Mumbai, January 12: MULTIPLY the effect of saas-bahu and Ally McBeals on women several times over to figure out the effect that superwomen have on the not-so-fair sex. Yes, we’re talking Alias, Black Scorpion, Dark Angel and La Femme Nikita. Though none of these women have managed to recreate the Lucy Lawless euphoria, with an entire cult following for Xena: The Warrior Princess, they’ve not done too badly for themselves.

Says Rohit Bhandari, Assistant Vice President, Sales, Set India Limited, which handles AXN operations in India, ‘‘Surprisingly we’ve found that a considerable section of men are regular viewers of Alias.’’ And though the viewership for this action series has dipped in the last few weeks, it still remains to be one of the top five shows on the channel. Of course, it didn’t come as a surprise to ZEE, when Black Scorpion and La Femme Nikita (both on ZEE English) drew male attention. ‘‘Though people have found Black Scorpion’s production values to be below the mark, the male viewership is definitely higher. We’ve also noticed that women like La Femme Nikita because they find Nikita’s male counterpart Roy Dupuis cute,’’ admits Ajay Trigunayat, Vice President, Marketing, ZEE English and ZEE MGM.

Which brings us to the women in question. All of them flaunt their sculpted bodies in black catsuits and handsome beaus who act as perfect foils. While CIA Agent Sydney Bristow, played by Jennifer Garner, created a lasting impression with her red wig in Alias, the skimpy leather suits were enough to keep the eyes firmly focussed on Michelle Lintel aka Black Scorpion. Jessica Alba, the protagonist of Dark Angel and Peta Wilson of La Femme Nikita are no different. Did anyone say martial arts, quicksilver action and lethal skills that equip these women to tackle the big bad world?

Here comes the strikingly similar plot. Either it’s a battle that is fuelled by the “death” of a loved one (Alias) or a “search” for loved ones (Dark Angel) or simply a war against evil (La Femme Nikita and Black Scorpion). Of course, the love angle is imperative, almost like a necessary evil to draw the soft-hearted — which is why there’s an Agent Vaugh in Alias, an unrelenting Max (a genetically engineered soldier) in the James Cameron directed Dark Angel on STAR World and a ‘‘charming yet ruthless agent’’ named Michael in La Femme Nikita.

And if you’re still wondering why these serials are buried in the 3.00 pm (Black Scorpion) or the 6.00 pm slots, the ‘poof’ lies in the TRPs.