The show: “Moonlighting” On duty: Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd)
M.O.: “Moonlighting” revolved around Hayes, a former model, and seasoned detective Dave Addison (Bruce Willis), although the most memorable storylines were less about solving cases and more about the romantic sparring between the two. Hayes’ sharp tongue, ice-princess demeanor and intuition masked her lack of crime-solving experience, but she had a weapon even David couldn’t command (a skill all women strive to perfect): A stinging slap that left imprints upon her targets’ faces. Feel the burn.
The show: “Reno 911”
On duty: Deputy Trudy Wiegel (Kerri Kenney-Silver), Deputy Clementine Johnson (Wendi McLendon-Covey), Deputy Raineesha Williams (Niecy Nash) and Deputy Cherisha Kimball (Mary Birdsong)
M.O.: In essence, the “Reno 911” ladies each represent a slice of what makes TV’s female cops endearing. Slow-witted Wiegel is searching for some meaning in life. Cleavage-bearing Johnson wants to prove there’s more to her than T and A. Meanwhile, Williams proves that “good cops” can still have their hair “hooked up, oh-kay!” And ambiguously gay Kimball is making up for a life of sin. Combined, these girls are every-policewoman.
The show: “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)”
On duty: Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay)
M.O.: With an eight-year run on NBC’s highly-rated “Law and Order: SVU,” Detective Benson is TV’s current female senior officer. A street-savvy and dedicated cop, Benson often uses herself as bait, but she really shines in interrogations. Her techniques range from coquettish confession-coaxing to straight up smack-downs. This season, even Benson’s mother (a rape victim herself) wasn’t spared when Benson was on the hunt for the truth.
