2006 was a great year for female TV characters. One of the things that made a lot of the TV we watched this year so great was the variety of roles women got to play. When I decided to narrow down my list of the best female TV characters of 2006 to 10 great women, I found the task proved much more difficult than I expected. What sets some great TV characters apart from the rest? Flaws.
Television history is full of great female characters but if there’s one thing I’ve noticed, especially this year, it’s that the women I tend to find the most interesting are the ones who aren’t perfect. I’m not talking about physical appearance. After all, most female leads in television are beautiful. It’s their personalities and the choices they make that truly define their character. Some people prefer to root for the woman who always does the right thing and makes the “good” choice. She forgives everyone who hurts her, doesn’t hold grudges and rarely falls to pieces over the things she’s faced. While some of those types of characters are great to watch, I’m finding that I prefer to root for the women who are a bit messier in terms of their personalities and the choices they make.
This is not to say that I like my TV characters to be foolish, stubborn and selfish but in all honesty, a little of that doesn’t hurt. I would rather root for a woman whom I believe can make mistakes but find ways to grow from them and redeem herself. All of this makes for a much better story, in my opinion.
So with that long introduction, I present you with the list of 2006’s best female TV characters:
1. Kara “Starbuck” Thrace – Battlestar Galactica
Played By: Katee Sackhoff
Starbuck is exactly the type of character I was referring to when I described women in television. She’s full of flaws. In her defense though, she’s put up with a lot of crap. Let’s put aside the fact that she was abused as a child or that her fiancé was killed and focus on what her character has been through this year. The Cylons played a total mind-frack on her this season when they told her they used the ovary they took from her to conceive a daughter and it turned out to be a lie. Her romantic life is a mess as she cant seem to decide between Anders and Lee and she’s always on the verge of dying whenever she’s on a mission. She’s a mess but that’s why I love her character. I believe sooner or later she really will hit bottom and finally figure out how to redeem herself.
Best Moment: Kara stabs Leobon in the neck, then eats dinner.
2. Cristina Yang – Grey’s Anatomy
Played By: Sandra Oh
At the beginning of the series, Cristina’s character was introduced to us as an extremely goal-oriented woman who wanted nothing more than to become a great surgeon. This year, her character was put to the test when she decided to help Burke keep his tremors a secret. Torn between keeping the secret and making the most out of all the surgeries she was able to scrub in on, Cristina has easily been one of the most enjoyable characters to watch this year. She’s sometimes harsh but has shown the ability to be loving and warm, however difficult it may be for her. Meredith Grey is full of flaws as well but for some reason, I just find Cristina much more likable than Meredith, even in her darkest moments.
Best Moment: The moment when she told Burke “No one has to know” with the look of resolve on her face.
Played By: Kristen Bell
I tend to gush over Veronica Mars but I cant help it, I love the show. The title character is no Mary-Sue and that’s one of the reasons that she’s so great to watch. This year she graduated from high school and made a fairly smooth transition into college life. Some people have complained that she’s become too hard on the people around her and her lack of the ability to trust is ruining her character but I disagree. Granted, she’s been less happy-go-lucky with regards to her friends and especially Logan but I think this is due, in large part, to the things she’s been through this year. It would be unrealistic if our girl bounced back from every negative experience without a scratch. Whether she’s solving crimes, hanging out with her friends or quoting The Big Lebowski she’s just like any normal, attractive, witty college student and that’s what I love about her.
Best Moment: When she was pointing the gun at Cassidy (the “He killed my father!” crying scene).
4. Martha Logan - 24
Played By: Jean Smart
When Martha Logan first appeared in season five of ‘24’ she came across as a bit clingy and unstable. After a while though, I started to realize that any woman married to President Logan is bound to be a bit unstable. Her character transitioned remarkably throughout the season and she ended up doing what even Jack Bauer couldn’t accomplish. Through a well-staged public breakdown, Martha managed to get Logan to confess to her (and a hidden listening device) everything he was responsible for that day. Nice job, Martha.
Best Moment: The public outburst with Logan and the knowing smirk on her face as he was arrested.
5. Lynette Scavo – Desperate Housewives
Played By: Felicity Huffman
Lynette’s always had a lot to handle with her hyperactive unruly kids and the husband who can never seem to figure out what he wants. This season she had to add her husbands what-was-he-thinking one-night-stand, Nora and her daughter to the mix. Once again, Lynette proved she’s capable of just about anything by finding a way to let Tom’s illegitimate daughter Kayla into their family and keep Nora’s obnoxious claws out of her husband. Lynette really does put the desperate in ‘Housewives’ with an amazing amount of class. She’s often at the verge of falling apart but she always manages to pull things together.
Best Moment:Her rage when Carolyn shot Nora and then telling Carolyn that maybe she deserved to get cheated on.
6. Laura Roslin – Battlestar Galactica
Played By: Mary McDonnell
This year Roslin proved once again that she can be graceful even when facing defeat. Though she initially consented to stealing the presidential election, a few rational words from Adama was all it took to get her to do the right thing. She may be a tough leader at times but she’s not without a heart or the ability to admit when she’s wrong. Even when she was held captive on New Caprica and on the verge of being executed, she remained quietly strong. Her sweet and not-quite-romantic relationship with Adama really adds an extra level of greatness to the show.
Best Moment: Smokin’ a J with Adama on New Caprica.
7. Pam Beasley – The Office
Played By: Jenna Fischer
Pam is as normal as girls get. This is what makes her stand out as a TV character. Women in TV are saving the world these days while Pam’s just answering the phone. Her relationship with Jim came to a head at the end of last season when he confessed that he loved her and, after kissing him back, she turned him down. Some people were disappointed that Pam didn’t dump Roy and date Jim but I thought the way she handled it fit the way her character is. She inevitably did break off the engagement with Roy and since then, has been trying to figure out who she is without him. Jumping from one guy to the next might be a normal occurrence in TV shows but the characters in ‘The Office’ are anything but normal, by TV standards and Pam is no exception.
Best Moment: Pam helps Karen start a new Christmas Party Committee.
8. Juliet - Lost
Played By: Elizabeth Mitchell
Is she good? Is she evil? I have no idea but Juliet has become one of the most intriguing characters on the hit show ‘Lost’, playing one of the lead “Others” on the island(s). She likes to bake though she doesn’t seem to be very good at it and seems to be the most effective at interrogating Jack. Not being able to tell whether or not Juliet is as innocent as she claims to be makes her scenes some of the most worth-watching moments of the show.
Best Moment: The cue-cards in the home video she made for Jack.
9. Janelle Pierzina – Big Brother All Stars
Played By: Herself
Ok, so technically Janelle isn’t a “character,” she’s a real person but even the best writers couldn’t have created a better “reality” star for the series. Being the beautiful buxom bombshell that she is, Janelle is not without her flaws. She spent a good portion of the summer being manipulated by the “evil” Dr. Will. In the end though, she made amends by giving him the boot when he least expected it. Janelle’s competitiveness could’ve come off as arrogant or bitchy but she managed to win competitions and avoid eviction week after week and still remain charming and beautiful. Yes, I have sort of a girl-crush on her, I’ll admit that much but most of all, I just thought she was enjoyable to watch. She’s a prime example of someone making mistakes (which inevitably cost her the game) but being willing to swallow her personal feelings and make the right choice in the end. The All Stars season would’ve bombed without her.
Best Moment: Her choice to evict Will.
10. Marin Frist– Men in Trees
Played By: Anne Heche
The show is only half a season old which is why she barely made it onto the list but so far, I’m really loving this character. Marin is a woman who had it all, or so she thought. She was riding the success of her recent book when she found out that her fiancé was cheating on her with her best friend. She left New York and has settled in Alaska where she’s learning that even an “expert” on relationships still has a thing or two to learn about men. She’s not perfect but she’s trying and that’s what makes her great to watch.
Best Moment: Marin tries to convince her internet fans that she’s not dead.
Close But No Cigar:
Parker – ‘Veronica Mars’ – not enough screen time just yet but her scene in the fall finale when she yelled “Rape!” gave me the shivers.
Gabrielle Solis – Desperate Housewives – She had some great moments this season with her War of the Roses-like split with Carlos.
Useless and/or Annoying Female Characters of 2006
Nora – ‘Desperate Housewives’ – Rest in Peace and good riddance
Nikki – ‘Lost’ – who? Exactly.
