La Femme Nikita

Girl power! You just can't stop them! The latest lethal lady to hit British screens is La Femme Nikita.
She's young. She's beautiful. She's Nikita Samuelle, sentenced to life in prison for a vicious crime she didn't commit. But, for better or worse, she is given a second chance to live, on borrowed time, where the rules involve danger, intrigue and a chilling new existence as "La Femme Nikita." This explosive, one-hour series based on characters from the brilliant French film "Nikita" airs in the UK on Channel 5 at around 11.50pm on Friday nights. Peta Wilson stars in the title role, along with a cast including Roy Dupuis, Alberta Watson and Eugene Robert Glazer.

Filmed in Canada, which gives it a European look, and with a unconventionally beautiful star, the series is pacy and hip. Great soundtrack and atmosphere and, so far, surprisingly good storylines only occasionally borrowing from the original Luc Besson film. Slightly softened for TV, this Nikita is a victim of circumstance rather than the druggie killer of the movie.
Here in the UK we are about halfway through Series One, and it's been very enjoyable. Lets hope the rest of the series keeps up the standard.

[Episode Guide] [The Cast]

Wrongly accused of murdering a cop, Nikita is forced into a new life as an elite operative for a clandestine and ruthless government organization known as Section One. Entrusted to a mysterious agent named Michael (Roy Dupuis), Nikita is transformed into a highly-trained, lethal agent dedicated to fighting global terrorism by any means necessary -- legal or otherwise.

Overview

Taken away from the troubled streets where she was living, Nikita is quick to recognize that her life as she once knew it, is gone forever. Faced with playing the role of the ruthless killer which her employers think she is, Nikita depends upon her lethal skills and drop-dead looks to achieve her dangerous objectives. Always supremely confident, spirited and courageous, Nikita finds herself entrenched in situations where her compassion and generosity of spirit comes in direct conflict with her work. In Nikita's now-murky world, she may not always make the right choice, but she tries to -- even though she understands that having a conscience can be a fatal flaw. Above all else, in spite of her situation which she cannot reveal to any outsiders, she refuses to allow her own sense of self to be taken away.

As Nikita's trainer, mentor and Section One superior, Michael remains an enigma. Sensual, dark and devious, he manipulates Nikita in his pursuit of Section One's goals. Yet his actions often seem to have another side to them which suggests that he genuinely cares for her. Regardless of his attraction, Michael's mysterious past prevents him from falling for his latest recruit. Similarly, Nikita feels a bond, even a fascination toward her mysterious higher-up, but she would never allow herself to admit it.

Madeline (Alberta Watson) is the master strategist of Section One. Her specialty isn't hardware or mission logistics, but rather the emotional and psychological aspects of the job. A chess player who uses human souls as her pieces, she is completely dedicated to accomplishing the section's goals while remaining indifferent to the cost. A constant presence, she's often seemingly engaged in some casual activity, while in reality she's observing and analyzing every nuance taking place around her. If you peel away her veneer, Madeline hides a dark secret which she must guard carefully or her world, and Section One, might come crashing down.

The ultimate intelligence bureaucrat, Operations (Eugene Robert Glazer) runs Section One, designs the missions, liaisons with the few people in government who know of the Section's existence and makes "personnel" decisions -- including who should live and who should die. You don't want to get on the wrong side of him, but his human side has been known to appear, but very rarely.

Transformed from a prison inmate into a sexy, sophisticated government operative, Nikita Samuelle is the perfect weapon. Surrounded by intrigue and violence, she walks the line of staying alive while still managing to retain a spark of humanity in a world where one mistake can mean instant death.

"La Femme Nikita" is a Fireworks Entertainment Production. Jay Firestone is the executive producer, Joel Surnow is the executive consultant, Robert Cochran is creative consultant, and Jamie Paul Rock serves as producer of the series.




[Sign my Guestbook] [View my Guestbook]

Return to my Main Page

1