From the moment television's first signals went out over the airwaves, fun, fascinating females have filled its frames. In the 1950s, they were ditzy housewives; in the '60s, strangely subservient witches and genies. But as the women's liberation movement expanded women's career possibilities, so grew the roles for their counterparts on TV. The small screen has since brought us the girl soldier, the lady cop, the female journalist and the businesswoman. Role models for millions, these gals brought home the bacon, fried it up in a pan and never let us forget they could be as exacting, as driven, as dramatic or as funny as any man. They were often as tough as nails—all while never breaking one. And they headlined CBS shows strong enough for a man, but made for a bunch of admirable, indomitable broads.

This article originally appeared in Watch! Magazine (February 2010) and is reprinted with permission. Subscriptions are absolutely free and you can subscribe here.

This article is the first in a series of articles exploring tough female TV characters...one network at a time.

Jim Colucci is a freelance entertainment writer whose work has appeared in such publications as TV Guide, Inside TV, Quick & Simple, InTouch, Rosie, The Advocate, Next and CBS' Watch magazine, where he serves as a Deputy Editor. Since 2008, he has covered television and other entertainment media in his popular blog, Must Hear TV. Jim also delivers a weekly on-air version of “Must Hear TV” as a correspondent for “The Frank DeCaro Show” on Sirius XM radio.