No good TV show can be truly complete without a strong and open-minded (or sweet and naïve) female character. Now we’ve come to a point when awesome women can have their own shows like Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman, Veronica Mars, Agent Carter, and a plethora of others. Not to mention classics like Sex and the City that is basically packed with sweet, smart, and vibrant women going on with their lives. We’ve grown up watching female characters like Buffy and the Charmed girls fight evil and send demons back to hell long before the Winchester brothers entered the game. Seeing women do all kinds of awesome things was inspiring and made us think that we also could do all of that – if we really wanted to! Here’s a list of 13 female TV characters that really made a difference.
Brienne of Tarth, Game of Thrones
GOT is packed with strong female characters, yet Brienne stands out from the bunch. In a world that lives by medieval laws she stays true to who she is – a knight, a warrior, and a woman of honour. Apart from fighting actual men she has to fight loads of prejudice concerning her gender as well. She’s a real inspiration!
Peggy Olson, Mad Men
Peggy’s naiveté is her strongest point. It takes her places! A ‘wiser’ and more experienced 60-era ad exec would know that it’s dangerous to voice your opinion as bravely and openly as she did it, as well as storming into rooms and taking over marketing campaigns. Some might say she was naïve to the point of foolishness and that did get her into trouble more than once, but it was also the source of her boldness that later turned her into a truly powerful intelligent lady.
Mindy Lahiri, The Mindy Project
What’s so great about Mindy is that she has a complex character with all kinds of flaws, yet that doesn’t make her any less attractive or fun to watch. Just like all real women, she’s never just one thing – clever or foolish, clumsy or elegant, funny or beautiful. She has it all! And she’s not afraid to show different sides of her.
Xena, Xena: The Warrior Princess
Now you won’t impress anyone with a warrior-woman going around fighting people and whatever creatures may come her way, but back in the days Xena was a big deal! She was tough, brave and would battle the God of War himself if need be. And sometimes she did! Watching her adventures was refreshing and it seems that there’s a new generation of Xena fans forming as we speak.
Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones
In the beginning of the series Sansa was nothing but an irritating, foolish girl that let other people push her around. Well, things have certainly changed by the end of the seventh season! Sansa has suffered a lot, both physically and mentally, but she took that experience and grew stronger, wiser, and more powerful than we’ve ever seen her. She avenged herself and became a true ruler of Winterfell, only smarter.
Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
She was just like any other schoolgirl until she met Giles, a librarian with a close connection to the demon world. He thought she could become a cool demon-fighter, and so she did! What makes Buffy so special is that she’s far from perfect. It’s a character that is filled with doubt and a bunch of flaws, but she’s still one of the ‘good guys’ working every day to make the world a better place (and maybe get a few good grades for change).
Kate Beckett, Castle
Kate Becket might be one of the most loved NYPD detectives in the history of TV. Her character is complex and flawed enough to be truly believable. She makes mistakes! But she’s also smart enough to always find a way out from the most dangerous situations. And when she, for some reason, fails to do that – she keeps on living and fighting just like any other person would do in real life. That’s truly inspiring to watch! She’s also learned how to tolerate the know-it-all Castle, and that’s an achievement in itself.
Eleven, Stranger Things
Hey, little girls can be tough, too! Especially when they’ve been through a lot and possess some pretty outstanding supernatural powers. Eleven became a truly iconic character for Stranger Things right after her first appearance on the show. Her character is cute, a bit awkward, with a lack of social skills, but with a kind and open heart. She’s unique and it’s impossible not to fall in love with her the second you see her.
The Master (Missy), Doctor Who
The last incarnation of The Master, Doctor Who’s archenemy, actually was female! What makes this so significant is that it is the first time in Doctor Who’s universe that one of the main male heroes regenerated into a female one! Although, that’s always been a possibility, it has never been enacted before. Until Missy (short from Mistress) came to play. Despite all her flaws and psychopathic behaviour, Missy turned out to be one of the most unusual, intelligent, and fun-to-watch characters in the last Doctor Who series. She’s also had a change of heart and decided (after all this time!) to do some good and help the Doctor. It’s a real breakthrough and we can’t wait to see what the next incarnation of Dr. Who (also female btw) will be like.
Dana Scully, The X-Files
Dana Scully can tell you a lot about working weird cases and trying to explain the unexplainable. That’s why she and Fox Mulder were so good for each other – he had an open mind and she looked for actual evidence and proof of what they saw was real. It was a tough job, but she was great at it! Especially having to deal with a handful that was Mulder on a daily basis.
Clarke Griffin, The 100
What is it like to be a teen and in charge of hundreds of people? Clarke Griffin definitely knows a thing or two about that. She kind of ended up telling other people what to do because she was the one ready to make tough choices where others got scared and ran away. There were no grown-ups to help with advice or take charge of difficult situations, so she had to do it to protect her people. Try doing that when literally everything and everyone threatens your life and tries to kill your friends!
Daenerys Targaryen, The Game of Thrones
Our list simply wouldn’t be complete without the Mother of Dragons, the gorgeous and powerful Daenerys Targaryen. She went from a slave girl to a ruler of Dothraki and a force to be reckoned with in the bloodthirsty Game of Thrones that’s taken over all of Westeros. She’s smart enough to understand she needs help from other, more experienced people. She also knows she’s beautiful and is not afraid to show it. She understands what it is to love and to hate, but she also understands responsibility and that some unpleasant things should be done for the greater good of all.
Stella Gibson, The Fall
Can a woman really be so perfect? Being the head of a complex investigation is hard enough, but try being an attractive intelligent woman and head an investigation in the male-infested police station. Stella embraces her beauty and all her intimate needs and is not afraid to admit them to anyone who might be asking. She’s also clever and attentive to detail whether it’s something her co-worker said or a tiny bit that will break the case. Just watching her is empowering!
