan’s new series, had an incredibly successful premiere on Paramount Plus, surpassing even Yellowstone. After debuting on the streaming service last month, Special Ops: Lioness now consists of several episodes from the first season. In a new series based on a real-life CIA program, Zoe Saldanha stars as Joe, a straight-laced CIA operative trying to balance his personal and professional life while fighting the War on Terror.
With the release of new episodes of Special Ops: Lioness Deadline reports that the series has broken the record for views. Paramount Plus reports that in its first 24 hours, the show’s premiere was the most watched in the world, surpassing the previous record of Yellowstone and Halo. The first two episodes of Special Ops: Lioness were simulcast on Paramount Plus and Paramount Network, with subsequent episodes of the season only available on the streaming service.
Special Ops: Lioness is inspired by a real-life CIA program and follows Jo’s efforts to bring female operatives closer to important terrorist targets. As he struggles to deal with the guilt that comes with a failed operation, the series follows Joe as he finds the perfect recruit in Cruz, a seasoned and determined Scout Marine.
Following Cruz in his dangerous undercover operation, the plot of Special Ops: Lioness also dissolves into Joe’s personal life. Saldanha’s character can be very efficient at his job, but this clearly comes at a cost to his relationship with his family. Jo is rarely around, which has led not only to a very atypical relationship with her husband, Neil, but also to tension in her relationship with her daughter.
Nicole Kidman is part of the impressive cast of Special Ops: Lioness, playing Caitlin Meade, Joe’s boss and a high-ranking CIA executive. Other cast members on the series include Michael Kelly, LaMonica Garrett and Jill Wagner, as well as Morgan Freeman in the title role. Despite the lackluster reviews for Special Ops: Lioness compared to Yellowstone, the new series is clearly making a lot of noise on the streaming platform as Sheridan’s TV dominance continues.
Source: Timing