Wow. What an episode, huh? Certainly a satisfying conclusion to some of what we saw in "The Guardian," while continuing Nikita's tradition of asking more questions for each one that it answers. Unlike "Rough Trade," we actually got the answer to the burning question on our minds, too. I was fairly sure that it was Owen who had killed Daniel, but it was still great to have that confirmed, and Maggie Q's performance in that moment was brilliant.
Yet as much as the story was about Alex, and Nikita got the answer she had always wanted, for me this episode was about Michael and Percy. The number-one question on my mind at the end of "Rough Trade" was if Percy suspected that Michael was beginning to waver, and we know now that he does. He's slightly misguided as to why Michael is unraveling - he doesn't yet realize that it has little, if nothing, to do with Alex - but he has enough of a suspicion to set up this elaborate test. Perhaps Michael has passed for the time being, but how long will that last? Not to mention that Michael himself now knows that Percy is watching him more closely, and how will his behavior change as a result? There's definitely something brewing between these two, something which we'll no doubt understand better when we get to Michael's origin episode and which has to come to a head by the end of the season. Whenever it does reach its boiling point, the confrontation will be amazing.
Once again, it's Shane West who sort of steals the episode out from under everyone else. He's the only one with any palpable reaction to watching Alex and Thom being tortured, and his reaction is not unlike that of the viewing audience. We want him to tell Percy and Amanda that they're nuts. We want him to go and do something about it instead of just sitting there and watching it unfold. We also get to see another vulnerable moment for him, which I admit had me wanting to just hug him. Now we understand why Nikita told him in the pilot episode that he was just staying to protect the recruits; this is exactly what she meant. It helps that Shane West is infinitely likeable, because he sells a sympathetic and protective side of Michael that I don't recall ever seeing in any other version of the character. He's just such a likeable person himself that I've embraced Michael, and for once Michael gets to show that aspect of his personality. Well done, Shane.
My only caution is that I do not want that to be the start of anything romantic between Michael and Alex, which I still maintain would be the one thing I definitely never want to see. Fans have talked about this show not becoming a spy version of Gossip Girl, and a triangle between Michael, Nikita and Alex would do just that, besides how implausible and uncomfortable it would be. I'd much rather see where they go with Alex and Thom, because Ashton Holmes needs more to do before I can even figure out if he has any chemistry with Lyndsy Fonseca or not. It would also give both of them another aspect of their characters to explore. (Speaking of Lyndsy, it's great to see her take Alex in a completely vulnerable direction where she doesn't have a smart comebacker for everything. I would call "Resistance" her best performance to date.) As I've said before, The CW has gotten fans invested in Michael and Nikita as a potential couple, and it's best to respect that, rather than trying to break them up with the insertion of anyone else, whether that's Alex or some new character.
That aside, "Resistance" was a great finish to "The Guardian." I only have one burning question now: how many times does Michael have to be proven right before people actually start listening to anything he says? He's Percy's right-hand agent for a reason, right? Yet he gets ignored all the time. Episodes would go a lot faster if people realized that he knows what he's talking about.
I'll see you next week for "The Recruit," which will presumably be a lot better than the movie of the same name featuring Colin Farrell. Until then, I'm off to brush up on my interrogating skills.
Great review! I'm also excited to see the show moving forward and I think it is inevitable that Nikita, Alex, Michael, and Owen will form some type of team to take on Division down the road. The question is, will this show continue moving the inevitable forward OR will it take its time? I hope they move it along. To me, that is much more interesting.
Thank you! And I think there's definitely going to be a team-up at some point (though whether Owen is in it would be iffy, depending on how they write it and/or if Devon Sawa is available), but you're right, the question is when. Once Michael turns sides, it becomes a whole new show, so they have to choose when that happens very carefully. I would say it has the biggest chance of happening at the end of the season (you know how shows like big season finale twists), but then the show has also used its biggest trump card at the end of season one.
As far as pacing I have no idea. I'm sure the producers had a 13-episode plan (they were teasing these next few episodes as big ones), and it probably depends on how many of those 13 are now in the can. At the same time, they're going to have to find story for the additional back 9, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have to slow things down to get us to the end of the season.