Lioness

Landing on 'Lioness': First Impressions

You get tossed into a high stakes volatile conflict zone with Lioness on Pikashow. In the first minutes of the episode, we, the viewers, witness Laysla De Oliveira's character Cruz Manuelos, in disturbing conflict, and a fiery spirit, preparing to enter the mysterious world of black ops. The show has a quick introduction and is ready to toss a young, raw recruit into the CIA's special black ops team called the Lioness Engagement Team, who is sent to penetrate a global terrorist organization. De Oliveira, and the team, are entranced on screen and action is fast paced and easy to follow. Plus, the production adds great value. Clearly, the action in the show is choreographed to hit a visceral approach with strong, palpable tension. Paul Cameron brings something special to the show, and one journalist said, “he breaks the cinematography rules” and adds “extra dynamism” and “energy” to the show, even during non-action dialogue. Although the plot might be easier to associate or think of shows with similar counter terrorism plots, the show does a good job of demonstrating respect and reverence for the U.S. Marine Corps for the audience who is either lightly invested or heavily invested. In the end, it’s worth the watch.

Holding the Remote: The Binge Pull and Production Quality

While Lioness isn't without its flaws, it still holds up to other shows if you're looking for suspense and drama in the war and politics genre. It is without a doubt strengthened by its leading actors, especially Zoe Saldaña and De Oliveira, as Cruz. Saldaña plays the role of the station chief with intensity and balances the challenge of her mission with the personal challenges of Joe. De Oliveira, as a new operative, captures the vulnerability and tenacity with fierce determination. It builds a palpable and tense atmosphere that is complimented by action sequences that for the most part, are not unnecessarily filled with action, and for the most part, are successfully earned. The immersion feels extended by the quality of the HD streaming on Pikashow. The sound and visuals of Pikashow compliment the gritty nature of the covert ops. For the most part, the show is paced well and balanced between the sphere of espionage and character development, appealing to the binge-watcher in all of us. That said, it does have it's faults. It can feel a bit flawed, as some critics have noted, and the narrative can be a bit derivative. The script can feel designed for the passive viewer, assuming “most of the audience will only be half-watching.” While it is overall a strong cast, with Kidman, Saldaña, and De Oliveira turning in solid performances, one of the stars of the show, Nicole Kidman, was criticized for having a “frozen face” which can be distracting and pull you out of the experience, however briefly.

Keep or Flip? Beating Live TV and Live Cricket

So, will Lioness withstand the flip test between live TV and a nail biter of a Live Cricket match? For fans of Finely Written Spy Thrillers with a focus on Female Operatives, the answer is definitely Yes. The show keeps you on edge with a consistently high drama threshold that a lot of showing Channels lack. If you watched the creator Taylor Sheridan’s other works, you would enjoy this even though it’s in a different genre and he found a new form to express himself. With elements of suspense-building and a thread, high-octane genre pieces to create interest, the show definitely deserves your screen time. However, if you can easily ignore perceived Propaganda or you just don’t like the overabundance of spy thrillers, you might find yourself reaching for the remote control too fast. Some audience members noted it to be “depressing” or just “a short watch.” You may find that the show’s elements better serve your entertainment dollar to its creation than the random offerings of live TV, which is a strong contender in and of itself. Live TV has the ultimate element that will draw you away if you are not fully engaged with the Sports Event and its Drama and Politics.