Is Taylor Sheridan's Special Ops: Lioness Based On A True Story?

Taylor Sheridan's spy thriller show "Special Ops: Lioness" comes with enough grit and bare-bones honesty to appear as though it's been based on a real story, but only the general concept of the Lioness Task Force comes from reality. That being said, the adventures seen in the show are loosely based on those of a real woman who served in the titular squad, which was established in 2003. While fans might be disappointed to hear that tough and smart characters like Joe McNamara (Zoe Saldaña) and Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira) aren't real people, the show still provides compelling fictional tales that make audiences sit up and pay attention, and some of what you see on screen has a basis in reality. 

Which parts of Joe's story are closest to real life? And what is "Lioness: Special Ops" about in the first place? Read on for all the answers.

"Special Ops: Lioness" follows an all-female squad of soldiers who work with the CIA. These women operate undercover in areas where male soldiers cannot. The show's main character is Joe McNamara, who seeks to balance her bustling family life with her overseas undercover missions. She works in the field as a senior case officer and often leads the team's missions.

Cruz Manuelos operates under Joe and joins Delta Force as the series progresses. She gets involved in some personal messiness, including falling in love with Aaliyah Amrohi (Stephanie Nur), the daughter of a terror suspect the team works to take down in Season 1. Kaitlyn Meade (Nicole Kidman in one of her best roles in years) is their CIA rep, and there are also multiple members of the QRF who help back Joe in the field. Together, they try to bring in the wicked and protect the innocent.

There is indeed a lioness squad in the real world, and the show is reportedly inspired by one former member in particular: Retired lance corporal Amy Folwell, who served as part of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines. Folwell was one of three women in her unit, and she saw combat before the age of 18. Her duties were largely different from those of the characters in Taylor Sheridan's show, though there are some similarities between the TV lionesses and the real life ones. Folwell and her two colleagues on the ground were stationed at Camp KV in Iraq and their job was to make sure that women (and sometimes children) hadn't been fitted with bombs.

"We made sure that everyone was safe and no one was carrying any weapons of mass destruction or [improvised explosive devices] or anything that could cause damage throughout the village," Folwell explained in an interview with the New York Post. "We conducted humanitarian aid missions and went to refugee camps where we supplied water and food. It was very exciting and incredibly humbling." Make no mistake, this was a vital job for keeping the peace — female civilians had to be searched by female soldiers to adhere to religious beliefs and cultural norms. In the world of the show, the role of the lionesses has been expanded to befriending the girlfriends and daughters of high-value targets.

Lance corporal Amy Folwell went on to have two kids after coming home and she settled into a new life as a social worker. She left the Armed Forces and returned to the United States in 2007 after a near-death experience. "I sustained a traumatic brain injury after being hit by an IED during a convoy," she told the New York Post. She's still dealing with the effects of the attack to this day (these include PTSD, migraines, and bouts of anxiety), but she knows she's one of the lucky ones. "I'm just thankful to be alive," she said. "Not everyone over there was so fortunate."

Folwell actually arrived at her base just a month after another female soldier had been killed by a suicide bomber, and other women met similar fates after she left the Middle East: In 2011, 1st Lieutenant Ashley White-Stumpf was killed by an IED. "Special Ops: Lioness" doesn't tell any one individual real life story, but, according to Folwell, the important thing is that it shines a light on the sacrifices made by women in the Armed Forces. "Women are needed in duty much more than they're given credit for," she said. "It should be known that there are women in combat doing great things."

If you're like us and you love this hard-hitting series, here's a list of the best shows like "Special Ops: Lioness" to check out next.