If you've been craving more of the high-stakes, morally murky military action that made The Terminal List a hit, Taylor Sheridan's Lioness is your next obsession. The Paramount+ series has officially become a streaming juggernaut, racking up an impressive 3.9 billion minutes viewed in just eight weeks. That's a clear signal that audiences are hungry for this kind of unflinching look at covert operations.
While The Terminal List follows a Navy SEAL's quest for vengeance, Lioness shifts the focus to the CIA's shadowy underbelly. Zoe Saldaña stars as Joe McNamara, a senior case officer who leads a real-life-inspired program that deploys female operatives to infiltrate the inner circles of terrorist financiers by befriending the women around them. It's a premise that feels ripped from headlines, and Sheridan doesn't shy away from the moral compromises and personal costs.
What Is 'Lioness' About?
The series kicks off with a failed mission in Syria that leaves Joe's undercover operative dead, forcing her to defend her actions to skeptical superiors. She recruits Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), a Force Recon Marine, to get close to the daughter of an Iranian terrorist financier. Over the seasons, we watch the brutal training and tense partnership between Joe and Cruz, with Joe pushing her protégé to the brink. Season 2 introduces Captain Josephina Carrillo (Genesis Rodriguez), who goes undercover in a cartel, while Season 3 flips the script by putting Joe herself in direct danger, forcing the CIA to race against time to save her.
Shared DNA with 'The Terminal List'
Both shows revel in rogue missions and the chaos that follows when operatives go off-script. In The Terminal List, Chris Pratt's Reece is a man shattered by betrayal, hunting down those who destroyed his life. Lioness offers a different kind of drive: Joe isn't out for personal revenge, but she's haunted by the loss of her operative and the mission's failure. She's willing to sacrifice anyone—including herself—to get the job done, even if it means using methods that are ethically questionable at best.
Yet beneath Joe's steely exterior is a family woman. She's a wife and mother, and her covert work puts her loved ones in the crosshairs. The series explores the impossible balance between duty and family, a theme that resonates with anyone who's ever felt torn between two worlds.
The Dirty Politics of National Security
Like The Terminal List, Lioness doesn't just deliver action—it exposes the ugly truth that national security is often a game played by the powerful. Both shows reveal how terrorist threats are sometimes manipulated by wealthy interests for financial gain, leaving soldiers and spies to clean up the mess. It's a cynical but compelling view of the world, and Sheridan is a master at making it feel visceral and urgent.
If you're looking for more of this kind of gritty, political thriller, you might also enjoy Prime Video's darkest military thriller, which offers a similar blend of action and intrigue. And for those who want to dive deeper into Sheridan's universe, his film 'Hell or High Water' is a must-watch. Plus, with more 'Terminal List' on the horizon, there's plenty to keep you occupied.
With its stellar cast, relentless pacing, and a story that doesn't flinch from the dark side of espionage, Lioness has earned its place as a streaming hit. Whether you're a fan of The Terminal List or just love a good spy thriller, this is one show you won't want to miss.
