Nikita is one of the best shows you’re not watching. In just its first season, we saw Nikita plotting to take down Division, the discovery of her mole Alex’s past, and enough twists and game changes to drive us all crazy with anticipation.

And now they’ve done it again with the aptly titled “Game Change,” a premiere that makes the show feel brand new once again.  It really was a worthy successor to The Vampire Diaries on Thursday, but I’m just happy to have it back, even if it is on Friday nights. Now everyone needs to watch this show, so we can talk about it!

Nikita: It’s about this crusade: to make things right and what it could cost us. I can’t lose you. I won’t lose you. And if that seems selfish, well, I never said I was perfect.
Michael: You’re not going to lose me. And you’re right, you never said you were perfect. I did.

The last time we saw Michael and Nikita, they were all couple-y and cruising away to find some more black boxes. So I know I wasn’t the only one whose heart sank when Nikita told the guy in the teaser that she and Michael weren’t together anymore because “let’s just say he wasn’t into taking the same risks that I am.”

The first part was a lie, thank god, but sadly, so was the second part. It’s actually quite the opposite. The Nikita we meet in this premiere is a changed woman, no longer sure about her mission to take down Division or the price she’s paid to try and do it. Alex’s betrayal in the season finale last year has hit her pretty hard.

Basically, by Nikita keeping the secret of her involvement in Alex’s father’s death, she did the opposite of when Owen admitted early on that he was the cleaner who killed Nikita’s fiance Daniel. Nikita trained her and “kept things from her so she (Alex) would stay on mission.” She kept a friendship-damaging lie to herself. So it’s her own fault that Alex is now on the warpath of vengeance.

Still, I’m feeling really bad for Nikita. In trying to do what she thought was right, everything turned out so wrong. I will say one thing about this season so far: Putting Alex in the background is probably the best thing the show could have done for its titular character. I’m finally actually interested in Nikita and her relationship with Michael. (Though I’ll forever live in hope of Michael/Alex, btw.)

Nikita: Or does Amanda have you so turned around you don’t know what to believe anymore?
Alex: I know what I believe. And I know what I want. And I’m using Division to get it.
Nikita: They are using you. It’s what they do. You can’t trust them.
Alex: I don’t trust anybody!
(fight)
Nikita: Remember this, I did this because I care! (breaks arm) Get out while you’re still alive.

Meanwhile, Alex is just wracking up the enemies with no one left to trust. Percy? Encaged. (And rambling about Alex’s mother who I’m sure at this point is probably evil.) Amanda? Ha! (Despite that she says Alex can trust her.) And Division? Alex thinks she can use them for her own motives, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re using her for their own agenda. And Nikita, ridden with guilt, was still willing to come to her aid early in the episode. But now that she thinks Alex sold her out to Division, when the robots came flying in right after, that last bond to anyone seems broken, too.

Literally. I can’t believe Nikita broke Alex’s arm and shot her leg as a bit of tough love. Ouch.

Nikita: Don’t get me wrong. I want to stop running. I’ve been running my whole life. I want a home. I just want to live with myself when I get there.
Michael: Hey. It’s gonna be hard enough living with me.

This isn’t going to be a happy season, but it will definitely be exciting.

Notes:

There was a little bit of exposition this week but also a lot of exciting scenes for returning fans.

Birkhoff was also awesome this week against Division and helping Michael and Nikita.
Birkhoff: You guys think you are badass, huh? You are nothing. You’re air. It takes a whole squadron of you rejects to even get close to me. And I want you to die knowing that.
Michael: By the way, Birkhoff is not working with us.

I loved seeing Oversight taking a bigger role in the show.

Next week:

Alex is now interested in ‘an eye for an eye’ for what Nikita did to her. But can she fight back as easily as Nikita did? And Owen’s back!