Intense and Gripping: Expert Review of Taylor Sheridan's Latest Series Outshines Yellowstone

Summary

The show, Special Ops: Lioness, has received criticism from critics for various reasons. Despite the involvement of renowned talent, the lack of diverse and nuanced perspectives remains a recurring concern. The series, which will be available on Paramount+, was created by Taylor Sheridan, known for Yellowstone. It loosely portrays a real organization and follows a group of female CIA operatives called Lioness, with one agent in particular going undercover to infiltrate the inner circle of a young woman whose father is suspected of being a terrorist. The ensemble cast includes Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman.

Critics have voiced their opinions on Taylor Sheridan's Special Ops: Lioness debut episode before its upcoming July 23rd premiere. Overall, the series has received criticism for underutilizing its talented cast with one-dimensional female characters, relying too heavily on clichéd spy drama elements, and being overly propagandistic. Despite some positive reviews praising the series for its excitement and visual appeal, even those critics have raised concerns about these aforementioned aspects. Here are snippets from a few select reviews:

Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly:

Taylor Sheridan has historically lacked enthusiasm when it comes to creating well-developed female characters. Beth Dutton, although entertaining to observe, is essentially a collection of overused stereotypes. However, in his latest project, Lioness, Sheridan endeavors to overcome this limitation by assembling a selection of powerful female character tropes and thrusting them into the midst of a war. The outcome is a competent and engaging intelligence drama, elevated by the outstanding performances of its two leading actresses.

It's a pity that the Lioness fails to truly exhibit its potential, considering the talented individuals involved in creating the film. De Oliveira's performance lacks intensity, which is not helped by the predictable and dull script. Nicole Kidman, portraying yet another CIA character, appears to be only partially invested in the material. On the other hand, Michael Kelly (known for House of Cards) delivers a commendable performance as Joe's straightforward superior. Morgan Freeman, the most prominent name in the cast, takes on a rare TV regular role, although he is absent in the first episode.

The Paramount+ series embodies every cliché of counter-terrorism films and shows from the generic opening credits montage featuring guns, drones, and American flags to its formulaic and predictable first episode.

Despite the presence of more female protagonists in "Lioness," Sheridan's portrayal of them remains unchanged in terms of depth and complexity. The series unabashedly serves as a vehicle for military propaganda, portraying the United States Armed Forces as the strong defenders of both the vulnerable within their own society and the entirety of the Middle East.

Sheridan's solitary writing approach inaccurately represents the two main female characters, pigeonholing them into stereotypes that portray them as aloof, mistreated, and emotionally scarred. This may be seen as an indication of their post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it also reflects a broader problem in Sheridan's portrayal of women. His work lacks diversity and fails to encompass the myriad perspectives and experiences of women, instead offering only one man's limited and patriarchal viewpoint.

Taylor Sheridan has made a public point of touting his role as the primary (if not sole) author of his TV ventures while decrying collaborative writers’ rooms. However, his Yellowstone devolved into a morass of soap opera clichés and his latest project, Special Ops: Lioness, lacks any thrilling moments, originality, or nuanced storytelling. It appears to be following the same path as his prior Paramount+ hits - a show featuring talented individuals wasting their time on subpar material specifically targeted at red-state viewers.

Special Ops: Lioness Could Still Become a Hit Anyway

As of now, Special Ops: Lioness does not have an official score on Rotten Tomatoes. Judging from the reviews, it is highly likely to be rated as Rotten or slightly above the 60 percent mark, qualifying as Fresh. However, this does not necessarily indicate that the show will be unsuccessful.

Sheridan's hit series Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018, initially received a 56 percent rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the show gained significant popularity among audiences, earning an 83 percent rating and becoming one of today's most-watched series. Additionally, there are now several spinoffs of Yellowstone, such as 1883 and 1923, as well as multiple upcoming series.

It remains uncertain if Special Ops: Lioness will have the same enduring success as Yellowstone. Nevertheless, the preceding series demonstrates Sheridan's ability to attract an audience and eventually win over critics (with every other season of Yellowstone being highly rated by critics). However, this new show ventures outside Sheridan's familiar neo-Western genre, which might potentially limit its audience appeal.

Source: Various (see above)