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Amazon.co.uk Review
In Nikita, the CW Network has developed another resounding hit on its roster of solid dramatic series that do a nice job of grabbing viewers from a variety of demographics. With season two starting in late September 2011, this slick package of the 22 episodes of season one is a great way of diving into a show that's among the best looking, most tightly produced, and intensely cinematic on the small screen. The title and the premise both come from the 1990 French feature film and early style-setter from writer-director Luc Besson, La Femme Nikita. The character of Nikita was a beautiful, troubled young criminal who was essentially abducted from prison and inducted into covert intelligence to become a sleeper assassin used at the will and the whim of the government. There was an American remake in 1993, Point of No Return, starring Bridget Fonda, then a TV adaptation in 1997 that used the original French title and ran for just over four seasons on the USA Network. This reworking maintains the basic premise of a black ops organization that has largely gone rogue from US government control, with the title character of a dangerous, sexy assassin having escaped its clutches and gone rogue herself. After six years as its most expert operative, this Nikita (Maggie Q, who is very dangerous and very sexy) uses all her training and black ops wiles to destroy the unit known only as Division. Division is run from a high-tech bunker by the evil, calculating Percy (a steely-eyed Xander Berkeley) as a kind of top-secret consulting firm for the high-paying interests of those in need of murder, protection, or other sundry cleanup or coverup services. It employs a stable of young, buffed, highly trained male and female "recruits" who, like Nikita, have been plucked from prison and indentured to lives dedicated to Division's devious details. But the pilot episode reveals that Division's latest recruit, Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca), is Nikita's mole, and she runs Alex from the outside, getting intel on Division's nefarious operations in her effort to bring it all down. The depth of Nikita's (and Alex's) malice toward Division is revealed over the course of the season, along with her ambivalence toward Percy's lieutenant, Michael (Shane West). Their cat-and-mouse includes a fair amount of personal heat within the missions that Nikita tries to disrupt, especially the one that becomes Division's top priority: eliminate Nikita. Michael has his own mixed feelings for his former protégé, and even as the intrigue among Michael, Nikita, Alex, and the other assorted characters both within and without Division becomes more elaborate, it's clear that there's a lot of gray for everyone. Except Percy, that is, who remains deliciously black throughout. The final episodes set up a suspenseful scenario of character maneuvering, compromised loyalties, and convoluted conspiracies that bodes very well for a new season.
Every installment of Nikita is paced and plotted like a mini thriller, with production values and heavily styled good looks to match. As series creator Craig Silverstein and many other behind-the-scenes contributors confirm in the extensive supplemental materials, incredible attention is given to the details of art direction, design, wardrobe, cinematography, scoring, etc. in order to make what are essentially mini action movies. And action is definitely a key word. There is gunplay aplenty, with a level of physical violence that's about as powerful as anything on TV these days. But all of it is expertly staged and carefully motivated to serve the needs of brainy, quick-witted scripts. Maggie Q certainly has the background chops to bring integrity and authenticity to her smooth martial arts moves; that's really her chopping and shooting up there. She is eminently appealing not only for her beauty and grace, but also her soulful stare. Silverstein admits that the CW Network was looking for a shoehorn series to capture not just action fans, and they all thought the Nikita brand could be adapted into a version of something like Alias. It makes sense with all the secret agent stuff going on and with Maggie Q making herself a rousing antidote for Jennifer Garner fans. But she's also uniquely Nikita as she guides an exciting show that gives equal weight to brain and brawn with a precise combination of restraint and exuberance. --Ted Fry
DVD Description
In this sexy and suspenseful series, Nikita has gone rogue. Division is an ultra-secret government agency whose operatives are recruited young people with severed ties to family, friends and society. Trained to be invisible assassins, no one ever leaves Division--except the charming and deadly Nikita, who has managed to escape, making it her mission to undermine the now-corrupt organization. A force to be reckoned with, the rogue Nikita taunts Division, staying on their radar, but always one step ahead. Yet as determined as Nikita is to bring down her former agency, there are those just as determined to stop her, including Division's newest recruit Alex, a beautiful young woman who seems destined to replace Nikita as their next top operative.
Extra Content
Audio Commentaries
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes:
Inside Division, Part 1: The New Nikita
Inside Division, Part 2:Executing an Episode
Inside Division, Profiles: Nikita
Inside Division, Profiles: Alex
Inside Division, Profiles: Percy
Inside Division, Profiles: Michael
Extra Content
Audio Commentaries
Deleted Scenes
Featurettes:
Inside Division, Part 1: The New Nikita
Inside Division, Part 2:Executing an Episode
Inside Division, Profiles: Nikita
Inside Division, Profiles: Alex
Inside Division, Profiles: Percy
Inside Division, Profiles: Michael
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This show is action packed awesomeness. Nikita 2010 blasted onto the screen and took me by surprise. As a previous viewer of LFN I was a skeptic. Well skepticism has a new name Legendary.
Maggie Q as Nikita is amazing, from her fantastic martial art skills (which she is so humble about) to the captivating emotion of Nikita's life inside and out of Division while she is rogue.
Shane West as the stoic Division agent Michael has brought new levels this character never had before. West expresses the deep emotions his complex character is feeling with one look.
Lysdny Fonseca plays the tortured Alexandra Udivof with such a heart wrenching story you would swear she was Anastasia.
The cast as a whole (mention to) Melinda Clarke, Aaron Standford, Xander Berkley - great.
Melinda plays the chilling and sinister Amanda nicknamed 'The Inquisitor'
Aaron Standford is the surly and newly improved 2010 Birkhoff or 'nerd' as Nikita calls him, his wit and mannerisms make you crave the whole ensemble of the cast!
Xander Berkely the head of Division, Percy, with little regard for human life and much for power and control.
This season was an amazing start and is only the beginning.
Only improvement (but this could also be a device done to maintain mystery)- the audience needs more on Nikita, Division and her life before it and DURING it!
Maggie Q as Nikita is amazing, from her fantastic martial art skills (which she is so humble about) to the captivating emotion of Nikita's life inside and out of Division while she is rogue.
Shane West as the stoic Division agent Michael has brought new levels this character never had before. West expresses the deep emotions his complex character is feeling with one look.
Lysdny Fonseca plays the tortured Alexandra Udivof with such a heart wrenching story you would swear she was Anastasia.
The cast as a whole (mention to) Melinda Clarke, Aaron Standford, Xander Berkley - great.
Melinda plays the chilling and sinister Amanda nicknamed 'The Inquisitor'
Aaron Standford is the surly and newly improved 2010 Birkhoff or 'nerd' as Nikita calls him, his wit and mannerisms make you crave the whole ensemble of the cast!
Xander Berkely the head of Division, Percy, with little regard for human life and much for power and control.
This season was an amazing start and is only the beginning.
Only improvement (but this could also be a device done to maintain mystery)- the audience needs more on Nikita, Division and her life before it and DURING it!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Engaging, thrilling and fast paced Nikita is the best show on TV right now. Maggie Q shines in the title role, not only bringing real depth to the role but also completely convincing in the fight scenes. The main supporting cast is brilliant, Melinda Clarke is particularly brilliant as the chilling Amanda.
The show certainly fills the gap left by Alias, another brilliant female led spy show. There are some similarities between the two, as well as Chuck and I presume other spy shows. However the show certainly stands alone and is not predictable in the slightest.
One of Nikita's strong points is it's fight scenes, while in the past certain shows have had obviously fake fight scenes, Nikita's are not. The scenes are realistic and well choreographed. Perfect for action fans.
On a shallow note, there's plenty of eye candy of both genders although unlike Chuck the women do not suffer from male gaze.
Despite being on the CW, which sadly puts off a lot of viewers, Nikita is a show of superior quality and does not deserve to be overlooked. Well worth the watch!
The show certainly fills the gap left by Alias, another brilliant female led spy show. There are some similarities between the two, as well as Chuck and I presume other spy shows. However the show certainly stands alone and is not predictable in the slightest.
One of Nikita's strong points is it's fight scenes, while in the past certain shows have had obviously fake fight scenes, Nikita's are not. The scenes are realistic and well choreographed. Perfect for action fans.
On a shallow note, there's plenty of eye candy of both genders although unlike Chuck the women do not suffer from male gaze.
Despite being on the CW, which sadly puts off a lot of viewers, Nikita is a show of superior quality and does not deserve to be overlooked. Well worth the watch!
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having watched many great American Tv series in the past I have found many of them to be overly done and the tense moments too forced; Prison Break for example. But this was a commplete breath of fresh air.
Way more real, far less ridiculous and just great television. The characters spark off each other and their relationships are totally believable. The storyline twists and turns and left me glued to my set. I managed to watch the entire series in 5 days which is very unlike me but I just couldnt get enough.
Shane West, Maggie Q and Lydsey Fonseca are terrific and create complex characters with so much depth which I really grew to love as the series progressed.
Would really recommend this to anyone who dont mind losing a few days out of their life.
Way more real, far less ridiculous and just great television. The characters spark off each other and their relationships are totally believable. The storyline twists and turns and left me glued to my set. I managed to watch the entire series in 5 days which is very unlike me but I just couldnt get enough.
Shane West, Maggie Q and Lydsey Fonseca are terrific and create complex characters with so much depth which I really grew to love as the series progressed.
Would really recommend this to anyone who dont mind losing a few days out of their life.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Starring the irresistible Maggie Q
Looking for a good time? Try Nikita which might be the best action thriller TV series ever. Or it might not. But it is pretty good. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Ian Williams
I love it
I already loved the series "La famme Nikita" and this American adaption is fantastic too.
It is interesting that the plot is around the fight against Division from the in- and... Read more
It is interesting that the plot is around the fight against Division from the in- and... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Silbersack13
Insanely AWESOME!!
I never thought that I would fall so in love with a program as quickly as I have fallen for 'Nikita'! It has everything that one could want in a program and more - much more! Read more
Published 1 month ago by sprlyd
Long legs but awful acting
Once you get past the long legs and the one piece fighting attire there is not much more to hold your interest. Bad story and the acting is atrocious. Don't bother!
Published 2 months ago by Deburah Edgar
Slick, fast paced and hugely entertaining.
Initially it is hard not to be reminded of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse with lots of fit young things doing James Bond training stuff in some secret bunker while Nikita and Alex the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Willy Eckerslike
good old show with new dress (to kill)
i love this action-packed show with fascinating martial arts scenes and very sexy maggie Q on top! the plot is exciting and so you want to see more and more.
Published 7 months ago by Alexander Feusthuber
NIKITA SEASON 1
I would deffiantly recomend this to the audience threough out the series, theres heck loads of Acton/drama/romance all combined into secretcy, The box set is terrific, please buy... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Zach D. Boardman
worse ways to spend 40mins!
its nothing you couldnt turn off and never watch again but for the most part its watcable thanks to maggie q and some good fight scenes
Published 15 months ago by Jason Fortune
High octane action
A bit reminscent of Alias with Jennifer Garner, where she was fighting, with the CIA, against SD6.
In this series 'Division' are the bad guys. Read more
In this series 'Division' are the bad guys. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Dodster
for the guy who takes things way too seriously
er its not real, who are "Operations" and when has an action series had to make sense?
I can't help feeling you tuned in to watch nikita but expected it to be... Read more
I can't help feeling you tuned in to watch nikita but expected it to be... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mr. C. Hall
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