I came across this intriguing tidbit from tvsquad.com.

They list the Top Ten 'Coolest Characters on TV now'. The interesting part was that there were only two females listed. One, of course, was Catherine Willows!
1. Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), 'Burn Notice'
2. Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), 'How I Met Your Mother'
3. Don Draper (Jon Hamm), 'Mad Men'
4. Tony Dinozzo (Michael Weatherly), 'NCIS'
5. Shawn Spencer (James Roday), 'Psych'
6. Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger), 'CSI'
"Forensic science is cool? Well, yes, when Catherine is the investigator. How many crime scene scientists come from the world of Las Vegas show girls? Catherine's background, with her mother a casino girl and the father she never knew till she was grown up one of the top hotel kingpins, makes her an authentic Vegas character. She understands the mythology and magic of the city, but works on the dark side with the criminal underworld. Whether she's mingling with mobsters or peering over a microscope, Willows is at home, and that's why she's so cool."
7. Patrick Jane (Simon Baker), 'The Mentalist'
8. Sarah Walker (Yvonne Stravoski), 'Chuck'
9. Conner (Tom Cavanagh), 'Trust Me'
10. Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), '30 Rock'

- - - - -
An 'un-interesting' list, I'd say. The only shows included in that list that I actually watch are CSI & NCIS. For 'coolest' character on NCIS, I'd pick Abby over Tony any day! As for the rest on that list? Blah!

I haven't had a chance to really think about it yet, but who would you include on a list of 'coolest characters on tv now'? I'd at least include Gemma Teller (Katey Sagal) of Sons of Anarchy, and from last year, I'd definitely include Lindsay Boxer of Women's Murder Club.

It's another 'list' from TV Guide. This time it's "Awesome Sidekicks". You know, the great 'right hand man' that you always associate with the star. Here's what they've got:
( their list is pathetic )

Yes, TV Guide has another "Top 10" list (yet they list 12, go figure!). { link } This time, it's the Top Female TV Cops of All-time.

12.Grace Hanadarko - Saving Grace : A woman who breaks every rule she can in order to get the outcome she wants.

11.Mary McCormack - In Plain Sight : Another woman who has the "my way or the highway" swagger.

10.Stacy Sheridan - T.J. Hooker : I did watch this show occasionally 'back in the day'. I remember thinking she was one of the first female cops that we saw in uniform.

9. Anita VanBuren - Law & Order : I've only seen this show briefly a few times, and don't really remember her, so I guess I won't comment.

8. Nicole Scott - Missing : haven't seen the show

7. Julie Barnes - The Mod Squad : My mother watched this show faithfully 'back in the day'. Truthfully, all I remember is the opening credit sequence where they run out of that tunnel or culvert (or whatever that was), and the guy with the afro.

6. Lilly Rush - Cold Case : I've only caught small parts of this show, usually when I'm channel surfing.

5. Suzanne 'Pepper' Anderson - Police Woman : From what I remember of this show, Angie Dickinson was the first to really give meaning to the 'tough cop chick' persona. This is another one that my mother watched faithfully, while I only casually tuned in (I was usually outside playing back in those days, not sitting in the house watching tv)

4. Samantha Spade - Without a trace : I've only watched this one occasionally as well. (but I didn't even watch the WaT part of the CSI crossover as it only featured Gil from CSI). From the short clips I have seen, she looks like a good character.

3. Brenda Leigh Johnson - The Closer : I started out watching the first few episodes of this show, but it didn't hold my interest. I did think that Brenda was a great no-nonsense character.

2. Catherine Willows - C.S.I. : Not someone that I'd consider a 'cop', but she is officially part of the LVPD, I guess. Ex-stripper-turned-CSI. I like Catherine because she acts tough most of the time (taking charge when she was 'kidnapped' or holding it together (sort of) during her ex-husband's murder), yet we've been able to see a great vulnerability with the character. In the episodes where she's in peril (Lindsey's abduction, Sam's shooting, etc) you see that she doesn't have the 'cop' instincts. She just gets that 'dazed' look of "oh my God, what's happening?". Tough-yet vulnerable, with a less than perfect past, and a partner who complements the character to bring out their strengths: That's my equation for a great female tv cop.

1. Olivia Benson - Law & Order: SVU : I'm not a faithful watcher of this show, but I have seen a few episodes and Olivia is a great character. The thing that makes Olivia great is having Elliot as her partner. As I said above, a great female tv cop always seems to have a great partner (either male or female) who brings out the best in her.

So, that's the Top Twelve. But, oh have they missed so many that, IMO, are so much better.
* Chris Cagney & Mary Beth Lacey - Cagney & Lacey One of the greatest cop duos (male or female) of all time.
* Dee Dee McCall - Hunter - She was another great detective who could stand on her own, yet showed her vulnerability.
* Monica Rawling - The Shield - I never watched the show until Glenn Close came on to the show with this character. If she was still on the show, I might still be watching.
* Any of the women from The Division would definitely be on my list - C.D., Jinny, Magda, or Kate.
* Diane Russell - NYPD Blue : A woman with a past a mile long (alchoholic, abused by her father as a child, etc) yet she could still kick serious butt in the big city.
* Lindsay Boxer - Women's Murder Club : I guess they can't put one of the greatest female cops ever on a "Top 12 list" when they cancel a great show after only one season. Lindsay ROCKS!
* Nikita - La Femme Nikita : Okay, okay, I know...she wasn't a 'cop', she was an assasin, but she really only killed the bad guys, and showed a huge heart to try & help those she thought were innocent, even if it meant her life on the line.

I know there are more, I just can't think of them.

TV Guide.com is at it again. This time, they're making a list of "TV's Naughtiest Characters" (their link). Some of them I totally agree with. A few of them I have no clue who they are. So, here's their list (I'm not sure if it's in any order):

1. Gabrielle Solis - Desperate Housewives (never watched it)

2. Chuck Bass - Gossip Girl (have no clue)

3. Samantha - Sex & the City (no clue which one that is, but I thought they were all 'naughty'?)

4. Christian Troy - Nip/Tuck (haven't seen it)

5. Hank Moody - Californication (haven't seen it, but a David Duchovny character as 'naughty'? Hmmmmm!)

6. Maxie - General Hospital (don't watch soaps)

7. Peg Bundy - Married with Children (was Peg 'naughty'? Well, I'd say more 'trashy' than 'naughty')

8. Mrs Roper - Three's Company (yeah, any woman that's married to Mr Roper and wears a muumuu is a 'naughty' girl in my book!)

9. Andy - Weeds (haven't seen it)

10. Grace - Saving Grace (how can you argue with that choice when the very first time you see Grace in the pilot episode, she's stark naked and riding a guy?)

11. Dan Fielding - Night Court ('naughty'? I thought he was a slimy, sleezeball. Same thing, I guess.)

12. Tommy Gavin - Rescue Me (haven't seen it, but it's Denis Leary, so he's got to be 'naughty', right?)

13. Belle - Secret Diary of a Call Girl (no clue)

14. Charlie Harper - Two and a Half Men (a Charlie Sheen character, of course he's 'naughty')

15. Mia - Californication (haven't seen it)

16. Barney - How I met your mother (haven't seen it)

So, I guess I don't know most of them. I will say that there are some names that are conspicuously missing. There's got to be some Heather Locklear character on that list, right?

TVGuide.com put together a list of "TV's Greatest pets" as selected by their website users (pics at their website ). Here is their strange list:

1. Lassie -- Duh! like that was a tough choice?!
2. Happy (from 7th Heaven) -- never watched the show.
3. Elvis (from Miami Vice) -- an alligator? Ooookay.
4. Paul Anka (from The Gilmore Girls) -- another show I avoid.
5. Arnold (from Green Acres) -- now things are looking brighter!
6. Brian (from The Family Guy) -- sheesh! an animated pet?!
7. Marcel (from Friends) -- There's always gotta be a monkey on the list.
8. Flipper -- sweet!!
9. Dino (from The Flintstones) -- I think I'd have put Astro from The Jetsons over Dino.
10. Digby - (from Pushing Daisies) -- I'm starting to realize that I really don't watch much tv these days.
11. Fred, the cockatoo (from Baretta) -- another weird oldie.
12. Salty (from Caroline in the city) -- finally, we get a cat on the list
13. Backup (from Veronica Mars) -- Uh, that is one UGLY-looking dog.
14. Murray (from Mad About You) -- now, I really think Murray should be right behind Lassie. He had quite a large role in the show.
15. Eddie (from Frasier) -- I guess I only watched that show occasionally, but Eddie was cute.

Jeez, what kind of list was that? So, who do I see that's missing from the list?
The ones that come to mind include:
Buck (the dog from Married with Children)
Bear (the chimp from B.J. & the Bear)
Flash (the dog from The Dukes of Hazzard)
Astro (from The Jetsons)

I know there are some more great ones, but I can't think of them at the moment. I wonder if Big Bird, Snuffleupagus, Kermit, or Mr Moose (I LOVED HIM!!) count?

I saw this from YahooNews:
The American Film Institute listed their Top-10 lists of the best in 10 film genres.
( Check them out here - along with my comments )