I'm beginning to get worried that Nikita is overextending itself. There are already several major conflicts going on between the various factions we know, with interests colliding and crossing at every turn. "Clawback" introduces yet another one without resolving any of the previous conflicts: Division vs. Oversight. Now, it may turn out that all the conflicts get resolved in one fell swoop, so it doesn't matter in the long run, but it's worrisome that so much is piling up without anything be dealt with first.
At the same time, with Ryan presumed dead and working for Amanda, there will be plenty of plots available in the future. There are definitely more moving pieces this season than in the first, so pretty much anything could happen.
Score: 8.7/10
Showing posts with label Nikita. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nikita. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 2 Episode 5 Looking Glass
As Alex prepared to go to Belarus and cross paths with Nikita once again, I thought to myself how contrived it was that Alex would continually meet Nikita in random places despite the many things that go on in the world and the number of agents Division has. Nikita and Alex are now doing their separate things, and for them to continually meet the ways they do--like in "Looking Glass" where they are in the same place but don't see each other--is completely farfetched. I wouldn't mind if there was Nikita or Alex in an episode just so we could see them doing something without the influence of the other, a more realistic scenario that would also bring focus to the episode.
The plot of the episode was also contrived a fair bit. The stuff with Michael's former asset was pretty good but the way in which she and her son almost died--in a car explosion, the exact same way Michael's wife and daughter died--was ludicrous. Finally, the soap opera reveal, the son is Michael's and Nikita knows--but will she tell?
Score: 7.9/10
The plot of the episode was also contrived a fair bit. The stuff with Michael's former asset was pretty good but the way in which she and her son almost died--in a car explosion, the exact same way Michael's wife and daughter died--was ludicrous. Finally, the soap opera reveal, the son is Michael's and Nikita knows--but will she tell?
Score: 7.9/10
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 2 Episode 4 Partners
The first season of Nikita had two sides--Nikita and Alex on one, and Division on the other. Their roles were clearly defined and it was already evident what they wanted. In the second season, things are much different. There's still the story of Nikita vs. Division, with Michael and Birkhoff joining Nikita's side and Alex leaving, but there is also the increasing reach of Ari Tasarov and Gogol, and Sergei Semak and Zetrov. There are so many competing interests and secrets that every plot gets tangled in a web of lies.
"Partners" shows us the fleeting bonds of partnership, as Nikita's former partner could only be loyal for so long before helping Gogol. While Nikita may have saved Alex this time and will continue to do so, Alex is deadset in her objectives and is a threat despite Nikita's goodwill.
Score: 8.7/10
"Partners" shows us the fleeting bonds of partnership, as Nikita's former partner could only be loyal for so long before helping Gogol. While Nikita may have saved Alex this time and will continue to do so, Alex is deadset in her objectives and is a threat despite Nikita's goodwill.
Score: 8.7/10
Friday, September 30, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 2 Episode 2 Falling Ash
Without the strict constraints of Division dictating every characters' moves, Nikita can freely explore different plots without any hindrance. In "Falling Ash," Owen returns and we get to see more of the bad things in the world, a defunct brainwashing program which Division burned down. Division's involvement is very minimal, allowing us to see more of Birkhoff and his side of the operation.
Talking to Owen, Michael is conflicted about the quest he's on. He has everything he wants but is still on the quest to destroy Division and that may not be worth it. He picks up the snow globe at the end of the episode and stares at it, troubled at the position he's in.
It is revealed at the end of the episode that Owen is working for Ari Tasarov and Gogol, a twist that wasn't completely out of the blue since Owen suggested he got work since the last we saw him. This sure is a complicated situation.
Score: 8.7/10
Talking to Owen, Michael is conflicted about the quest he's on. He has everything he wants but is still on the quest to destroy Division and that may not be worth it. He picks up the snow globe at the end of the episode and stares at it, troubled at the position he's in.
It is revealed at the end of the episode that Owen is working for Ari Tasarov and Gogol, a twist that wasn't completely out of the blue since Owen suggested he got work since the last we saw him. This sure is a complicated situation.
Score: 8.7/10
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 2 Episode 1 Game Change
"Game Change" is, of course, about the game changing. Nikita Season 2 is vastly different than Nikita Season 1. Nikita and Michael are together, holding a black box and trying to take down Division. Alex, on the other hand, is also out of Division but is helping them retrieve the black box in exchange for help taking down the people who killed her father. Gone are the days when Alex was the innocent girl who was actually spying for Nikita. Gone are the days when Michael chased after Nikita.
The plot isn't to interesting--Nikita and Michael helping a guy framed for murdering and exposing one of Division's coverups--but the episode ends with a lasting, brutal scene. Facing down against Alex, Nikita kicks her ass, proceeds to break her arm and shoots her in the leg, all while Alex wails. It doesn't get more serious than that.
Score: 8.7/10
The plot isn't to interesting--Nikita and Michael helping a guy framed for murdering and exposing one of Division's coverups--but the episode ends with a lasting, brutal scene. Facing down against Alex, Nikita kicks her ass, proceeds to break her arm and shoots her in the leg, all while Alex wails. It doesn't get more serious than that.
Score: 8.7/10
Friday, May 13, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 22 Pandora
In true Nikita fashion, "Pandora" is chalk full of plot turns. The episode moves quickly from one thing to a next and the characters are all over the place in the episode. It begins at the loft with Alex shooting Nikita before Division agents arrive, and we soon learn that Alex faked Nikita's death (that one was pretty obvious). After Michael disables Percy, Nikita says the CIA top dogs, and Amanda lets Alex go, the episode comes full circle, ending where it begun: with Nikita and Alex together in the loft. This time, however, it is the official cutting of the alliance, as Alex cuts the zip line, physically making it impossible for her to rejoin Nikita.
Looking forward to the next season--assuming the show is renewed--the show has completely changed. Nikita and Alex are no longer allies but wary adversaries, while Nikita and Michael, once enemies, are completely together. As far as the endgame goal of taking down Division there is certainly a long ways to go still.
Alberta Watson, Madeline on La Femme Nikita, guest starred in the episode as one of the government people. Along with Amanda's increased presence, it reminded me how much darker the original show was.
Score: 9.2/10
Looking forward to the next season--assuming the show is renewed--the show has completely changed. Nikita and Alex are no longer allies but wary adversaries, while Nikita and Michael, once enemies, are completely together. As far as the endgame goal of taking down Division there is certainly a long ways to go still.
Alberta Watson, Madeline on La Femme Nikita, guest starred in the episode as one of the government people. Along with Amanda's increased presence, it reminded me how much darker the original show was.
Score: 9.2/10
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Preview of Week 5/08/11 - 5/14/11
Stargate Universe - SYFY, Monday, May 9, 9:00pm ET
The Stargate franchise comes to an end tomorrow night with the series finale of Stargate Universe. Unlike some people, I won't be too sad. There was already a Hollywood movie, 10 seasons for SG-1, 5 for Atlantis, 2 direct-to-DVD movies, and 2 seasons of Universe. There have been missteps along the way--3 failed video games (I feel sorry for those who bought Resistance), premature cancellations, and the new movies not going ahead--but it's been a long journey which had to come to an end eventually.
Community - NBC, Thursday, May 12, 8:00pm ET
The epic paintball fight which begun last week will continue this week with the second part and season finale.
Bones - FOX, Thursday, May 12, 9:00pm ET
If you watched the promos, something really big is supposed to happen. We'll see if the writers can deliver.
Smallville - CW, Friday, May 13, 8:00pm ET
After ten seasons, Smallville finally comes to an end with a two hour series finale.
The Stargate franchise comes to an end tomorrow night with the series finale of Stargate Universe. Unlike some people, I won't be too sad. There was already a Hollywood movie, 10 seasons for SG-1, 5 for Atlantis, 2 direct-to-DVD movies, and 2 seasons of Universe. There have been missteps along the way--3 failed video games (I feel sorry for those who bought Resistance), premature cancellations, and the new movies not going ahead--but it's been a long journey which had to come to an end eventually.
Community - NBC, Thursday, May 12, 8:00pm ET
The epic paintball fight which begun last week will continue this week with the second part and season finale.
Bones - FOX, Thursday, May 12, 9:00pm ET
If you watched the promos, something really big is supposed to happen. We'll see if the writers can deliver.
Smallville - CW, Friday, May 13, 8:00pm ET
After ten seasons, Smallville finally comes to an end with a two hour series finale.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 21 Betrayals
Last week, I talked about how Nikita always seems to resolve problems by killing off characters who have knowledge to blow everything wide open. Because "Betrayals" is the penultimate episode of the season, leading right into the season finale, there isn't any need for any jams to be resolved instantly.
At the end of the episode, things look pretty grim. Percy proves to be the ultimate mastermind (The reason the black box system seems stupid is because Percy intentionally let Nikita steal the last one...), fooling Nikita, Michael, and Alex. The black box being brought to the CIA to decrypt is actually a Trojan horse, the kill chips are reactivated, Michael is down, and Alex learns that Nikita killed her father, putting her in grave doubt.
The question is, how can the main characters survive the season finale next week. Given all the predicaments, the writers have a tall order, but they've done it before.
Score: 9.0/10
At the end of the episode, things look pretty grim. Percy proves to be the ultimate mastermind (The reason the black box system seems stupid is because Percy intentionally let Nikita steal the last one...), fooling Nikita, Michael, and Alex. The black box being brought to the CIA to decrypt is actually a Trojan horse, the kill chips are reactivated, Michael is down, and Alex learns that Nikita killed her father, putting her in grave doubt.
The question is, how can the main characters survive the season finale next week. Given all the predicaments, the writers have a tall order, but they've done it before.
Score: 9.0/10
Friday, April 29, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 20 Glass Houses
Ever since things starting heating up on Nikita, the show has been caught in a predicament. It wants keep the tension going, maintaining a credible threat so we think something bad might happen to Alex, but the drawback has been the elimination of other characters. She's almost caught nearly every episode and in some of those episodes, I'm sure plenty of people thought she'd actually be caught. In the end, though, Alex's biggest problems were solved by characters deaths (Thom, Jaden). After a while, you see how this can't work in the long-run, because we'll catch on that the characters outside of the main ones (Nikita, Michael, Alex, Birkhoff, and Percy) and easily expendable and that they should be taken lightly.
At the same time, as options become limited, the initial concept of the show--Nikita on the outside with her mole on the inside--has a very definite lifespan, and Alex is increasingly closer to getting out. The ending of "Glass Houses," with Amanda showing her cards, should be enough to push her over the edge--unless Amanda is killed and all is fine again.
The main plot was fine, but the more I think about this black box system, the more absurd it sounds. Percy doesn't keep tabs on the guardians besides tracking devices and doesn't make sure every guardian is fully aware of and prepared for the Nikita threat (and by that I mean personally making sure they have guns up the wazoo). Also absurd is that Michael and Nikita can be seen publicly when Division supposedly has access to cameras everywhere.
Score: 8.2/10
At the same time, as options become limited, the initial concept of the show--Nikita on the outside with her mole on the inside--has a very definite lifespan, and Alex is increasingly closer to getting out. The ending of "Glass Houses," with Amanda showing her cards, should be enough to push her over the edge--unless Amanda is killed and all is fine again.
The main plot was fine, but the more I think about this black box system, the more absurd it sounds. Percy doesn't keep tabs on the guardians besides tracking devices and doesn't make sure every guardian is fully aware of and prepared for the Nikita threat (and by that I mean personally making sure they have guns up the wazoo). Also absurd is that Michael and Nikita can be seen publicly when Division supposedly has access to cameras everywhere.
Score: 8.2/10
Friday, April 22, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 19 Girl's Best Friend
I've commented several times about how there is little nuisance to the way Divisions and Percy are portrayed. For all intents and purposes, Percy is an evil, power-hungry individual, who, in turn, makes Division evil. "Girl's Best Friend" pulls back on that slightly, with Michael insisting that the current task would be better for the world. After all, who's against destroying dangerous weapons? This thought festers in our mind until the end of the episode, when Jaden happens the chunk to Percy.
We see that Nikita is not a story about morality or doing to right thing. The main character, Nikita, Alex, and Michael, are all on the right side of the fight and, from what we can tell, moral people. The real story is that of deception, layers good and evil trying to outwit and outthink the other, sometimes pretending to be the other. This is where the ambiguity comes in and where Nikita is most interesting.
Score: 8.6/10
We see that Nikita is not a story about morality or doing to right thing. The main character, Nikita, Alex, and Michael, are all on the right side of the fight and, from what we can tell, moral people. The real story is that of deception, layers good and evil trying to outwit and outthink the other, sometimes pretending to be the other. This is where the ambiguity comes in and where Nikita is most interesting.
Score: 8.6/10
Friday, April 15, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 18 Into the Dark
"Into the Dark" makes me wonder what Nikita would look like if it were not on the CW. There is a lot of good action and some cool stuff with Alex, but, in CW fashion, also a lot of sappy relationship stuff for Nikita and Michael. It's fine and all, but very generic and not particularly interesting.
What is interesting, though, is Amanda interrogating Alex and admitting that she wanted Alex killed. Amanda practically has Alex, using an fMRI to know when Alex is lying. However, Alex worms her way out brilliantly, answering the questions in a general way, not using specific names, so she doesn't lie but also does not inform Amanda who the real mole is.
Meanwhile, we see Owen in withdrawal while he and Nikita retrieve the black box. Eventually, the box is destroy, to Owen's dismay, but there are still plenty more out there to be found and I'm guessing Owen won't have an withdrawals next time, so Nikita and Michael may have a harder time stopping him to leaking the information.
Score: 8.9/10
What is interesting, though, is Amanda interrogating Alex and admitting that she wanted Alex killed. Amanda practically has Alex, using an fMRI to know when Alex is lying. However, Alex worms her way out brilliantly, answering the questions in a general way, not using specific names, so she doesn't lie but also does not inform Amanda who the real mole is.
Meanwhile, we see Owen in withdrawal while he and Nikita retrieve the black box. Eventually, the box is destroy, to Owen's dismay, but there are still plenty more out there to be found and I'm guessing Owen won't have an withdrawals next time, so Nikita and Michael may have a harder time stopping him to leaking the information.
Score: 8.9/10
Friday, April 8, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 17 Covenant
Even though Nikita has only been gone for a little over a month, I can hardly remember what happened last time other than that the episode ended with Michael with a gun inside Nikita's loft, ready to get all the answers.
With a setup like that, "Covenant" has monumental expectations to live up to. If Michael catches Nikita and is free to interrogate her, wouldn't he find the truth, thus disturbing the genetic makeup of the show, which is of two women fighting against Division? Will Michael, who been questioning the morally of Division and Percy, switch sides?
The answer to those question is yes, but the motivating factor is worrisome. "Covenant" has a lot of scenes of Nikita being awesome at what she does, and for the CW viewers, slightly artificial romance. But the major plot development, Michael switching sides, only comes about after the writers reinforce the silly narrative about Percy being the evilest man in the world. There is no gradation with his character, only pure evil which must be improved. Thus, after Michael learns that his arch-enemy Kasim was actually recruited by Percy, he makes the decision to turn against Division. All his huge decision boils down to is a very logical reason for opposing Percy.
Score: 8.2/10
With a setup like that, "Covenant" has monumental expectations to live up to. If Michael catches Nikita and is free to interrogate her, wouldn't he find the truth, thus disturbing the genetic makeup of the show, which is of two women fighting against Division? Will Michael, who been questioning the morally of Division and Percy, switch sides?
The answer to those question is yes, but the motivating factor is worrisome. "Covenant" has a lot of scenes of Nikita being awesome at what she does, and for the CW viewers, slightly artificial romance. But the major plot development, Michael switching sides, only comes about after the writers reinforce the silly narrative about Percy being the evilest man in the world. There is no gradation with his character, only pure evil which must be improved. Thus, after Michael learns that his arch-enemy Kasim was actually recruited by Percy, he makes the decision to turn against Division. All his huge decision boils down to is a very logical reason for opposing Percy.
Score: 8.2/10
Friday, February 25, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 16 Echoes
Wow, wonderful execution of the dream sequences! If I had to point to one episode this season that impressed me the most, it would be "Echoes." While it doesn't reach the level of Tony Soprano dream sequence episodes, it effectively spends a huge portion of the episode inside Alex's mind, as we explore her feelings about Division, Nikita, her childhood, and finally her great fear--the future Alex who has taken her father's place.
Meanwhile, Michael, using overpowered technology, find out that Alex was not in her apartment during a phone call, and was actually in the same room Nikita was in years ago after she had supposedly killed someone. The episode ends on a great cliffhanger, Michael sitting in a chair in Nikita's loft.
Score: 9.0/10
Those who've watched the La Femme Nikita series (and if you haven't, stop reading or you'll be spoiled) will probably recognize the similarity between Alex taking her father's mantle and Nikita, in LFN, being groomed by her mother to become head of Division.
Meanwhile, Michael, using overpowered technology, find out that Alex was not in her apartment during a phone call, and was actually in the same room Nikita was in years ago after she had supposedly killed someone. The episode ends on a great cliffhanger, Michael sitting in a chair in Nikita's loft.
Score: 9.0/10
Those who've watched the La Femme Nikita series (and if you haven't, stop reading or you'll be spoiled) will probably recognize the similarity between Alex taking her father's mantle and Nikita, in LFN, being groomed by her mother to become head of Division.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 15 Alexandra
The Nikita franchise is dark, inordinately so compared to the latest remake. There's lots of skeevy behavior especially in the series La Femme Nikita, so it was cool to see "Alexandra" return somewhat to its roots, with drugs and sex (although it doesn't happen). As we're reminded Alex was once a sex slave, and as the flashbacks fully reveal, she was also the daughter of a tycoon who, as we know, was killed by Division.
The episode doesn't have much plot, but builds off the flashbacks with Nikita rescuing Alex to give the episode plenty of emotion. Best of all, there isn't forced romance, aside from the large hint that Nikita loves Michael.
Score: 8.8/10
The episode doesn't have much plot, but builds off the flashbacks with Nikita rescuing Alex to give the episode plenty of emotion. Best of all, there isn't forced romance, aside from the large hint that Nikita loves Michael.
Score: 8.8/10
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 14 The Next Seduction
Seeing the effects of the CW's ironclad will to get 18-34 female viewers, I'm worried about where Nikita is headed. If Nikita is renewed, we'll probably have to put up with this watered-down version forever. Sadly, the CW just isn't a network conducive to pure ass kicking and the executives realized that after the first half of the season performed below expectations, which is why they made all the changes.
"The Next Seduction" is primarily about relationships, and the spy stuff gets shuffled in there as secondary point, even thought there are good twists in there. Basically, the end result of the episode is that Nikita kisses Ryan and Alex kisses Nathan. Now, the big question is, will the writers juggle the relationships and spy world adequately?
Score: 8.4/10
"The Next Seduction" is primarily about relationships, and the spy stuff gets shuffled in there as secondary point, even thought there are good twists in there. Basically, the end result of the episode is that Nikita kisses Ryan and Alex kisses Nathan. Now, the big question is, will the writers juggle the relationships and spy world adequately?
Score: 8.4/10
Friday, February 4, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 13 Coup de Grace
With Nikita and Alex finally able to work together without constantly watching their backs, Nikita's already fluid planning is even better, and I'm beginning to wonder whether Nikita can be beaten at all. Part of me wanted to see either the prince or his assistant killed. Yes, that would be dark, but also fitting with the spy world. If Nikita gets complete wins every single time, where is conflict? The writers should at least throw us a bone some of the times and make the outcome less predictable. Division is supposed to be powerful, with many highly-trained agents. Instead, Nikita rolls over them each time.
Nevertheless, "Coup de Grace" has a cool setup with every character donning guises to fool the public and the hostage, and there were great action scenes as always.
There are no cameras or bugs inside Alex's apartment, so Nikita can go to Alex freely. Isn't Division supposed to be super paranoid? That's one major, major plot hole to ignore.
Score: 8.7/10
Nevertheless, "Coup de Grace" has a cool setup with every character donning guises to fool the public and the hostage, and there were great action scenes as always.
There are no cameras or bugs inside Alex's apartment, so Nikita can go to Alex freely. Isn't Division supposed to be super paranoid? That's one major, major plot hole to ignore.
Score: 8.7/10
Friday, January 28, 2011
Review - Nikita Season 2 Episode 14 Free
I'm really busy this week, so very short reviews only.
My biggest complaint about Nikita is that Division is painted in a certain light which doesn't allow for moral ambiguity. Plain and simple, they're bad people. With "Free," there's also another problem: Nikita consistently fools Division. It's natural for Nikita to get a few wins here and there, but she's only one person plus Alex versus, well, an entire division. Meandering between random flashbacks, pointless romance, and yet another Michael-Nikita encounter, "Free" is very disappointing, especially coming after the great midseason finale.
If you've been following Nikita news and ratings, you'd see that its 18-34 female demographic--the one most coveted by the CW--has been doing that well. In response, the CIA guy Ryan was introduced as a romance for Nikita. Unfortunately, he's only pleasant and nothing more, without that needed spark. Alex also has a new guy in her life, although we don't know much about him yet.
Score: 8.1/10
My biggest complaint about Nikita is that Division is painted in a certain light which doesn't allow for moral ambiguity. Plain and simple, they're bad people. With "Free," there's also another problem: Nikita consistently fools Division. It's natural for Nikita to get a few wins here and there, but she's only one person plus Alex versus, well, an entire division. Meandering between random flashbacks, pointless romance, and yet another Michael-Nikita encounter, "Free" is very disappointing, especially coming after the great midseason finale.
If you've been following Nikita news and ratings, you'd see that its 18-34 female demographic--the one most coveted by the CW--has been doing that well. In response, the CIA guy Ryan was introduced as a romance for Nikita. Unfortunately, he's only pleasant and nothing more, without that needed spark. Alex also has a new guy in her life, although we don't know much about him yet.
Score: 8.1/10
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 11 All the Way
I am an entire day behind the television watching, so for the sake of time, reviews for Thursday and Wednesday shows will be very short (shorter than they the present short reviews). I was overwhelmed this week with other stuff, but I'll definitely be churning out reviews next week.
Wow, now that's a great midseason finale! Nikita continues to impress with kickass episode. In addition to the incredible scene of Nikita breaking out and beating up a room full of recruits in the process, Alex is promoted after doing what is necessary--killing Thom and leaving him to die.
The lines are drawn and Alex's will has only been bolstered, and now that she's an agent, we'll see how she exploits that to her advantage. The only trouble is that her only form of communication with Nikita was discovered.
Score: 9.0/10
Wow, now that's a great midseason finale! Nikita continues to impress with kickass episode. In addition to the incredible scene of Nikita breaking out and beating up a room full of recruits in the process, Alex is promoted after doing what is necessary--killing Thom and leaving him to die.
The lines are drawn and Alex's will has only been bolstered, and now that she's an agent, we'll see how she exploits that to her advantage. The only trouble is that her only form of communication with Nikita was discovered.
Score: 9.0/10
Friday, December 3, 2010
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 10 Dark Matter
In light of the Wikileaks debacle, "Dark Matter" comes at an opportune time. We see the effects of leaking classified information--widespread unrest--and the fact is, for diplomacy to happen, it must be conducted under a veil of secrecy. However, there is also the need for tight governmental scrutiny which is not applied to Division, which is why it's out of control, not just because it keeps secrets.
"Dark Matter" is an awesome episode with a truly global scale as Nikita and Owen travel across the world to rescue a CIA analyst. In the process, they get captured by the US military but manage to escape. The whole experience builds the trust between them, and by the end of the episode, they consider each other partners.
Alex and Jaden fought again, but not enough time was given to develop the plot. While Alex spies on the Engineer and Birkoff, Jaden traps her in there and tries to find the picture, but finds some plastic thing instead. Is it a thumbprint?
Score: 9.1/10
"Dark Matter" is an awesome episode with a truly global scale as Nikita and Owen travel across the world to rescue a CIA analyst. In the process, they get captured by the US military but manage to escape. The whole experience builds the trust between them, and by the end of the episode, they consider each other partners.
Alex and Jaden fought again, but not enough time was given to develop the plot. While Alex spies on the Engineer and Birkoff, Jaden traps her in there and tries to find the picture, but finds some plastic thing instead. Is it a thumbprint?
Score: 9.1/10
Friday, November 12, 2010
Review - Nikita Season 1 Episode 9 One Way
Compared with the original movie and series, Michael is probably the most changed. In the previous iterations, he was stone, emotionless, and coldly efficient. Nikita's Michael, however, is much more emotional and isn't really an enigma.
"One Way" shows us how Michael got into Division, and what drives him. Does it make him a more interesting character? Somewhat, but he's still one-dimensional in that he's angry most of the time. We learn through flashbacks that his family was killed in Yemen and Percy offered to help him find the killer if he joins Division.
In present time, Percy has tracked the killer to Uzbekistan and allows Michael to leave. Nikita, in turn, also departs to help Michael. Everything's going fine until Percy spots Nikita on a camera and decides to send in a team, bungling the operation and getting Michael kidnapped. Although Nikita later saves him, she also stops him from making a suicide run. We see the full extent of Michael's vengeance to the point where he's willing to sacrifice anything to get the killer. For Nikita, she wants him alive because she has feelings for him, but by saving him, she also pushes him away.
Without Nikita, Alex finds herself in a bind after pedoctor (see what I did there?) sees that she was checking up on Michael. However, Alex proves to be resourceful, blackmailing Jaden into supporting her claims about the doctor. And we know what Division does with him...
I think I've noted this before, but the writers have to stop the characters talking to themselves. Seriously, the one line quips are neither clever or pertinent to the story, and just plain painful, not to mention unrealistic. The show is about spies and isolation, and not talking is part of that.
In light of GWB's continued insistence that waterboarding saved lives, it's rather coincidental that Michael was waterboarded--and revealed nothing.
Score: 8.7/10
"One Way" shows us how Michael got into Division, and what drives him. Does it make him a more interesting character? Somewhat, but he's still one-dimensional in that he's angry most of the time. We learn through flashbacks that his family was killed in Yemen and Percy offered to help him find the killer if he joins Division.
In present time, Percy has tracked the killer to Uzbekistan and allows Michael to leave. Nikita, in turn, also departs to help Michael. Everything's going fine until Percy spots Nikita on a camera and decides to send in a team, bungling the operation and getting Michael kidnapped. Although Nikita later saves him, she also stops him from making a suicide run. We see the full extent of Michael's vengeance to the point where he's willing to sacrifice anything to get the killer. For Nikita, she wants him alive because she has feelings for him, but by saving him, she also pushes him away.
Without Nikita, Alex finds herself in a bind after pedoctor (see what I did there?) sees that she was checking up on Michael. However, Alex proves to be resourceful, blackmailing Jaden into supporting her claims about the doctor. And we know what Division does with him...
I think I've noted this before, but the writers have to stop the characters talking to themselves. Seriously, the one line quips are neither clever or pertinent to the story, and just plain painful, not to mention unrealistic. The show is about spies and isolation, and not talking is part of that.
In light of GWB's continued insistence that waterboarding saved lives, it's rather coincidental that Michael was waterboarded--and revealed nothing.
Score: 8.7/10
