Coming into the season three premiere, I definitely had my reservations. After all, this episode was going to signal a whole new chapter in the show’s legacy so I was very hesitant. Now I know I should have had more faith in Craig Silverstein, who managed to usher the show’s masterful storytelling into thrilling new avenues. Welcome back Nikita, you’re still as phenomenal as ever.
Of course it’s going to take some getting used to; Nikita’s no longer on the run so a lot of the urgency is gone. It didn’t help that Amanda wasn’t in the premiere (aside from one reference) so the episode felt sort of standalone in nature. Nevertheless, Silverstein focused on his superb cast of characters as they continued to evolve in dynamic fashion while laying the groundwork for a potentially brilliant year.
First off, I’m loving Ryan and Nikki’s struggle to come to terms with the boss/friendship dynamic. It’s undoubtedly going to be interesting to watch as they butt heads on a regular basis while others such as Birkhoff struggle to balance the divide.
Of course, the real highlight of the hour was the spectacular relationship between Michael and Nikki which has been a joy to watch over the course of the show. The couple had two outstanding scenes in this episode. The first was Michael fighting his way back to get Nikki’s “damn engagement ring” in the midst of all the chaos. The look on Maggie Q’s face during this was just priceless and the sequence literally gave me goosebumps. The second scene was the episode’s final proposal which was beyond perfect. The music, the humor, the cinematography. It’s heartwarming to watch Nikki so happy. I seriously loved it.
Bits & Bullets
– So we have a new opening narrated by Ryan. Not bad though a tad cheesy.
– Nice touch with Nikita attending a yoga class like a normal girl. It’s good to see her out in the open.
– I enjoyed Martin as the villain of the piece. He was always one step ahead of the team (particularly in framing Michael).
– Loved Michael giving himself up and Nikki jumping across rooftops. The action on this show still rocks.
– Awesome “wolf team” reveal with Alex strutting into the hotel with Sean in tow. It’s going to be fun to see her exploit her cover from now on.
– Although Sean didn’t get to do much in this hour, I did enjoy seeing him go undercover as Michael’s lawyer.
– One mention of Amanda and it seems she’s still causing anarchy out there. Can’t wait to see her again.
-I’m glad to say that the show’s sense of humor is still very much intact. I think I literally died when Birkhoff said the rogue Nikita line with the “oh no she didn’t” finger snap.
– Locking Michael in the cell was a very intelligent move.
– Nikki casually sliding into the car from above was super-cool.
– Epic moment as Nikki says she has “more than one loved one” and Alex arrives looking all badass and shoots Martin in the head. I’m so glad they haven’t diluted her attitude like I thought they did (and I loved her using the sniper rifle to save Michael).
– So the President is a woman? And she’s threatening to burn Division to the ground if they expose themselves? I can definitely see these two sides waging war by the end of the year and I’m eager to see that unfold.
Nikki Notables
Birkhoff: You guys ready to kick some super-spy ass?
Birkhoff: I could always check with Langley
Michael: By check he means hack.
Birkhoff: Lightly peak.
Michael: Gently penetrate.
Nikita: (To Birkhoff) We’re all lucky that you’re a perv.
Sean: You don’t mind if we crash your room do you?
Nikita: Yes and don’t touch my mini-bar.
Birkhoff: (To Ryan) I’m gonna give you a piece of advice you don’t hear in black ops… Chill.
Birkhoff: We used to get that look all the time in the old rogue-Nikita days. “Oh no she didn’t.”
Evil dude: American intelligence always betraying each other. You really have to get your house in order.
Must Download Tune
Perfectly aligned by Milo Greene
Conclusion
All in all, I’m definitely on board with Nikita‘s new chapter. Unlike Revenge which is having a rough transition, the changes on this show feel organic and earned. This was a fantastic opener.
Nad Rating
A
Yibaa!
Our adrenaline is pumping once again.
Welcome back, Nikki and the gang!
Allo, Nadim.
What happened to your doors?
They were just here a while ago; then they're gone.
Anyways, the new set-up is okay.
I just thought for a second there that it was because
of my i-net connection which is quite sloooooow nowadays.
Good review, btw.
Have a nice day!
The old format was causing many users a lot of problems! This is working much better and easier to navigate!
I loved this episode so much! What an amazing season opener – even though it didn't feature Amanda!
I literally got goosebumps when Michael said he's going back to get Nikita's engagement ring. The slow-mo, the chilling music and the look on Nikki's face…pure perfection. And I was really worried someone was going to kill Michael when he was proposing in the end. Thank god that didn't happen!
But my favorite moment of the hour was Nikita saying she has more than one loved one – and cut to Alex pointing a gun at Martin's head. Wowww. I was worried that with Michael and Nikita dating and now the whole gang working for/with Division, there would be less focus on the brilliant Nikki/Alex relationship which was the heart of this show, but I'm so glad that the writers didn't forget that. It's so heartwarming to hear Nikita saying that Michael and Alex are her two loved ones. Aww.
Not a fan of Ryan narrating the new opening, though. That's a little weird.
Birkhoff: We used to get that look all the time in the old rogue-Nikita days. “Oh no she didn't.”
HAHAHA I died!