She keeps her empathy hidden, but gets the bad guy with her brains and uncanny intuition. In the fourth slot is Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) from Law & Order, who succeeds as a tough cookie. Special Agent Samantha Spade (Poppy Montgomery) works for the New York City FBI on Without a Trace and is loyal to the point of killing to protect a loved one. The lovely Angie Dickinson portrayed Sgt. Leann “Pepper” Anderson on Police Woman and earned respect as a tough but feminine undercover agent.

The hip and clever Julie Barnes (Peggy Lipton), from The Mod Squad, earned a way out of her own potential incarceration by fighting crime with her street smarts. Homicide detective Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris), from Cold Case, had nerves of steel and compassion for the underprivileged; while Missing’s FBI Agent Nicole Scott (Vivica A. Fox) made top billing for her brains. Last on the list is Officer Stacey Sheridan (Heather Locklear), from TJ Hooker, who may have gotten the job because of her dad, but made a success of it by being a team player.

Many of these ladies came from harsh backgrounds but avoided the temptation to wallow in their circumstances. Instead, they worked hard and persevered to overcome and rise above the past. Let’s also not forget that they exude confidence and are easy on the eyes.