Special Ops: The Lioness (Season One) Blu-ray review

[David Vaughn]

Studio:  Paramount               
 Release Date: January 23, 2024
 Rating: Not Rated
 Film:  3/5
 
 Plot
 From Taylor Sheridan, Co-Creator of Yellowstone, comes 'Special Ops: Lioness.' Inspired by an actual US Military program, follows the life of Joe (Zoe Saldaña) while she attempts to balance her personal and professional life as the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror. The Lioness Program, overseen by Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman) and Donald Westfield (Michael Kelly), enlists an aggressive Marine Raider named Cruz (Laysla DeOliveira) to operate undercover alongside Joe among the power brokers of State terrorism in the CIA's efforts to thwart the next 9/11.
 
 My Thoughts
 As shocking as this sounds, here’s another Paramount+ show making its way to Blu-ray from super producer Taylor Sheridan, who signed an exclusive contract with Paramount a few years back and he’s continuously churning out shows. When I saw this one had Zoe Saldaña as the lead, I knew it was something I’d have to watch.
 
The story is spread out over eight episodes, so they’re able to flesh out most of the main characters and make them relatable, but the story isn’t quite as good as it could be. The first three episodes really hooked my wife and I, but as things started to play out we didn’t like some of the decisions the writer’s made and by the end, we were somewhat glad it was done. Neither of us felt that Kidman’s role was believable, and frankly, every time she spoke her accent was cringe-worthy. Saldaña at least sells her role well and we particularly liked Michael Kelly’s portrayal, which isn’t unusual for us because he generally does a great job in whatever show he’s in.
 
The presentation on Blu-ray is about what you’d expect from a show made for Paramount’s steaming service. It was digitally shot and has a clean picture, decent black levels, and adequate depth. The soundtrack is very dialog-heavy, but there are moments when it opens up with gunshots and explosions, which sound quite good.
 
 Video 4/5
 Audio 4/5 (Dolby TrueHD 5.1)
 
 
 Special Features:
 

• Embedded with Special Ops: Lioness
• Battle Forged Calm: Tactics and Traing

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y11p6YzdKHw&ab_channel=ParamountPlus

 Conclusion

I’m generally a fan of Sheridan’s work, but I can’t say this was one of my favorite shows of his. There are elements that are intriguing and captivating, but some of the character arcs went in directions we didn’t care for. If you’re a fan of this genre of show, it may be worth checking out because we were mostly entertained for the 6.5 hour run, but I’m not sure it will be at the top of the list if a second season comes out.       
 
 
 Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
 Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
 ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-990
 M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
 M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
 Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[Ralph P.]

Greetings,

I totally agree about Kidman, it was painful. Yeah, Michael Kelly is typically solid and Zoe is always fun to watch.


Regards,

[David Vaughn]

Greetings,

I totally agree about Kidman, it was painful. Yeah, Michael Kelly is typically solid and Zoe is always fun to watch.


Regards,

Thanks Ralph.