“I started in London, as a kid. My mother knew I had sort of an inbred talent. She was an actress, so I inherited it from her. But I think I got a lot of it from my grandfather, who was a great politician.”
Angela Lansbury
In another series “Spooks” for the BBC she plays MI5 counter terrorism section chief Ros Myers. Another ‘take no prisoners’ type of female lead that I love.
Mariska Hargitay as Det. Olivia Benson in “Law and Order SVU” (NBC)
In police sex crime divisions, officers last an average of two-three years before burnout. I really wouldn’t like to encounter some of the things she does but perhaps working with Christopher Meloni will make up for some of those.
Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko – “Saving Grace” (TNT)
This chain-smoking,, booze-guzzling, hard-bodied hussy sleeps with her married partner (and anything else in jockey shorts), drives recklessly and keeps company with a disheveled, tobacco-chewing angel named Earl. Might be fun for a short time.
Stana Katic is Detective Kate Beckett in Castle. Castle, who becomes interested in Beckett as a potential character for a new book series, uses his connections at the mayor’s office and receives permission to continue accompanying Beckett while investigating cases. Unlikely but amusing.
Then there is –
Poppy Montgomery as FBI agent Samantha Spade in ‘Without a Trace” that also includes Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Roselyn Sanchez.
Kathryn Morris as Lilly Rush in “Cold Case,” In this series Rush was originally the only female homicide detective in Philadelphia.
And “Law and Order’s” S. Epatha Merkerson and the women of the CSI franchise, powerful, well-written female protagonists have set the lady detective prototype on its ear.
But I couldn’t do a post on female detectives without mentioning Cagney and Lacey. Walking the beat long before these other Jane-come-latelys, acclaimed 1982 procedural “Cagney & Lacey” is considered America’s first serious drama starring two female leads.
Way back then I wanted to be Christine Cagney played by Sharon Gless. This series portrayed women in a totally different light and was so far away from the norm. I just loved it.
And so to answer my own question “Who Would I Like To Be?”. As Chris has already ‘bagged’ Jessica Fletcher I guess I should still quite like to be Cagney. But In real life I am happy with who I am.
“I find her becoming,
this woman I’ve wanted,
who knows she’ll encompass,
who knows she’s sufficient,
who knows where she’s going
and travels with passion.
Who remembers she’s precious,
but knows she’s not scarce –
who knows she is plenty,
plenty to share. “
from I am Becoming the Woman I”ve Wanted by Jayne Relaford Brown.
Related articles
- The case of the unsatisfying female cops (independent.co.uk)
- ‘Burn Notice’ News Roundup: Sharon and Tyne Reunion ‘Good Stuff’ (buddytv.com)
The greatest female detective of all – Madam Curie
LikeLike
Great answer Carl. Would you want to be woman though living at that time?
LikeLike
There is a very gentle series in the UK that we see here. It’s called Midsomer Murders and each week a murder occurs. Two male detectives solve the crimes easily. But they are not a patch on Jessica.
LikeLike
I think I’d still like to be Jessica Fletcher, only younger. I love New England and the crimes aren’t as gruesome as Mariska Hargitay has to solve. Love watching Hargitay and Meloni in action, though!
LikeLike
Susan – the answer above was addressed to you. Goblins in the computer today?
Judith
LikeLike
You’ve certainly done your detective work! Cabot Cove seemed like a nice place. 🙂
LikeLike
I really love to watch these women on TV. But Murder She Wrote was an innocent series compared to today’s bunch.
LikeLike
I love Helen Mirren…so classy! I used to watch Cagney and Lacey too when I was a kid…
Wendy
LikeLike
We get to see quite a lot of UK television here in fact we have a channel devoted solely to UKTV so I watch Helen Mirren quite often.
Have you read the whole of the poem – I’m Becoming the Woman I’ve Wanted? It says it all for me and particularly as it was my late husband who discovered the poem and the book of the same title, for me.
LikeLike
I’m not a big fan of poetry, Judith, but I love anything that inspires women to be the best they can be!
LikeLike
I love Mariska and SVU. I didn’t know that about the burn-out. How freaking tragic. Good people willing to do an unpleasant job, and the evil brings them each down one by one.
This was very interesting 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Noelene. And no doubt IRL there are scores of women doing these things daily albeit unremarked.
LikeLike