Rating:  -
I have to admit that when I first started watching the first episode, I was pretty turned off by the flashy, razzle-dazzle jump-cutty style of the show. But once the story line took over I was definitely hooked. This is a supremely seductive show--not merely because the lead actress, Peta Wilson, is hot, but because the stories fuse enough exaggerated/fantasy stuff with real-world terrorist activities, a number of which have actually occurred. The show sticks in my head; it's adhesive. OK, so the Operations guy's acting is basically stiff as a board, and Michael (Roy Dupuis)'s nickname should really be "Mister Whisper" since that's basically how he talks all the time. But the guys who play Birkoff (the IT geek) and Walter (the weapons master) are both decent actors, and Alberta Watson as Madeline is an old pro, so she's fine. And Peta Wilson herself is also a more than decent actress; she does a great job as the main character.
But it's the plotting that carries the show; it's great. Yes, sometimes there are some logical inconsistencies, and sometimes there are some truly grisly moments (a father bites his daughter to death in the neck). But you can tell that the primary focus of the writers, producers and directors is to entertain--and that they do manage to accomplish. Along with "Nowhere Man" and "Profit" I count this as one of the best TV series ever made.
Rating: -
i have to say they seemed to pay a little more attention to the music in the first series, especially the first episode they ever made which actually is on disk 2 called 'true love'.
disk 2 series are probably some of my favorite episodes on season 1 as well. im not into film directing so i dont know all the lingo, but the opening scene in 'obsessed' was very well done. nice little camera & editing tricks along with great timing with the music ( i think known as film scoring).
they have different directors and you can kind of tell which ones did which episodes as some of them seem to have certain 'styles'. as i said im no film expert or even amateur.
i do have to say peta is very very good with this character, alot of her character and emotions comes out through her eyes. if you can look at the first episode of series 1 compared to the first episode in series 3, you'll notice just how far developed nikita & most likely peta's character familiarization really comes into play.
roy on the other hand delivers just ok, he's great when he playing real cool & slightly ruthless but some times his acting just doesn't deliver. the other actors seem to fit in their characters pretty well, no real complaints.
madeline & nikita seem to have slightly more mutual affection for each other in the first series. you dont get to learn too much about the other characters but in the next few series you do. i think the first & last series are probably my favorites, altho there are other episodes i liked in the other middle series.
Rating:  -
First, let me say there are not enough stars to rate this show. It was amazing and kept you tuned in each and every week, waiting on the edge of your seat. I have been a HUGE fan of this show ever since it came out on USA Network (9pm on Sundays.....never missed an episode!) You will not be disappointed in buying this DVD set. I re-watch mine often. The story lines a great, the actors and actresses are amazing (I especially like it for Roy Dupuis...he is very very sexy), and this is one of the few DVD sets out there where you will want to buy all of the seasons.
Rating: -
First, I want to state that I did not watch Nikita on television, so my comments are limited to my viewing the Season One box set. Second, I find it sad, but not surprising, that recent reviews have panned the show or the dvd quality. In an entertainment world over 10 years later, Nikita lacks the "luster," the "non-stop explosives," and the "mindless CGI effects" that viewers today take for granted. Moreover, since Nikita has a more "cold war" feel to it, I am sure those who didn't live during the cold war or did not learn their history lessons, may find it hard to understand that "terrorism" existed in abundance prior to our country's current activities. Third, like many, I wish the show was in wide screen formate, but if reviewers and buyers read the description (and do a little research), they will learn that the show was not filmed in that formate. Fourth, and most important to me, I take exception to reviews that pan the show for "poor storylines, poor acting, poor production."
Sadly, I purchased the Alias series--which I really like--first, so I found myself dismayed at the "copy cat" nature of Alias. Nikita is truly a much superior show: the writing is tighter; the directing and editing excellent; the themes and story lines are fuller and more realistic; and, perhaps most importantly, the look is genuine--the producers utilized Toronto very convincingly; (I almost always felt like they were really on location, having lived in Europe for three years). Peta Wilson was perfect for the show, her performances were generally outstanding, and over-all, award worthy. While I personally did not care for Roy Dupuis' character, the actor's portrayals should not be confused with the character. And Roy's portrayals are very commendable. Together, Roy and Peta had great "chemistry"--as they say. Thus, I can state, with all due respect, that in my opinion the show does in fact have great story lines, superb acting, and amazing production (which was on a "shoe string" budget, even for the time).
All of that said, what really distinguishes Nikita is the fact that I find the episodes to be about relationships, not spies, sci-fi, terrorism, theoretical "ultra-secret" governmental agencies (albeit, I am sure the Bush administration would really enjoy the freedom of Section One), or any thing else. It is a microscopic look at the way people interact (both in 1995 and today). That is, through the established structure of the fictional Section One, relationships between people are highly controlled and well defined. One wrong move and you are "dead;" figuratively or (from the view point of the show) literally. One misunderstanding between two people can cascade into all sorts of outcomes. Lies and truths are intertwined (granted, in exaggerated excesses), driving the various relationships. Trust is a commodity that is elusive and even harder to maintain; games are habitually used. And POWER is the key to all relationships, interactions/actions, and motivations--either directly or indirectly; with or with out awareness.
Watch Nikita, and look for yourself in the mirror that it holds up for us to look at our own lives. I truly doubt that the creators and staff of Nikita intended to create a reflection of how relationships work, and I am not one to claim I know how they work. However, having a Ph.D. in both Sociology and Anthropology, it is my opinion that this is the strength of the series, Le Femme Nikita. For those interested in readings that influence my professional position, I recommend the following books in particular: The Homeless Mind: Modernization and Consciousness by Peter Berger, et al; Valuing the Self by Dorthy Lee (not available from Amazon); From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology by Max Weber (or any of his other works); Mind, Self, and Society by George Herbert Mead; and The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills.
As one final note, I would like to present MY personal opinion and position concerning the topic of Nikita: terrorism. As a former military officer with considerable experience in security, intelligence, and anti-terrorism in mid 1970s, I believe that Nikita's portrayal of how terrorism must be dealt with is much more realistic than our so called "War on Terrorism." Terrorists must be fought with terrorists: not hard working, patriotic soldiers of our fine military. Terrorism is NOT war; and rhetoric cannot change that.
Rating:  -
5 Stars For THe Show, 2 Stars For The DVD
The show is fantasic, my grip in the review are hte DVD's
I guess this is what happens when you compress the hell out of it...but theres lots of compression issues in these DVD sets. They look bad, if it wasn't for the fuzz on the television, the origional broadcasts looked better than this.
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