Move over, Pam Beesly and Annie Hall.
Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon, The Office
When you enter the Dunder Mifflin division of Sabre, Erin Hannon's smiling face will be the first to greet you. Unlike her predecessor Pam Halpert (née Beesly), this receptionist likes to have a good time. Where Pam was a stick in Michael Scott's mud, often seen scowling at his hijinks (though never at Jim's), Erin is a truly receptive receptionist, always welcoming whatever zaniness the workday might bring. She's also been known to spark some silliness of her own, teaming up with gal pal Kelly Kapoor for some Subtle Sexuality. Her cute playfulness and agreeable nature might not appeal to everybody, but they're the reason she's the only Scranton resident to have actually recieved, for Christmas, a partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, etc.
Lisa Edelstein as Dr. Lisa Cuddy, House
There are a lot of beautiful ladies briskly walking the halls of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, and the lame Dr. House has offended (flirted with) most of them. Dr. Alison Cameron is the most prominent of them, and her various relationships eat up much of everybody's time. But House's boss and former/current lover Dr. Cuddy knows how to handle his testiness. Fond of high standards and low necklines, she handles her administrative duties with a no-frills attitude and sexy authoritativeness that will make you forget all about the rare strain of lupus that brought you to her in the first place. And you won't even get mad when the diagnostic team realizes that it wasn't lupus but only a fever blister, because your medical malpractice claim will result in even more time with Cuddy.
Chloë Sevigny as Nicki Grant, Big Love
To play a supporting role in this renegade Mormon family requires a lot of patience. Theoretically, Nicki should be one of three equally important sister-wives, yet in actuality, she gets the respect of an above-average babysitter. Bill Hendrickson's first wife Barb, who aggressively strives to be the family's maternal anchor, is an overbearing buzzkill, while the barely legal (or rather, very illegal) third wife, Margie, may as well be a child. All this should make Nicki the go-to wife, yet her abundant sensuality is usually rebuffed by Bill, who often resorts to Viagra to get through "her night." We, on the other hand, don't need pharmacology to appreciate Big Love's strongest case for the existence of God: the comely Chloë Sevingy dressed in prim conservative dresses. Bonus points: Nicki's a handywoman who doesn't mind getting her elbows greasy.
Yunjin Kim as Sun-Hwa Kwon, LOST
LOST is no stranger to disappointing its viewers (yes, some of us are still upset about that woeful conclusion), but letting the hot Sun disappear into a watery grave felt simply inexcusable. In a crowded cast, the show's criminally unappealing leading lady, Kate, stole babies and scenes from her castmates. This made Sun's (sometimes literally) muted presence a bit deceptive, as her husband Jin discovered. Equipped with an independent streak and remarble ESL skills, she was a snake in the grass to Jin, and a whip-smart seductress to the rest of us. If you still aren't convinced, get lost in this clip.
Kirsten Dunst as Mary, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
From this movie about erasing people's memories, one scene is forever burned in mine: the carefree, unrobed Mary jumping up and down on a bed. The orange-haired Clementine (Kate Winslet) may be the heroine of Eternal Sunshine, but she falls in love with a character played by Jim Carrey. Bad judgment is not attractive. Meanwhile, Mary parties with a hipster/nerd played by Mark Ruffalo. (Better.) Sadly, we later discover that Mary's carefree spirit comes partly from the fact that she's already had many of her cares erased. But at least when she forgets your birthday, you'll know it's not personal.
Rose McGowan as Tatum Riley, Scream
Scream knows the rules: Tatum Riley is the blond, buxom, sexually active best friend of the leading lady, so she must die. But nobody said she had to die via garage-door opener! The undignified death (her final moments are spent retrieving beer at a high-school party) is especially saddening when the viewer realizes he's stuck with the prudish Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), whose name is as starchy as her attitude. During her short life, Tatum was outgoing, loyal, and fond of oddly irresistible sweater-and-plaid-skirt combinations. If only her brother, Deputy Dewey, had been more competent, she could have made it to Scream 2, where we'd get to see her go through a wild college phase before getting murdered.
Carol Kane as Allison Portchnik, Annie Hall
Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) may be obsessed with the titular Annie, but he's had better. Sure, Annie had a big hat, but his second wife, Allison, had big hair, big hoop earrings, and big sex appeal. As Alvy himself noted, this urban sophisticate is "beautiful, willing, intelligent." After an abridged recap of their marriage, Annie Hall cuts to a scene of the midwestern Annie fumbling a lobster; this just makes us miss Allison even more. Alvy explains their divorce via the Groucho Marx maxim about not wanting to join any club that would accept someone like him. We just want to know where we can apply for membership.
