To say that there are a lot of incredible female characters on TV is a massive understatement. There are literally thousands to choose from that narrowing this list down to the top five was a lot harder than what we originally anticipated. There are so many genres to choose from, so many shows, so many characters in each shows… I have a feeling that we just listed them all down, that list would be a novel in itself.
There’s something so empowering about watching a fictional character on screen that you can identify with. It’s like watching a piece of yourself on TV – maybe it’s because you share a particular trait, you look similar, or you have the same quirks – but whatever it is, your favourite TV heroines make you feel less alone.
So here are our top five in no particular order:
Dr Mindy Lahiri – This character. This show. This person! What I love the most about Mindy Lahiri is that she absolutely, wholeheartedly, is herself. She loves who she is and so do I! The Mindy Project by Mindy Kaling taught me that you can be both – you can be put together in one aspect of your life and have the other side in complete shambles. She’s a careerwoman yet she’s also quite focused on her personal life. She dresses loudly and isn’t afraid to be seen. And I think we can all learn a lot from her. Bring back Dr Lahiri on our TV screens, I say!
Olivia Benson – Mariska Hargitay plays this iconic character on Law and Order: SVU and has been one of main cast over the 20 years/seasons the successful show has been on screen. The leading lady has contributed the shows success to the ‘village’ that creates it. We’ve seen Olivia Benson go through the highs and lows in her personal life while having a very demanding job in the Special Victims Unit. I admire Olivia as she’s a bad ass female boss tackling new uncomfortable challenges every day and continues to motivate her team to keep on keeping on with their important work.
Gina Linetti – To be honest, I don’t quite know where Gina Linetti ends and Chelsea Peretti begins. She portrays her so well, so seamlessly, that it’s easy to forget that they are not one in the same. Brooklyn Nine Nine is a great show in itself partly because of Gina. She’s sarcastic, she makes her own rules, and she’s full of great wisdom. In times of trouble I ask myself, “What would Gina Linetti do?” and just like that things are instantly more manageable.
Ellen DeGeneres – Ellen falls into a slightly different TV sector as she is on a talk show so is not playing a character however she is someone I have admired for a while because of her lively positive personality and giving nature and she regularly surprises deserving people. Ellen is a light in the sometimes dark media world and as she says, we’ve got to ‘be kind to one another’.
Olivia Pope – Of course this wouldn’t be a TV heroine list without at least one Shonda Rhimes characters, right? Olivia Pope, played by the incredible Kerry Washington, is the ultimate badass chick on TV. She problem solves, she’s smart, she has the term ‘power dressing’ down to an artform, and she gets things done. I channel her everytime I need extra strength to get through the day and often drop the phrase “it’s handled” for full Olivia effect.
Here’s to our favourite TV heroines! Thank you for bringing us in to your fictional worlds and helping us learn more about ourselves along the way. Who are your favourite TV heroines?