Femme Fatale Nikita Is Exactly What the CW Needs

By Jennifer K Stuller Posted Sep 10th 2010 08:30AM

Femme Fatale Nikita Is Just What the CW Needed

Pop-Ed: "They sure must miss Buffy." That was all I could think when Craig Silverstein, writer and producer of 'Nikita,' said at this summer's Comic-Con that the CW network was looking for a "kick-ass action show centered on a female character."

Going deep undercover this summer in my own alias, the Ink-Stained Amazon, I snagged a sneak peek at the new 'Nikita' series. My mission: Attend the pilot screening and Q&A to find out what the revamped concept -- an update of the Luc Besson film and subsequent '90s 'La Femme Nikita' TV series -- has to offer.

As most viewers are aware, for the past several years the CW has banked on a lineup of reality shows and sexy nighttime soaps aimed at teenagers and 20-somethings. It's been a while since they had anything that "kicked ass." Now, 'Nikita,' starring Maggie Q as the titular heroine, has the potential to change that.

The gist: Nikita, a former agent and assassin, has been rogue for three years. She escaped the covert government agency and assassin training facility known as Division after they killed her lover, Danny. She wasn't supposed to fall in love. Since this was the same MacGuffin that started 'Alias,' right down to the fiance's name, the lesson learned is: Covert ops ladies, do not hook up with dudes named Daniel.

Nikita has aggressively turned her attention to Division, and girlfriend is going to bring ... them ... down. At first she's written off as a non-issue, but when Nikita thwarts an assassination attempt, taking her out becomes a priority mission. In fact, it's referred to as "a level six emergency." (Oh noes! Not a level six!)

In the meantime, Division has recruited a young woman named Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca) whose introduction echoes the familiar Nikita mythos -- young troubled woman commits a crime, her death is staged and she's given a choice: Become an assassin for the government or die for real.

Imagined as part reboot, part revamp and part continuation of the concept of street kid turned unwilling assassin, 'Nikita' is meant to tell the story of what happened to the storied vixen after she left the agency. "None of her life has been hers up to this point," said Silverstein during the Q&A, "and now she's taking control."

See a preview of 'Nikita':

Traditional tropes of spy-fi and espionage make this story compelling -- and there is a truly unexpected twist. The acting is solid (Shane West is particularly good as the broody Michael; Q is gorgeous and convincingly lethal), but the dialogue could use some finessing. When Alex makes an attempt to escape the training facility she encounters Amanda (Melinda Clarke) the resident feminine wiles expert, who tells her, in all seriousness, "The more you try to get out, the more you'll find there's another room." I'm positive my husband has since used that line at his office.

Rooms within rooms, the most obvious, non-covert and publicly-destructive backup ever, prison catfights, young assassins salivating at the thought of killing on the government dime, Amanda's creepy makeover room (one wig, four dresses and a makeup kit) and vague references to the Ukrainian sex trade feel like overkill. The concept and franchise have already proven themselves. But pilots are a hard sell, and are often stuffed to the brim with the kinds of things we can expect to see unfold at a slower narrative pace over the entirety of a season. This series, which is clearly striving for seriousness with its dark tone, absolutely has the potential to succeed. Even with a few minor missteps in the first episode, I'm ready to be addicted.

So what did my Comic-Con mission ultimately uncover? 'Nikita' has intrigue, betrayal, subversion, femme fatales and sexy outfits. The characters are compelling -- and an Asian action heroine leading a television series is a laudable step forward for diversity in American popular culture. All in all, the kick-ass women of 'Nikita' have this Amazon looking forward to seeing just what they're capable of.

Jennifer K. Stuller celebrates the action heroines of popular culture in Ink-Stained Amazons and Cinematic Warriors: Superwomen in Modern Mythology. Read her blog on Red Room.

Tags: CW, Maggie Q, Nikita

Comments

(16)

Friday 10 September

By B.P. Dumas

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I specially made sure to catch the show, nicely done and very much like the old USA show of virtually the same title .
and the return of Melinda Clarke, my favorite csi episodes were all the ones with her as lady heather.
A really good start, hopefully they'll give it time to build
some audience and a following.

By Paul

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Don't forget that the movieLa Femme Nikita was remade as The Point of No Return with Bridget Fonda

By jill and ken

finaly a strong women like Nikita is on tv. Maggie Q is great and in full control. We need more programs of strong dominant women. Love the program' jill and ken

Tuesday 21 September

yes Nikita is a very excellently done program, and Maggie Q is
great in the role.
Excellent to see Melinda Clarke back . loved her on CSI.

By Vonn Der Maxx

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would not watch this rotten crap if they paid me. IT STINKS!!! as the Critic used to say

By gobluespartyon

Your dead wrong and your claim which is a lie. You can't judge it so you don't that it is crap which it isn't I liked the plot.

By Tiffany

I watched it.. it was mhe. I'll watch the next couple of eps when they re-air it on Fridays (I prefer Fringe on FOX). I'm just a little miffed that they moved Supernatural though.. I would Tivo one and watch the other, o well.

By Nico Toscani

Buffy aspired to tell allegorical tales about life, Nikita aspires to show Maggie Q in a bikini as much as possible. Nikita= mindless garbage.

Nikita isn't mindness garbage which is a lie. Maggie was only in bikini once during the plot and I don't care that Maggie maybe in bikini every once in while I don't see it every EP.

Nikita was pretty good liked the plot I think it will do well for The CW.

By Melinda

there are good shows on the CW! Supernatural is great and so is Smallville. goes to show it takes a little T & A for people to take notice of a channel, give me the Winchester brothers and Clark Kent over this other crap anyday!

Wednesday 29 September

By courtney

"Exactly what the CW needs?"

Ummm, no. The CW currently has Gossip Girl, 90210, America's Next Top Model, The Vampire Diaries, and the new show, Hellcats. Those are phenomenal shows, and from the first 2 episodes, Nikita doesn't seem to be on par with that.

By renee

theres one and only one Nikita and thats Peta Wilson.. this crap they are tryin to push.. isnt even in the same league

By Shay

I like Nikita but too much like Point of No Return I hope they change the dialog

By steffenjobbs

She'd make a great Emma Peele in another remake of the Avengers.

Thursday 07 July

By John Mc Fall

I love this show. I tape it to make sure I do not miss it.

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