La Femme Nikita (TV series)

La Femme Nikita is a Canadian action-drama television series that aired for five seasons, from 1997 to 2001 in Canada and the United States. The series was loosely based on the 1990 French film Nikita (also known as La Femme Nikita), and a previous 1993 TV series of the same name. It starred Peta Wilson as Nikita, a young woman wrongly convicted of murdering a police officer. She is rescued from execution by a secret anti-terrorist organization known as Section One, but then forced to work for them as an operative.

The series explores themes of identity, morality, and the struggle for freedom within the confines of a ruthless and morally ambiguous organization. Section One, headed by Operations (Eugene Robert Glazer) and Madeline (Alberta Watson), trains Nikita and assigns her missions that often involve espionage, assassination, and sabotage. Michael (Roy Dupuis) is Nikita's trainer and eventual love interest, a highly skilled operative with a conflicted conscience. Other key characters include Birkoff (Matthew Ferguson), the Section's tech expert, and Walter (Don Francks), the resident weapons specialist and quartermaster.

Unlike the film and the earlier series, this La Femme Nikita developed an ongoing storyline and focused heavily on character development, particularly the complex relationship between Nikita and Michael, and their evolving moral stances within the context of Section One’s operations. The series is known for its stylized action sequences, morally grey characters, and exploration of the psychological impact of violence and manipulation. It was filmed in Toronto, Ontario. The series' final season saw major changes in the Section's structure and Nikita's role within it, leading to a definitive conclusion of her story.