Top 10 Women Cops From Television
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These are law enforcement’s most recognizable leading ladies. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 female cops from television.
For this list, we’ve decided to choose more than just beat cops, and have included women from any government law enforcement organization, including the FBI and CIA.
#10- Agent Julie Barnes "The Mod Squad" (1968-1973)
Kicking off our list is the first female lead in a television series, who was simultaneously a member of the first undercover police team on television. A flower child from a broken home, Julie was recruited after running away and getting in trouble with the law. Working with two other troubled youths under a sympathetic mentor, Julie brings criminals to justice with her disarming personality rather than a firearm.
#9- Det. Sarah Linden "The Killing" (2011-)
A homicide detective serves with the Seattle Police Department, Linden is a smart and proficient cop capable of noticing the fine details that others often miss. An emotionally distant woman, she’s a single mother who attempts to disconnect in order to deal with the horrors of her job. Despite this, she is obsessive, and increasingly willing to put herself on the line to solve a case.
#8- Lieutenant Debra Morgan "Dexter" (2006-)
This cop is the foster sister to blood splatter analyst and secret serial killer Dexter Morgan. Though she is unsuspecting when it comes to her brother’s true nature, and is often second-guessing herself, Debra is a smart and skilled officer. She packs a clearly defined sense of right and wrong and often hunts the same serial killers that her brother is after, albeit with the intent of bringing them to justice.
#7- Lieutenant Anita Van Buren "Law and Order" (1993-2010)
The longest running character on the show, she has appeared in nearly 400 episodes between the main series and its spin-offs. Becoming the commander of the 27th precinct Detective Squad, she has time and again proved herself a capable leader who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Packing a Smith & Wesson, she is notable for being especially tough, which is both her greatest strength and weakness.
#6- Special Agent Olivia Dunham “Fringe”
This young FBI agent is assigned to a task force for Homeland security called the Fringe Division. There she spearheads investigations of paranormal events while working with an eccentric scientist and his son. Determined and compassionate, she’s almost too driven, constantly biting off more than she can chew and getting ahead of herself. Because of this, she is forced to carry burdens while directly caring for her colleague’s welfare.
#5 – Agent Sydney Bristow: “Alias” (2001-2006)
A double agent recruited by the U.S. government, this highly skilled operative is charged with taking down a large terrorist organization. Only this group is made up of fellow spies who believe they’re part of a Black-Ops CIA division called SD-6. Not only is Agent Bristow an expert in espionage and Krav Maga, she’s also fluent in a dozen languages, and uses her skills to siphon intel and save lives.
#4 – CSI Catherine Willows: “CSI” (2000-2012)
By climbing up the ladder from exotic dancer to lab tech to supervisor and finally to the FBI, Willows proved she’ll do anything to break a case and support her daughter. She regularly uncovers clues by tapping her knowledge of random facts or her skill in analyzing blood spatter. And, while she’s definitely tough-as-nails, there are two things this cop can’t stomach: crimes involving sex offenders or children.
#3- CIA Agent Carrie Mathison "Homeland" (2011-)
Claire Danes plays this CIA officer charged with preventing terrorist attacks on home soil. Despite secretly hiding her bipolar disorder from the agency, she is both adept and perfectly conditioned for her job. Of course, her obsession and emotional instability leads her down a shaky path: namely trying to prove that a recently released al-Qaeda prisoner of war has been turned and is central to America’s downfall.
#2 – Dets. Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey: “Cagney & Lacey” (1981-1988)
Following in the footsteps of cop buddies like Starsky and Hutch, these detectives seek perps – only in Cagney and Lacey’s case, they also disarm bigotry, becoming icons for workingwomen in the process. Of course, the real trick to their success and team dynamic is that one is a tough mother-type while the other is a sensitive idealist, and the two regularly meet half way.
#1 – Special Agent Dana Scully: “The X-Files” (1993-2008)
Taking the top spot on our list is the FBI Special Agent-slash-medical doctor who’s more than brave enough to tackle psychotics and investigate the unknown. As she works out of a cramped basement at FBI headquarters, Scully tackles the unsolved cases – gun and ID badge in hand – while playing the rational, mature and resilient skeptic. But, this iconic screen force is perhaps best known for tempering her partner’s enthusiasm.
Agree with our list? Which female TV cop has kept you handcuffed to the couch? For more entertaining top 10s, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
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