What is an Alpha Babe?

...outstanding human beings who exemplify the higher qualities of integrity, daring, innovation, honour, interconnectedness, caring, loyalty, and vision... who just happen to be housed in a female body...
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Alpha Babes on TV

This is a general list of television shows that pertain to the ideals of the Alpha Babe; you’ll get more specific recommendations on a class-by-class basis, but this will definitely get you started. Note that they are in no particular order – we love them all!

Firefly – Almost all of the main characters in Firefly are Alpha Babes or Chosen Men, each in their own way. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) the ship’s captain, and Zoe (Gina Torres) certainly display the warrior side of the caste, while Inara (Morena Baccarin), Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) are emblematic of the wise leader aspect.

Charlie’s Angels – It may be difficult to think of Alpha Babes spending hours feathering their hair and selecting just the right pair of tight, bell-bottomed corduroy jeans, but the first season of Charlie’s Angels shows Jill, Sabrina and Kelly (Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith, respectively) apply much more than makeup. They use critical thinking skills to solve the mysteries with which they are presented, and are neither above nor below using their seductive wiles to save the day. Remember, Mata Hari was an Alpha Babe, too!

Sharpe’s – The origin of the phrase “Chosen Men”. Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean) is raised from the ranks to become an officer in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars; a very rare occurrence, given that officers must “buy their commission” either by money or by birth.

Babylon 5 – This marvelous 5-year sci-fi series is packed with Alpha Babes. Here are just a few. Commander Susan Ivanova (Claudia Christian) is second in command of the star base, is an accomplished fighter pilot, upholds military discipline and protocols, and backs her Captain all the way. Ambassador DeLenn (Mira Furlan) combines sophisticated spirituality, battle strategy, diplomatic finesse, and feminine charms. Lyta Alexander (Patricia Tallman) is an exceptionally gifted psy-op (think intuition to the max) whose courage takes her up against evil both human and alien.

Battlestar Galactica – Almost every character on Battlestar Galactica has their mettle tried at one time or another; each must prove to themselves and their community how much their honor is worth. Both Admiral Adama (Edward James Olmos) and Starbuck (Katee Sackoff) are exquisite examples of the trials and rewards that accompany the acceptance of the Alpha Babe / Chosen Man mantle.

Ally McBeal – Though she’s often thought more of as a short-skirt wearing man-chaser, Ally McBeal (Callista Flockhart) truly longs to be an Alpha Babe, and juggle appropriately the (seemingly) opposing roles of career woman and wife-and-mother. She and her cohort question what is and is not possible or appropriate in a wide variety of relationships, and how much society should dictate an individual’s right to choose their own lifestyle.

Star Trek: Voyager – Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the first female starship captain to appear with regularity in the Star Trek universe, is intrinsically an Alpha Babe, as she tries to navigate the ship back to known space, and applies Wisdom, Honor and Compassion in the situations that befall her crew.

Wonder Woman – Both in her guise as Diana Prince and as Wonder Woman, Princess Diana (Lynda Carter) exemplifies the Hellenic qualities of an Alpha Babe – raised, as she was, among Athena-worshippers, this is not surprising. Unfortunately, Steve Trevor never quite made it to Chosen Man status (at least not in the TV show) so the show remains a little lackluster.

Tales of the City – In Armistead Maupin’s classic series about life in San Francisco circa 1970, Mary Anne Singleton (Laura Linney) must let go of every suburban hangup she was raised to, about homosexuality, drug use, general flamboyancy… and allow herself to be the woman she was born to be, while allowing those around her to be themselves, as well. Judgment free.

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip – To be an Alpha Babe or Chosen Man in Hollywood is no mean feat; just about everyone is trying to make everyone else feel insecure. But by and large, Matt and Danny (Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford, respectively) manage to pull it off, as they run the SNL-type sketch comedy show Studio 60. Similarly, Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet) the studio President, shows more honor and commitment than any six other studio heads likely share.

30 Rock – Though she never seems to think she pulls it off, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) really does a good job of holding things together in spite of the insanity that surrounds her. She is unfailingly compassionate (though her compatriots usually aren’t) and she does stand up for herself when the situation calls for it. She may not be a full-fledged Alpha Babe yet, but the series isn’t over… she definitely has hope.

Xena: Warrior Princess – Lucy Lawless plays Xena and her title says it all, Warrior Princess. Over the course of the series Xena transforms from mean fighting machine into a warrior for justice, protecting the innocent, and helping promote civilization – even though she herself seldom enjoys the results of her efforts.

Boston Legal – Shirley Schmidt [Candice Bergen] is a real Alpha Babe. Smart, savvy, head of a big law firm, she keeps the respect of former lovers and inspires both admiration and desire. She is fair to both men and women and does not use her own gender as a tool or a weapon.

Supernatural – We don’t get to see many Alpha Babes on the show (the guys just don’t have time!) but Chosen Men ABOUND. Sam and Dean Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, respectively) have been raised almost from birth to fight evil on behalf of good. But sometimes the line between good and evil gets a little shaky; then what? Well, you do what you can, and hope for the best. Which also apparently applies to both angels and demons; particularly Castiel (Misha Collins), an angel who gets emotionally involved with the brothers and must face some very difficult choices. This show actually surprised all of us with its consistent exploration of what it means to commit oneself to a Mission in this day and age.