Nerd, Witch, Lesbian, Evil Incarnate - Willow Rosenberg certainly developed enough material for three characters. She is off centre, quirky and sweet - the go-to girl for all kinds of knowledge and the
shoulder to lean on. Willow is all these things, but her most important role on Buffy is playing ‘Old Reliable’ (not to be mistaken for Old Yeller..) But whilst she sees this as being a fault, we see it as being an integral part of her character. She is the stability in world gone mad, the rock that never strays. Without Willow, Buffy loses her main anchor of support and strength.

Willow starts off in Season 1 as a bundle of nerves and lost self-esteem but may have unknowingly developed into the ultimate Joss character - the epitome of teenage life is depicted through Willow and not Xander as most people suppose. She morphs from a struggling teen to confident woman, marking her journey through huge pitfalls and self discovery. She is nothing if not resilient.

Willow understands her role as a support to the Slayer, but she often questions how important she is to Buffy. Buffy in turn, seems to take advantage of Willow’s presence. This issue comes up repeatedly
throughout the series and it may be the reason for her frequent ‘life changes’. Always playing second fiddle to Buffy, Willow morphs into witch. This grants her more power in the group but this newfound
ability is always viewed with precaution from the Scoobies (and with good reason!). Her relationship with Oz over, Willow plunges into the depths of despair and unable to turn to Buffy, finds a soulmate in Tara.

The underlying pattern with Willow is her constant need to be liked, wanted and chosen. As she grows, this need diminishes but never disappears. The culmination of this ends up in Willow wiping Tara’s
memory to ensure she forgets the fight they had about her use of magic. Unable to control her magical powers or Tara’s love for her, Willow begins to unravel. I believe that the seeds of unrest were
planted in her long before Tara’s murder. The most telling moment for Willow’s character is during her face - off with Buffy. She asks, ‘What does it feel like to finally fight someone with real power?’, Willow’s old resentments come bubbling up to the surface.

But, like all of Joss’ characters, Willow is saved by love. Corny, but ultimately a reinforcing of the central BTVS themes. Without Willow, the story line would have surely lacked. There would be no rich back story between Willow and Xander, Cordelia would have had one less person to pick on, and Buffy would have lost her one and only Goddess.

Jessica describes herself as Writer, Editor, Bookstore Owner, Lover of lit.pop - read her blog at Tattling On

Faith Lehane is arguably one of the more powerful female characters in living television history. Created as an antagonist to Buffy Summers, Faith not only added an extra dimension to the Slayer lore but also changed and challenged the show’s fundamental principle – that the Slayer is inherently good.

Faith does more than play opposites to Buffy’s hero, she also demonstrates a depth of humanity that is sometimes lacking in Buffy’s demeanour. Faith’s flaws ultimately serve to mature her – another trait that Buffy doesn’t possess in her earlier years. Her strength lies in the core of her personality and background, she is rough, aggressive and wise with street smarts. She is also a sexually charged character, but this can be argued to be more of a channelling of her anger than a sense of needing love or affection. This sexuality is raw and powerful – much like the vampires she hunts, she is driven by the thirst of the physical.

Faith is a heroine built from the mould of Classical Greek Literature. She is flawed, she falls and she overcomes. The accidental taking of a human life transforms her into a girl lost and ultimately drives her to seek out more blood, revenge and destruction. But the beauty of Faith, even in her downfall, was the vulnerability and pain she showed as she tried to struggle with her personal demons. Whilst her behaviour can be traced back to an abusive childhood, her choices are made based on what she lacks in her present life. She views Buffy with her mentor, her mother and a secure circle of friends as a pariah, taking what Faith never had. In this mindset she seeks out an ally and finds a warm father figure in the Mayor. To Faith, his being ‘bad’ does not detract from his pure love for her. Why then take the more arduous path of penalty that Buffy demands when she can live in comfort somebody else’s love? Faith’s weakness here is obvious, she is blinded by the need to be guided and loved and will ultimately choose this path over one of justice at her own expense.

Angel plays a crucial role in Faith’s development. Through him she learns the power of friendship, the importance of seeking redemption and the overwhelming desire to do good in the face of adversity. I believe her turning point was not capitulating to Angel when he urges her to turn herself in, but instead in her willingness to sacrifice herself to save Angel’s life. Faith finally learns the lesson Buffy has always known, that she cannot survive without the love and sacrifice of her friends.

She returns to Sunnydale in Season 7 of Buffy to stand side by side with her fellow Slayer. In taking over leadership from Buffy she learns about Buffy’s strengths in a way she never before understood – not even when she was in Buffy’s body – and begins to respect her former foe for the difficult and sometimes fatal decisions she makes for the good of her team. That she returns to Sunnydale and seeks out Buffy indicates her new found for conquering her fears, facing up to her sins and fighting for the good of the world.

This article first appeared at Tattling On

Jessica describes herself as Writer, Editor, Bookstore Owner, Lover of lit.pop - read her blog at Tattling On

This article first appeared at No Smoking in the Skull Cave. If you have an article or review that you’d like to contribute please contact us.

For those of you who don’t know Lynda Carter was not originally cast as Wonder Woman, no that honor went to the more than dull Cathy Lee Crosby and the first pilot for show was aired in 1974. It failed and anyone whose seen the original pilot can tell you there is just something missing, honestly it’s not Worth talking about so I’ve decided to skip ahead to the second pilot with Lynda Carter.

The second all-star pilot starts off with cheesy narration and an over-the-top montage of black & white photos from WWII and culminates in the narrator’s best (but very bad) FDR impersonation saying “The only hope for America is…” he stops talking just as the theme song cuts in with it’s cry of “Wonder Woman!” Man this show has one of the best theme songs ever!

We open on what is supposed to be a Nazi castle or something hidden deep within the black jungles of Argentina. Chicago born Kenneth Mars doing yet another German accent plays Col. Oberst Von Blasko who actually asks his minions to “speak English for secrecy” huh? HUH? Why would Nazis in the center of their Nazi fortress need to speak English for secrecy? Yep that’s the kind of logic we’ll be working with here folks.

In any case Von Blasko and one of his underlings Nickolas played by Henry Gibson are heading an air mission to destroy the Brooklyn Navy Yard where the Americans are hard at work building some vague secret weapon. How the Nazis plan to get an enemy plane over the US during the height of WWII is beyond me but hey these are the Nazis who want to speak English for secrecy… By the way can a fighter plane make it all the way from Argentina to Brooklyn and back without refueling? Yeah…didn’t think so.

In any case the Americans get wind of this attack and send their best man Major Steve Trevor brought to life by Carol Burnett show regular and Playgirl’s first centerfold; sexy, sexy Lyle Waggoner to take out the Nazi invader. “Do your best Steve” Says General Blankenship as he sends Trevor off to board his plane. “General I can only do my best” he responds cockily. This show has such brilliant dialogue!

The two planes face off somewhere over the Bermuda Triangle (of course) in the stupidest dogfight ever! Ultra-close, close-ups on the faces of the two men are inter cut with color and black & white stock footage of fighting planes. Eventually their planes explode at about the same time…I can only assume they gunned each other down…and the men escape the burning wrecks via parachute. An even stupider scene follows where Steve gives the Nazi pilot a smile and a thumbs up, then the Nazi draws his gun and Steve suddenly remembering he’s at war does the same. This is all happening mid-air while parachuting to the ground mind you. Steve is wounded but has this ridiculous ‘ouch you shot me that hurt a little’ reaction and in return shoots down the Nazi pilot.

It’s 14 minutes into the pilot when you finally meet Princess Diana/ Wonder Woman played by the amazingly beautiful Lynda Carter. There is a story that Carter received a standing ovation from the cast and crew the very first time she walked onto the set wearing the Wonder Woman costume and who could blame them. Of course looking at Lynda who was a beauty queen you can’t help but think about how by today’s standards she’d probably be considered too chubby! That’s so wrong Carter is one of the most amazing looking women ever! Still is!

In any case Diana discovers Steve washed ashore on the beaches of her home Paradise Island and lots of wow I’ve never seen a man in the flesh before gushing ensues. Poor bastard it’s the first time she sees a man and it’s Lyle Waggoner (click the link if you haven’t yet…sorry). Diana takes Steve to the hospital where his wounds are treated by an Amazonian doctor played by Fried Green Tomatoes author Fannie Flagg…seriously…no joke. I told you this was all star folks!

I guess it’s a pretty big deal to have a man on the island so Hippolyte the queen and Diana’s mum, an amazing looking Cloris Leachman, comes down to visit. They question Steve who is half passed out and boy howdy does he spill his guts like a little baby. Who he is, where he’s from and what he was doing. Didn’t he see any of the SNAFU cartoons? Loose lips sink ships!

Once Trevor is doing better the Amazons of Paradise Island hold an athletic games to see who is worthy of escorting the “savage” Trevor back to the outside world. It’s been centuries since any of them have stepped off the island so who knows how much the world has changed in all that time, not to mention the power of the island makes the Amazons immortal. Stepping off the island may make them mortal and it will take a heroic Amazon to face this possibility. Diana wants to compete but the queen forbids her. A question, why bother to have a successor on an island full of immortals? Just wondering. Diana doesn’t take no for an answer, disguises herself in a blonde wig and secretly competes. Dude you can see through almost every athlete’s costume.

The competition comes down to Diana and another young Amazon tying for the win (no surprises here folks) and to settle the tie the two must face off in a bullets and bracelets competition. A contest where the two women must deflect bullets from a gun using only their specially crafted metal bracelets…HEY! wait a minute? They have guns on Paradise Island? But they’ve been isolated from the rest of the world since the time of the Greeks and Romans according to Queen Hippolyte. Hmmm guess I shouldn’t worry so much about it since they have signs all over the contest in English.

Needless to say Diana wins. She is given the classic Wonder Woman belt and golden lasso as her prize. The lasso of course which compels folks to tell the truth. She chooses this moment to reveal herself to her shocked, but supportive mother, who lets her go but first but first creates the famous Wonder Woman costume for Diana to wear. Hippolyte also wins the prize for cornily coining the name Wonder Woman, calling her daughter “a wonder woman in a world of mortals” in their farewells. Of course Hippolyte can be forgiven for that corny line since she made such a great costume for her daughter!

After a quick stop at the Argentinian Nazi headquarters where they mispronounce the word gestapo, a German word (they must be saying it with an English accent for secrecy). We go back to Wonder Woman who is driving Steve home in her invisible plane…wait the Amazons have planes too? Okay someone had to be visiting the mortal world! But seriously the plane is actually a pretty cool effect for a low budget TV show.

Wonder Woman drops Steve off at a hospital and takes off to explore the modern world. After a quick stop in a dress shop “you certainly use a lot of material in your dresses” she stops a bank robbery and gets noticed by theatrical agent Ashley Norman played by the awesome Red Buttons whose business card reads “Dogs, Dwarves and Daredevils”. He offers he to make her star with her bracelets and bullets trick. She will eventually give in when she realizes she needs money to make it in the modern world. But it turns out Red Buttons is a Nazi spy!

Meanwhile Steve gets out of the hospital just in time to try and stop another Nazi plane from flying over the US but not in time to realize his pants are way too tight. Actually he never even makes it to his fighter, instead he gets ambushed by Nazi spies led by Red Buttons. Red Buttons tries to kill Steve after calling him a shweinhund…there’s actually something very funny about the Jewish Buttons playing a Nazi spy, but not quite as funny as his pronunciation of schweinhund.

They take Steve to their secret lair and drug him. Shock! Steve’s secretary Marcia played by the beautiful blonde Playboy centerfold Stella Stevens is also a Nazi their leader! Appalling! Of course what’s more appalling is that Steve spills the beans again and gives the Nazi’s the safe combination they need for some important document. A document so important that up til now no one in the episode has mentioned it! Marcia takes off to get the document but not before telling Red Buttons to kill Steve if she’s not back in an hour. He agrees and she’s on her way.

Maricia cracks the safe…well just opens it she has the combination after all. Steve we really need to have a chat…but before she can get away Wonder Woman appears! Marcia mocks her and twists into this ridiculous martial arts pose. “I was Nuremberg Judo Champ” she announces before we are treated to the catfight of the century! Of course the doubles are really obvious, so obvious in fact you expect their wigs to come flying off at any moment. Luckily her defeat of Marcia coincides with the arrival of the second Nazi bomber which she is able to stop with the help of her invisible plane. Victorious through air power she rushes to save Steve and beats the crap out of Red Buttons. Wondy saving Steve is a constant in this series twice in this episode 3 times in the next, I think I’m going to keep a running count.

The General and Steve end the episode by discussing the hiring of Steve’s new secretary. They’ve interviewed quite a few candidates but in the end have decided to hire a Navy Wav named Diana Prince since she’s unattractive since that pertty former secretary Marcia turned out to be a spy an ugly gal should be “safe”. Of course the audience is not fooled by hair pulled back into a bun and big glasses so we know that Diana Prince is actually Wonder Woman in “disguise”. Steve is so perceptive.

Overall the episode is a lot of fun, but there is no denying without Lynda Carter’s energetic performance it wouldn’t be worth watching. The memorable cat fight sequence between Lynda Carter and Stella Stevens was a considered a milestone in TV action, and was later used as a reference between the similar fights that took place between Krystle and Alexis in Dynasty. The pilot’s director however, Leonard Horn, suffered a heart attack during shooting and died shortly after completion. Airing November 7, 1975, it was a huge ratings success and ABC quickly authorized the production of two one-hour specials which aired the following April.

4 out of 5 stars

TV Totals:
8 on screen Nazis
6 Heil Hitlers
5 Glass doors broken in cat fight
4 separate scenes with bullets and bracelets
1 athletic competition in skimpy/ see through costumes
1 gun fight
1 cat fight
1 invisible plane
1 instance of lasso wielding
1 instance of Wonder Woman throwing a man
1 Anne Ramsey cameo (hooray!)
1 Spin Change from Diana to Wonder Woman
1 Wonder Woman in a nurses costume

Becca is the author of No Smoking in the Skull Cave a blog dedicated to pop culture, movies and more.

Character Overview

“You’re worse than a traitor Nina. You don’t even have a cause. You don’t believe in anything. You would sell anyone and anything out to the highest bidder.”

Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) could have forged a successful career working for her government and her country within the Los Angeles Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), and for a while she did seemingly follow this path. However she eventually succumbed to the temptation of quick money and seduced by the power of secretive dealings with powerful partners. While the motives for all Nina’s actions are not entirely clear, she does seem to enjoy leading a double life and becomes a victim of her own self-inflated importance.

Working her way up into a position of influence as second-in-command of the Los Angeles CTU, Nina reported to Jack Bauer and established herself as a close personal confidant. For someone held in such high esteem and deeply trusted by even the normally impossible-to-deceive Jack Bauer, it comes as a shocking surprise when Nina’s true traitorous character is revealed.

Educational Background

“I trusted you, Nina.”

Nina has an impressive educational resume, however given her questionable loyalties and talent for deception, perhaps not all is as it seems. However if we decide to trust official records, Nina completed a Bachelor of Arts at Harvard University with a double major in Middle Eastern Studies and History. Following completion of her undergraduate degree Nina then went on to receive a Master of Arts in Criminal Investigative Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of International Relations, Tufts University. Nina displayed her multilingual abilities, and aside from English she has been heard to speak Serbian, German and Arabic.

Characterisation

“I’ll only get the pardon, why wouldn’t I do everything I can?”

Regardless of her motivations or whether we agree with the decisions which Nina makes, she can never be faulted for her unwavering commitment to complete an assigned task. Perhaps for this reason, Nina is somewhat of a tragic chameleon, you can never be too sure of who she is going to be, who she is working for or what she is trying to achieve at any given time. While her moral compass may be set significantly askew, her work ethic is strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of them.

Born in Boston in 1975, Nina (also known as Yelena and Sarah Berkeley) embodies the consummate cool, calm thirty-something professional. Balanced against her formidable intellect and ruthless tenacity, Nina is also a physically striking woman with dark hair and angular features, exuding an arrogant air and comfortable elegance. Nina mostly dresses in non-descript, practical clothing and takes a no-fuss approach to grooming, further highlighting her ability to solely focus on the task at hand rather than be distracted by such fickle things.

Character Development

“You’re going to have to kill him. No mistakes. If he finds out I’ve lied to him, my cover will be blown.”

Given the focus of 24 on work related activity, we primarily come to know Nina through her work for, and connection with CTU. Her duplicitous nature is gradually uncovered, but she always manages to keep us guessing; just when you think you have her all figured out she moves off in a completely different direction. There is no denying that regardless of how much we wish Nina would be revealed to all as a traitor and that people (especially Jack) would stop trusting her so much, there is something utterly compelling and captivating about a person who acts completely outside a values system that most of society abides by.

Apart from the fact that she seems to genuinely enjoy her work, whatever that may entail, Nina also seems to be heavily motivated by money - whoever pays her the highest price will get her service regardless of their affiliations, beliefs or ultimate goals. While many people would be happy with the progress she made in her legitimate professional career, Nina wanted so much more. Inevitably this hunger led to her CTU career being cut short and introduced a great deal more drama, danger and excitement into her life and the lives of those around her. In the time we’ve known her, Nina has been exposed as a mole, a traitor, and a killer, crimes that led to her eventual capture and arrest. Despite these obstacles Nina never loses sight of once again gaining her freedom and getting back to what she loves best. True to form and much to Jack’s disgust, Nina does gain presidential pardon and immunity from her crimes in exchange for information.

While she then could have chosen to disappear into obscurity and follow a different career path, Nina just can’t help herself and once more she almost unbelievably reappears while Jack is working undercover in Mexico. Not one to be re-captured easily or quietly, Jack does manage to take Nina into custody where she makes a dramatic, chaotic and ultimately fatal return to CTU.

Relationships

“Don’t talk to me, Nina. I’m here because I have to be, not because I’m your friend.”

While Nina seems to be at her best when acting alone, sometimes her needs align with the needs of another, and she finds herself in a relationship. Following a short separation from his wife, Jack becomes involved with Nina in a relationship that is largely kept under wraps from the rest of the world. The relationship did become serious to some degree, at least on a physical level with the two enjoying a weekend trip to Santa Barbara. When Jack re-solidifies his relationship with his wife Teri, his liaison with Nina is abruptly broken off. Nina later becomes involved with another of her CTU colleagues, Tony Almeida. With Nina’s ultimate exposure as a traitor this relationship is not given the chance to develop into anything long-term.

Current status

“You don’t have any more useful information, do you, Nina?”

As interesting and exciting as it was to follow the various betrayals, lies and manipulations committed by Nina Myers there was most certainly a high level of satisfaction in seeing justice come her way. It was especially fitting that Jack Bauer was the one to deliver this justice. Just as every good romantic comedy should eventually lead to a relationship, every good villain needs an ending and a good one at that. Fighting to the end, Nina never surrendered herself easily to capture and always sought her freedom, even when this quest for freedom would cost her life.

Believability

With the revelation of her traitorous betrayal and the murder of Jack’s wife Teri, Nina Myers very quickly took the mantle of 24’s number one villain. Sarah Clarke portrays Nina with perfect reserve and beautifully concealed deceptiveness, ensuring that Nina’s character never stoops to become a clichéd one-dimensional villain. Quite clearly this girl has some seriously complex layers that we never truly get to the bottom of. Nina is able to maintain her professional expertise and technical knowledge in the office of CTU, while also demonstrating her proficiency at working in murkier professional waters.

Stereotype rating

Low. Nina is that mysterious type of character that we never really understand and perhaps never really want to. She is controlling, deceptive and wickedly manipulative. It was however particularly interesting to watch her character play against the unerringly loyal and upstanding persona that is Jack Bauer, never could there be a more entertaining clash of opposites. Nina shows that not only can she think, work hard and charm men, she is also a dab hand at fighting, escaping and killing.

Heart or Hate

Heart to hate.

Agree or disagree? Let me know your thoughts.

Tracey is the author of Quiet Paws

It can be argued that the ultimate act that a hero can perform is that of sacrifice. Sacrificing oneself for the greater good or for something of higher value. It was inevitable then that during the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer that at some stage Buffy would be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. It was the season five finale that Buffy gives her life to safe her ‘adopted’ sister and close the rift opening between a hell dimension that threatens to engulf the Earth.

She sacrifices herself for family and friends and she is satisfied in doing so, her mind is made up as she calmly, almost gracefully swan dives into the opening dimensional tear and proves that Dawn is as much her sister as if she had not been mystically created and thrust upon them (if you haven’t seen the series this will make very little sense, all I can say then is go out and watch it!!!).

This was possibly going to be the final season for the series and thus very well could have been the literal end for Buffy. But a move to a new network saw the return of Buffy from death.

So what does this say about her sacrifice?

Does the fact that she returns from death, as admittedly she has done before lessen the impact or the significance of her sacrifice?

It possibly would have had it not been for the very carefully handled story around her return from the afterlife. There is of course the ‘why don’t we save everyone’ clause that speaks of Buffy’s death at the hands of mystical power but this is an important loophole that needs to be mentioned so the fans don’t just roll their eyes and demand characters be returned from the dead.

Buffy doesn’t come back right.

She is resurrected in her casket and has to claw her way out and then dig through the grave the same way her prey, the vampires have to. Buffy is distant and out of touch with the world around her and most importantly her friends.

It is her friends in thinking that they were doing the right thing who have forced the greatest sacrifice onto our hero. They have torn her out of her final peaceful resting place, they have dragged her out of heaven.

Greek mythology is full of heroes fighting their way out of Hades to return to the land of the living but I can’t think of an example of a hero being plucked from heaven. Perhaps the resurrection of Jesus? Though I think the argument might be that he wasn’t forced, then again maybe he was.

Jump forward to the end of season seven and we now know how important it was for Buffy to return and by this time she has resolved to remain living in this world. It is interesting that leaping to her death to save Dawn and close the dimensional rift may have been the easier of the two sacrifices. The act of going on regardless despite the unfairness of circumstance. This is mirrored in the lives of other heroes such as Ripley from the Alien series and Sarah Connor from the Terminator franchise. Heroines who haven’t chosen to be so, but at the same time have had to make a choice to persevere rather than give up.

There are real life heroines who face this idea of a forced sacrifice each and every day. Women who may be challenged by circumstance but go on despite it and don’t even realise that they themselves are heroes.

Was Buffy’s sacrifice diminished by the return of her character?

Maybe but the sacrifice that she had forced onto her in order to come back certainly makes up for it!

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.

Character Overview

‘Mulder… None of that really happened out there tonight. That was all in our heads, right?’

As one half of the famed Mully-Sculder partnership, Special Agent Dana Scully MD (Gillian Anderson) is initially assigned by FBI Section Chief Scott Blevins to report on Mulder and his work on the ‘X-Files’. It is hoped that Scully’s analytical approach to work and logical scientific mind will temper Mulder’s unwavering belief in the paranormal. Reporting to FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner, Mulder and Scully become a formidable team based on mutual professional respect, complementary skill sets and compatible personality traits.

Educational Background

‘So much of the work that we do cannot be measured in standard terms.’

Special Agent Dana Katherine Scully graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Physics. Following the completion of her undergraduate qualification, Scully qualified as a medical doctor and completed a residency in forensic pathology. Recruited for the FBI straight from medical school, prior to her work on the X-Files she was teaching at the FBI Academy in Quantico.

Characterisation

‘Mulder, there’s something out there.’

With her red hair, blue-green eyes and fit physique, Scully is obviously a striking woman. Thankfully though her appearance is not the focus of her character, in fact more often than not her attractiveness is downplayed. Scully has an impressive intellect and similar to Mulder she displays a very focussed and motivated career mindset. Equally at home in the field investigating evidence as she is in the lab performing autopsies, Scully’s fascination with all things science is what truly captivates.

The loyal friendship that develops between Scully and Mulder adds another dimension to her character, as do the sometimes complex relationships she maintains with different family members. While she is logical and practical, Scully is not cold and unaffected by her interactions and dealings with others. She is caring, compassionate and always willing to fight for a cause and for the people she believes in.

Through her work on the X-Files Scully must come to terms with many things that fail to fit comfortably within the commonly accepted realms of the scientific world. With constant pressure on what she previously understood to be scientific certainties, Scully also struggles at times to reconcile X-Files events with her Catholic faith.

Character Development

‘I’ve seen things that I cannot deny.’

When she first joins the X-Files, Scully is highly sceptical of anything paranormal and has difficulty accepting any unscientific explanations. However given her later personal experiences and all the strange things she witnesses and comes to know through her work, Scully herself becomes more of a believer. While she is more open to alternative explanations, her opinions are still primarily drawn from science.

Aside from having to cope with several periods of career uncertainty where the X-Files Division is closed down, Scully’s involvement with the X-Files impacts significantly on her personal life. She is abducted, experimented on, has to cope with the death of immediate family members, discovers that she has a malignant, inoperable tumour and struggles to come to terms with the news that she is infertile. However just when all hope seems to be lost, Scully is cured of her tumour, though it is unclear exactly what causes the intervention. While overcoming cancer was a significant challenge for Scully’s health, she is also infected with a deadly virus after being stung by carrier bees. Lucky for her though, Mulder comes to the rescue and administers a much needed vaccine.

Despite her previous infertility diagnosis and in the midst of pursuing a more intimate relationship with Mulder, against all odds Scully falls pregnant and subsequently gives birth to a healthy boy named William. Given his interesting parentage and unique powers, William is in constant danger from highly dangerous and extremely powerful external parties.

We have seen Scully experience the highest of highs both professionally and personally, and also seen her suffer through her lowest, most desolate of times. While she doubts herself and her beliefs at times, Scully is a fighter and she will always endure. Over the years we have known her, we are given plenty of insight into the strengths and capabilities of Scully’s character. More importantly though, we are constantly reminded of Scully’s humanity through her struggles within herself and against a world which seems to be pitted against her happiness. While we may not have faced the same circumstances, we have all felt like that at times.

Relationships

‘I don’t have any recollection of this. I was surprised to wake up the next morning to find Mulder asleep in my room.’

While they may differ in their approaches to work, Mulder and Scully are both committed to the pursuit for truth. Sharing a high work ethic and motivation to solve mysterious circumstances, Mulder and Scully quickly form a close professional bond. While they are drawn together for work, there can be no denying the presence of a strong spark of sexual chemistry whenever the two are together.

Even when apart, Mulder and Scully have an unbroken bond which provides each of them with professional expertise and personal support. While their relationship continues to grow stronger and they become more deeply involved in each other’s lives over the years, a great deal of ambiguity surrounds the development of their relationship into a romantic and physical union. Whatever the specifics of the circumstances may be, Mulder takes on the role of father to William, and the relationship between Scully and Mulder moves from one that was primarily a professional partnership, into that of a complete life partnership.

Current status

‘Call my doctor. You have to call my doctor. Call Doctor Scully.’

With William in constant danger, Mulder goes into hiding in the hopes that with him gone, Scully and William will be safe. Scully looks for normalcy and returns to her teaching position at Quantico, leaving the X-Files Division in the hands of new agents. Unfortunately for Scully, peace will not be found so easily. She finds out that she and William are once again under constant surveillance by significantly dangerous parties who eventually succeed in kidnapping William. While he is later found safe and sound, Scully realises that she cannot provide William with the safety he needs, and so she makes the difficult decision to give him up for adoption.

Mulder resurfaces and is faced with imprisonment and a likely death sentence. With Scully’s assistance the two escape to New Mexico to avoid the authorities and hopefully finally expose the truth about the government conspiracy to cover up the threat of alien colonisation. The immediate future for Mulder and Scully remains uncertain.

Believability

Gillian Anderson is perfectly cast as Scully, the calm intellectual presence that is always willing to try to explain the seemingly unexplainable in logical terms. Balanced against the instinctive and passionate approach of her partner Mulder, they display a natural chemistry that is impossible to resist. Completely believable as both a medical doctor and an FBI Agent, Anderson’s portrayal of Scully is genuine and refreshingly strong.

Stereotype rating

Low - The role of Scully is a nice gender reversal to the male-female personality partnerships which are normally shown on screen. While Scully is very much a woman, she is the objective logical professional played off against Mulder’s ‘gut instinct’ approach to solving cases.

Heart or Hate

Heart (while she is sometimes a little irritating, surely Scully deserves to be more loved than loathed?)

Agree or disagree? Let me know your thoughts.

Tracey is the author of Quiet Paws

Character Overview

‘Ready to have your world rocked again?’

The quirky Abby Scuito (Pauley Perrette) has been employed with NCIS as a Forensic Specialist for the past five years. Based at headquarters in Washington DC, charming goth-girl Abby is a master in the laboratory, capable of anything from materials testing, ballistics and computer science, to blood and tissue analysis. Seriously addicted to Caff-Pow (a super caffeinated soda), she is fiercely independent and works best alone with just her loud music for company. Known for her distinctive sense of style, she can often be seen in platform boots and short skirts, with her penchant for tattoos clearly displayed. Looking on the bright side of every situation and comfortable expressing affection (most typically in the form of hugs), Abby makes being a goth seem like a positively cheery experience.

Educational Background

‘I am a scientist, McGee. Luck has nothing to do with it.’

Raised in New Orleans, Abby graduated with full honours from Louisiana State University with a triple major in Sociology, Criminology and Psychology. She was awarded a Master’s Degree from Georgia State University in Criminology and Forensic Science. Being the daughter of deaf parents, Abby is also proficient in Sign Language.

Given her inherent talent within the forensic field and passion for problem solving, it is only on the very rarest of occasions that Abby is puzzled by case evidence.

Characterisation

‘Aaaah! Gibbs! Didn’t your momma teach you not to sneak up on people?’

With her black hair, green eyes, variety of piercings and tattoos, and goth inspired wardrobe, on the surface it may seem easy to dismiss Abby as someone more interested in image than solving crime mysteries. However like the case evidence she is employed to analyse, there is much more to Abby than what meets the eye. Aside from being an astute professional with control-freak tendencies in the lab, Abby displays a sweet and thoughtful disposition. It is clear that she cares both about her forensic work and the people that she works with.

Character Development

‘You can’t rush science, Gibbs! You can yell at it and scream at it, but you can’t rush it.’

While traditional crime television shows focus only on the progress of police or legal investigations at the expense of character development, NCIS works towards creating more of a balance between the two elements. Of course NCIS is still fundamentally driven by the quest to solve cases, however viewers are also given more than a glimpse of the life that our characters lead outside the working day. Helped by witty interplay between herself and the rest of Gibbs’ team, it is in this subtle way that we learn more about Abby.

For instance we know about her toy collar-wearing hippo Bert (who suffers from flatulence), her interest in alternative therapies (including aromatherapy), her top three worst ways to die (falling into a wood chipper, drowning in lava and worst of all, being eaten by a shark), and that she may have an unnatural attraction to coffins (apparently they are good for more than just sleeping).

While the lab is where we see most of Abby, she is not a stagnant one-sided character. We are constantly learning new things about her either directly through related storylines or through comments made by her NCIS colleagues.

Relationships

‘A girl likes to be thought of first.’

Like the woman herself, Abby’s romantic relationships follow no fixed path or pattern. She has become involved with everyone from a gemmologist to a NASA engineer, and seems to stay on good terms with most of her ex-boyfriends. While currently single, she did have a relationship with Special Agent Timothy McGee, which ended after McGee pressured Abby on the status of their relationship. She is much more of an ‘enjoy the moment and see what happens’ kind of girl. Abby and McGee remain firm friends.

Abby seems to be well liked and highly respected by her work colleagues and remarkably unlike pretty much everyone else, she shows no fear of Gibbs. While they clearly hold each other in high professional regard, the relationship between Abby and Gibbs seems to be more like one between father and daughter. Abby is always keen to show him her latest triumph like an excited child and Gibbs often responds by showing her open affection.

One of Abby’s closest friends was NCIS Agent Caitlin Todd (Kate), with the two clearly enjoying each other’s company outside the work environment. Following Todd’s tragic death, Abby grieved heavily along with the rest of the team.

Current status

‘You know Abby, sometimes the dead make more sense to me than the living.’

After surviving assassination attempts, psycho stalkers and maliciously minded lab assistants, things are pretty much business as usual for Abby. She is still solving cases using her range of scientific skills, she is still addicted to super-sized Caff-Pow, and she still enjoys working alone.

Believability

Pauley Perrette herself studied Sociology, Psychology and Criminal Science to an undergraduate level. Following her life-long crime obsession she also commenced study towards a Masters in Criminal Science before moving into the entertainment industry. Perhaps it is her real life interest and experience that imbue the character of Abby with such life and give her such genuine appeal. Perrette looks entirely comfortable with technical science speak, carrying out a full range of lab experiments and dealing with a diverse range of analytical instrumentation. Abby and Perrette seem like a perfect match of reality and fiction.

Stereotype rating

Low. Sure she’s quirky, eccentric and a whole lot different to the mainstream, but Abby differs from traditional perceptions of women in science. While there is a tendency towards cheesiness and a ‘don’t forget that I’m kooky’ attitude from time to time, this comes more from the heavy-handed nature of all NCIS characterisations than from the character of Abby. It is incredibly difficult to resist Abby’s scientific brilliance or incredibly likeable personality.

Heart or Hate?

Heart.

Agree or disagree? Let me know your thoughts.

Tracey is the author of Quiet Paws

Character Overview

‘Handsome man saved me from the monsters.’

Fred (Amy Acker) is a brilliant young scientist who is rescued from the demon world of Pylea by Angel and his crew. Not the typical damsel-in-distress, Fred has been living alone in a cave and sent pretty well completely mad by her torturous treatment. She comes to believe that her previous life in LA was nothing but a dream. Displaying extreme bravery she comforts ‘Beast Angel’ and nurtures him back to health. Upon her return to LA she works with Angel Investigations before stepping into a role at Wolfram & Hart where she heads up the Practical Science Division.

Educational Background

‘She’s smarter than all of us put together.’

After she graduates from high school in Dallas, Fred moves to Los Angeles to attend college. While there she discovers a passion and ability for all things science, particularly in the fields of physics and mathematics. At the same time she starts working at the Stewart Brunell Public Library. Unfortunately while shelving a demon language book, Fred recites some of the text and is transported to Pylea through a dimensional portal.

Fred is a normal human woman with no supernatural powers. However, her brilliant mathematical mind, high powered intellect, impressive knowledge of quantum physics and science, and logical approach to problems makes her an asset in Angel’s team. While she never completes her science degree, her natural scientific aptitude and personal experiences results in an invitation to speak at a Physics Institute conference on ‘String Theory and Alternate Dimensions’.

Characterisation

‘You’re not real. Or I’m not real…somebody here isn’t real and I suspect it’s you.’

Fred is sweet and unassuming; however it would be a mistake to underestimate either her intellect or capacity to join the battle for good. Her wardrobe is simple consisting of t-shirts, jeans and summer dresses. Her functional wardrobe is matched by her uncomplicated appearance. She clearly has more important things on her mind than excessively fussing over her clothes and appearance. She is uncluttered, fresh-faced and more interested in people than material possessions.

Character Development

‘Hey you want a piece of me buddy? …You walk alone… You walk alone’

Fred first appears in one of Cordelia Chase’s visions and so the team starts to investigate her disappearance. We learn that Fred has been living under the most miserable of slave-like conditions in Pylea, with the harsh existence and extreme solitude taking their toll on her mental stability and perception of reality. After her return to Los Angeles she slowly readjusts to real life once more, but at times of extreme stress she has a tendency to withdraw. We see her grow in confidence and step comfortably into the role of resident Angel team scientist.

Most valuable in understanding the growth and development of Fred’s character is our ability to watch her through the eyes of her colleagues and their different relationships with her. We see most from what we learn through Angel’s protection, Gunn’s affection and most tellingly, Wesley’s devotion.

Relationships

‘I’ve loved you since I’ve known you. No, that’s not—I think maybe even before.’

Following her rescue from Pylea, Fred develops a crush on Angel. With Angel caring for her as a sister or close friend, Fred’s crush subsides but her feelings for Angel remain ever strong.

Fred and Gunn become romantically involved, however Gunn faces some sideline competition from Wesley Wyndam-Pryce who can’t bring himself to tell Fred how he really feels. Fred and Gunn date for about a year until Gunn prevents Fred from taking revenge against the person responsible for sending her to Pylea. Their relationship never recovers its romantic edge.

Fred and Lorne become fast friends, with Lorne reciprocating the loyal devotion and kind affection shown by Fred in equal measure. Fred is the first person in Los Angeles to believe that Spike is worth saving and she succeeds in developing a one-time-only cure. However during a fight with a demented ghost, Spike sacrifices his chance at becoming corporeal to save Fred’s life.

While working at Wolfram & Hart, Fred briefly dates one of her colleagues Knox, but starts to develop strong feelings about Wesley. While he has never stopped loving her, it takes Wesley some time to figure out that Fred feels the same way about him. Ditching the subtle approach, Fred shows Wesley how she feels and things are finally as they should be…happiness like this is normally only dreamed of.

Their romance is however destined to be short-lived. While Fred is examining a mysterious sarcophagus in her lab, a hole opens and she breathes in the air which escapes.

We find out that Fred has inhaled the essence of Illyria, a pure-breed demon who begins to overtake her body.

Current status

‘Please. Wesley. Why can’t I stay?’

As Fred weakens against the growing strength of the parasitic Illyria, two of her ‘boys’ Angel and Spike head to England to find a cure. Meanwhile Wesley takes Fred home and tries to offer comfort and relieve her pain as much as possible. Angel and Spike find out that the only way to save Fred would be to cause the deaths of thousands of others in the process. While Angel and Spike briefly entertain the idea, they realise that this equation does not compute, and in any case Fred would not want to live under such circumstances. With her stuffed rabbit Feigenbaum by her side, Fred dies in Wesley’s arms in tragic, heart-breaking fashion.

Believability

Amy Acker’s portrayal of Fred is completely natural, displaying comfort with the delivery of technical scientific language and Fred’s occasional tendency for incoherent rambling. Joss Whedon has once again crafted a character who it is impossible not to care about.

Stereotype rating

Low. Fred is a multifaceted character who defies traditional and obvious categorisation. Yeah sure she can be a nerd, but she can also defend her friends in a fight, fall in love and get drunk along with the best of them.

Heart or Hate

Heart. (Could it really be anything else?)

Agree or disagree? Let me know your thoughts.

Tracey is the author of Quiet Paws

It may seem sensible for a heroine to eschew romance in order to remain focused on her ongoing mission. However, love can give the heroine the impetus to carry on the fight in the face of overwhelming opposition. It may also be a factor which tests the heroine’s resolve to take the higher path for the greater good of all.

Cordelia Chase was no ordinary heroine. This rich, beautiful, spoiled cheerleader did not appear to be meant for a life of heroism, but her dynamism and athleticism would prove indispensable to her future career as a formidable heroine.

Her spiritual journey began in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, where she reluctantly joined the Scooby Gang and frequently served as bait for demons and vampires alike. Her romance with Xander precipitated her move out of her cliquey social circle and challenged her to move beyond her superficial and shallow persona.

At the end of season three she left Sunnydale for Los Angeles in order to find fame as an actress. When she met Angel there and joined Angel Investigations her evolution into a mature woman really began.

Cordelia slowly began to warm to Doyle during the first season of Angel, and even when she discovered that he was half-demon her feelings for him did not diminish. Just before Doyle sacrificed his life to save the Lister demons and the rest of Los Angeles, he kissed Cordelia. During their first and last kiss he transferred his visions to her, making her Angel’s link to the Powers That Be. That was a significant turning point in Cordelia’s life.

Although the premonitions caused her tremendous pain, as they were not meant to be endured by a human, she felt that they had given her life purpose and she was loathe to give them up. During her time in the demonic dimension Pylea, she was given the opportunity to transfer her visions to the Groosalugg by having sex with him, but she refused in spite of her strong attraction to him. When the Groosalugg meets her again in Los Angeles, she finds a spell which allows her to sleep with him without giving up her visions.

Cordelia eventually chooses to be changed into a part-demon so that she could bear the visions without pain. As a part-demon she also acquired the ability to levitate and heal.

Meanwhile the attraction between Angel and Cordelia grew. It had been developing before the Groosalugg’s appearance in Los Angeles, and continued after his departure, which was itself due to his realisation of the depth of her feelings for Angel.

The final test of her heroic will was when she was told that by choosing to become part-demon she had earned the honour of becoming a Higher Being. The only problem was that she would have to leave without saying goodbye to Angel, on the same night that she had decided to declare her love for him. She chose to give up the chance of love with Angel to fight evil on a higher plane of existence.

Unfortunately during her time away she was corrupted by the being who would later be known as Jasmine. After giving birth to Jasmine she fell into a mystical coma.

During the episode ‘You’re Welcome’ in the fifth and final season, Cordelia awoke from her coma and visited Angel at Wolfram and Hart, where he had become jaded and disillusioned by the evil surrounding him. She helped to remind him of the original ethos of Angel Investigations, ‘to help the helpless’, and helped him to defeat Lindsey, had been plotting to destroy Angel.

At the end of the episode she tells Angel that she has to leave, and reveals that the Powers That Be sent her back to him as a final favour. They share a final kiss. His phone rings, and when he answers it he learns that she has died. She never woke from her coma. In that episode we had a bittersweet vision of Cordelia’s development into a true heroine, and what might have been if she had not been exploited by evil.

Cordelia added humour and passion to Angel. She was an inspirational character, and was fundamental to many of the plot arcs in the show. By the end of her time on Angel, not only had Angel grown to adore her, but also anyone else who had encountered this breath of fresh air.

PJ is an aspiring novelist who blogs at The Urban Recluse – http://nubiana.co.uk

I’m currently working on several pieces about the women of X-Men but I couldn’t let this trailer go past.  I think this looks amazing.

Lee is a a huge popular culture freak, loves comic books, science fiction, soundtracks and writes for Quit Your Day Job.