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Nikita - Episode 4.06 - Canceled (Series Finale) - Review + Polls

Dec 28, 2013

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Bye bye, Nikita!

This Friday, the CW's spy thriller finished its run with one final mission. Nikita and Alex set out to hunt down the seven remaining members of MDK/The Group/The Shop after Jones gave them their names. After killing three of them (and Jones, for that matter), the other four members decide to have a meeting. Nikita and Alex invade the property, take the four of them hostage and demand to know who the remaining doubles are. All this is being watched by Amanda, who benefits greatly from Nikita taking MDK down, because that would mean she can take control.

But the rest of the team is also on to her. After tracking Nikita's location with the help of the aforementioned villainess, the property of Mr. Adrian is surrounded by the military. While the military is ready to open fire on the house, Michael and Sam try to talk Nikita out of doing this, saying it will destroy her soul. But she's unwilling to listen, and, after a fight with Alex, shoots all three remaining MDK members (one was already killed when the members refused to give the name of the doubles).

Nikita, Alex and Birkhoff (who helped Nikita to almost leak the doubles' identities) are captured and imprisoned. While she is held in the most secure room, Nikita is surprised by a visit from her long-time adversary Amanda. Amanda thanks Nikita for doing her dirty work yet again and reveals she erased the list containing the doubles' identities. She also says no one will ever hear from Nikita again, being in the deep hole that she is.

But then the tables are turned! Nikita and Alex faked the deaths of all eight "Shoperatives" in order to get to Amanda. They also know that the military leading man was in fact one of the doubles (this was whispered into Nikita's ear in Ryan's final moments), and they still have the list of the remaining doubles. While Michael and Sam free the real people, Amanda is captured in Nikita's cell. Helen is back in the basement, this time for good!

In the end, the team can finally be who they really are. The doubles are quietly taken down, Alex is honored for being the human rights activist while Sam (or really, more like Owen) is her bodyguard, Birkhoff reveals Shadownet to the world before getting to Sonya, Ryan is honored with a star at the CIA's memorial wall, and happily married Michael and Nikita reside on a beach in Ecuador. They seem to have given up their lives as an assassin, although there might always be another mission around the corner.

I really loved this series finale and I think it nicely resolved all the active storylines of the show. I expected the military officer to be a double (although the senator was also under my suspicion), but I never saw the big twist coming. I really like that Nikita doesn't end up being the assassin that she is, but in fact was ahead of Amanda all along. Amanda and Nikita's conversation was a very deep one that explored the heart of their relationship. I am really surprised they kept Amanda alive, but I do understand and even embrace the decision. Her capture is way more painful for her than her death would be.

Of course I am really sad to see this great series go, but I am glad it got a proper send-off (albeit a short one). The writers and actors put a lot of effort in these final six episodes and I think that each and every one of them is outstanding. Scroll down for some polls on this season and the series as a whole.

But first, if you haven't gotten enough of Nikita, there might be some good news for you. Although I can't extend the series' run, some of the cast and crew are already moving forward. Craig Silverstein, who developed Nikita in the first place, has its new AMC series Turn coming up, a period drama that will focus on a group of spies in the American Revolutionary War. Writer Albert Kim has a yet untitled conspricay drama in development at the CW that revolves around a woman imprisoned for a double murder she didn't commit. Two other Nikita writers, Travis Fickett and Terry Matalas, created a pilot for Syfy called 12 Monkeys. Noah Bean (Ryan) and Aaron Stanford (Birkhoff) are also cast in that pilot, which follows the journey of time travelers. Additionally, Bean will recur in Fox' upcoming drama Gang Related, a series that follows members of the LAPD's elite Gang Task Force. Shane West (Michael) has been been tapped to star in WGN America's Salem, which explores what really fueled Massachusetts' infamous witch trials. Xander Berkeley (Percy) has been cast in the pilot as well. Berkeley and Lyndsy Fonseca (Alex) are also shooting a film together, called Moments of Clarity, while Fonseca recurs on CBS' How I Met Your Mother too.

What did you think of Nikita's series finale? Did you see that twist coming or were you totally surprised? Were you surprised that Amanda didn't die? Don't forget to cast your votes in the poll below!








19 comments:

  1. Lyndsy Fonseca & Berkeley Film
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3359754/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1

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  2. Great summary! I loved this season and I am glad we got this much with the ratings being what they were but it's bittersweet looking back to all the great stuff the show did and all the characters we had and thinking that there was so much more that could be done. Anyway, my answers:
    - Yes, I do feel satisfied with Amanda's ending, but I think that's because of how smartly they did it by making us feel that killing her would be the wrong thing to do (the whole episode was built on that in reality). The Helen mention killed it though
    - I voted for awesome for Season 4, every episode was really strong
    - My favorite episode of the season was Bubble or Pay-Off. Wanted was also a great one. I voted for Bubble because of how awesome Ryan's death was, and that's coming from someone who was always neutral towards the character
    - My favorite season was Season 2 as a whole. I just loved the whole gang thing they had by the end of the season and I thought the dynamics of having two villains, Percy and Amanda, worked greatly. I thought they extended the Alex-Nikita conflict a bit too much but that's the only quirk I have (I also could have lived sans the Michael has a son thing). This being said, the second half of season 1 was one of the strong series of episodes I've seen a show pulling, it was mind blowing how each week was so good. I loved how much focused on Alex the show was back then. I didn't vote for that season because the first half was, in my opinion, the weakest from Nikita's run. Not bad at all, but not on the same level (too procedural). I loved Season 3 as well. I loved them taking control of division and the whole gang thing they had (Nikita, Michael, Sean, Alex, Ryan, Birkhoff, Sonya, Owen) even with all the internal conflicts Amanda caused, the internal rebellion Amanda caused, etc. I thought it was great. But a bit like Season 1 I thought it started slower, so that's why Season 2 gets the upper hand. Season 4 was good, but just too short to get my vote.

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  3. The "Welcome back to the basement, Helen" line gave me freaking goosebumps!

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  4. Nikita will be miss a lot, great show, great characters, they deserve a full season i don´t understand why they don´t have more rating it´s a really good show, great writers, actors and crew. Season finale honored the show, awesome work congrats and thank u !!

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  5. Poll 1: I was satisfied, couldn't ask for more with them only having 6 episodes to wrap up.


    Poll 2: The final season was great overall.


    Poll 3: My favorite episode this season was Bubble, followed by the finale.


    Poll 4: My favorite season is still Season 1, though I've really enjoyed all 4 seasons.

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  6. Thanks for reading and commenting! I must say I agree with almost everything you say. The ending for Amanda felt satisfied for me too, and season 4 was awesome indeed (although really too short!). My favourite episode was either Bubble or Canceled, and in the end I voted for Bubble. And yes, season 2 is my favourite too. All the dynamics of the characters were great and the various storylines all intertwined in the end.

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  7. Thanks for reading and commenting! I agree that Amanda's ending felt very fitting for her character, and also that Nikita ultimately beat the master manipulator. Regarding the second poll, I too believe that the season was really too short. I also could've done without the Alex/Sam thing, but I understand that they want a happy ending for everyone. And Amanda, well, she was just at her best in the first two seasons.
    And I agree with your vote for the last two polls! Bubble was the best episode of the season, and season 2 was my favourite season of the series.

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  8. Yes, the show will be missed! And they deserved better ratings and a full final season, but the season finale was awesome indeed!

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  9. Thanks for voting and sharing your votes! I agree with your first three choices. For the last poll, I liked seaon 2 a bit better, but season 1 was great as well. I can't remember all the season 1 episodes (I might have to buy it on DVD one day), but especially the last half of the season was awesome!

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  10. Nice to know ;) And yes, the dynamics from Season 2 really were something else!

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  11. Spot on in basically everything you've said. I think where I agree the most with you is in your description of Season 2, you explained perfectly what that one is my favorite! ;)

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  12. You're very welcome, it was an enjoyable read and I always love discussing Nikita to death. When I get started on a show I like, never mind one I LOVE like this one, I can write a novel without even noticing. :)

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  13. Honestly, I think they could've delivered a satisfying ending with 13 or even 10 episodes. They just needed to tell the story in a more relaxed pace, with fuller detail, and to have more character & relationship moments. More fight scenes, too. Ultimately, the show's premise was kind of gone with Division being blown to smithereens, so I don't even think a full season was needed (even if it would've been great). But 6 episodes was too little by ANY measure, I get that we're lucky it wasn't cancelled outright but I think The CW could've extended that courtesy just a bit further with a few more episodes, to give fans a more "complete" ending.


    But all of that being said, yes, it was a great finale. They wrapped things up pretty well and used their short time wisely. The whole second half of the season was pretty awesome, from the destruction of MDK and the reveal of Jones' "bubble" ploy in 4x04, to Ryan's incredible and heroic sacrifice plus the Nalex reunion in 4x05, to the genius twist of Nikita's victory, Amanda's long-overdue comeuppance and the happy ending in 4x06.

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  14. I think Season 1 ultimately loses to Season 2 in the Best Season battle because the show had some growing pains in the beginning. Those episodes with Jaden and her "catfights" with Alex were one of Nikita's low points. It all felt like Assassin Boarding School, very CW-ish. And then you have Alex moling her way around Division - I loved how resourceful and awesome she was, but it was way too unrealistic at times, like her chats with Nikita in the computer room that no one EVER noticed. Also, as was the case in Seasons 2 & 3 as well, the A-plot remained in the background during the first half of the season. But yes, the second half of Season 1 was pretty damn kick-ass. After "All The Way", which is still potentially my favorite episode of the whole series, I just sat there with a dropped jaw for a while. Lol. And that sure set the pace for the rest of the season.

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  15. The last half definitely made the season for me. I loved all the seasons, but for some reason season 1 inches ahead. Guess I liked the flashbacks more then and the Nikita storyline. Season 2's whole Michael having a son storyline kind of caused me not to like it so much - it felt out of place, just an excuse for him to leave for a bit then when it was time for Michael to come back an excuse for him to not see him anymore. I missed Alex on the team in the first half too.


    Seems it is a pattern that the second half of each season is stronger than the first half. I like it when everyone is working together.

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  16. I agree that in all 3 seasons of Nikita, the second halves were much much stronger than the first ones.

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  17. I agree with most of what's been said already, so I'll just add my own opinion on Amanda's ending.
    First I must admit - I really liked all the characters on Nikita (each of them for different reasons), but the only one I really rooted for was Amanda. Obviously she was never going to get a happy ending, but kudos to the writers for giving her the PERFECT grand exit!
    It was a demise and a triumph all at once, considering her complex relationships with Nikita and Alex. I cannot get over how genius it was to bring up again the mentor/protégé theme! Because in effect, by defeating her in her own game and moving on with their lives, both Nikita and Alex made use of her teachings - the students outgrew their teacher.
    It was Amanda who taught Alex to accept her survivor instincts and to use them to confront her demons; it was Amanda who taught Nikita to use deception over brute force. That's her legacy. The "Helen" with the broken psyche remained locked up in the basement; however the lessons that "Amanda" taught Alex and Nikita bore fruit above ground. How great is that for poetic justice?

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  18. Your comment is really interesting to me, because my opinion of Amanda changed drastically after Season 2. She went from being my favorite character to my least favorite, and I'm not exaggerating. After I saw "Power", I half-wanted her to have a bittersweet, tragic death, perhaps even while helping Nikita, highlighting the glimmer of humanity that remained in this ruthless and twisted woman. Because no matter how cruel she could be, she genuinely cared for both Nikita and Alex and wanted to groom them to be the best agents possible. From Season 3 onward, I felt she became something different altogether, a soulless, merciless monster. Her attachment to Nikita served not to humanize her, but to do the opposite: she slaughtered people, even innocent people, as part of her obsessed game of revenge. That woman? Should not have died a tragic death at all. I was cheering when she was left to rot in that secluded cell forever, as all I wanted was for her to be punished for all the horrors she had perpetrated.
    This duality between the Amanda of Seasons 1-2 and the one of Seasons 3-4 actually mirrors the one between the identity she presented to the world, Amanda Collins, and who she was underneath, the scarred and monstrous Helen Collins. And that's where I love your conclusion, because this is how I want to view the ending, too. The cool, calm, collected, well-dressed, pleasant-but-deadly enigma that is Amanda will live on in the lessons she taught Nikita and Alex, but the heartless, sadistic monster that is Helen will wither away in the same basement where she was created. The duality remains until the end.

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