TV's Hot, Smart 40-Plus Women

 Glenn Close as Patty Hewes on "Damages"

At 62, Glenn Close can still light up a room with her smile and freeze it an instant later with an icy glare. She's doing more of the latter on a weekly basis as high-stakes lawyer Patty Hewes on FX's "Damages." Fresh off of taking down .

Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU"

In 10 seasons on "Law & Order: SVU," Mariska Hargitay, 45, has embodied the definition of strength and power in the face of considerable adversity as Detective Olivia Benson.

 Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery on "Private Practice"

From the moment Kate Walsh, 41, stepped onto the scene as the scorned ex-wife on "Grey's Anatomy," it was clear that her character, Dr. Addison Montgomery (then-Shepherd), wasn't your typical TV doctor.

 Vanessa Williams as Wilhelmina Slater on "Ugly Betty"

Unapologetically ambitious and cutthroat, former supermodel Wilhelmina Slater, who is played by Vanessa Williams, 46, isn't going to let anything stand in the way of taking over MODE magazine.

 Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows on "CSI"

One of the original batch of recent female cops, Catherine Willows, 50, is stepping into a new role this season with the departure of Gil Grissom as night shift supervisor on "CSI."

Lisa Edelstein as Dr. Lisa Cuddy on "House"

Keeping the clamps down on one of TV's most ornery characters isn't easy, but Dr. Lisa Cuddy has proven she's one of the few people around who has figured out the sociopathic enigma that is Dr. Gregory House. Cuddy, who is played by Lisa

Patricia Arquette as Allison DuBois on "Medium"

Patricia Arquette, 40, plays a character based on a real-life self-proclaimed medium and profiler on “Medium.” The fictional Allison DuBois doesn't carry a badge, but her gift of seeing dead people, seeing the future, and picking up

Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner on "Private Practice"

After a tremendous run on "Judging Amy," Amy Brenneman returned to prime-time TV in a whole new way and is still lighting up the screen at 44. This season on "Private Practice," her character

 Kyra Sedgwick as Detective Brenda Johnson on "The Closer"

Few people knew what to expect when Kyra Sedgwick made the move from a mostly independent film career to playing a charming but effective police interrogator on TNT's "The Closer."

 Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker Whedon on "Brothers & Sisters"

Rachel Griffiths, 40, plays Sarah Walker, one of the few 40-something female TV characters who balances (or at least tries to) an ambitious career with a family life,

 Connie Britton as Tami Taylor on "Friday Night Lights"

Tami Taylor is a devoted wife, no doubt, but she isn't a "Stand by Your Man" Southern gal, even if she does reside deep in the heart of Texas. Since the beginning of this gem of a show, actress Connie Britton, 42

 Kathryn Morris as Detective Lilly Rush on "Cold Case"

Kathryn Morris, 40, is the centerpiece of one of CBS's many quiet successes, and her character, Detective Lilly Rush, is never afraid to show a sympathetic side toward the victims of the long-ago crimes she and her team take

 Maura Tierney as Dr. Abby Lockhart on "ER"

As "ER" quietly slips into the shadows, it takes with it Maura Tierney, 44, who, in nearly a decade on the show has more episodes under her belt than any regulars except Noah Wyle and Laura Innes. In those years, her character, Dr. Abby

 Jennifer Beals as Bette Porter on "The L Word"

After six seasons, Showtime's first serious drama came to an end this season, but not before Jennifer Beals, 45, was done painting a picture of an intelligent and resilient woman.