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Female Casting on Cop Shows

Dr. Cheese

Dr. Cheese

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
57,351
120,773
Metro St. Louis
#1
I was just watching Entertainment Tonight, and I saw Lele Sobieski talk about her new role as a cop on a drama. She was saying how she takes down big guys she could never tackle in real life. I know why TV casts petite, cute women, but I'm pretty sure people would watch a show that had police women who look like the ones I see around time and on TV. They are usually pretty stout women who look like they are strong enough to tussle with a man for at least a little while. I just feel that a good show will offer a real story and not just cute faces.
 
#2
I enjoyed Police Women of Broward County, then they started moving it all around the country and I lost interest.

The blondies looked alright, but I liked Shelunda best. Her attitude and ability to put someone in their place so kindly always cracked me up.

-Mike
 
#3
Jennifer Carpenter (Debra Morgan) on Dexter really gets me. Her character is so childish and petite and she doesn't even seem to pretend to be tough. I love the way she curses!

Cop shows aren't the only places that hot chicks play seemingly out-of-place roles. Ever notice that in a lot of movies the head scientist of an entire research department is a 22 year old hottie?
Not that women (particularly good looking ones) are incapable of being brilliant scientists, but in summer movies they're always waaaay too young to have that kind of status already.
 
#4
Bloodhammer said:
Jennifer Carpenter (Debra Morgan) on Dexter really gets me. Her character is so childish and petite and she doesn't even seem to pretend to be tough. I love the way she curses!

Cop shows aren't the only places that hot chicks play seemingly out-of-place roles. Ever notice that in a lot of movies the head scientist of an entire research department is a 22 year old hottie?
Not that women (particularly good looking ones) are incapable of being brilliant scientists, but in summer movies they're always waaaay too young to have that kind of status already.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% about having women who are way too young to have major research positions as scientists in your typical blockbuster style movie as major scientists.
 
#6
Check out Southland, the story arc of Lucy Liu's character went against that trope. She was introduced returning to duty after taking a beat down and she and her partner, Moose from Band of Brothers took other beatings during the season before she got promoted to Sergeant. Regina King's homicide detective has won more then any cop's share of gunfights but she never went hand to hand with a mercenary like Ashley Judd's retired CIA house mom does on Missing.
 
#7
P. Aaron said:
It's eye candy as far as the tv goes. Once in a while we're blessed with a decent plot too.
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+1

Leelee is a real cutey, and as a guy - I am attracted to shows with nice looking women ..... it's only natural.
I'll give it a chance, but it will never top Criminal Minds; great cast, and great plots. For me - the cast (mostly women) is as important as a show's synopsis/plot.
 
#9
My two favorite women on TV are Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia on Criminal Minds, and Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto on NCIS.

Both are somewhat unconventional women from a traditional TV point of view. Their characters are both way smarter than the typical person in their position. Neither is traditionally babe-tastic in the usual TV way. Apparently quirky works for me.

But in Pauley's case, she could actually do that job. She really did study for it, and really knows how to do many of the skills you see Abby do. I've been told Kirsten is a competent hacker as well. But that may or may not be true.

I'm glad that I don't have to see them try hand-to-hand with guys five times their size. It's hard to take seriously. I remember a martial arts class I had about a million years ago. The instructors daughter was one of the black belts who helped teach it. Even she would tell you right out that *ahem-Yes. I know you will snicker about a girl saying this to a bunch of young guys* "Size matters. But not the way you've always worried." A very skilled small woman fighting a much less skilled large man is going to lose badly most of the time. So if she's smart, she will cheat. I know she carried a collapsible metal baton in her car.
 
#12
Kawai-chang said:
My favorite is the woman, who, in every action movie goes from suburban soccer mom to Amazonian Seal Team 6 Weapon Specialist & Close Quarter Combat Instructor in a matter of minutes.
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You mean they can't all do that?

I remember a comic I saw a month or so ago that said all we had to do to end the war in Afghanistan was to send about four dozen Jamaican girls and latinas over there and right after they land, whisper "I saw al-Qaeda talkin' to your man."

Three days later max, no more Taliban.
 
#14
svu-benson-mariska-hargitay-288x375(2).jpg


I dunno, I think at least SVU got it right. Benson is plenty hot, but she also looks like she'd be more that capable, and maybe a little bit turned on beating you up.
 
#15
Jhengsman said:
Check out Southland, the story arc of Lucy Liu's character went against that trope. She was introduced returning to duty after taking a beat down and she and her partner, Moose from Band of Brothers took other beatings during the season before she got promoted to Sergeant. Regina King's homicide detective has won more then any cop's share of gunfights but she never went hand to hand with a mercenary like Ashley Judd's retired CIA house mom does on Missing.
Click to expand...

Yeah I came here to mention exactly that. Plus I love Lucy Liu :D
 
#17
Not only do they cast babes who are unlikely to be found in police work, but in shows like CSI: Miami, they spend all their work hours running around dressed in white and in low-cut blouses.

Gimme a break - NO scene investigator would ever wear white at a crime scene- it would be covered with grime in minutes. And they wouldn't wear the low-cut tops or the guys around them would spend all their time looking at the cleavage.

It strains credulity much more than is reasonable.
 
#19
Real life is a mixed bag too. On my small department, we have four female officers.
The oldest is as wide as a locomotive, and as mean as a methed out biker. She's also a devout Christian (hyocritical..yes....). The second is in her early thirties, about 5-8, thin, but in REALLY good shape and very strong. She's absolutely hilarious, a really good officer, and one of my best friends on the department. I'd rather have her back me up than 3/4 of the guys. The, third is in her late 20's, a little heavy, but again, a good officer. She had 5 years in corrections prior to coming to us, so I don't worry about her too much in a tussle. Our newest officer is 22, about 5-3 and about 110 lbs. She's doing a nice job, but I really worry about her when things go to s__t.
 

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