Nikita stars Maggie Q as the titular character, a highly trained assassin who has escaped from "Division," a secret, government-sanctioned agency that recruits convicted felons, fakes their deaths, and turns them into undercover assassins and spies. Unlike previous iterations, this version of Nikita has already escaped. The series begins with her on the warpath: she is determined to bring down Division from the outside.

The story of Nikita began with Luc Besson’s 1990 film, "La Femme Nikita." It introduced the core premise that would define the entire franchise: a young death-row inmate is given a second chance at life by a shadowy government agency, provided she becomes an elite assassin. This blend of brutal violence and deep emotional vulnerability set a new standard for female-led action stories.

In the late 1990s, the concept was expanded into "La Femme Nikita," a television series starring Peta Wilson. This version leaned heavily into a neo-noir aesthetic, focusing on the cold, clinical nature of the agency known as Section One. Over five seasons, it explored the moral complexities of being a government tool and the forbidden romance between Nikita and her mentor, Michael.

The pacing is tight, especially in Seasons 1–2. Season 3 shifts gears a bit, but Season 4 wraps everything up in a short, satisfying final run.