10 TV series with strong female leading characters.
While the number of female protagonists of TV series is definitely increasing, it is still far from balanced. It is strongly influenced by the number of female writers, directors, producers and so on. Here are my 10 favourites.
Orange is the New Black (2013-19)
Following the true story of Piper Chapman, whose privileged life radically changed when she was imprisoned for a drug-related offence. One of the few shows with mainly female actresses, and showing all the complexities of female relationships. Taylor Schilling and the great cast of women (Samira Wiley, Laura Prepon, Uzo Aduba and many more) make this worth watching.
Jessica Jones (2015-19)
The first female superhero who received her own series by Marvel. Jessica Jones is unusually strong, but doesn't want to be a heroine. She prefers working as a private detective and have her freedom, at least until she becomes entangled in some difficulties. Partly overlaps with the world of Luke Cage, Daredevil etc. Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor and Carrie-Ann Moss are the female dream team of this series.
Fleabag (2016-19)
Based on her award-winning play, Phoebe Waller-Bridge stars as a young woman in London, dealing with everyday life in a hilarious way. Was not really convinced after just a few episodes, but it definitely got better in time (especially the second season is great). Essential for the comedy of Fleabag is the repeated breaking of the fourth wall, as audiences know from House of Cards (and originally of course from Shakespeare).
Homeland (2011-20)
Bipolar Carrie Mathison is s CIA operative, always dealing with the most recent crisis in the world, while also struggling to balance her personal life. Claire Danes won 2 Emmys and 2 Golden Globes for a reason for this role. The show has managed to remain very current, shifting its focus from terrorism to fake news to political assassination attempt effortlessly.
New Girl (2011-18)
The eccentric teacher Jess moves in with a group of young men. Their apartment becomes the center of plenty of craziness, but also some unexpected bonding and development on the part of all roommates. Zooey Deschanel is great in the leading role, and her supporting cast do their best to add to the fun. Good mood guaranteed.
How to Get Away with Murder (2014-)
Viola Davis is reason enough to watch anything; in this case, she carries this crime series. A law professor is teacher her students how to get away with murder in theory, but the reality catches up with them. Created and written by Shonda Rhimes, who has already proven in Grey's Anatomy that she is great at writing female characters as well as providing a diverse collection of characters.
The Crown (2016-)
The Queen of England is of course one of the greatest leading roles for any female actress. Claire Foy and Olivia Colman have both excelled at this honourable but difficult task. After 2 seasons of Claire, 1 season of Olivia will be followed by one more of Olivia, after which Imelda Staunton will take over the lead and the crown for the final season.
The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel (2017-)
Mrs. Maisel is a Jewish housewife in the New York of the 60ies, whose life falls apart. She decides to take matters into her own hands and becomes a stand-up comedian, which is not an easy undertaking as a woman. Rachel Brosnahan is hilarious in the leading role, and Alex Borstein and Jane Lynch, among many others, are a great supporting cast.
The Handmaid's Tale (2013-19)
Based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, this dystopian series follows several women whose rights are taken away when the government is overthrown by a fundamentalist dictatorship. Elisabeth Moss is mind-blowing as June, the leader of this series and the resistance of women. Other notable female performances include Ann Dowd, Yvonne Strahovsky, Samira Wiley and Alexis Bledel.
Big Little Lies (2017-19)
Set in a seemingly idyllic town in California, this series shows the issues of a group of female friends and mothers. These issues do not stop at typical everyday gossips and superficial things, but go much deeper into the dark past and present sufferings of some characters. Produced by Reese Witherspoon, she does not only star herself but has also brought together the stellar cast of Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz and - from the second season on - also Meryl Streep.
(Images: IMDB)