What's more inspiring than a female lead character in a show that can hold her own, kick some butt and be more intellectually savvy than anyone in the room? Fans can rejoice at the rise of strong female characters on the small screen. In the 2000s, the role of a badass went to Buffy Summers – a young woman who becomes a supernatural hunter and saves the world.
Over the years, the female lead character has evolved to take on different forms and different genres. From superheroes like Supergirl to ruthless lawyers in the courtroom, there are many badass female leads in modern television.
Updated on June 26th, 2021, by Gabriela Silva: Strong female lead characters make for some riveting and binge-worthy television shows. These characters are the leads for a reason as they never back down from a fight, challenge, and do whatever necessary to gain the upper hand. Above all, these strong female-led shows teach audiences that women have just as much resilience and strength as any other and are a force to be reckoned with.
15 Van Helsing (2016- Present): 6.2
The acclaimed werewolf/supernatural hunter, Van Helsing got a gender switch in the 2016 SyFy show, Van Helsing. The show uses the Van Helsing storyline as a family origin backdrop to the show's main female lead character, Vanessa Van Helsing (Kelly Overton).
Vanessa Van Helsing wakes up from a comatose sleep to discover the world is now plagued with vampires after a volcanic eruption blanketed the world in darkness. On the journey to locate her missing daughter, Vanessa uncovers she has a rare ability that could save humanity, and it's up to her to face the world's evilest creatures.
14 Wynonna Earp (2016- 2021): 7.5
Discovering that your family is the guardians of your small town against resurrected demons isn't easy. In Wynonna Earp, fans gave some props to Wyonnona (Melanie Scrofano) as she had to face her destiny head-on. Tasked to take down Reventas that rise from hell using her grandfather's Peacemaker gun, Wynonna has a heavy weight on her shoulders.
Throughout the seasons, fans see Wynonna struggle between her destiny and her internal demons from family turmoil, love, and giving up something dear to her. What makes the character so resonating is that she's far from perfect.
13 Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina (2018 - 2020): 7.5
The Netflix show quickly gained an audience, as it took on a new version of Sabrina Spellman that fans hadn't seen before. As it was based on the comics, Sabrina (Kiernan Shipka) was much grittier, seeped in Hell and dark magic. While many may agree that some of Sabrina's plans weren't for the best, she did play a huge role as a female lead.
She often took charge of situations when trying to help her friends. Above all, she didn't take lightly being forced to submit to the Dark Lord or anyone else who undermined her capabilities, just for being half-mortal. Sabrina often proved her power by eradicating the hunters, taking on The Void, and her sacrifices.
12 Seven Seconds (2018): 7.7
Seven Seconds is a Netflix original crime drama series that debuted in 2018. The show gained attention as it hit home on police injustice. What helped bring to life the show were its two female leads, K.J. Harper (Clare-Hope Ashitey) and Latrice Butler (Regina King).
Latrice Butler deals with the unsurmountable pain of losing her son when a police officer accidentally hits him with his car and covers up the teen's death. Alongside Butler is a lawyer, K.J. Harper who is no stranger to the abuse of power by the police force and vows to seek justice for the teen.
11 Jessica Jones (2015 - 2019): 7.9
Jessica Jones was a Marvel television show that was too short-lived for fans' liking. It portrayed a badass female hero that fans rallied behind. Having had a short stint as a superhero, Jones (Krysten Ritter) hung up her cape and open her own detective agency.
What made her a strong female hero wasn't just her superpowers, but her overall character. She had a good moral compass and disliked using her powers for evil, hence why she gave up being a hero after inadvertently killing someone. But she was seen as a badass not only for her outstanding punk fashion taste but for the fact that she didn't like bullies and rooted for the little guy.
10 Queen Of The South (2016 - 2021): 7.9
It was time for a new queen in the cartel business. Most television shows depict the cartel boss as being a tough male, but in Queen of the South, the role went to Teresa Mendoza (Alice Braga), who builds a wealthy empire in the drug business. The show was an adaptation of the popular telenovela of the same name.
Mendoza becomes a force to be reckoned with, as she climbs the ranks to become a fearless cartel boss after the murder of her cartel boyfriend. She had a strong head on her shoulder from the start, which leads her to be feared, even amongst the most ruthless of the ruthless.
9 Orange Is The New Black (2013 - 2019): 8
Orange Is the New Black became a Netflix sensation and was inspired by a popular memoir based on true events. The entire cast got numerous accolades for their on-screen performances and fans loved the show as it centered around Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling), who was sentenced to jail and had to adapt to life in a women's prison.
Seeing as the show was centered around female prisoners, there were plenty of female lead characters. No one can forget the spitfire and tough as nails, Galina "Red" Reznikov (Kate Mulgrew), as well as the impactful personal stories of each inmate as they deal with a corrupt justice system.
8 GLOW (2017-2019): 8
While the WWE and its wrestling superstars have had a plethora of documentaries made about the industry, the 2017 show GLOW took a different spin on it. With a main female cast, the show revolved around fictionalized characters of the 1980's women's professional wrestling circuit, GLOW, created by David McLane.
While the show got a majority of things right about wrestling, fans agreed it showcased that women can handle the ring just as well as men. The female characters face scrutiny for their profession but rise above to discover their own worth and redefine wrestling.
7 How To Get Away With Murder (2014 - Present): 8.1
Viola Davis shined bright in her lead role as Annalise Keating in this legal/mystery drama. Keating is a high-profile criminal defense attorney who's good at her job and doesn't take anyone undermining her. In the show, she's also a law professor who picks five students to aid her in a murder case.
The character quickly became a fan favorite, as she never backs down and shows protectiveness over her students as they try to balance the law and their personal lives. She's often feared and admired, but she still has cracks in her facade and soon gets involved in crimes with her associates.
6 Hotel Del Luna (2019): 8.2
Fans know just how well K-dramas develop badass female leads that don't fit the 'damsel in distress' mold. Hotel Del Luna is one of the more popular and well-known dramas starring IU as the female lead, Jang Man-Wol. Man-Wol was sentenced to be the supernatural Hotel Del Luna's manager to atone for her past crimes.
Having spent decades watching over a hotel for ghosts, she learned to defend herself and not rely on a man. That is until her love interest appears. Regardless, Man-Wol always takes charge and is often the one protecting those around her. She's a force to be reckoned with and everyone knows it.
5 Watchmen (2019): 8.2
Fans can agree that the real star of Watchmen was Sister Night (Regina King). Based on the popular comic book series, the show revolved around police officers' concealing their identities after a massive attack by the Kavalry. While the show centered around a few characters, it mostly focused on Sister Night.
She becomes crucial in unraveling the conspiracies surrounding the Kavalry and Cyclops. Throughout the show's short run, she proved herself to be much more than a police officer and was highly skilled in combat and weaponry, as well as taking justice into her own hands.
4 Killing Eve (2018): 8.2
The main female characters in Killing Eve quickly became a powerful duo on television. A British intelligence agent is on the hunt to take down a notorious assassin - a female one, that is. Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) is recruited for an off-the-books mission to capture Villanelle (Jodie Comer) and it turns into an obsession.
While Eve may have her tendencies, like screaming like a child, that makes her seem ill fit as an agent, she proves her worth in other ways. She has a good head on her shoulders for doing what's right, as well as good instincts. She's a hot mess at times, but she's still a female lead character that is determined to no end.
3 Godless (2017): 8.3
The Netflix miniseries is worth a binge-watch on a Friday night. It's only seven episodes long, but quite impactful, especially in regards to its female co-lead. The Western drama takes audiences on a journey of an injured outlaw who finds himself in a town only comprised of women.
Alice Fletcher (Michelle Dockery) is a cool and aloof widow who prides herself in protecting the town's residents. She's been hardened by her own experiences, but can wield a shotgun like no one's business. When those hunting the outlaw are headed their way, she leads the residents to protect their town and him.
2 The Handmaid's Tale (2017 - Present): 8.4
The Emmy Award-winning series, The Handmaid's Tale, takes place in a dystopian world and is based on the novel of the same name. Following the Second American Civil War, some women are forced to become child-bearing slaves known as "Handmaids." Fans quickly saw the grit and determination behind the show's female lead, June Osborne/Ofjoseph (Elisabeth Moss).
Forced to become a handmaiden after trying to flee with her husband and daughter, Ofjoseph becomes determined to raise some hell. She's outspoken, ruthless, and brave and she often protects the women around her from the new gruesome reality, while looking to break free and find her daughter.
1 The Queen's Gambit (2020): 8.6
The Queen's Gambit created a stir on social media platforms after its release on Netflix. The historical drama miniseries was based on the 1983 novel of the same name and follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) as she grows up to become one of chess's most renowned prodigies.
At the same time, the audience sees her struggles, and fans loved the character's steadfast demeanor and her drive to prove people wrong. When trying to enter a chess competition, men tried to discourage her, but she has none of it and enters at her desired level to prove everyone wrong.
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