By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
CW's 'Nikita' lacks what it takes
Showtime with Sasha
nikitafightscene
Sasha McBrayer says the fight scenes in "Nikita" rock, but that's about all.
Welcome to a new edition of Showtime with Sasha. I’m your host, Sasha McBrayer, your personal film and television critic. Today my codename is Freelancer and I’m reporting to Filmgoer 01 that the chicken is in the pot. Repeat, the chicken is in the pot.
Confused? That’s spy speak, folks. But allow me to decode it for you.
I wanted to properly introduce our topic for today, “Nikita,” the new CW series. Nikita was a teenager when she was convicted of a crime and sent to death row. Then a shadow organization fakes her death and trains her to be a sexy secret agent.
The CW show is not the first incarnation of Nikita. There were two films: the French “Nikita” and the American “Point of No Return.” And there was the show starring Australian blond, Peta Wilson. It was called “La Femme Nikita” and I’m still renting episodes from Netflix. I enjoy it that much.
The new Nikita more closely follows the mythos from the movies. It begins with ’Kita as an escaped rogue agent trying to take down division. She has a mole inside division — a girl called Alex.
The best thing about Nikita is lead actress Maggie Quigley. She doesn’t just look good. Her fight sequences rock.
I also like that there are a bunch of very young recruits locked inside Division in a sort of counter terrorism boot camp where failure means you’re canceled. Permanently.
The worst thing about Nikita is a general lack of style. A spy who is dead to the world should have a cold sinister cool billowing off of them like dry ice in my humble opinion. That’s what the cast of “Le Femme Nikita” had. But the CW’s “Nikita” is very blah to me.
I also intensely dislike Shane West cast as the new Michael. Mr. West, you’ve got nothin’ on Michael Dupuis.
But when it comes to film and to television I find you are either a fan or you’re not. How do I feel about the new “Nikita”? I’m not a fan.
But if you’re a fan of Showtime with Sasha look for me again next week.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters