Who is 'Lioness'? How is Kevin Costner in 'Yellowstone'? Big Taylor Sheridan TV questions

Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman are locked and loaded for another CIA mission of Paramount+'s "Lioness" Sunday. And Billy Bob Thornton is set to drill, baby, drill in the West Texas oil drama "Landman," due Nov. 17, the same day Sylvester Stallone's Mob boss concludes Season 2 of "Tulsa King."

In Montana's cattle country, fierce couple Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) get back to work Nov. 10 on the second part of "Yellowstone" Season 5, without patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner).

It's hard to keep up with the ever-changing, fast-paced world of creator and executive producer Taylor Sheridan's TV universe. Here are the hottest burning questions around the Sheridanverse, which extends from "Yellowstone" to "Tulsa King."

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Is there a new 'Lioness'? What happened to 'Special Ops'?

When CIA chief Kaitlyn Meade (Kidman) and tip-of-the-spear colleague Joe McNamara (Saldana) are compelled to find a new Lioness agent to infiltrate a Mexican cartel family in Season 2 of "Lioness," Army Capt. Josephina "Josie" Carillo (Genesis Rodriguez) is tapped for the deadly task.

The combat helicopter pilot learns how to be a ground soldier with support from grizzled elite fighters, including old soldier Cody, played by an impressively bulked-up Sheridan. The terrorist-infiltrating agent from last year's "Special Ops: Lioness," Marine Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), also shows up to fight in a sign of Lioness support.

Paramount Studios has no explanation for why "Special Ops" was dropped from the official title. These things just happen. But the often-not-so-secret CIA wars will continue just over the U.S.-Mexico border, with Joe juggling nation-saving combat and family flare-ups at home.

It's a gusher! Who's drilling for a hit with 'Landman'?

Thornton, who appeared in the "Yellowstone" prequel "1883," now stars as the title character Tommy Norris, an oil executive facing company crises and his ex-wife Angela (Ali Larter). Adapted from co-creator Christian Wallace’s 2019 podcast "Boomtown," the new series features Jon Hamm as magnificently named oil industry titan Monty Miller, who's married to savvy adviser Cami (Demi Moore), the brains behind the biz. Andy Garcia stars as powerful businessman Galino and Michael Pe?a plays a veteran roughneck.

Who's running 'Yellowstone' ranch now that Kevin Costner's gone?

Costner and John Dutton have left the Yellowstone Ranch building for what was originally billed as the end of "Yellowstone." Just how the main Dutton man will be written out remains TV's most closely guarded mystery.

Look for fan-favorite couple Rip and Beth to pick up the emotional load in the second half of "Yellowstone" Season 5. Despite his exit, Costner's Dutton was featured in a new trailer, thanks to cleverly edited old footage. But no new scenes featuring Costner were shot. The Nov. 10 Paramount Network premiere (8 EST/PST) will also air on CBS later that night (10 EDT/PDT).

Persistent but still unconfirmed reports say "Yellowstone" won't end after all ? Paramount is no longer promoting it as the final season ? but will continue and ride Rip and Beth to new pastures.

Will Brendan Sklenar aid Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren in '1923'?

"Yellowstone" prequel "1923" ended its first season last year with ancestor Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and wife Cara (Helen Mirren) besieged at the Yellowstone Ranch, as their wayward son Spencer (Brendan Sklenar) scurried home with loaded gun to save the day. His cruise home with wife Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) hit a snag with Spencer's arrest in the finale. But he'll make it.

There's big Hollywood heat on Sklenar, who earned attention from this year's hit movie adaptation "It Ends With Us," which sparked a social media backlash against co-star Blake Lively. Sklenar just signed on to star in "The Housemaid" with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.

His profile will heighten the stakes of"1923," with Season 2 now filming and coming to Paramount+ in 2025. "Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter has joined the cast as U.S. Deputy Marshal Mamie Fossett, who's fixing to take names, serve warrants and make arrests.

What's up with Michelle Pfeiffer in 'The Madison'?

The "Yellowstone" franchise loses an Oscar winner in Costner but gains a three-time nominee with Michelle Pfeiffer, who is starring and executive-producing "Yellowstone" spinoff "The Madison."

In the vein of "1883" and "1923," the series follows New York widow Stacy Clyburn (Pfeiffer), who trades Madison Avenue for the Madison River valley of central Montana. The exact connection to the Dutton clan is unclear. "Lost" star Matthew Fox will play an outdoorsy bachelor, along with "Suits" star Patrick J. Adams. "The Madison" is set to premiere in 2025.

Will Sylvester Stallone's 'Tulsa King' rock on to Season 3?

Stallone's transplanted New Yorker Dwight Manfredi is still trying to keep his Oklahoma crime business alive despite the violent competitors he faced in "Tulsa King" Season 2. Stallone, an executive producer, confirmed on his Instagram page in September that "we are working on the third season" of the show. So in the likely event that Manfredi survives a sure-to-be explosive Season 2 finale, we'll learn when in 2025 the next Oklahoma chapter will arrive.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Lioness' to 'Landman': Taylor Sheridan's 'Yellowstone' world unpacked