|
| 214 - Old Habits |
| Writer/Director |
Maurice Hurley / Terry Ingram |
| Michael's POV Onscreen:
14 minutes |
Michael leads a mission against
Bright Star, telling Nikita she will have to liaise with a Section mole, a forger named
Formitz. When Nikita finds out that Formitz murders prostitutes she beats him up,
incurring the wrath of Michael who is colluding with Section to indulge Formitz’s
appetites. Nikita helps Formitz’s next intended victim to hide from him, but when she
goes missing Nikita suspects that Section has given her up to Formitz. When challenged by
Nikita Michael categorically denies this. Formitz is finally killed by the other side and
Michael in turn confronts Nikita about her role in exposing him. In an echo of the earlier
scene, Nikita now counters with the same response, ‘No.’ |
| Michael Moments |
Chasing after the suicide
bomber, black overcoat open, gun in hand, gloves on, locks flying (for a change!)
The perfectly symmetrical double shooting of the bodyguards in the marketplace |
| Words of Wisdom |
"You will go back. You will not
kill him."
"The relationship
between Formitz and Nikita is not without difficulties." |
Performance Rating
 |
This episode has one of the
highest fib counts of the series, with everyone lying to each other in an atmosphere that
is even more amoral than usual. Michael walks the tightrope between carrying out
Section’s strategy of condoning lesser crimes for the greater good, and shielding
Nikita’s predictable reactions from Operations. Here lying for professional reasons
(as opposed to personal reasons in Soul Sacrifice), Roy’s Michael is as
inscrutable as ever – we are convinced Nikita is lying, but we can never be sure
about Michael. However, it is a tribute to Roy’s authoritative performance that we
stay loyal to the character however low he has to stoop in the line of duty. |
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