This producer and these women

The other day when I talked about Anansi Boys I forgot to mention there is some great extra material in this edition of the book. Among it an interview with Neil Gaiman in which he's asked who his top three favourite godlike geniuses are, and replies with Stephen Sondheim, Douglas Adams and Alan Moore. (He really must be brought together with Joss Whedon. They two of them are meant for each other. They could bond over Sondheim immediately.) Now, I have my own gallery of creative divinities. And of creative people who might not be geniuses but still impress the hell out of me. Among them J.J. Abrams; Alias isn't genius, but it's very entertaining, it has some great and complex characters... and, which brings me to the purpose of this post, it offers a rarity on tv: good roles for actresses past their fortieth year. Sadly, with some rare exceptions like Susan Sarandon that's still when you tend to become invisible in Hollywood when you're female. Let alone on youth-obsessed tv. Buffy? Had Joyce Summers, and for half a season Maggie Walsh, and that's that. Angel? Didn't have any women past 40 (well, except for the vampires, obviously) at all. BSG has Laura Roslin, for which I am eternally grateful, for she rocks mightily and is powerful and intelligent and complex and most definitely past 40. But Madam President aside, the rest of the women is in the youthful contingent as well. (Ellen Tigh is arguable; it would make sense if she were 50, but she doesn't look it, which is in character.)

And now look at the recurring ladies of the Aliasverse, aka J.J. Abrams pointing out that there are these terrific actresses still around, who do look their age and look interesting and wonderful because of it. All caps from Alias Media:

( They Rule )