Nikita
Review by: Kimberlee Dawn
 
 
Starring Peta Wilson (Nikita), Roy Dupuis (Michael)

From the movie (same title) is born this hot little number slammed onto the television screen by a group of no nonsense fashion dolls - and I thank you.

The rundown:"Section" is a secret government organization which fights the terrorists of the world. "Red Cell" are the bad guys. "Operations" is the name of the indisputable always-in-control-boss-man of Section. The hard hitting, conniving, very together and believe-it-or-not-compassionate Madeline is his right hand gal, they work together running Section and cannot allow their love for each other to be discovered or displayed. This creates a display of great self discipline and restraint but it has not to date made for any steamy love scenes with the exception of Operations breaking all the "lock-down" rules to claw through doors to be at her side when she's dying of anthrax--very moving scenes actually.

Nikita, was living on streets, hungry and alone, unnoticed and unaccounted for in society -- a no-body delinquent. Section, discovering her to be a perfect candidate, framed her for murder, removed her from prison and brought in to Section to be trained as a deadly operative. She is listed by all outside official accounts to being dead and buried, therefore only Section knows she really exists, and the jealously protect and guard their vested interest. Which isn't as good as it sounds because they kill their operatives for any slight infraction. Michael is her trainer - and became her lover (an infraction of section's rules). Michael's past is a mystery, he is a tortured soul, (with dreamy eyes), a man who's very humanity has been broken by his operative activities. Nikita works her love stuff to heal him. (Which of course, provides for some steamy scenes!) Together they terrorize terrorists.

The show is full of great (but simply done at home) hair styles, great (current, accessible and actually wearable) fashions for men and women of all age groups and great original tunes from Canada, USA and Europe (I think that's correct). It displays the hottest techy toys and spy stuffs. It's also full of violence, sexual tension, martial arts and guns (but oddly with the story plots there isn't as much gratuitous violence as I expected) -- but you can always change the channel (and parents, you should put up a channel block for the kiddies regarding this program).

Nikita is a soft hearted woman in a nasty business, constantly fighting the dark legacy that Section bestows upon it's operative's minds of which Michael is a true victim.. How can one be violent when necessary, without being violent? How can one have noble humane intentions when killing people? These and many other questions arise as Nikita struggles to remain a compassionate human being against the odds - and she does, for the most part, in this show. When she doesn't win the battle to keep her compassion intact she feels regret - she doesn't just fake remorse - and this point gets across strongly in this show. She has seen the street, she has been the street and she knows that the street's people are as valuable as are brain surgeons, the plot has seen her pitted against street people abusers quite often, leaving a good impression.

And that's why I love the show, where else can I find fashions, music and hair all rolled together with a real message regarding living in tough times with nothing clear-cut other than one's secret knowledge of their true intentions. Knowing that there is no such thing as black and white (right or wrong) when the world all really painted gray. And although I am straight, where else could I oogle Peta Wilson without my sexual preference being confused? Remember gentlemen, women know that men will look at us seemingly no matter what we wear as long as we're clean, so it is to say that "women dress for other women, not men" - it's a competitive girl thing. Of course, the completely self controlled, darkly charismatic Michael isn't exactly hard on the eyes either! But gee, couldn't the guy smile once in awhile and couldn't the writers let us know if he is the chosen successor of Section by Operations and will Nikita continue to win the battle on the war of the wills in the gray world….? Well, we may never know the answers to these questions if the networks don't pick up the series again, which is, by the way, huge in Europe. It's filmed in Canada, so don't the Canadian people have a say in what they get to watch?

Note please, this show might frighten men of chauvinistic beliefs primarily because the women are depicted as strong of mind and body. However, even a chauvinist can appreciate these women embroiled in hot action scenes with plenty of close ups! And you know, by the way, women are chauvinistic too. So for you ladies that oink, don't get your panties tied in a knot because Operations is a male, you should know the first boss and founder of Section was a femme fatale named Adrianne (now depicted as a gorgeous senior citizen. She's a senior, a toughie, smart, and best of all Madeline and Operations are afraid of her).