The CW is giving Nikita a chill pill.
Five episodes into its rookie season, the Maggie Q-fronted action drama is undergoing some routine maintenance. Specifically, The CW is looking to lighten the show’s somber mood and jack up its title character’s love life.
The goal? To boost viewership in the network’s sweet spot: young females. While Nikita is off to a solid start among total viewers, it’s losing a huge chunk of the core women 18-34 demo from its Vampire Diaries lead-in. Season-to-date, Nikita is maintaining 94 percent of Diaries‘ overall audience but is squandering an alarming 54 percent of the 18-34 crowd. This could be one reason why the net has yet to give the show a back-nine order. (Ironically, where Nikita is performing particularly well is among horny straight males over 40.)
“We’re really only talking about some slight tweaks,” maintains a source. “The core of Nikita will not change.”
Among said tweaks is the introduction of several new characters, including a confidant and potential love interest for Nikita who’s described as a clean-cut, all-American CIA case officer. “Moms want to marry off their daughters to this kid,” reads the casting notice. “But he’s too busy saving the world.”
Reps for The CW and Warner Bros. Television declined to comment for this story.
Thoughts? Do you agree that Nikita, while a solid show, could stand to cheer up? Sound off below!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
'Nikita' getting a 'slight tweak'
View Comments
