Working Girl Idol: Lilly Rush

Name any police drama on TV right now and I most likely Tivo it every week. CSI: Las Vegas, CSI: Miami, Law & Order: CI, Law & Order: SVU, Without a Trace. I love them all. WG1 and I have spent many a weekend holed up in our family room watching rerun upon rerun of these shows. I'd probably be embarrassed to know just how many hours we really spend watching crimes being solved and tried. I'd estimate thousands, but my math can't really be trusted. 

While WG1 and I won't say 'no' to any of these fabulous crime-solving shows, our favorite by far is "Cold Case" because of the main character on the show, Lilly Rush played by Kathryn Morris. She is officially our Working Girl Idol. Or girl crush. Either one. Take your pick. 

Lilly Rush is not just the main character on the CBS show, but is also the only female detective in her Philly homicide unit (well, up until last season when she was joined by female Det. Kat Miller played by Tracie Thoms). Rush is smart, strong, and can keep her own in a male-dominated work force. She is a determined and strong-minded detective who stands up for the cases that she thinks matter -- the trait of a true Working Girl who loves her job. 

The show revolves around Rush and her colleagues solving crimes that are sometimes decades old. Now I did not know this originally (since I started watching the show during season three), but not all of Rush's fellow detectives were so keen on solving old stale cases at first. In fact, in just episode three, Det. Vera tells Rush that a 1983 case can wait. Rush's response sets the tone for the whole series, "No, it can't. It's waited long enough." Or her even more brilliant line, "People shouldn't be forgotten. They matter. They should get justice too." Pure poetry that gives me goose bumps. 

What truly stands out to me about this show is the strong female protagonist in a central key role. Most of the shows that WG1 and I love to watch while hung-over with pounding headaches stick with a strong middle-aged male character with strong fists and a hardened face. "Cold Case" breaks the mold and it gives me hope for strong female protagonists in the cold, harsh world I call reality. A little ass-kicking girl power is just what this world needs.

And it certainly helps when I get to watch "Cold Case" that ass-kicking Rush has a very, very attractive Working Boy as a partner.