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Nikita Season 1 Episode 1

Pilot

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AIRED: Sep 09, 2010

8.5

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Episode Summary

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As a troubled teen, Nikita was rescued from death row by Division, a secret U.S. agency that trained her as an assassin and spy. After the agency betrayed her, Nikita spent three years in hiding. Now she is seeking revenge, stopping at nothing to shut down and expose the operation, her former boss, Percy, and her former friends at Division. Meanwhile, the agency continues to recruit and train new members, bringing in young people, erasing their pasts, and turning them into cold and efficient killers.moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (3)

promising!

9.5

By alicealdea, Jun 20, 2011

I prefer this to the one in the late '90 and also the actors are more attractive. I like the idea that Nikita has help on the inside because one person cannot take down an entire organization. maggie q is a good actress and I think melinda clarke was a good choice for Amanda... she really is the best example of deadly beauty and grace. i am curious what will happen with birkhoff because it is not specified in this episode so i want to know who is he working for. I really don't think nikita couldn't crack him. and michael? what will he choose? I think it is a good start and I will keep on watchingmoreless
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*** Spoiler-free *** Decent cast but questionable lead actress, immersive and poetic visuals, some great secondary characters, unoriginal and not intriguing story, anticipated episodic format, a few exciting spy elements

6.0

By goa103, Jun 20, 2011

A hot babe trained to kill trying to take down her former employee ? After Prison Break and Dollhouse the story of Nikita didn't sound as exciting as when the film was released back in 1990. However with a great network like The CW behind it I thought it could at least be entertaining. It was so I'm glad I gave it a chance but despite its many qualities some elements really disappointed me.

The cast is decent but I have a problem with Maggie Q as Nikita. She looked just like the skinny fashion model next door. In fact it's the one reason I had doubts about the show. Nowadays is it so hard to find an actress who is both attractive and strong ? Give me a Linda Hamilton or Sigourney Weaver ! However in some scenes her exotic beauty really shined and it was mesmerized by immersive visuals. I also have to admit that her performance was also quite convincing at times. But the few seconds she spent in a tight red bikini or black lingerie were just useless and made her even more fragile to my eyes. Even the action sequences she was involved in didn't help to make her character grow on me. Otherwise learning more about her past and following her spy adventure could hide these seams but definitely not make us forget about Anne Parillaud !

As for the other characters we have the usual profiles from the computer genius to the evil leader. But don't get me wrong they're not stereotyped, at least not too much. Xander Berkeley is excellent as Percy and should remind you of the General of The Company in Prison Break. The geek was also nothing like Dollhouse's one, not annoying and with something wild about him. An other character I enjoyed was Alex, portrayed by Lyndsy Fonseca. I was instantly hooked to her and thought it was a bright idea to develop her story in parallel of Nikita's.

The plot itself hasn't aged well in my opinion. I've read the first volumes of Angel Heart by Tsukasa Hojo and Nikita is not as timeless and emotional. I don't really care about her vendetta and what she said about the missions exposed the obvious episodic format of the show. She'll take The Division down mission by mission ? Well we can expect a new mission every week and after Prison Break's heavy format I really could't digest it. Moreover what she learned about Alex at the end dramatically ruined the suspence. Do they seriously consider us that brainless ? Solving the puzzles and playing the who's who game could have be so exciting and intriguing ! I don't want to be told who the good and bad guys are. I desire to find it all by myself !

Beside these major flaws I have to admit that I liked the pilot. Indeed the production quality was great and even stellar at times. From the snowflakes dancing around Nikita to the shiny lighting it was almost like watching the female adaptation of the Hitman video game series, specially its Contracts installment. The tension and other ingredients of a good spy franchise were also present, from the fights to the murder attempt in a hotel. Some sets were also very well polished and designed, specially the futuristic headquarters.moreless
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I think I'd rather go back to rewatching "La femme Nikita"...

3.0

By Darayavahu, Jun 20, 2011

If you want to make a show that was already made before you need to up the game.

La femme Nikita was one of the best shows of 90's.

That doesn't seem to be the case here.

What I see is some americas top new skinny biyach on a prison break mission. With the matrix theme song and cool new effects to fill the void.

The new Michaell acts like a psychopath, the old Michaell was detached, distant, calculated, cold, smart and classy the new one has absolutely none of those cool qualities.

The new Operations looks more to me like a soccer daddy than a mastermind. The Madlene (Amanda) ... most dissapointing. Size 0 ex model I guess that really couldn't kill a chicken without breaking a nail Vs one of the coldest , most calculated and cunning females of Tv show history. The old Madlene could commit suicide with the power of her mind, the new one looks like a trophy wife that never even sliced bread. The "fraction" which seem to be some new "legal" name for the section is rather pathetic. They can't controll Nikita at all, she acts like some lone ninja on a quest for world justice and seem to have no regard for anyone else. ( The old Nikita had her fatal flaw most apparent - compassion ) Both shows - Nikita (this one) and La femme Nikita originate from the movie. La femme Nikita was really epic at it's pinnacle. This seems has a feeling to it like it's the Dollhouse with another plot and not even an original one. I don't see anything in this show that hasn't been done before and better. It might pick up I guess but I strongly suspect that at it's best this show will be may be around 7/10. I'm a huge fan of the 90's Nikita and really if You enjoyed that show this one will most likely not be to your satisfactory.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Aaron Stanford	Birkhoff
Lyndsy Fonseca	Alex
Maggie Q	Nikita
Melinda Clarke	Amanda
Shane West	Michael
Xander Berkeley	Percy

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Ashton Holmes	Thom	Guest Star
Tiffany Hines	Jaden	Guest Star
David Ferry	Gary	Guest Star

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Episode Photos

Shane West as Michael on Nikita from the...

© 2010 The CW Television Network
Lyndsy Fonseca as Alex on Nikita from th...

© 2010 The CW Television Network
Maggie Q as Nikita on Nikita from the Pi...

© 2010 The CW Television Network
Maggie Q as Nikita on Nikita from the Pi...

© 2010 The CW Television Network

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (5)
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- Nikita: (in an alley with Michael pointing a gun at her) Just like old times, huh?
  Michael: Shut up. You were free, you had gotten out, you were gone, what the hell are you doing back here?
  Nikita: Someone has to stop Percy.
  Michael: If Percy goes down he has no problem taking everybody down with him. This country will not recover. Do you want that?
  Nikita: What are you talking about?
  Michael: I'm talking about evidence of every job Division has had, locked away in encrypted files, hidden all over the world.
  Nikita: So he gets a free pass? Keep training slaves to kill for him?
  Michael: Spare me, Nikita. (lowering his gun) I know you're in this for revenge.
  Nikita: You blame me? You know first hand what it feels like, have the thing you love most in life taken away from you.
  Michael: He wasn't your life. He was your cover. I warned you not to get emotionally attached.
  Nikita: (coming closer to him) You mean the way you did, with me?
  Michael: (raising his gun again) Don't, don't!
  Nikita: Michael, I know why you're staying there. You want to protect the other recruits the way you protected me.
  Michael: I can't protect you anymore.
  Nikita: Then let me go, or stop me now.
  Michael: (lowering his gun once more) I'll give you a head start.
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- Nikita: (voiceover) My name is Nikita. Six years ago I was taken out of prison and forced by a covert unit of the government to be an assassin. Three years ago I escaped and have been hunted ever since. I was the first recruit to get out. I'm going to make certain I'm not the last.
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- Michael: Your life is over, Alex. I'm here to offer you a new one. But you have to be willing to earn it.
  Alex: What do I gotta do?
  Michael: Learn...how not to sound like a teen meth-whore for starters. Learn to stand up straight. Learn how to walk right. Learn how to talk right. Learn how to serve your country, instead of just yourself.
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- Percy: (referring to Nikita) Did she say who she was working for?
  Birkhoff: No. Honestly, I think it's a bluff. I think she's on her own. I mean, you should have seen her, she was a wreck. I was able to turn the tables on her easy.
  Michael: Yeah, was that before or after she duct-taped you to that springy rocking horse?
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- Nikita: They told me a killed a cop. I don't remember...I've tried to. I'd just turned eighteen, so they were able to charge me with murder one. I was sentenced to die by lethal injection.
  Gary: No frickin' way.
  Nikita: Trust me, you'll want to save your 'no frickin' way' for the next part...where my execution was faked by a secret unit of the government called Division. They told me they were giving me a second chance. They told me they I'd be serving my country. What they didn't tell me is they were training me to be an assassin.
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NOTES (3)
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- Featured Music:
  "Elephant Song" by The Enemy
  "Fuego" by Bomba Estereo
  "No Way Back" by 8MM
  "The Step And The Walk" by The Duke Spirit
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: September 9, 2010 on A
  United Kingdom: October 7, 2010 on LIVING/LIVING HD
  Sweden: November 3, 2010 on Kanal 5
  Czech Republic: September 12, 2012 on TV Nova
  Slovakia: January 5, 2013 on Dajto
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- The CW promotions for the pilot episode featured the song "Rockstar 101" by Rihanna.
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