Women and TV

If it weren't for cable television, we wouldn't have all the amazing strong female characters starring in series today.  Cable led the way. They had the foresight that if they created characters that were complex and interesting,  people would flock to watch.   The role that shook the cable wires from coast to coast would have to be Academy Award Winner, Glenn Close, in Damages.  Her performance was stellar and she won an Emmy for her role.  She was buoyed by a great female co-star in Rose Byrne. Since then, we have Mary McCormick in In Plain Sight, Piper Perabo in Covert Affairs, Laura Linney in The Big C, and so many more.  The networks have given us this season The Playboy Club and Pan Am.  Two period pieces, both a throwback in style and progress.  The Playboy Club is already cancelled and Pan Am is hanging on by a thread.  I think both ABC and NBC were trying desperately to ride the coattails of Mad Men.  Though Mad Men is a huge hit, I also think that it is a fluke.  Good acting, good writing;  it doesn't mean that lightning will strike twice.  

With all the trash that airs, beginning with reality TV, it is great to have powerful, intelligent and successful women for role models to help balance the 

Bachelor/Bachelorette, Real Housewives, Kardashians, and the long litany of guilty pleasures on television which highlights the worst in most of the women.  "Good" television wants fights, trash, and drama.  Quality television is giving us strength, heart, and humor.  

One of the best "new" roles is "The Good Wife."  Julianna Margulies', Alicia Florrick, is smart, educated, funny, gorgeous, and humorous.  This season they are adding a whole sex line for her.  I am not sure that it is the right path for the character, though funnily enough, the character also has her doubts.  It's not that I don't like some fabulous sexy scenes, but I don't want her character to get too caught up in the love story at the expense of her job and her children.  I will feel very cheated with the investment I have made in the series. Time will tell.  We won't have that problem with Kathy Bates the star of Harry's Law.  It's a somewhat absurd premise, but Kathy Bates can read the phone book as far as I am concerned and I would show up to watch. She plays a woman that is strong, smart, and a curmudgeon.  Love her.

Sidebar:  Detroit Tigers are hanging on by a thread after a crushing 11th inning loss to the Texas Rangers.  Come on Detroit!  As Yogi Berra once said, "it's not over, 'til it's over." Don't care about the NL race.  Clearly, if the SF Giants aren't in it, I am totally an AL girl.