Girl Power: Favorite Female Characters for 2011

Now I have covered the male characters I loved in 2011, and I thought now I would cover the girls. Girl power is big in Hollywood right now. The Carrie Diaries is being developed by the CW Network and HBO has a new girl-driven series coming this spring titled Girls. Now I am honestly not intrigued with Carrie Bradshaw's teen and young adults years, so I will be passing up that show. Girls looks like it might be somewhat interesting, sardonic and sarcastic. And with all of this current and upcoming girl power, we have some great female characters to cover. So, here we go.

Sookie Stackhouse (the book version): I love Sookie. She's fun, sexy, courageous, and human even if she's "fae". The TV version, I have some qualms about her on True Blood. She has vacillated quite a bit and changed and "rearranged" so to speak. She can be bad-ass, but the writers, while I know are trying to reset the story for 2012, had her say and do some things that, while I'm sure it was not intended, made her fall into a victimhood role. When she forgives Bill (especially when she goes back to Bill after he very nearly kills her in Season 3) after he lies and offers that they have both done stuff to each other, I scratched my head. I know forgiveness matters, but someone tell me what exactly she did to him? It's been suggested she is apologizing for wanting to fit him in her dream-man box, but somehow it didn't resonate with me as a viewer. I'm sure that might be the case, but it really bothered me, especially given that he almost killed her and she went back to him anyway. Book Sookie has her issues too, but I like how Charlaine writes her a little better than TV Sookie. I even like how human Sookie reacts over her hair being burned in Dead Reckoning. What girl can't relate to having their hair burned and ruined. We all have that vanity in us.

Enlightened - Laura Dern -- Amy on this year's new HBO show Enlightened is hardly a girl since she's in her 40s! She's a mature woman, but she is feisty, hopefully misguided, kooky and crazy with a huge desire for balance and center in her life. She knows better and has a moral compass -- something that clearly lacks in her corporate mates. She still loves her former husband but cannot except his drug-addled lifestyle. She wants and needs love and acceptance, but cannot find it with her mother or some co-workers, and when she does it's in an unlikely and shy co-worker, who sits next to her in her new basement office run by the resident misogynist and IT manager. I love that Amy is frank and honest and totally nuts. She's also clever and driven to get what she wants and goes for it. The series isn't about a soft, meditative state we wish we all lived in. It's not about being Zen. It's about realizing you want to live a full, rich and extraordinary life among the ordinary. I heard it's renewed for a second season! I'm eager to see what comes next for Amy.

Dr. Chi Park, House -- All right bring in this short, cute and interesting Asian-American doctor to challenge House! Beneath her bowl-cut hairdo and glasses lives a ninja warrior princess who will shock you. Just when you think maybe she's mild and nice. Not at all! Last week's episode had the good doctor admit she had slept with 30 boys in the frat house next door. When the other doctor asked if it was true, she said no, which left the other doctor to ask more or less? I'm going to wager ... more! She even started her new tenure with House trying to avoid assault charges after having hit a doctor who sexually harassed her. Go Dr. Chi Park! I suspect we're going to have more fun with this little surprise all season long.