For much of Lioness Season 3, Neal has been completely in the dark.
While Joe has been pulled deeper and deeper into danger, Neal has been left to worry about his wife and children without really knowing what’s happening or when Joe will be coming home.
That uncertainty has taken its toll.
Following Lioness Season 3 Episode 7, I spoke with Dave Annable about Neal’s emotional journey this season, his relationship with Joe, and what it means that Neal is finally reaching his breaking point.
“I think Neal is obviously dealing with his wife’s life in danger, and now his children’s, and his. And when that fight came to his front door, how could it not make it the realest situation possible?
“And then to be brought to a safe house, which is not their house, and really not know what’s going on. That’s a pretty terrifying place to be for Neal, and you could sort of see his unraveling over the course of this season, all leading up to the end of this season.”
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That unraveling has been particularly difficult to watch because Neal and Joe have always felt like one of the strongest relationships in the Lioness universe.
We’ve certainly seen cracks in their relationship throughout the series, but they’ve always worked through their issues.
Annable credits Zoe Saldaña with helping bring that dynamic to life.
“Such a gift. Not only is she an incredible person, truly, but she’s also an incredible actress. So to get to stand across from her and play, and act, and bring these two characters and their love story together on screen has been such a beautiful gift in my career.
“Because I really respect their relationship. I could learn a lot from it, to be honest. Dave ain’t as patient as Neal. But, you know, I think it’s an incredibly mature relationship. I think it’s forward-thinking.
“At the same time, there’s really only so much, I believe, somebody can handle without, you know, maybe throwing up a warning flag, or just sort of making his own decision about what he wants to do in the future.”
That limit is becoming increasingly clear. When Joe was found on Lioness Season 3 Episode 7, Neal was desperate for her to leave the field and take a desk job.
From his perspective, it would solve a lot of the problems that have plagued their marriage.
“I think for Neal, it would certainly remedy quite a bit, right? Obviously, she’s out of the field, and there wouldn’t be as much traveling. Hopefully her life wouldn’t be at stake every day.
“That being said, I believe that’s Joe’s journey. If Joe would be happy enough making that sacrifice to work at the desk, if she really does end up putting her family first, and makes a pivot, if you will, inside the industry.”
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The problem is that Joe isn’t giving Neal the answers he desperately wants.
At the end of the episode, Neal’s reaction to her non-committal answer about when she’ll be home speaks volumes about just how much he’s struggling.
Asked whether Neal feels betrayed that Joe will be gone longer or is beginning to check out of the relationship to protect himself and his daughters, Annable believes it’s both.
“I think he’s certainly in touch and in tune with his wife, and he realizes she is not giving the answers he wants, expects, or hopes for.
“I think that phone call goes something like, oh my gosh, honey, I missed you, I miss the kids, I’m changing everything, I’m like, just get me home. And it’s not that.
“And when it’s not that, I think Neal has a, a real big come-to-Jesus moment with himself, and we’ll sort of see where that leads him.”
That answer feels particularly significant because Neal isn’t simply angry with Joe.
He’s terrified, frustrated, and increasingly exhausted by the situation, but he’s also still completely in love with his wife.
That was evident during another important scene on Lioness Season 3 Episode 7, when Neal finally admitted to Kate that he was just as out of the loop about Joe’s whereabouts as she was.
“I think it’s the first time that Neal is being honest with Kate about how he’s feeling. I think he’s literally at his bottom. Not knowing anything has taken over him, especially now with lives in danger.
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“And I think it’s just frustration. I think Neal’s broken. At the same time, I think Neal is head over heels in love with his wife and tries to support her as best he can.
“You know, there’s a limit. There’s only so much you can take, and I’m just really excited and curious to sort of see where that goes, and how we would play that relationship in the future.”
There’s still one episode of Lioness Season 3 left, and Joe is now on the warpath to find those responsible for her abduction.
Annable wasn’t about to give away what happens, but he did have plenty to say about the finale.
“The finale’s gonna rock your socks off. I literally just finished it, and I can’t wait for more, if we’re lucky enough to get some more. I think it’s the culmination of this entire season, and Taylor’s writing is incredible.
“It really took the audience, as well as the cast, on quite the journey this year, and really messed with the traditional formula of Lioness, and it worked strikingly well, I believe.
“Just as a Joe fan over here, I think it was just an incredible season, and I know the fans are loving it.”
That’s certainly been one of the most noticeable things about Lioness Season 3.
The show feels very different from its first two seasons, but it’s also the kind of television that demands your full attention.
It’s increasingly difficult to watch Lioness while scrolling on your phone because the show doesn’t let up. Annable agrees.
“Yeah. It’s almost… It’s old school. It’s put the phone down, and you have to pay a lot of attention. And trust me, I read the scripts, and I was in it, and I’m still like, okay, hold on, I put the captions on, you know, I gotta know what’s happening.
“I don’t want to say it’s not intentional from Taylor [Sheridan]. This is one of those shows, you put your phone away, you spend 50 minutes with us, and go for that ride.”
And it certainly sounds like Annable would be happy to continue that ride.
This is his second Taylor Sheridan series after Yellowstone, and when asked if there are any other Sheridan shows he’d like to be part of, he didn’t hesitate.
“Oh yeah, absolutely. I would love to work for the boss forever. I really enjoy the team he puts around us. I really appreciate the writing, and him being a former actor, I think he’s very open to what we have to say, or our ideas; whether he uses them or not, that’s a different story. But, there’s certainly such respect.”
Annable even has an idea for how he could return to the Yellowstone universe.
“I’m partial to Yellowstone. I love Lee Dutton, you know, maybe just some flashbacks in Dutton Ranch, or we get the 1994 spinoff for Yellowstone so that I could be in it. But, honestly, just anything he’s doing, I want to be a part of forever.”
For now, though, it’s Neal’s future that remains the most intriguing.
After spending much of Lioness Season 3 waiting for answers, he’s finally admitted just how much the uncertainty has affected him.
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And with Joe still determined to finish what she started, the question isn’t simply whether Neal will get his wife home.
It’s whether their marriage can survive everything that has happened along the way.
Interviews like this take time and care — and we hope it shows.
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