It’s been three years since Lioness premiered on Paramount+, but in that time, it has slowly transformed from a show about female spies sent to infiltrate terrorist regimes to an international spy thriller full of conspiracies and modern warfare. Season 3 of Taylor Sheridan‘s Lioness turns its focus not to a new lioness, as in the previous two seasons, but towards the Russo-Ukrainian war; rather than using a scalpel to extract intel, the team behind the lionesses now feels more like a sledgehammer. While Season 3 offers a fictional window into the bloody war and spycraft at work today, stepping away from the original concept and transforming the series into just another spy thriller is a disappointment for one of Sheridan’s most ambitious shows.

Taylor Sheridan Pulls From a Familiar Bag of Tricks for ‘Lioness’ Season 3

It was clear toward the end of Season 2 that Lioness intended to abandon its initial formula. Although the series introduced Genesis Rodriguez as Josie, the daughter of a high-ranking cartel member, Lioness was already looking beyond the U.S. borders when it comes to the narrative. This meant that Josie’s story often felt like it was taking a backseat to the larger machinations of a multi-season arc. In Season 3, the show completely dispenses with its original concept, introducing no new lioness and instead looking inward at Joe (Zoe Saldaña) and growing threats from Russia and China. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that the show is bad (Sheridan is good at keeping the rhythm of a thriller going), it does make for a blander story. What was once a unique action series has now become just any old spy show.

Season 3 is, by far, the bloodiest we’ve seen to date, but Sheridan also likes to glorify the military even when he’s trying to be realistic about it. In one action-packed sequence, we see Joe alongside Sheridan’s character, Cody, and the Delta Force K9 handler, Grady (Ian Bohen), on a mission together in Ukraine. The action sequence is brutal and violent as the team executes countless soldiers who stand in their way, first watching them get torn apart by dogs and then shot. Joe and Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) are rightfully traumatized by the carnage, but the show paints the actions as necessary evils. They might look cool doing it; it might feel like a heroic sacrifice for the safety of our nation, but Sheridan doesn’t do enough to condemn just how ruthless warfare has become.

Unsurprisingly, Sheridan once again seems to enjoy putting women in compromising positions, as there are multiple scenes where a female character is either fully naked or exposing herself for seemingly no reason at all. One particularly difficult scene to watch involves a woman being stripped naked and probed all over in search of a tracker. It’s a violating scene, one that is meant to show just how strong the character is for overcoming it, but it feels gratuitous. It’s odd in general just how many times female nudity occurs in the show, whether it’s two women in an intimate relationship or one baring her breasts unnecessarily in a moment of enraged passion. At no point do men do the same; in fact, nudity seems to be something exclusively reserved for female characters. Not only do the male characters lack development, but they simply stand as macho archetypes who seem completely infallible. In the past, that was fine, because our focus was always on the lioness of the season, but in Lioness Season 3, women are there to be admired physically while also being badasses, and men are just allowed to be badasses.

‘Lioness’ Season 3’s Two Timelines Are Confusing and Messy

The key problem with Season 3, however, is not the romanticization of soldiers or the way Sheridan writes women; it’s the simple fact that it’s narratively a mess. Two timelines are running parallel to each other, which offer plenty of suspense about what exactly happened in the past leading to a major twist in the future. The issue is that the two timelines face the same problem, and the show can quickly get confusing as it jumps back and forth and offers no visual indicator when we’re in the past beyond a slide that indicates a scene is happening six months prior. Tracking events in the show becomes difficult when you try to go beyond the broad strokes.

On top of that, Season 3’s scripts are bursting at the seams with jargon that the viewer is either meant to know already or blindly accept. While it’s more realistic that these characters wouldn’t need to explain acronyms like SVR, SBU, and SSD, the average viewer needs that information. This means that Lioness is a show you definitely need to give your full attention to, but even then, you might have to rewatch episodes to actually get a full picture of what is going on.

Things get especially complicated when operatives from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Russian sleeper agents, and every other clandestine agency are tossed into the mix. Unlike previous seasons, which had a clear objective, Lioness Season 3 mostly feels chaotic. The team is constantly on the back foot, which ups the thrill factor but makes the story feel disorganized. Although the concept is interesting, the execution renders the season a total mess.

‘Lioness’ Season 3 Takes Taylor Sheridan Back to His Action Roots

Image via Paramount+

Despite these faults, that doesn’t mean Lioness Season 3 is all bad. In fact, it has some of the most thrilling and heart-pounding sequences of the entire series. The action scenes feel distinctly reminiscent of Sicario, Sheridan’s debut script, and the relentless tempo of those moments ratchets up the tension and keeps you invested. Specifically, Sheridan’s look at warfare in Ukraine feels distinctly different than the previous seasons’ dealings with the Middle East or Mexico. From the trenches and barbed wire to the drones and robots with guns, it’s terrifying and a completely new type of combat we haven’t seen before.

Saldaña is as good as ever, balancing Joe’s cutthroat instincts alongside her struggle as a wife and mother of a family that has given her endless chances. It is surprising to consistently see how far her husband Neal (Dave Annable) can be pushed, but the show seems hellbent on convincing us that he’s willing to overlook anything and everything to stay with her. But while Saldaña is consistently good in Lioness, the standout of Season 3 is Michael Kelly as Byron Westfield, the CIA’s Deputy Director of Operations. When he’s paired with someone like Nicole Kidman as Kaitlyn, their scenes instantly come to life, but on his own, when Byron comes face to face with the enemy, his scenes are sharp, clever, and simply entertaining to watch.

While the cast is still the same and the team that Joe works with is still around, Lioness Season 3 is wading into new waters, and there are definitely growing pains. There are still infodump scenes with characters like Martin Donovan‘s Errol Meade, who is always brought in to give the audience some kind of lecture on the state of the world. But rather than relegating scenes like that to the beginning and end of a season, it feels like every conversation is wielded for exposition. The adjustment to a new conflict means these scenes are essential, but they also weaken the story and ultimately prove that sometimes it’s better to just stick to the brief instead of going rogue.

Lioness Season 3 premieres August 2 on Paramount+.

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Release Date

July 23, 2023

Network

Paramount+

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Directors

John Hillcoat, Anthony Byrne, Paul Cameron, Stephen Kay, Taylor Sheridan

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  Laysla De Oliveira

  Cruz Manuelos

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Pros & Cons

• Michael Kelly is a highlight of Season 3, with some of the sharpest scenes in the show so far.
• The visualization of the war in Ukraine is horrifying and honest, completely changing the aesthetic we’re used to with warfare.

• The departure from the “lioness” concept turns the show into any old spy thriller.
• There is far too much female nudity that seems to only exist to titillate.
• The two timelines of Season 3 make the show confusing and do not help the story at all.

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Hair found in Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home contained no DNA, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said.

“To find DNA on hair is extremely rare. Hair doesn’t produce DNA like touch DNA or bodily fluids,” Nanos told NBC News on Thursday, July 30.

The sheriff added to Fox News, “Yes, there was a hair. We had it and thought, ‘OK, well, we’ll do the DNA first,’ right? You’re going to do DNA before something else. … It came back … there’s no DNA.”

Nanos said the hair sample has been preserved in case it might still prove useful to the investigation.

Related: Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie Case Is ‘Still Positive’ It Will Be Resolved

Questions still remain after Today show host Savannah Guthrie‘s mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the news on February 1, 2026, sharing a missing person report via X. Nancy was described as a “vulnerable adult” who was last seen “at her residence” within Arizona’s Catalina Foothills area on the […]

“But does that mean the hair isn’t that of the suspect? We won’t know that ’til we have the suspect’s hair. You don’t just destroy it,” he told Fox News. “There’s other things that hair may prove valuable for, but right now, it was just about, ‘Is there any DNA there?’ And the answer was no. That was just a matter of weeks ago.”

In a brief statement to NBC News, the FBI Phoenix field office confirmed that “all hair had been resolved, and it does not point to a suspect” in Guthrie’s disappearance.

The news comes nearly six months after Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her home outside of Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. Police are investigating the case as a kidnapping. No suspect has been identified.

Nancy, the mother of Today show cohost Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on the evening of January 31.

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Related: Nancy Guthrie Ransom Note Warned Savannah Not to ‘Play Games‘: Report

New details from the first alleged ransom note for Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy Guthrie, has been revealed nearly six months after she went missing. Journalist Briana Whitney read from the alleged note during the Wednesday, July 22, episode of the “Crime Junkie” podcast. “Hello, Savannah. We have your mother, Nancy,” it began. “She is safe […]

On Monday, July 27, Savannah, 54, issued a fresh plea for her mom’s return via social media.

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“I’m coming on today with a very specific message,” she said in an Instagram video. “It has been months since our mom was taken from us. Our family is in agony. We are in a nightmare that will not end. Nothing about our situation has changed. We have done our part, but we will never stop looking for her. We will always ache for her. Feel that hole in our hearts.”

Savannah continued, “The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and I know that you have tried to do things the right way. So I’m asking you, begging you, to do the right thing now. Make the right choice. Help us find her. Tell us where to look for her. I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing. Help us bring this situation to an end. For all of us — no matter where we’ve been and what we’ve done — I believe there is always, always a way home. Please make the right choice.”

She captioned the post, “Bring her home 💛.”

July was a strong month on Netflix, with several shows proving huge hits across the world, including Will Ferrell‘s new comedy series, The Hawk, and the streamer’s latest answer to Taylor Sheridan‘s ever-expanding Yellowstone universe, Ransom Canyon. But the biggest hit across the month was undeniably the Harlan Coben adaptation, I Will Find You, which was just revealed to have become Netflix’s tenth most popular English-language TV series of all time, with a cumulative 101.9 million views earned in just six weeks. Looking ahead to August, how do you make sure it’s as great as July? We’re here to help with this list of three shows you should binge-watch on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

1

‘Hannibal’ (2013–2015)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 8.5/10

It isn’t just the most exciting new shows that make Netflix worth subscribing to. Every now and then, the streamer gets its hands on a beloved series, adding it to its vast catalog and allowing a new group of viewers to indulge in its genius. That’s exactly what happened in late July, when Netflix officially added all three seasons of the brilliant Hannibal to its library.

This Primetime Emmy-nominated gem delves into the intricate, complex relationship between FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), with both men delivering electric performances. Bryan Fuller‘s psychological thriller masterpiece is a show everyone should watch at least once, with its 39 episodes available offering a perfect binge-watch that will last long past this weekend.

2

‘The Crown’ (2016–2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 8.6/10

Sometimes the most obvious choice is the best. This weekend, if it’s somehow passed you by until now, don’t miss out on one of the most important prestige dramas in Netflix’s history, The Crown. Across six seasons, creator Peter Morgan and co. explore the modern history of the British monarchy, from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to some of the darkest times in her reign.

A lavish, utterly immersive period drama that is both ambitious in its grandeur and deft in its detail, The Crown was one of the first major productions for Netflix and, to this day, defines how many see the streamer. Whether it’s Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, or Harry Potter‘s Imelda Staunton, each version of Queen Elizabeth II bursts with reality, with both Foy and Colman’s versions two of the most memorable on-screen interpretations ever.

3

‘Solar Opposites’ (2020–Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.9/10

If the demands of intense dramas such as Hannibal and The Crown aren’t what you’re looking for this weekend, then perhaps a quirky animated sci-fi series is more your speed. Solar Opposites, which first aired on Hulu in 2020, follows a group of aliens who find themselves living in middle America after their planet is destroyed.

Prepare to laugh out loud and fall in love with a strange yet sentimental family of aliens as you dive head-first into the world of Solar Opposites. Sure, the show can often be cringe-inducingly crude, but it also manages to juxtapose this with heartfelt moments as all great adult animations do. Six seasons and 63 episodes are available to watch now.

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Release Date

2020 – 2025-00-00

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Hulu

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Showrunner

Justin Roiland

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  Sean Giambrone

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  Yumyulack (voice)

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  Sagan McMahan

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Tom Holland made his debut as Spider-Man in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War.” Since then, the actor has appeared in four solo movies as the character, with the latest being “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” Now, amid the film’s release, he’s opening up about one day being replaced as the beloved superhero.

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While promoting “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” Holland appeared on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in July 2026 for an almost one-hour-long conversation. During it, the topic of him someday no longer playing the role that’s made him a star came up, with Holland stating that there is a plan in place for that to become reality at some point.

He shared, “There’s a whole plan that we have been working on for, I would say, since we finished Spider-Man: No Way Home. It’s laid out. It’s laid out. It’s gonna change for sure, but I have a really clear vision [for] the passing on of the baton, and I think it’s really exciting.”

After that, he stated that the topic of a different actor playing the role does come up in meetings. According to him, “I know I get really excited when we have these meetings and chat about it. But that is the thing I want to do most in this character, for sure.”

The ‘Spider-Man’ Star Says He Feels Pressure For ‘Brand New Day’

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While on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Holland also spoke about maturing and now feeling pressure of starring in a movie on the scale of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” According to him, “I feel more pressure and more nerves releasing ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ than I did ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’”

He continued, “And I think there’s something about that kind of childlike naivety of what was happening to my life at 20 as opposed to finishing that third movie, sharing the screen with Toby and Andrew, being really kind of conflicted as to whether or not my time as Spider-Man had come to an end.”

After that, Holland called “diving into this new movie” a “leap of faith.” After that, the actor stated that he’s “so unbelievably proud of the new film.

Tom Recently Discussed His Desire To Make More Spider-Man Movies

5

Days before the podcast appearance premiered, Holland spoke to The Hollywood Reporter while on the red carpet for the premiere of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” During the short interview, he was asked about his future as the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The 30-year-old said, “I will do it for as long as they have me.” After that, he discussed the performance of the upcoming movie, saying, “So, if this movie does good, I guess we’ll see.” Regarding the expected box office performance of “Brand New Day,” Deadline reports the movie is expected to debut with around $425 million at the global box office.

Notably, this comes after the previous film, “No Way Home,” earned an astounding $600.5 million in its opening weekend, including international markets. This figure made the Holland-led “Spider-Man” movie the third biggest box office opening in history.

‘Brand New Day’ Has Solid Reviews

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“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” officially releases to theaters on July 31 with some advanced showings the day prior. Now, ahead of its release, Marvel has lifted the review embargo for both critics and social media users. Currently, on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 91% positive rating from critics, meaning all of Holland’s movies playing the character have a 90% or higher.

Already, more than 1,000 audience members have also reviewed the film, giving it a 98% positive rating on the platform. Both scores easily fall into the “fresh” distinction.

The 30-Year-Old Confirmed His Next Movie

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While promoting “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” Holland appeared on “Good Morning America” in July 2026. While on the show, he confirmed plans for his next film, this time a biopic about iconic entertainer Fred Astaire.

According to the actor, “We have Fred Astaire next, that’s what we’re planning on doing. And as soon as I finish with these tours, I’m diving back into the dance studio.”

He added of the yet-to-be-filmed movie’s progress, “I did my first few rehearsals recently, and it both filled me with excitement and absolute dread because I’ve got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud.”

Get a rundown of Us‘ top stories making headlines in celebrity news, sports and entertainment on July 30, 2026. Here are the key takeaways:

• Kylie Kelce shut down pregnancy speculation sparked by photos from her recent Paris trip, telling listeners on the July 30 episode of her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast that commenting on women’s bodies is unacceptable. She reminded fans she and husband Jason Kelce already have four kids and said her body will never fully return to its pre-baby state.

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• Jonathan Taylor Thomas made a rare public appearance to reunite with his Home Improvement costars Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith more than two decades after the sitcom’s finale. Richardson shared the new photo of the trio on Instagram on July 29, captioning it “My other boys.”

• Kate Cassidy explained that she is lasering off some of the tattoos she got in honor of late boyfriend Liam Payne because the ink is too thick, not because her feelings have changed, she shared on TikTok on July 29. Cassidy said she plans to have the tributes — including a “444” angel number for Payne — redone by an artist experienced in fine line work.

Edited by Samantha Benitz. Story produced with AI assistance

At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff had the opportunity to sit down with the showrunners, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, and cast members of Prime Video’s hit prequel series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, to find out what fans can expect from the upcoming Season 3.

On November 11, we return to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth at the height of the War of the Elves, when Sauron (Charlie Vickers), as the Dark Lord, is ready and determined to craft the One Ring. The sprawling fantasy series welcomes back many returning cast members, and introduces Jamie Campbell Bower as Celeborn, Eddie Marsan as Thráin, Simon Pegg as the voice of the Balrog, and Andrew Richardson as Anárion — plus a couple of others the cast will tease, including a wholly original character.

Check out our two interviews with the cast and showrunners below, in which stars Benjamin Walker, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Daniel Weyman, Vickers, Owain Arthur, and Ismael Cruz Córdova, along with Payne and McKay, prepare us for what’s to come, and share what it’s like behind the scenes, seeing masters of their craft bring Rings of Power to life, from the actors to the unsung heroes.

Sauron Faces a New Challenge in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 3

The stars share their characters’ journeys this season.

Image via Prime Video

First up, Payne hints at Sauron’s creative struggles this season, and why what he did to Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) will come back to haunt him. Vickers, Addai-Robinson, who plays Míriel, Weyman, who plays Gandalf, and Walker, who plays Gil-galad, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their characters at the beginning of Season 3, and highlight the performances of their new co-stars, Bower, who plays Celeborn this season, and Zubin Varla, who will play Khamûl the Easterling.

For all this and more on what’s to come, check out the video above, with a time index provided below.

• 00:54 – J.D. Payne discusses how Season 3 centers on Sauron’s growing self-doubt and the struggles he faces to forge the One Ring.
• 02:12 – The cast discuss each character’s greatest strength and greatest weakness for Season 3.
• 06:26 – Which cast members delivered impressive and inspiring performances?
• 12:50 – The crew highlight the behind-the-scenes artists who raised the bar with their craftsmanship.

‘Rings of Power’ Season 3’s Biggest Wild Card Is an Orc You Might Actually Root For

Eddie Marsan and Adam Young join the Season 3 cast in exciting new roles!

Finally, Nemiroff spoke with McKay, Córdova, who plays Arondir, and Arthur, who plays Prince Durin IV. During their chat, McKay expands on Sauron’s role this season, explaining how he becomes “full-metal” Sauron, the legendary villain LOTR fans are familiar with. Plus, Córdova and Arthur share details about Rings of Power’s newest characters — Durin’s questionable older brother, Thráin, played by Marsan, and an original character, an Orc named Marnûkh, played by Adam Young, who Córdova calls “an icon in the making.”

You can catch the full interview in the video above, with a time index below.

• 00:33 – Patrick McKay on why Season 3 centers on a darker, “full-metal” Sauron.
• 02:25 – Ismael Cruz Córdova praises Adam Young’s performance as Marnûkh.
• 04:29 – McKay previews the reluctant alliance between Arondir, Galadriel, and Marnûkh.
• 07:17 – Owain Arthur reflects on reuniting with Eddie Marsan as Durin and Thráin.
• 10:37 – The trio spotlight behind-the-scenes crew members who make Rings of Power a cinematic feat.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 premieres on Prime Video on November 11.

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Release Date

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September 1, 2022

Network

Amazon Prime Video

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Showrunner

John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip

Writers

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Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams

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