# Tell us about your favorite female police officers on TV. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 10, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223 "2011-10-10T21:18:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/21 "2011-10-11T06:14:54Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > And all the women from _Reno 911_. Aw, you took mine. But especially the character played by Niecy Nash. (Haven’t seen it in ages so I’m blanking on the character name.) ---
**Author:** ![Pitter\_Patter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Pitter\_Patter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitter_Patter)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/22 "2011-10-11T06:32:51Z")
I always liked Lauren Holly, who played Officer Maxine Stewart on Picket Fences. Red heads do it for me. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/23 "2011-10-11T13:39:49Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Jane Ten[n]ison from “Prime Suspect”, the ravishing at any age Helen Mirren. Oh, definitely. Haven’t seen the American remake - is it any good? Betty Thomas as Ptl. (later Sgt.) Lucy Bates was always good on _Hill Street Blues_; could handle comedy and drama equally well: [http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/110/9190a4a68fb54555bd7ea54a20adc31f/l.jpg](http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/110/9190a4a68fb54555bd7ea54a20adc31f/l.jpg) Lindsay Frost as Sgt. Helen Sullivan on the all-too-short-lived cop show _High Incident_; a great mix of the tough-as-nails and vulnerable: [http://homepage2.nifty.com/bibatomo/kaigai1/h7.JPG](http://homepage2.nifty.com/bibatomo/kaigai1/h7.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/24 "2011-10-11T13:50:53Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Betty Thomas as Ptl. (later Sgt.) Lucy Bates was always good on _Hill Street Blues_; could handle comedy and drama equally well: [http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/110/9190a4a68fb54555bd7ea54a20adc31f/l.jpg](http://a4.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/110/9190a4a68fb54555bd7ea54a20adc31f/l.jpg) Figures, I come into a thread that was started 16 hours ago and get ninja’d by 10 minutes. There are lots of good mentions in this thread, but I kept coming back to Lucy. She was a true cop’s cop, and tried to keep her gender from being an issue, but sometimes couldn’t help it. She couldn’t quite be one of the guys, but she couldn’t be a girly-girl either, and Thomas did a great job of walking that line. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/25 "2011-10-11T13:56:46Z")
Since Heather Locklear’s already been taken, I’ll have to go with [Tara Spencer-Nairn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_Spencer-Nairn) as officer Karen Pelly, in Corner Gas. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/26 "2011-10-11T19:15:05Z")
One of my current favourites is [Teresa Lisbon on “The Mentalist.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Lisbon) You could argue that she is a patsy who is being manipulated by Patrick Jane, but I think their relationship is more complicated than that (as we saw this season, she is the one Jane wants to work with - he’ll just get rid of anyone else they try to put in her job). ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/27 "2011-10-11T19:44:18Z")
Molly Price as Faith Yokas in Third Watch. Why no, she’s no fashion model moonlighting as busy badass cop. Also, [Jennifer Esposito](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0261170/) is basically _the_ take-no-shit Latina cop. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/28 "2011-10-11T19:59:48Z")
I liked all the women detectives on “Without a Trace”; another vote for Law & Order’s Eames and for Kyra Sedgwick’s Brenda Johnson ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/29 "2011-10-11T20:44:32Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > [Officer Stacy Sheridan](http://xfinity.comcast.net/slideshow/entertainment-heatherlocklear/2/) ([Heather Locklear](http://www.spaceg.com/multimedia/collection/Hollywood/Heather%20Locklear%2080s/Locklear%20in%20TJ%20Hooker.jpg)) - _TJ Hooker_ > [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > If we are just talking about attractive actresses who play cops, > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I certainly hope we AREN’T just talking about that. Hey, Sheridan has [DEPTH](http://www.tj-hooker.com/characters/char_Stacy.html), man. > [@](#): > > Struggling to emerge from the shadow of her father, the captain of the Academy, Stacy Sheridan first accepted a desk job . . . Stacy worked her way out of the desk job and onto the streets . . . > > Always willing to take a risk, Sheridan willfully offered herself up as an undercover prostitute . . . [and] exotic dancer . . . Sheridan proved that there could be a sensitive side to all this rough-and-tumble police work. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/30 "2011-10-12T02:05:18Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > One of my current favourites is [Teresa Lisbon on “The Mentalist.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Lisbon) You could argue that she is a patsy who is being manipulated by Patrick Jane, but I think their relationship is more complicated than that (as we saw this season, she is the one Jane wants to work with - he’ll just get rid of anyone else they try to put in her job). Ditto. I like her best. Jules on Psych seems stupid, and she is definitely manipulated by Spencer, and Beckett’s spike heels throw me right out of willing suspension of disbelief – no one can chase down bad guys or stand or walk for hours in that kind of footgear, and no working cop could devote as much time to makeup as her huge amounts of it would demand. Lisbon often wears flats and functional clothing, and makeup is minimal. It makes her more believable. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/31 "2011-10-12T02:17:53Z")
I also love Jo from Eureka. Smart, pretty and no nonsense. And she will kick your ass, so don’t tempt her. But my favorite TV cop was Raineesha Williams from Reno 911! She was 20 pounds of officer in a 5 pound bag. Plus a bag of chips. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/32 "2011-10-12T02:27:51Z")
kathy norris in cold case. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/33 "2011-10-12T02:46:04Z")
> [@davidw](#): > > Kima Griggs from The Wire. Word. Girl is natch’ral born POlice. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/34 "2011-10-12T10:38:56Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > If we are just talking about attractive actresses who play cops, I think that Kathryn Morris, who plays Detective Lilly Rush on “Cold Case” is stunning, and I say that as someone who is NOT normally attracted to blondes. > > Cold Case is the only hour long cop drama I can ever remember watching (I only got turned onto it about a year or so ago, by watching late night re-runs on the weekends; I never saw the show while it was still airing on CBS) and while it’s pretty laughable most of the time, the show features some excellent music and interesting period costumes. (1/2 of each episode is shown in flashback form). > > Anyway, Ms. Morris is truly lovely, and I would gladly watch any other shows she is in given the chance. Ditto this. Lily had this translucent, porcelain complexion. Sigh. And she was a troubled and complicated person. I also only caught the show in reruns, thanks to my dvr. The plots were intense and poignant and often left me in tears-- the good kind. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/35 "2011-10-12T16:01:58Z")
As far as real girl cops go, those Italian female cops we always saw escorting Amanda Knox to and from the courtroom were pretty darned hot. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/36 "2011-10-12T16:17:21Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Deb Morgan from Dexter because it’s so fucking awesome how every other fucking word out of her mouth is fuck, shit, or some other fucking swear word. > [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Jane Tenison from “Prime Suspect”, the ravishing at any age Helen Mirren. > [@davidw](#): > > Claudette Wyms from The Shield. And Kima Griggs from The Wire. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > One of my current favourites is [Teresa Lisbon on “The Mentalist.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Lisbon) You could argue that she is a patsy who is being manipulated by Patrick Jane, but I think their relationship is more complicated than that (as we saw this season, she is the one Jane wants to work with - he’ll just get rid of anyone else they try to put in her job). These are the ones that I have liked. Of them, I’m going with Deb Morgan as #1. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/37 "2011-10-12T16:23:05Z")
I always liked Kim Delaney on NYPD Blue, she was so stylish and pretty, marching a perp into the police station. She won an Emmy as ‘Diane’, shame she’s fallen so low in her personal life. Currently, I like the actor - whatshername - Mirelle something - on The Killing. Oh, and on Everybody Loves Raymond, Robert’s partner, who took him out dancing (when he “turned black”) - she is just hilarious in her no-nonsense way. She should have her own show. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/38 "2011-10-12T16:28:44Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Oh, definitely. Haven’t seen the American remake - is it any good? It’s actually pretty good. I was prepared to hate it, as nobody could replace Helen Mirren, but they’re not trying to mimic the original. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/39 "2011-10-12T16:31:19Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > She felt real in a way that nobody on CSI ever does. I watch Sela Ward as Jo Danville for the opposite reason! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223/40 "2011-10-12T16:42:20Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Jane Tenison from “Prime Suspect”, the ravishing at any age Helen Mirren. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Oh, definitely. Haven’t seen the American remake - is it any good? > [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s actually pretty good. I was prepared to hate it, as nobody could replace Helen Mirren, but they’re not trying to mimic the original. Ditto on **Chefguy** ’s comments. Maria Bello is a good American counterpart to the British Mirren character, and the tension among the male cops and the strong woman that is Jane is a dynamic that benefits from the more macho American male cop image. It looks like NBC is giving the show every chance to catch on, and I hope they find the right time slot for it. Upthread Jennifer Esposito was mentioned. I like what she’s been doing on _Blue Bloods_ in a minor role. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-female-police-officers-on-tv/599223.md?page=3)