Three Inspiring and Influential Female Characters from Television
Posted on Wed, Jan 25, 2012 @ 03:54 PM
Television doesn't always provide us with the best of role models. With characters that become successful drug lords who use their sexual influence to manage the people in their lives (Nancy Botwin from Weeds), it's not hard to look to primetime television and see a slew of corruption and misbehavior by powerful lead characters. That's part of what makes TV so engrossing. Shows create these characters that are flawed and interesting in ways that real life just can't support. These flawed characters somehow receive our sympathy and our encouragement. However, among the numerous negative role models on television, there are also numerous characters that display strength, tenacity, and passion that is both inspiring and influential to our generation of TV watchers. These three female characters on television today are wonderful role models that demonstrate strength, intelligence, and determination in their own ways on the silver screen.
Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation
Running for four seasons now, Parks and Recreation has become a sitcom that approaches political satire and comedy in a fresh and interesting way. The show's central protagonist, Leslie Knope, is endlessly optimistic, smart, and successful. Knope is dedicated to her job, demonstrating the drive and determination it takes to succeed in today's professional atmosphere. Though this character is, just that, a fictional character, she is nonetheless inspiring and influential as a positive female role model in the world today. Knope is ambitious and hard-working almost to the point of flaw (almost). Dedicated to her job as Director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation, Knope uses her intelligence and unending spirit to reach her noble goal of creating a better city. Fiction or not, we can learn a lot from Leslie Knope as a female leader in today's society.
Lisa Cuddy from House MD
Lisa Cuddy has been followed and supported by thousands upon thousands of fans for seven seasons of the hit television series House. As the Dean of Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, Cuddy displays astounding strength in difficult situations of all sorts, superior intelligence, and endless dedication to her job and her employees. Though many aspects of Cuddy's character are flawed, they are so in a way that demonstrates some very real issues in today's society. Cuddy's personal, romantic, and family life suffer under the pressures of her job and due to her dedication to her career. It would seem that Cuddy's character communicates that professional success is unattainable without sacrificing all other aspects of your life. However, Lisa Cuddy manages to run one of the most successful hospitals in the nation, manage one of the most brilliant and challenging doctors in history, raise a child as a working single mother, and maintain her own personal integrity through it all.
Catherine Willows from CSI
CSI Las Vegas is not known for its great writing (though I adore it) or for its particularly unique point-of-view, but nonetheless the show has managed to create several dynamic and engrossing characters. Catherine Willows is the Senior CSI Shift supervisor for much of the series, leading her team of CSI's through challenging cases and personal struggles. CSI Willows is smart, good at her job, a strong leader, always calm, and morally upright throughout. As a single mother and strong career woman, Willows demonstrates some the best qualities a modern day woman can possess. If there's one thing we can learn from each of these fictional characters on the silver screen, it's that professional success comes with dedication and hard work. 
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.