Military thrillers are very popular these days, and Taylor Sheridan’s show Lioness has become a fan favorite. It’s a tense, action-packed story that combines covert military operations with personal and emotional challenges. The show was first called Special Ops: Lioness, but it’s now known simply as Lioness.
The first season introduced viewers to the complicated world of CIA operative Joe McNamara, played by Zoe Saldaña. Joe leads a special team of undercover agents whose mission is to stop terrorist threats from within.
However, things take an emotional and personal turn when one of her operatives, Cruz Manuelos, starts developing a relationship with her target.
As fans eagerly await Lioness Season 2, which will premiere on October 27 on Paramount+, it’s a good time to revisit the intense first season. This way, viewers can refresh their memory and prepare for the new challenges the team will face.
With a star-studded cast, gripping plotlines, and Taylor Sheridan’s signature style of storytelling, Lioness stands out as one of the most powerful military dramas in recent years.
Let’s break down the main events and themes of Season 1 and show how they set the stage for what’s to come in Season 2.
The Premise: Joe McNamara’s Battle Between Her Duty and Personal Life
In Lioness Season 1, the story follows Joe McNamara, a tough CIA operative, as she leads a secret unit.
Joe’s job is to infiltrate terrorist groups by sending undercover operatives, called “Lionesses,” to get close to dangerous targets. Joe’s personal and professional life often clash, creating many tense moments.
The first season starts with a tragedy for Joe. One of her Lioness agents, Isabel, is discovered by an Islamic terrorist group.
Her undercover status is blown when they see the hidden cross tattoo on her body, which reveals that she is not who she says she is.
Joe, who is watching everything unfold from afar, tries to help, but it’s too late. To prevent Isabel from being tortured for information, Joe is forced to make a hard decision.
She orders an airstrike on the compound, killing her own agent in the process. This opening scene shows how tough and unforgiving Joe’s job is. She is deeply affected by the loss of Isabel but must move forward quickly.
After Isabel’s death, Joe is assigned to a new mission: to target an Iranian businessman named Asmar Ali Amrohi.
He is a militia leader who has strong ties to terrorist organizations across the Middle East. Asmar is known to finance many dangerous operations, making him a top target for the CIA.
However, he is also very difficult to get close to. That’s when Joe comes up with a plan to use his daughter, Aaliyah, as the way to reach him. Joe recruits a new Lioness, Sergeant Cruz Manuelos, to go undercover as Aaliyah’s friend and get inside Asmar’s inner circle.
Cruz Manuelos: A Troubled Soldier with a Complicated Task
Cruz Manuelos, played by Laysla De Oliveira, is introduced as a tough but troubled soldier. She has her own personal struggles, which include a history of abuse. This background makes Cruz strong, but it also leaves her vulnerable.
Still from Lioness (Credit: Paramount+)
Joe picks her for this dangerous mission because Cruz has the potential to succeed, but her trust issues could become a problem.
Joe trains Cruz to play the role of Zara Adid, a fake identity she will use to befriend Aaliyah and gain her trust. Cruz’s mission is to get close enough to Aaliyah to access her father and help the CIA bring down his terrorist network.
At first, Cruz’s mission seems to be going according to plan. She is able to bond with Aaliyah, who is preparing for her upcoming wedding. Aaliyah, played by Stephanie Nur, is charming and welcoming, making it easy for Cruz to blend into her life.
Aaliyah quickly trusts Cruz, even inviting her to spend a weekend with her and her friends. While some of Aaliyah’s friends are suspicious of Cruz, Aaliyah herself fully embraces her new friend.
However, Cruz’s undercover role soon becomes more complicated when she starts developing real feelings for Aaliyah.
What begins as a mission to get close to her target turns into something much more personal. Cruz is torn between her duty to the mission and her growing affection for Aaliyah.
As the season progresses, this emotional conflict creates tension within the Lioness team and within Cruz herself.
Joe, who is overseeing the operation, notices Cruz’s attachment and tries to remind her that this is just a job, but Cruz struggles to separate her real emotions from her undercover role.
Joe’s Struggle with Family and Work
While Cruz is trying to face her own emotional turmoil, Joe faces personal challenges of her own. Halfway through the season, Joe’s daughter, Kate, is in a serious car accident. This event adds stress to Joe’s already difficult life.
Joe feels guilty for not being there for her daughter and for not guiding her to make better choices. The situation becomes even worse when Joe’s husband, Neal, finds out that Kate was pregnant during the accident. This revelation adds tension between Joe and her family.
Neal, who is a child surgeon, has his own demanding job, and Joe’s frequent absences due to her secret missions cause a strain on their marriage.
Kate, feeling abandoned by her mother, becomes distant and angry. Joe struggles to reconcile her role as a mother with her duty as a CIA operative.
Joe’s personal and professional lives are further complicated when her fellow CIA agent, Kyle McManus, asks to borrow some of her Quick Reaction Force (QRF) operators for a domestic mission. The team, which includes Two Cups, Tucker, and Randy, is sent to a mission at the U.S.-Mexico border.
However, the operation goes wrong when a firefight breaks out. The mission’s failure puts Joe’s entire operation at risk, and her leadership comes under scrutiny from her superiors. Joe faces pressure from all sides — her work, her family, and her team.
The one person who stands by her during this time is her boss and mentor, Kaitlyn Meade, played by Nicole Kidman.
Kaitlyn supports Joe both at work and in her personal struggles, providing a much-needed anchor for her during the chaos.
Cruz’s Relationship with Aaliyah Complicates the Mission
While Joe is dealing with her family issues, Cruz’s undercover mission continues to grow more complicated. Cruz and Aaliyah’s bond deepens, and they even begin a romantic relationship. This new development causes Cruz to question her ability to complete the mission.
She feels conflicted between her feelings for Aaliyah and her duty to the CIA. Joe, sensing that Cruz is losing focus, forces her to confront the brutal reality of the situation.
She makes Cruz watch hours of footage showing the horrific acts committed by the same terrorists that Asmar Ali Amrohi supports.
Joe hopes this will remind Cruz of the importance of the mission and the need to separate her personal feelings from her professional duty.
Despite her emotional conflict, Cruz continues with the mission. In the season finale, titled “Gone Is the Illusion of Order,” Cruz is faced with a difficult decision. Aaliyah’s fiancé, Ehsan Al Rashdi, becomes suspicious of Cruz and confronts her.
In a tense confrontation, Cruz is forced to kill Ehsan in order to protect her cover. The situation escalates when Cruz also has to kill her ultimate target, Aaliyah’s father, Asmar Ali Amrohi. After completing the mission, Cruz is rescued by Joe and the QRF team.
However, Cruz is left feeling empty and conflicted. She argues that by killing Asmar, they have only made him a martyr.
Cruz believes that Aaliyah’s future children will grow up hearing stories about how their grandfather was killed by infidels, and this will only fuel more hatred and violence.
The Theme of Dual Identities
One of the major themes in Lioness is the idea of dual identities. Both Cruz and Joe struggle with this throughout the season.
Cruz is pretending to be someone she’s not, yet her real self starts to blend with her undercover identity.
As she gets closer to Aaliyah, Cruz feels more authentic with her than she does with her own team. This internal conflict makes it difficult for Cruz to complete her mission.
Even though she ultimately succeeds, she admits that her feelings for Aaliyah were the only real thing about the entire experience.
Joe, on the other hand, tries to keep her work life completely separate from her family. She hides her dangerous missions from her husband and daughter, but this separation becomes harder to maintain as the season goes on. By the end of Season 1, Joe is unable to keep her two worlds apart.
In a powerful moment, Joe breaks down in her husband Neal’s arms and expresses her desire to leave fieldwork and take a desk job.
She wants to remove herself from the horrors of her job and focus on protecting her family from afar. This emotional breakdown highlights the toll that Joe’s secretive life has taken on her, both personally and professionally.
Looking Ahead to Season 2: New Challenges and Unanswered Questions
As fans look forward to Lioness Season 2, there are many unanswered questions from the first season that need to be addressed.
Although Season 1 tells a complete story, it leaves the door open for more developments. What will happen to Cruz now that the mission is over?
Will Joe be able to repair her relationship with Neal and Kate? Will she follow through with her desire to leave fieldwork, or will the demands of her job pull her back in?
The stakes will likely be even higher as new threats emerge, and the team will have to face the fallout from their actions in Season 1.
Asmar’s death may have created more enemies for the CIA, and Cruz’s emotional journey is far from over.
The relationship between Joe and Neal also remains a key storyline that could evolve in surprising ways in the upcoming season.
Still from Lioness (Credit: Paramount+)
With a talented cast that includes Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, and Morgan Freeman, Lioness promises to deliver another thrilling season.
Taylor Sheridan’s writing continues to push boundaries, and the emotional depth of the characters adds a layer of complexity to the high-stakes action.
Fans can expect more intense moments, emotional confrontations, and moral dilemmas in Season 2, as the Lioness team faces new challenges.
Lioness Blends Action with Emotional Complexity
Lioness is not just a military thriller; it’s a story about the emotional toll that high-stakes covert operations take on those who carry them out.
Joe McNamara and Cruz Manuelos are both strong, capable women who are deeply affected by the difficult choices they must make in their line of work.
The show doesn’t shy away from showing the personal sacrifices that come with being part of such a dangerous and secretive world.
As Season 2 approaches, fans are eager to see how these characters will evolve and what new challenges they will face.
Whether it’s on the battlefield or in their personal lives, Joe and Cruz must continue to show the fine line between duty and humanity.
Lioness Season 2 is set to premiere on October 27 on Paramount+, and it promises to be just as gripping and emotionally charged as the first season.
Fans should prepare for another rollercoaster of action, drama, and heart-wrenching moments as the story of the Lioness team continues to unfold.
For the first three seasons of CBS’s popular sitcom Ghosts, Jay, played by Utkarsh Ambudkar, has not been part of the fun. He and his wife, Sam, portrayed by Rose McIver, moved into Woodstone Mansion, which is filled with spirits. Sam can see and communicate with these spirits because of a head injury that gave her this special ability.
However, Jay has only encountered one ghost — when Sasappis, played by Roman Zaragoza, visited him in a dream during Season 3, Episode 2. This situation means that Jay cannot truly participate in any ghost-related events in his everyday life.
This lack of connection to the spirits has placed Jay on the outskirts of the excitement happening at Woodstone Mansion. He often seems to miss out on the fun that Sam has with the ghosts. While Sam engages with the spirits and forms friendships with them, Jay often feels left out.
He tries to understand what is happening but usually waits for Sam to explain things to him. This dynamic has made his character appear one-dimensional.
He enters a room, talks to someone he thinks is there, and then relies on Sam to share the details. As a result, Jay comes across as a somewhat boring and clueless person. He only interacts with Sam, who is the only human he can talk to about the ghosts.
Jay’s role on the show has been mostly passive. He waits for events to unfold around him, never truly influencing the story. For example, in the premiere episode of Season 4, Jay is left searching for the missing Isaac, played by Brandon Scott Jones, by digging a hole under the Woodstone property as instructed by Sam.
This quest seems pointless because he cannot communicate with any of the ghosts involved in this task. If Jay could talk to the spirits, he would not have to take on a silly side plot. Instead, he could be part of the main story in a more meaningful way.
Jay’s Struggles in Season 1 to 3
In the earlier seasons, Jay’s character often struggled with feelings of exclusion. He watched as Sam built relationships with the ghosts, creating a lively and entertaining atmosphere. Meanwhile, he remained isolated from these interactions. Jay often made attempts to engage, but his efforts fell flat.
He would enter a room, sense that something was happening, and try to talk to the ghosts, but they would not respond. This led to many comedic moments, but it also highlighted his separation from the supernatural world.
Jay’s isolation became a source of humor on the show, but it also caused viewers to feel sympathy for him. He loved Sam and wanted to share in her experiences, but he could not. Instead, he found himself in awkward situations.
He sometimes overheard conversations between Sam and the ghosts, leading to misunderstandings. He would react based on what he thought was happening, only to find out later that he had been wrong. This running joke created funny moments but also emphasized Jay’s lack of connection to the supernatural events unfolding around him.
As a character, Jay’s storyline often revolved around his mundane tasks. While Sam enjoyed exciting adventures with the ghosts, Jay had to deal with practical matters. He was often the one managing the bed and breakfast, handling guests, and taking care of everyday responsibilities.
Still from Ghosts (Credit: CBS)
This aspect of his character showcased his dedication and love for Sam, but it also meant that he missed out on the fun. His tasks were important but lacked the excitement that the ghostly antics brought to the show.
A Game-Changing Twist in Season 4
However, an exciting twist is coming in Season 4 of Ghosts. It was announced at Comic-Con this summer that Jay will finally get to communicate with the ghosts. Fans are eager to see how this new ability will change the dynamics of the show.
For the first time, Jay will not have to rely on Sam to translate everything for him. Instead, he will be able to see and talk to the ghosts himself. This development is sure to create an exciting shift in the show’s narrative.
Jay has already formed a friendship with Pete, played by Richie Moriarty. However, their interactions have been limited. The upcoming season will allow them to engage in a way they never could before.
This new ability will open up Jay’s world dramatically. He will finally get to interact with the spirits face-to-face, leading to new adventures and deeper connections. The friendship between Jay and Pete can grow stronger as they share experiences together.
The best part about Jay gaining this new ability is that he will actually be part of the action for once. There are always many antics happening with the ghosts, and Jay will finally be in the center of it all. Instead of playing a supporting role, Jay can take the lead alongside Sam. This shift will bring fresh energy to the show and allow for many intriguing plot points to be shown.
Questions Raised by Jay’s New Ability
Jay’s new ability raises many questions about the future of the show. Will this change affect his marriage with Sam? Sam has been the one with a special connection to the ghosts. If Jay can also communicate with them, how will that change their relationship?
It will be interesting to see how Sam reacts to Jay being able to engage with the ghosts directly. Will she feel left out or will she enjoy sharing this new experience with him? This new dynamic could bring both challenges and opportunities for their relationship.
Another question is how Jay’s new power will affect their business, the bed and breakfast. With Jay now able to talk to the ghosts, will they work together to run the establishment?
This change could lead to fun situations where Jay uses his new ability to interact with guests in unique ways. The ghosts may also offer their help, leading to hilarious outcomes. Viewers can look forward to seeing how this new element plays out in the episodes.
Most importantly, how will Jay mesh with the ghosts? Until now, he has been on the sidelines, observing without participating. Now, he will be able to share his thoughts, jokes, and experiences with them. This transition may lead to funny moments and unexpected friendships. The ghosts have their unique personalities, and Jay’s interaction with them will be fun to watch.
The show can show how Jay fits into the family that Sam and the ghosts have already formed. He has often been an outsider, but now he can become part of the community. His addition to the group could change the dynamics and relationships among the characters, providing fresh storylines for viewers to enjoy.
Jay’s Transformation in Season 4
Jay’s transformation will also be a central theme in Season 4. He will no longer be sidelined in the storylines. Instead, he will participate actively and contribute to the show’s comedy.
This shift will give Jay more depth as a character. He will no longer be seen as boring or clueless but as an important part of the team. His interactions with the ghosts will add layers to his character that viewers have not seen before.
Jay’s new ability will bring many comedic moments to the show. The mix of his human perspective and the ghosts’ supernatural antics is sure to create funny scenarios.
Viewers will enjoy watching Jay show this new experience and learn how to communicate with the ghosts. He might make mistakes or misunderstand their intentions, leading to hilarious outcomes.
Still from Ghosts (Credit: CBS)
In addition, Jay’s growth as a character will resonate with the audience. Many people can relate to feeling left out or not being part of a group. As Jay learns to connect with the ghosts, viewers will cheer him on. His journey of self-discovery and acceptance will add depth to the comedy.
Anticipation for Season 4
As fans eagerly await the premiere of Season 4, the excitement is building. Jay’s new ability to communicate with the ghosts promises to bring many changes to the show. Viewers can expect fresh storylines, character development, and plenty of laughs. The show has already won hearts with its unique premise and relatable characters, and this new twist will only enhance its appeal.
Many fans are hoping that this new ability is a permanent change for Jay. They want to see him fully integrate into the ghostly community and have adventures alongside Sam. The potential for comedy and heartwarming moments is endless, and viewers are ready for more.
New episodes of Ghosts will air Thursday nights on CBS, and fans can stream them on Paramount+ in the U.S. The anticipation for Jay’s transformation and the new dynamics it will bring is sure to keep audiences engaged and entertained.
Jay’s upcoming ability to communicate with the ghosts marks a significant turning point for his character. It will bring him closer to Sam and the supernatural beings in Woodstone Mansion. As Jay takes center stage, viewers can look forward to many funny and heartwarming moments as he sees his new role.
