Official poster for Lioness

Scripted series · Paramount+

Lioness

This wasn't the mission.

8.0IMDb1K votesStrongly recommended
Community—0/20 ratingsYour ratingRateSign in to rate
2023 –3 seasons · 24 episodesTV-MAReturning series
War & PoliticsDrama
View seasons

Who's in it

Cast

The principal ensemble across the run of the series.

Zoe Saldaña

Zoe Saldaña

Joe McNamara

24 eps

Laysla De Oliveira

Laysla De Oliveira

Cruz Manuelos

24 eps

Dave Annable

Dave Annable

Neal McNamara

24 eps

Jill Wagner

Jill Wagner

Bobby

24 eps

LaMonica Garrett

LaMonica Garrett

Tucker

24 eps

James Jordan

James Jordan

Two Cups

24 eps

Genesis Rodriguez

Genesis Rodriguez

Captain Josephina 'Josie' Carrillo

16 eps

Michael Kelly

Michael Kelly

Byron Westfield

22 eps

Austin Hébert

Austin Hébert

Randy

24 eps

Stephanie Nur

Stephanie Nur

Aaliyah Amrohi

8 eps

Jonah Wharton

Jonah Wharton

Tex

24 eps

Thad Luckinbill

Thad Luckinbill

Kyle McManus

22 eps

Hannah Love Lanier

Hannah Love Lanier

Kate McNamara

24 eps

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman

Kaitlyn Meade

24 eps

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman

Secretary of State Edwin Mullins

18 eps

Ian Bohen

Ian Bohen

Grady

8 eps

Celestina Harris

Celestina Harris

Charlie

11 eps

Graham Shiels

Graham Shiels

Drill Sergeant

1 eps

Ariella Ezekiel

Ariella Ezekiel

Isabel

1 eps

Ethan Jones Romero

Ethan Jones Romero

Edgar

1 eps

Stevie Ray Dallimore

Stevie Ray Dallimore

Colonel Dirves

1 eps

Daniel Abeles

Captain Hansmuth

1 eps

Ramon Nuñez

Ramon Nuñez

Cherub's Boyfriend

1 eps

Ray Corasani

Ray Corasani

Ehsan

3 eps

Carla Mansour

Carla Mansour

Malika

3 eps

Layla Mohammadi

Layla Mohammadi

Nashwa

3 eps

Priscilla Doueihy

Priscilla Doueihy

Nala

3 eps

Sam Asghari

Sam Asghari

Kamal

2 eps

Richard Haddad

Richard Haddad

Asif

5 eps

Karim Nematt

Guard #2

2 eps

Avi Vichner

Guard #3

2 eps

Fawad Siddiqui

Fawad Siddiqui

Guard #4

2 eps

Michael Tow

Michael Tow

Dr. Hammond

2 eps

Amalina Ace

Tami

2 eps

Angelina Boris

Angelina Boris

Cheerleader #2

2 eps

Ellie Kim

Ellie Kim

Cheerleader #3

2 eps

Mike Heslin

Mike Heslin

Polo

2 eps

Matt Gerald

Matt Gerald

Cody

3 eps

Martin Donovan

Martin Donovan

Errol Meade

9 eps

Jennifer Ehle

Jennifer Ehle

Chief of Staff Mason

7 eps

The Nutevio profile

TV DNA

How Lioness actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.

Signature profile

Lioness reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Emotional Weight.

Character DepthDefining8.6

How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.

BingeabilityVery strong7.0

How hard it is to stop after one episode.

Emotional WeightVery strong7.0

How much the series is designed to affect you.

SerializedStrong5.5

How much each hour depends on the one before it.

Cliffhanger IntensityPresent4.0

How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.

TensionPresent4.0

The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.

SpectacleLight3.5

Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.

World BuildingLight3.5

The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.

HumourLight2.5

How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.

The story

What it's about

Cruz Manuelos, a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine, is recruited to join the CIA's Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program, is tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives.

The run

Seasons

3 seasons · 24 episodes.

  • Official poster for Season 1

    Season 1 · Complete

    Season 1

    20238 episodes

    7.8IMDb

    Joe attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror; the Lioness Program enlists Cruz to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism.

    Best episode · S01E08 Gone Is the Illusion of Order

  • Official poster for Season 2

    Season 2 · Complete

    Season 2

    20248 episodes

    8.3IMDb

    In Season 2, as the CIA's fight against terror moves closer to home, Joe, Kaitlyn, and Byron enlist a new Lioness operative to infiltrate a previously unknown threat. With pressure mounting from all sides, Joe is forced to confront the profound personal sacrifices she has made as the leader of the Lioness program.

    Best episode · S02E01 Beware the Old Soldier

  • Official poster for Season 3

    Season 3 · Complete

    Season 3

    20268 episodes

    9.6IMDb

    In Season Three, hidden networks, foreign operatives, and personal betrayals collide. Joe walks the line between duty and home as unseen forces circle her world. Patterns appear where they shouldn't, names vanish, and paths rearrange. Guided by Kaitlyn and Westfield, Joe confronts enemies operating in the shadows, leaving her to reckon with a war that now reaches into every part of her life.

Where the series peaks

Best Episodes

The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.

Still from Beware the Old Soldier

S02E01

Beware the Old Soldier

8.7IMDb40 votes

Joe, Kyle, and the QRF team embark on a timely extraction after a high-ranking government official is kidnapped by a cartel.

27 Oct 202444 min
Still from The Compass Points Home

S02E08

The Compass Points Home

8.6IMDb25 votes

Operation Sky Hawk is a go as Kaitlyn and Westfield pressure Pablo to side with them.

8 Dec 202452 min
Still from 2381

S02E06

2381

8.5IMDb23 votes

Events come to a head at the Carrillo estate faster than expected. Josie makes her move.

24 Nov 202450 min
Still from Gone Is the Illusion of Order

S01E08

Gone Is the Illusion of Order

8.4IMDb32 votes

Unforeseen circumstances leaves the mission in jeopardy. A suspicious Ehsan confronts Cruz before his wedding day. Joe and the team prepare for the worst.

3 Sept 202358 min
Still from Along Came a Spider

S02E03

Along Came a Spider

8.3IMDb21 votes

Kaitlyn works to drum up support for their plan. Meanwhile, Lioness training begins for Captain Josie Carrillo.

3 Nov 202452 min
Still from Shatter the Moon

S02E05

Shatter the Moon

8.3IMDb20 votes

The warehouse discovery rattles the team. Joe is torn between two urgent missions.

17 Nov 202446 min

Recently aired

Latest Episodes

Still unavailable

S03E02

No Sorrow Like the Survivor

9 Aug 2026
Still unavailable

S03E01

The Spider and the Fly

2 Aug 2026

Behind the series

Created by

Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.

The craft

Key Crew

Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.

Executive production

Writing

Direction

Cinematography

Music

Where to watch

Streaming

Availability verified against regional listings.

  • Amazon Prime VideoStreaming
  • Amazon VideoBuy
  • Apple TV StoreBuy
  • fuboTVStreaming
  • Paramount Plus PremiumStreaming
  • Paramount Plus EssentialStreaming
  • Google Play MoviesBuy
  • Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel Streaming
  • Paramount+ Amazon ChannelStreaming
  • Fandango At HomeBuy
  • Paramount+ Roku Premium ChannelStreaming
  • Spectrum On DemandStreaming
  • Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming

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Never stop watching

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