Special Ops: Lioness Review 2023 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
I really wanted to like the show. I really did. I’m a fan of this genre as well as most of Taylor Sheridan’s work. Indeed, I’ve watched Kingstown, 1883, 1923, Yellowstone, and Tulsa King. So I was excited when this was advertised and I heard about it. But after the first two episodes, the excitement faded into disappointment. I may watch another episode, but I won’t watch the fourth one if something doesn’t change quick.
Perhaps Taylor Sheridan is just overextended – he doesn’t seem to be able to finish Yellowstone with all this other activity – and the stress fractures show on this particular endeavor.
The problem seems to lie in the writing, the casting, the editing, and the general story construction. The series has made its star to be Laysla De Oliveira playing “Cruz Manuelos”, a 5 foot 616 pound woman who’s fighting credentials seem to be she used to get beat up a lot by her boyfriend. Now suddenly as if by magic once in the marines, she can easily take out a 250 pound special forces man with years of experience even after being severely weakened by torture and sleep deprivation. I thought Taylor Sheridan was immune to this sort of silliness, but I guess not.
A better writing arc would’ve been to see her fail, repeatedly, during the first and second episode. To doubt herself, to wonder if she could do it, to get her but kicked over and over as she learns her strengths and especially weaknesses. Instead, they just made her a “Mary Sue” who shows up completely inexperienced and starts taking down experience special forces men twice her size and four times her strength.
Or, they could’ve cast a different actress more believable in a role like this if this is the road the writing was going to go down. Never did the show get my buying that she’s “tough”.
And then there is more silliness of the Director making her “pretty” during an even after a beating, torture, hosing down session. Her eyeliner was perfect.
I understand some people like this sort of thing, but it’s just not for me. If the show doesn’t change by the end of next episode I’m tuning out.
As it stands right now, there’s not even one character in the show I care anything about. And again, this is a great shame because I like the principal and even supporting actors in the show, but the material that they’ve given to act with is not very good.
