New series: Nikita

Nikita is a re-imagining of the '90s action series La Femme Nikita which itself was actually based upon the 1990 film Nikita written and directed by Luc Besson. So technically this most recent version is a rehash of a rehash. I guess it goes without saying then that this isn’t the type of TV show that is actively looking to have many original ideas or complexities. Its aims are much more simple; it’s just trying to be a fun and entertaining action series. Even though it may be highly derivative, it succeeds at providing some good escapism whilst being enjoyable to watch... and from this particular show, that’s honestly all I was expecting.

The plot of Nikita isn’t terribly complicated. Nikita (Maggie Q) was recruited from prison straight into an agency of assassins called "Division", however she broke the rules by falling in love with a civilian, who Division then killed. Naturally, this made her decide to escape from them and plot some good old-fashioned revenge. The show begins three years later, with Nikita just starting to enact her well-planned retaliation upon the corrupt branch of the government. The other central character is Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca), who is sort of a younger version of Nikita because she’s just been fast-tracked into Division direct from prison. There are a fair number of ancillary characters, including Michael (Shane West), who trains the recruits, Percy (Xander Berkeley), who is the head of Division (so, the main bad guy) and Birkhoff (Aaron Stanford), who is a fairly typical nerd character in charge of Division’s computer system.

The pilot episode of Nikita plays very well onscreen. It’s predictable enough to be undemanding but not so predictable that it’s not exciting and though it may be unoriginal it still treats its subject in an interesting way. Of course, pilots are designed to get you hooked so it’s unclear what a regular episode will feel like. If it’s just more of Maggie Q beating people up and ruining Division’s plans then that'll be absolutely fine with me, but if more depth is added to the characters through devices like flashbacks and the missions grow to reveal more about the mythology, then Nikita could potentially become something really quite good. It’s definitely a series which would benefit from making its characters become a bit darker and morally conflicted.

It might be that I’m a bit of a Maggie Q fan, or that she’s just really talented and gorgeous, but I thought she was truly fantastic in the pilot. Admittedly, I’ve never seen any of the previous versions of this character, so I’m not qualified to judge how her version fits into the history of this story. However, I’m certain that watching Nikita conduct her various efficient and intricate plans to take down Division wouldn’t be half as engaging if it weren’t for the personality that Q brings to the role. Lyndsy Fonseca (who you may recognise as Katie from Kick-Ass) is also a real standout as Alex; it’s clear that there’s much more to learn about this character (next week’s episode, ‘2.0’, will show us more about Alex), especially with the neat little twist (even if I did see it coming) at the end. Unfortunately, Shane West’s Michael is less of success, and the fact that he speaks his dialogue in a seriously low voice - as if he’s some sort of (Christian Bale-style) Batman impersonator - will get annoying quickly.

Nikita is worth tuning in for if you’re looking for a bit of escapist television with some cool action scenes. The interesting premise provides it with potential to develop and the central roles are fairly well-acted. As long is it doesn’t let itself get too repetitive or sink into bad habits, Nikita will become a fun show that is just as rewarding to its followers as it is to first-time viewers.

Nikita airs on Living at 10pm on Thursdays.

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