No. It's not enough to say, "she's pretty."

For your reading pleasure (and my viewing pleasure), my top ten favorite women on television (formerly a meme stolen from LiveJournal), in no particular order:

1. Abby Lockhart, ER
There's something about Maura Tierney's acting that holds everything else together on ER. Even though I've all but stopped watching the show, I still tune in occasionally just because I miss her (and Neela and Kerry, too). I read someone describe her acting style as mise-en-scene. I agree completely; she always makes Abby an integral, if brilliantly understated, part of every scene. Plus, Abby's beautiful and quiet and a little dark, but she's also fiery and intelligent and cynical. I like that kind of complexity in a woman.

2. Kelly Gaffney, Law and Order: Trial by Jury
Again, understated beauty and brilliance. Obviously, it's a bit of a theme for me. Kelly is probably the television character I most identify with personally, although I couldn't explain exactly why. Maybe I identify with Kelly because I also think Tracey Kibre is sexy as hell and a damn fine lawyer (double entendre intended). ;)

3. Alex Cabot, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Because the show hasn't been the same since she left. And because the ending of "Loss" still makes me ache and her presence in "Ghost" still makes me swoon.

4. Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess
Especially in Season 6 (she wasn't as feisty or as sexy earlier when she was all innocent and pure). I'm embarrassed to admit that very few of my television girlfriends have been able to come close to being as sexy to me as final season Gabrielle--she was strong and sensitive, emotional and courageous, confident, clever... It must be the short skirts and weapons, because blonds aren't usually my type.

5. Tina, The L-Word
Actually, this list is quickly disproving my assertion that blondes aren't usually my type, but let me just say this: I love Tina. I think she's gorgeous and resourceful and generous. I think she and Bette make a beautiful couple as long as Bette doesn't start being an insensitive, manipulative jerk again. However, my first love on the The L-Word was Marina (Karina Lombard)--now she could make me swoon every time she came on screen--but since Marina is no longer on the show (and, besides, my love for her was a bit on the shallow side) I had to transfer my affections elsewhere.

6. Allison Dubois, Medium
I like Allison because she's such a realistically-flawed character despite her supernatural gifts. Her visions are never wrong and yet she never interprets them correctly the first time around (you'd think she'd have figured that out by now). She's rash. She's emotional. She can be insensitive, uncompromising, and self-absorbed. She's a good wife and mother, but she's neither perfect nor obedient. She's not easily subdued. And, in the end, she's always right.

7. Sara Sidle, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
I really can't explain this one at all. She's cocky and acerbic and irritating half the time and dark and brooding the rest, but every once and a while she smiles or laughs or says something particularly sarcastic (and funny) and I find myself charmed.

8. Karen Walker, Will and Grace
Honestly, I hardly ever watch the show anymore, but Karen just makes me laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Maybe I have a twisted sense of humor, but she's by far my favorite TV sitcom character. And besides, Megan Mullally has a stunning singing voice.

9. B'Ellana Torres, Star Trek: Voyager
This one is a real toss up for me because I love Seven of Nine--and not actually for the stereotypical reasons (the leggy, busty blond thing), but because she's both laid bare and completely enigmatic simultaneously and because Jeri Ryan played her with such incredible panache. But ultimately B'Ellana trumps Seven because she was my favorite from the very beginning (before her Klingon ridges started to get lighter and lighter season after season and she got softer and less rebellious). I liked her when she was brazen and feisty and got into a fist fights with other crewmembers. I liked her before she and Tom started to get all lovey-dovey (I didn't mind them dating, only that they became mundane and romantic).

10. Willow, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
I loved her in Season 4 when she's trying to find a place for herself--both in terms of her sexuality and in terms of her witchcraft. I liked her when she was a little more naive than end-of-show Willow, when she was just learning that she had more courage and power than she ever thought possible. There was always something about her naiveté mixed with her intelligence that was simultaneously empowering and touching. Plus, she's adorable. What can I say?


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Mostly what this list proves is that I'm fickle and easily seduced by beautiful women. But only on television. And they have to be complex and intelligent, not merely beautiful. I do have some emotional depth after all.