He does cast his women in supporting roles, not leadership roles, though.

Alias and Felicity both had female leads. Fringe and Lost don't. So for TV, he comes out even.

[Please note that I am NOT NOT NOT positing that Felicity should be taken as a model of pro-feminist storytelling. But on his first and second times out, JJA did choose female protagonists.]

(And I don't think it's entirely fair to include his movies in this game since both MI:III and Trek came with pre-existing canon and characters.)

I'd say that Anna Torv is way more the lead of Fringe than Jackson or Noble, on the principle that it's the "detective" who is the central character, not the "interesting sidekick(s)".

I've only seen the first three or so eps of Fringe, so I'm sure you're right.

(I was going by Boxed Set where it seems like the focus of the discussion is generally Pacey and Denethor, but then, that's also typical for supporting roles. See also: Willow, Xander, Spike.)

Frankenbuddha, re your spoilery answer to my question: I thought that was the case. I vaguely remember that episode (I did see all TOS eps, but only once, and years ago - whereas I can practically recite most of TNG). You'd think they'd try to cover up such an obvious continuity error. Romulan-related canon should not be messed with.

Alias and Felicity both had female leads. Fringe and Lost don't. So for TV, he comes out even.

Is good point. I never saw Felicity, and I wasn't mad on Alias so I only saw a few of those. The lack of leading women in Lost really annoys me, though. Kate has such potential to do more than following the boys around the jungle looking, well, lost...

I did see all TOS eps, but only once, and years ago - whereas I can practically recite most of TNG

The exact opposite of my experience (and I think there are still TNG episodes I've never seen). I have seen all of DS9 at least twice, except for a handful of season one episodes (when the show was still finding its legs) I only saw once, but I never had the same completist desire for TNG, and I grew up with TOS, so I wasted many an hour on episodes I'd seen many times before.

Olivia is the main character of Fringe.

Just because most of us prefer the Bishops doesn't change that fact.

Olivia is the main character of Fringe.

Pity she looks like a rabbit who's lost her carrot.

Torv is the love child of Cate Blanchett and Poppy Montgomery. IJS.

She really is. I think she's pretty kickass, too.

I was going to say, having seen only a few episodes of Fringe I thought Olivia is by far more interesting than young Bishop. Though mad scientist Bishop rocks.