‘Special Ops: Lioness’ Review: Zoe Saldaña Fights Through So-So Spy Thriller

Between The Night Agent and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, it’s no secret spy shows are having a moment.

But as these shows attempt to make a name for themselves, none would be possible without the astute, slow-burn charm of Homeland.

As a series centered around a female protagonist challenging gender stereotypes, Claire Danes’ iconic Carrie Mathison walked out of a filthy Russian prison so that others, like Zoe Saldaña’s Joe in the new Paramount+ series Special Ops: Lioness, could run in the deserts of Syria.

But how far she runs is yet to be seen in the Taylor Sheridan series based on the real-life CIA task force.

Featuring an all-star cast led by Saldaña, the series serves up that introspective comfort we all crave from the espionage thriller genre balanced with nuanced grit and thorny realism.

Yet, despite its high energy and direction, something feels amiss.

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