Temperance "Bones" Brennan from Bones

Bones has become one of my favorite shows simply because of the Dr. Brennan character. She's a forensic anthropologist. She keeps her clothes on. She's intellectual, well-spoken, and multi-dimensional.

Dr. Brennan had a difficult childhood in and out of the foster care system. Her family life, at best, is a jumbled mess. Despite this, she has at least 2 doctorate degrees. She rationalizes almost every action and is highly analytical. Her intellectual abilities make her a leader in her field.

In her spare time, Dr. Brennan writes bestselling crime novels. She is trained in martial arts and has a legally registered gun. Dr. Brennan knows at least seven languages. While Dr. Brennan is occasionally involved with males, they don't define her character and often disappear after a few shows. She is devoted and dedicated to her work -- something which she excels at beautifully.

Dr. Brennan's weakness is sometimes being overly analytical and cold. A psychologist on Bones suggested that she used her analytical nature as a defense mechanism.

(Kathy Reich, the creator of this character, is even more interesting and amazing... but not fictional, so I'll leave that for another blog.)