We are coming full circle. So here we go with the greatest female presence on our screens!
We have a number one, but the rest are all unordered. Please don't forget to like and subscribe and add your thoughts in the comments (here, not on Facebook!)
"M": The James Bond franchise
I was not into it to start with. Thought she would be frumpy and deluded. She turned out to be the best M yet. Tolerant and respectful of Bond, fond of him even. However, she was in no way intimidated by this "relic of the Cold War" and called him a "sexist misogynistic dinosaur" and reminded him she would happily send him to meet death. They had a close relationship and she supported but never humoured him. She would frequently scold him for his callous womanising. Totally caused me to do a 180 on Dame Judi Dench
Eleanor Shellstrop: The Good Place
The surprisingly enjoyable ethereal sitcom that deals with the afterlife was a massive success. Mostly down to Kristen Bell and her portrayal of self-confessed "Arizona trashbag" Eleanor. She is witty, cruel, hilarious, sexy, aware, and just brilliant. She leads a team in the show capably and endearingly. A strong female lead that showed us she was so, without ever telling OR relying on it.
Jacqui Q: Get Him to the Greek
Foul-mouthed, sexy, and fantastically hilarious. The substance-filled wife of fictional rocker Aldous Snow. Her singles Ring Round and Supertight are a side-splitting spoof of the vulgar sexualisation present in generic female-led pop. Not a role model but as it is one of our favourite actresses, the sublime Rose Byrne, we will let it pass
Rosa Diaz: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
The uber-tough, no-nonsense leather-clad Latina is a woman of few words, but all of them count. A fantastic comedic presence with her understated personal side (moving to a new house when a co-worker learns her address), many secrets (doctorate in medicine, skydiving), violent temper, and her revealed softer side make her an all-time fan favourite, deservedly so. She is also a gay icon having recently outed herself in the show and real life. No frills, all thrills.
Clarice Starling : Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal (movie)
Where to begin with Clarice Starling? Cool-headed, brilliant, and endlessly resourceful. The orphan girl genius who grew to be a highly educated decorated crime fighter, single-handedly rescuing a kidnapped senators daughter, while the FBI and Justice Department chased a red herring.
Julianne excelled as Clarice in the Sequel. Exploited, and sold-out by those she trusted and served, her priorities are different. The film of Hannibal ends very differently from the book. The latter is more shocking,yet strangley more likely than the ludicrous sequence of events that close the movie.
Without Doubt the Greatest EVER Female Character on the Screen....
Sue Sylvester: Glee
The acid-tongued, unsympathetic, Glee-club hating psychopath with a heart of gold. Trophy-magnet cheerleading coach and the nemesis of Will Schuester. She is drop down hilarious, so un-PC it hurts and has a lexicon of abuse that has never been equalled. She shows a good side. Anti-bullying, handicapped-supporting, and often arbitrarily kind-hearted, but these moments are rare.
She never starts a comment with "As a woman, I feel" and she never uses her gender to excuse lunacy or stupidity. she never uses it at all. The sign of a great person. She never uses anything. She doesn't have to. She says what she wants and takes what she needs without apologising. Many claim to be like Sue, very few are in the same league even. NONE are her equal and that is why Sue Sylvester is an honorary member of Nicely Put
No Rob. She was an arrogant bitch. Plus having read about the real woman, she's not nearly as benevolent as it is made out
No Miss Brockovich? Never the less an interesting selection with lashes of nostalgia.