Special Ops: Lioness (2024) - Season 2

Score: 7 / 10
Category: Series
Platform: Streaming

One-line verdict

Still intense and engaging, but Season 2 spreads itself too wide and sacrifices emotional continuity.

Why I watched this

I held off watching Season 2 because I was still thinking about how Season 1 ended. Laysla De Oliveira’s character Cruz barely survived the events of the finale, so naturally I expected the new season to explore how she recovered from that.

But surprisingly, Cruz doesn’t even appear until around the third episode.

And when she does show up, there’s barely any acknowledgment of what happened previously. It almost feels like the show intentionally left Season 1 behind and moved forward.

In real life, maybe that’s how things happen. But as a viewer, it felt a little disappointing.

Story & Structure

Season 2 starts explosively.

Several returning characters appear again, including Thad Luckinbill, who has a bigger role this time. There are also new additions like Genesis Rodriguez as Josie, and even Taylor Sheridan showing up as a brutal but effective soldier.

The story this time feels closer to home. Instead of purely foreign operations, the threats involve American vulnerabilities — Mexico ties, drugs, human trafficking, internal government coordination, and national politics.

The scope is bigger.

Maybe too big.

The season branches into multiple storylines:

• border tensions and potential invasion
• drug and trafficking networks
• political maneuvering
• Joe’s personal life with Neal
• Cruz’s return and emotional struggles
• Josie’s introduction as a talented pilot

It keeps things engaging, but it also spreads the narrative thin.

What worked

• Action sequences remain intense.
• Zoe Saldana continues to anchor the show as Joe.
• Nicole Kidman’s character Kaitlyn remains one of the most intimidating figures in the series.
• The new character Josie adds a different dynamic to the team.

Cruz also comes back even more physically imposing than before, which reinforces her presence as a capable operator.

What didn’t

Cruz’s emotional arc is the biggest frustration.

After everything she went through in Season 1, I expected growth. Instead, she falls back into the same emotional vulnerability, getting attached again too quickly.

That makes it feel like she didn’t learn anything from the past.

Another issue is the finale battle. Joe’s team ends up pinned down in a situation very similar to the danger Cruz faced in the previous season. But once again, everyone makes it out.

At those odds, realistically there should be casualties. The show sometimes feels afraid to lose characters.

Josie’s storyline also feels inconsistent. The season spends time establishing her as an exceptional pilot, yet the final battle has her shot down almost immediately. It undercuts the buildup.

What others think

Audience reception for Season 2 has generally been positive, with many praising the action and performances. Critics, however, have pointed out that the season tries to juggle too many storylines and loses some of the emotional focus that made the first season compelling.

That’s largely how I felt as well.

Final thoughts

Season 2 is still engaging. The action is strong, the performances are solid, and the show remains tense.

But it tries to do too much.

Too many storylines. Too little emotional follow-through from Season 1.

I still enjoyed it, which is why it lands at 7 / 10.

Strong series.
Just needed more focus.