Why You Can Trust CNET 'Special Ops: Lioness' -- Streaming Release Date and How to Watch From Anywhere
Spend the weekend with Taylor Sheridan's new Paramount Plus thriller.
Special Ops: Lioness' star-studded cast includes Zoe Saldaña.
Fans of Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, actress Zoe Saldaña and spy thrillers (I've covered everyone at this point, right?) will soon have a new show to binge.
Special Ops: Lioness, a fresh Paramount Plus series from Sheridan, premieres Sunday on the streaming service. It follows Joe, described by Paramount Plus as "the tip of the CIA's spear in the war on terror," who operates undercover alongside a Marine Raider named Cruz. Saldaña and Laysla De Oliveira play Joe and Cruz, and the eight-episode first season also stars Morgan Freeman, Nicole Kidman and Jack Ryan's Michael Kelly.
Lioness is the latest of Sheridan's Paramount Plus shows to reach audiences, joining Yellowstone spinoffs 1923 and 1883, Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King. Two more series -- Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Land Man -- will eventually hit the service. Below, you'll find more details on how to watch Special Ops: Lioness, and why you might want to use a VPN to stream.
Read more: Best VPN 2023: VPNs Tested and Rated by Our Experts
How to watch Taylor Sheridan's Special Ops: Lioness
Paramount Plus is the only way to watch the series. In the US, the first two episodes will drop overnight and be available all day on July 23, according to Paramount Plus. After the premiere, one new episode will arrive every Sunday through Sept. 3.
Want a subscription to Paramount Plus? The plans are Paramount Plus Essential, which includes ads and costs $6 a month, and Paramount Plus with Showtime, which is mostly ad-free and costs $12 a month. A weeklong free trial is available for first-time subscribers.
Read more: Best Streaming Service of 2023: Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and More
You can save on Paramount Plus by paying for a year up front. An annual subscription to ad-supported Essential costs $60 per year, $12 less overall than the price of paying for 12 months individually. An annual subscription to Paramount Plus with Showtime is $120 per year, $24 less overall than if you paid for one month at a time.
How to watch Special Ops: Lioness with a VPN
Perhaps you're traveling abroad and want to stream Paramount Plus while away from home. With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the series from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming too.
A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that's passed our tests and security standards.
You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you're using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list, such as Surfshark or NordVPN.
If you're looking for a secure and dependable VPN, our Editors' Choice is ExpressVPN. It's fast, works on multiple devices, and provides stable streams. It's normally $13 a month, but it currently costs less overall to go for a 12 month subscription, where each month shakes out to $8.32.
ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our review of ExpressVPN.
Follow the VPN provider's instructions for installation, and choose a country where Special Ops: Lioness will be streaming on Paramount Plus. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you're connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream Special Ops: Lioness on more than one device, it's possible you'll need to configure each one to ensure you're signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you're logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you're ready to open Paramount Plus to stream.
If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you've followed installation instructions correctly and you've picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.