Leading ladies of the fall TV season

Lizzy Caplan | Showtime's 'Masters of Sex'

Craig Blankenhorn / Showtime

Her role: Set in the 1950s Eisenhower era, the drama follows Caplan as she portrays arousal analyst Virginia Johnson. Twice-divorced and a single mom, Caplan's character researches alongside the brilliant and curious Dr. William Masters, played by actor Michael Sheen. The pair are ultimately credited as the pioneers of human sexuality, unleashing the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Where we've seen her before: Caplan played outcast and friend to Lindsay Lohan in the film "Mean Girls." On television, she's known for her small but recurring roles on "New Girl" and "True Blood."

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Melissa Fumero | Fox's 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'

Fox

Her role: As Det. Amy Santiago, Fumero navigates a New York City precinct alongside a wise-cracking Andy Samberg and precinct chief Andre Braugher in this action-comedy. Her character is confident, but super-competitive, with a goal to rack up more arrests than Samberg. Where we've seen her before: For four-and-a-half years, Fumero played a love-at-first-sight, smitten teen on the soap opera "One Life to Live." Other television credits include stints on "Gossip Girl" and "CSI: NY."

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When autumn arrives, TV amps up. Whether they're in a new comedy, drama or mystery, women this season are taking on roles as varied as detectives and doctors. Meet some of the leading ladies appearing on TV (and digital) screens this fall. By Christy Khoshaba

By Christy Khoshaba