Michael: "I thought I'd lost you."
Nikita: "You never had me."
In "Mercy," Michael got Nikita out of Section. Here, he brought her right back in again. At this point, the last thing I expected was that Michael and Nikita would consummate their relationship. So of course, that was what happened.
I loved nearly every scene in this episode. Michael being "out of sync" in the opener. The longing looks over the burning car in Lyon. The passionate, almost violent love scene on the boat, with him knocking the gun out of her hand and pushing her down. (As they said in the DVD commentary, how French. :) Michael and Nikita, both nude, talking about her feelings of despair. The scene that followed, in daylight, on the deck of the boat. The office chair gun battle. Michael's pissing contest with Ackerman. And the oddly gentle scene where Michael battered Nikita, in order to provide her with cover.
Yes, hiding from Section and slinging hash wasn't "living," but let's face it: Nikita came back to Section to be with Michael, period. She wasn't functioning well in the Real World without him. Michael wasn't functioning well in Section without her. He couldn't leave, so she had to return. The big question is, why did he blow her off in the final scene? Why won't he see her after hours? Would it seem too suspicious if they were suddenly a couple? Is he trying to protect her?
I noticed that Michael and Nikita were separated by glass twice in this episode. Right before the love scene on the boat, Michael looked at Nikita through a porthole. In the final scene in the white room, Nikita watched Michael walk away from her through a glass door. This is pretty basic symbolism: The two of them can look at each other, but not touch.
Bits and pieces:
-- The credits were different, but not different enough. I've never liked the credits.
-- In the teaser, Michael was "distracted" and accidentally broke another operative's leg. He said tersely, "I'm sorry," and walked off. Classic Michael.
-- Michael speaks Thai? Of course he does. He's an international man of intrigue, after all.
-- Nikita waiting tables, huh? Let's see. Former homeless street kid turned secret agent: yes, she would indeed have limited real world skills. Couldn't she teach martial arts, or self-defense for women, though?
-- Michael's poker face was put to the test when he returned from his secret tryst with Nikita, and Operations said, Guess what? Nikita is alive. Probably the last thing Michael expected Operations to say.
-- In the white room, Nikita touched the bruises Michael gave her as if they were kisses.
-- In this season's hair report, Nikita's was just as long but not as light. It was almost white before.
-- Operations: "He got over Simone. He can get over Nikita." Well, that might be true if he had really gotten over Simone, but that's debatable. He's been emotionally shut down for three years, hasn't he?
-- Michael: "I never realized that I needed you so much." Again, not an "I love you," but close.
-- Classic Madeline scene. "You will cooperate with us because you know how things are done here. When we're done with you, you'll be cancelled. Any questions?"
-- Nikita: "Do you know, for three years, all I did was dream about getting out of Section. When I did, it wasn't what I'd expected. This isn't freedom. This isn't freedom." One of Nikita's strongest scenes.
-- Cancelled scene: Alternate version of a mission scene with the actors in camo. They decided it looked silly, and changed it. Good call.
One of my favorite episodes. Four out of four stars,
Billie
3 comments:
I absolutely love this ep.
One thing though, he wasn't speaking Thai. It was Cantonese and the nightlights scene wasn't Thailand either. It was Japan, hahaha.
A spellbinding episode, the best of Season Two! I was glued to the screen from start to finish, as Michael Loceff’s cracking script is supported by stunning visuals, wildly original action sequences, tight plotting, dangerous deceptions, and the most twisted romance ever devised. Both Wilson and Dupuis are superb, bolstered by Jon Cassar’s wonderful direction and production designer Rocco Matteo’s beautifully atmospheric sets and locations. Cassar is my favourite LFN director: he is completely in tune with the characters and the edgy, skewed world of Section, plus his action scenes never fail to be both innovative and exciting.
Spoilers follow...
In the opening scene, Michael says exactly two (rather darkly humourous) words, but his feelings are clearly communicated to the audience: how much he misses Nikita, and his despair over his inability to contact her. Unfortunately, Michael’s decline in performance has not gone unnoticed by Operations. Ackerman is consequently promoted to team leader on Section’s latest mission to strike back at the Freedom League, thus setting up this episode’s pivotal plot twist.
The exotic Thailand location is a visual treat, lit by gorgeous colours that show off the depth and detail of the set. Here, we get to see Michael at his operative best: cleverly tagging Sherrin’s gofer, dispatching a bodyguard in a moment of dark humour, and capturing Sherrin by gunpoint while remaining calmly polite. Pure fun!
Meanwhile, Nikita’s low profile existence comes to an end when the Freedom League finally catches up with her. Overhearing their plan to ambush Section operatives before she escapes, our heroine cannot merely save herself: she sets off to intercept the Freedom League, hoping to save the lives of her fellow operatives.
The ambush in Lyons is absolutely stunning, especially considering how limited LFN’s special effects budget was. Then there is the beautiful visual of Michael seeing Nikita through the flames, after she saves his life. When they finally do reunite, there is more than a little anger on both sides: Michael is furious that Nikita allowed him to think she was dead, and Nikita resents that she can never be sure whether or not he can be trusted. The result is a fascinating battle of wills that extends even to their lovemaking. Afterwards, Sean Callery’s beautiful score emphasizes the all-too-brief moments of truth and tenderness between them, before they are required to go their separate ways under the threat of Section.
Once Section learns that Nikita is alive, Michael’s strategic abilities (and his poker face) are put to the ultimate test. He earns the viewer’s admiration by managing to simultaneously accomplish three different goals: achieving the mission objectives, exposing the mole, and returning Nikita to Section in a plausible fashion. The episode’s final action sequence pulls out all the stops, even putting an office chair to unconventional use before surprising the audience with the daring and painful plan to apparently rescue Nikita from the Freedom League before the base explodes.
The episode ends with Michael able to divert suspicion about Nikita’s return, for now. But will the ruse hold up under the constant surveillance within Section? If they are to survive, it will have to be Michael’s self-discipline that saves them, for Nikita now seems to be willing to take more risks for the sake of passion.
Continuity Issues:
While a captive of the Freedom League, exactly how did Nikita etch out a knife-shaped piece of glass from the mirror in her room? Though this scenario did provide an interesting reflection shot, breaking off a corner of the mirror would have been more believable given that she had no tools available.
Billie - I love your review. I also love the scenes in this episode.
Serena - I love yours as well. I also agree that Peta Wilson and Roy Dupuis were superb.
I can never listen to Depeche Mode's song, "The Love Thieves" without remembering this LFN episode. The opening strain alone takes me back.
My top favorite episode in Season 2.
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