On the Beat: The Evolution of Crime Drama Heroines at the Paley Center for Media

“I LOVE THIS WOMAN!”

Those words, repeatedly quoted by the one and only S. Epatha Merkerson (from Law & Order fame), encapsulate the feeling from last night’s Paley Center for Media‘s panel entitled “On the Beat: The Evolution of Crime Drama Heroines” that not only paid tribute to the 40th Anniversary of the groundbreaking 1974 TV series Police Woman and its star, the legendary actress Angie Dickinson but also all of the powerful, amazing and highly-skilled (not to mention kick-ass) women who followed on TV, playing cops, forensic anthropologists and/or crime scene investigators over the decades to follow.

The panelists for this incredibly entertaining panel included the aforementioned Ms. Merkerson and Ms. Dickinson as well as Marg Helgenberger (CSI), Holly Robinson Peete (21 Jump Street), Poppy Montgomery (Unforgettable and Without a Trace), Emily Deschanel (Bones) and Marin Ireland (the upcoming WE TV mini-series The Divide). Actor Tony Goldwyn (Scandal) was also in attendance as he is part of the creative force behind The Divide.

Before William Keck from TV Guide took the stage as moderator, a montage clip reel was aired that started with the opening sequence of Police Woman and also included clips of Stana Katic in Castle, Melissa Leo in Homicide: Life on the Streets, Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the original Charlie’s Angels, Kim Delaney in NYPD Blue and many others who followed in the path forged by Ms. Dickinson in the classic 70’s series that paved the way for women in lead roles in crime dramas. It should be noted that Police Woman was the first female-led series to reach number one in the ratings.

Given that Ms. Dickinson’s role on Police Woman was so groundbreaking within the entertainment industry, each of the panelists talked about what they loved most about Sgt. Suzanne ‘Pepper’ Anderson and the influence for which Ms. Dickinson had on their careers:

Holly, “Angie made me want to be a cop. She empowered and encouraged me!”

Poppy, “It made me realize that you can be beautiful and tough.”

S. Epatha, “Angie gave me the will and strength (to reach for more) than what I saw on TV as a young girl (which was woman relegated to the kitchen and serving dinner). My day was made when I met Angie!”

In explaining how she came to be the star of Police Woman, Ms. Dickinson explained that “the 70’s were the time” for it to happen; and if “she didn’t do it someone else would have”. She was working on the series Police Story at the time, doing the last show of the season when she was told that “this could be a series”; but at the time she didn’t agree. “A woman with bad hair and a gun, it was a horrible idea (to me)”. But once the show aired it became a success, however, they had to “walk a delicate balance” in portraying her character given how women were perceived during that time.

Many of the women on the panel shared that they get approached quite often by young women who say their characters have inspired them to become cops or lawyers or study science and they are deeply flattered by that, but Poppy was the only one on the stage who has not had that experience sharing, “I haven’t had that experience. Never, ever!”

Among the many subjects hit upon during the panel, the highlight was the women talking about their characters being kidnapped during the run of their shows, which ones were shot and some of the more memorable undercover episodes for which they were involved with Emily sharing that her favorites were the circus episode and bowling team episodes because “our undercover outfits were so incredible ‘out there’ and yet everyone bought into, it was just (ridiculous)”. Holly also shared that her character went undercover all the time, but having to pretend to be a rape victim “so many times during the first three seasons” that she begged them to “lessen the rape stories by season four”. And, S. Epatha shared that she was the only cop in the 20 year history of Law & Order to ever shot a gun on the show; and the victim in that episode was a mentally challenged 17-year old, which “made it even harder”.

When asked if she would ever return for a Police Woman reunion or appear on TV again, Ms. Dickinson answered emphatically “No!” And when asked if she is “retired” from the industry, she said “No, I’m not dumb to be retired, but not eager to return to TV”.

There were plenty of laughs during the panel with the special guests enjoying their time talking about their experiences as much as the audience enjoying all the stories. The panel did eventually have to come to an end, though, but several of the panelists stuck around to sign autographs and pose for pictures with fans.

Photo Credit: Kevin Parry via the Paley Center for Media