23 TV Characters Who Own Their Age

There's been plenty of talk about ageism in Hollywood, but to say that television is devoid of older characters would be a lie.

Television is rich with characters "of a certain age" who provide countless hours of entertainment. Whether these characters are true to life is a conversation for another day, but in their television world, they embrace who they are, no questions asked.

Some are comfortable and living the life of their dreams, others have chucked it all in search of new adventures. Some are sassy and sweet, other serious and over-the-top, but all of them have one thing in common: They all own their age!

1. Desna Simms - Claws

Desna is a woman who holds her own. Full of sass and swagger, she doesn't let anything get in her way. Sure, she's gotten herself into a terrible mess and no longer owns a nail salon, but that's just a blip on the screen for her on her journey to embrace life and squeeze it to the fullest.

2. Jay Pritchett - Modern Family

Jay uses his experience and knowledge as a guiding force not only for his kids but for his younger wife, Gloria as well. There have been times where the age difference between him and Gloria has concerned him, but those moments quickly pass. He's comfortable with who he is and where he's at in life -- and he's not afraid to show it, even exploit it at times.

3. Abby Clark - 9-1-1

What we love about Abby was that she wasn't afraid to take the bull by the horns when she decided to give it a whirl with a much younger man. She was a bit self-conscious at first, but she ended up not letting her age get in the way of fully enjoying her time with Buck. After her mother died, she realized there were many things she wanted to do that she never got around to, and she didn't let her new romance get in the way of following those dreams. It's not that she didn't care for Buck, she just decided that she needed to put herself first for once.

4. Cookie Lyon - Empire

If we could choose to be any other woman for a day, we'd probably choose Cookie. She has tons of spunk, isn't afraid to say exactly what's on her mind, and has a fabulous sense of style. Yes, she's over the top most of the time, but who wouldn't be after the kind of life she's led?

5. Bonnie Nolan - American Woman

Bonnie's world came crashing down when she found her husband cheating with a younger woman, but it also opened her eyes big time. She realized she spent too much time trying to make others happy while stifling her own ambitions. And while the road hasn't been easy, she was able to start showing the world exactly what kind of woman Bonnie Nolan really is.

6. Elizabeth McCord - Madam Secretary

Elizabeth McCord has never tried to be someone she wasn't, even when people tried to push her to be different or upgrade her personality -- or wardrobe. She's comfortable with who she is, and while she's learned a lot along the way, she's always remained true to herself.