Gotta love a strong woman!

I've always had a soft spot for strong female characters on TV. Back when I was about 8, my mom and I would order takeout from our favorite Mexican place and settle in for the Saturday night lineup. It kicked off with one of my idols from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, followed by the legendary Carol Burnett, who I consider the Queen of American comedy (I say American because I firmly believe that Catherine Tate holds the title for Queen of British comedy and Ruth Jones for Queen of Welsh comedy). When Carol would give her iconic wink at the end of the show, signaling her kids it was bedtime, my mom would also wink at me and say, “you know what that means, kiddo!” And off to bed I would go.

After my mom passed away, I found comfort in watching “One Day at a Time” with Bonnie Franklin, MacKenzie Phillips, and Valerie Bertinelli. That show became my go-to. I loved that it featured an all-girl family (no annoying brothers!) and that the mom had such a close bond with her daughters. Plus, she was a single mom working as a professional account executive, just like my own mom—spunky and full of life. Ann Cooper, the mom's name, embodied the kind of woman I aspired to be when I grew up, minus the kids, since I was pretty set against having any at that point (if you've been reading my memoir, you'll get why). Ann was hardworking, relatable, loving, and kind, but she had her flaws too. She faced the challenges of raising two girls on her own, but she loved them with every piece of who she was.

After a few years, I started watching Charlie's Angels whenever I could, along with Wonder Woman featuring Lynda Carter. I probably can't add much to the conversation about Wonder Woman that hasn't been said before, but what really drew me to her was her passion and humanity. Different writers have portrayed Diana Prince in various ways, swinging between being a fierce warrior, a compassionate and calm ambassador, and sometimes even a bit naive, depending on the take. In the TV show, I really saw that blend of compassion and strength, and that’s exactly how I wanted to be when I grew up. As for Charlie's Angels, they were definitely eye candy, but they were also tough as nails!

Back in the '80s, Cagney and Lacey were everything! I could binge-watch that show for hours. I totally wanted to be like them! It inspired me to find my own strength as a girl and use it to stand up for myself and others. Lacey was my favorite; I admired her toughness and nurturing side. Cagney was a real fighter, and even though she had her flaws, she was such a strong character. I didn’t dream of being a cop, but I did want to be kind, loved, and helpful. Plus, having a best girlfriend who would always support me through thick and thin, just like those two, was super important to me.

I think I watched the least amount of TV in the 90s, but I have some great memories of shows like Charmed and Providence. Charmed was definitely my favorite, and I've gone on to binge-watch it a few times since then. Providence featured one of my favorite actresses, Melina Kanakaredes, who I used to see in soap operas. These shows were fantastic examples of female-led dramas, and I loved them both from the start.

Back in the 2000s, I was all about Gilmore Girls. That show was my jam! I had a girlfriend at the time, and we were living in Maryland, totally hooked on it. Every week, it became our thing—takeout, usually spicy wings or pizza, cuddled up with our cats and drinks, just enjoying the show. Lorelai was my favorite character! Can you see a trend here? I can. I’ve always been drawn to those kind, hardworking, yet imperfect moms. It reminds me a lot of my own mom, a single parent doing her best with what she had. Sometimes, I still look at this note my therapist gave me. It’s just a simple phrase: “Everyone is doing the best they can with what they’ve got.” Seriously, my therapist is full of wisdom! :) liked Rory too, but honestly, there were so many things she did that I would have handled differently. She definitely made things tougher for Lorelai, imnsho.

In 2000, we were introduced to Xena: Warrior Princess and her sidekick, Gabrielle from Potedia. I won't dive too deep into Xena, but the fact that I wrote Xena poetry and once ran a site called XenaDom.com pretty much shows how I felt about the show (even if my thoughts weren't entirely innocent and there was no motherly vibe). Let's just say my feelings were pretty strong! Xena had a complicated history and a lot to atone for, but love transformed her. The power of love, you know? Plus, there was a ton of lesbian subtext in the series, and as a thirty-something lesbian, I was totally for that, 100%!

But.....

Nothing prepared me for 2005.

I had never even once cried during a pilot episode of any TV show. I was usually too busy looking for reasons not to like it or being disappointed it didn't live up to the hype or my expectations. This was a day I wasn't likely to ever forget and I didn't, obviously.

Enter Meredith Grey....

Her first couple of lines were the narrations she does on a normal basis in the then fledgling TV show Grey's Anatomy. I didn't pay them much mind at the time until the end, then I reran the show and listened for them.

“The Game. They say a person either has what it takes to play or they don't. My mother was one of the greats. Me, on the other hand, I'm kinda screwed. I can't think of any one reason I'd want to be a surgeon but I can think of a thousand reasons why I should quit. They make it hard on purpose. There are lives in our hands. There comes a moment when it's more than just a game and you either take that step forward or turn around and walk away. I could quit but here's the thing, I loved the playing field.”

At the end of episode one, it finally hit me who she was chatting with. I won’t give anything away, but let me tell you, it brought me to tears. A good, long cry, too—I even went back and watched it again. That was a first for me.

What’s the deal with Meredith? It’s tough to explain without giving too much away, but she really rose up. She went to college, got into med school, and landed an internship at the same hospital where her mom made her mark. She’s faced heartbreak, loss, deaths, plane crashes, ambulance wrecks, and the pain of losing loved ones and children, yet she keeps pushing through and not just but actually thriving.

She loves deeply and never backs down. She’s got a husband and a best friend, both of whom are her soulmates. Honestly, I’d love to have someone like Meredith Grey in my life.

If you haven’t seen Grey’s Anatomy yet, just check out the first episode. Just that one. It’s been 21 years, and it’s still going strong. Even though Meredith isn’t in every episode anymore, she still narrates, and her insights are just as powerful as they were back in 2005.

Truly, Meredith Grey is my Spirit Animal! There! I said it!! :)

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If you haven't, tune in for my memoir, "Where did the children go?"

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Thanks for reading, friends! ;)