Entertainment

I have many passions; but professional wrestling isn't one of them. Nonetheless, I respect its female practitioners and tune in occasionally to see what they are up to. Or better yet, I set the DVR to record and later skip to the women's matches, bypassing as much nonsense as possible. That was the case with the SmackDown airing Friday before last, where Melina put on a display of athleticism that left me awestruck. Don't miss her finishing maneuver at the end:

Dollhouse returns tonight at 9/8c. I'll leave you to visit FOX.com for promos and so forth. Instead, I want to focus here on the news that Summer Glau has joined the cast for this season. From what I gather she will guest star as a programmer in a recurring role. Although on the surface this doesn't look like a very action-oriented part for the athletic Glau, we can hope that Joss Whedon will make better use of her talents than we generally saw in Sarah Connor Chronicles (a hope soundly based on past experience, see video clip).

Before she became an actress, Glau was a ballet dancer—and a good one. I've talked before about how extensive ballet training seems to prepare an actress well for action roles. Besides Jennifer Garner and Glau, the two obvious cases in point, there are others as well, like Amelia Cooke, who has with good reason been suggested as a possible Wonder Woman, not as famous yet but perhaps soon.

The former ballerina turned action star embodies a rare combination of ethereal grace and potent athleticism. In the two videos that follow, Glau shows us both sides—two seemingly polar opposite modes of being manifested perfectly by the same person:

DC shakeup. No, not that DC. I refer here to DC Comics, which now has a new name—DC Entertainment—and a new president. This overhaul by parent company Warner Bros. bodes well for a forthcoming Wonder Woman film. Another sign that things are looking up for the Amazon: she now has her own forum at Comic Book Resources.

The ugly paradox. Caster Semenya's story, though regrettable, has at least given rise to worthwhile, occasionally enlightened, media commentary. Among the best I've seen is "Women in sports: The ugly paradox," a piece that throws into relief what is the nub of the story, and the bane of all female athletes: "They say the Semenya case shows that an old, ugly paradox is alive and well in women's sport: The same giant quadriceps and bulky shoulders that can clinch championships make athletes look 'unfeminine' in the eyes of the world. And that can be a difficult reality for many women."

Nasty as it was, Serena's tantrum at the US Open isn't as troubling as what she says about her arms in an interview for People: "I think they're too muscular. They're too thick," tennis champion Serena Williams said of her ripped arms in an Aug. 27 interview with People Magazine. "I know that toned arms are in now. Look at Michelle Obama. ... I'm like, 'keep wearing strapless dresses!' But I don't like mine."

Serena's is merely a representative case. The problem is in fact societal. That Serena sees her muscular physique as something better shunned isn't unusual. But when one of the world's most accomplished female athletes, ever, says as much in public, the fallacy is perpetuated—given life anew to burden the next generation of female athletes.

Sad it is to think that Serena apparently cannot reconcile her muscles with the women's fineries she sells on HSN; the same muscles, to continue the paradox theme, that helped make her a famous athlete, famous enough to have her own line of merchandise to peddle on a shopping network.

Despite the odd name, Ultimate Women Challenge, a new reality show starring female MMA fighters, should be worth setting time aside for its debut December 28 on NBC (check your local TV listings).

Fighters you may already be familiar with, like Julie Kedzie and Felice Herrig, are among the regular cast. In addition, Tara LaRosa and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos—not a stretch to say two of the baddest women on the planet—are slated to guest star as coaches.

Now we only hope that the show proves better than its name, let alone this clumsy trailer:

A dash of fame comes with winning eleven Olympic medals, but even that might not be enough to prepare an athlete for what happens when she is cast in a popular prime-time television show.

I have argued that Natalie Coughlin deserves far greater recognition for her Olympic achievements. I should have, I see now, remembered the old warning to be careful what you wish for.

Welcome, Natalie, to that loony world celebrities inevitably find themselves captives in!