TV shows thrive off strong female characters. Out of the numerous shows I’ve watched, I definitely have my favourites.
From streaming services to aired-on-TV, here are some of my favourite female characters.
BLAir Waldorf
Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) is one of my favourite TV characters of all time. While the show focuses a lot on “it girl” Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), her best friend, Blair, is much more interesting. Blair is standoffish and intimidating in comparison to Serena, who has a girl-next-door quality about her. But while everything comes easy to Serena, Blair works hard for her accomplishments, which I admire. She isn’t always the most ethical when it comes to making decisions, but her scheming is entertaining to watch and it’s hard not to be impressed. Blair is a chronic overachiever, which makes her the most relatable to me out of the bunch. She’s extremely smart and is used to being in control, but as the show progresses she struggles to adapt to change — another realistic quality. On top of everything, Blair has the most iconic quotes, and when it comes to fashion, she is the face of the preppy, old money aesthetic.
Cece Parekh
In season one of New Girl, Cece Parekh (Hannah Simone) is introduced as main character Jess’ (Zooey Deschanel) best friend. She initially follows the trope of the side-character whose sole purpose is to give advice to the show’s lead. But throughout the series, we get to see more of Cece’s story unfold. Cece is dynamic and her story is captivating. For a big portion of the show, she experiences the instability of a career in modelling and dabbles in different jobs like bartending until she finally finds out what she wants to do. She truly grows and has great character development from the start to the end of the show. Cece escapes the “toxic pretty girl” stereotype. While she is attractive by societal standards, she still has a complex storyline and struggles like the rest of the characters, as opposed to a lot of sitcoms that often slut-shame the pretty best friend to make the protagonist seem more likeable. Out of all the crazy things Cece experiences, her run-away-at-the-altar moment in Season Two is a key highlight.
Christina Yang
After all these years, I still believe that without Christina Yang (Sandra Oh), Grey’s Anatomy doesn’t feel the same. From the start of season one, the show makes it obvious that Christina is there to succeed in surgery. She is determined, headstrong and goal-oriented. Christina is one of Grey’s most iconic characters and has some pretty funny moments in the midst of all the hustle and bustle at the hospital. Christina is tough, but prioritizes friendship at the end of the day. She empathizes with all of the characters and I think she bonds with each one in a different way. Christina also experiences extremely difficult situations when it comes to romantic relationships, but she knows her self-worth and puts herself first, which is an admirable quality. She’s also great under pressure (yes, I’m referring to the season six finale).
Maddy Perez
Euphoria’s Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) has it all. The face, the outfits, the friends, and the boyfriend. Maddy’s life looks perfect to an outsider, but as we find out more about her, it’s revealed that the “perfect” aspects of her life are not so glamorous. Season One focuses on Maddy’s toxic relationship with her boyfriend Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi). She makes poor decisions, but I think they are more reflective of how controlled and brainwashed an abusive relationship can make you. In Season Two, we see how Maddy handles the betrayal of her best friend. While she puts up a strong, intimidating front, Maddy is fragile and has a good heart. I really liked seeing the warmer side of Maddy in Season Two, proving that she truly values the female friendships in her life. Aside from her traits, Maddy is the fashion icon, known for her two-piece sets and bold fashion choices, especially with her makeup and nails.
Lorelai Gilmore
Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) from Gilmore Girls is the most iconic TV mom of all time. Known for her wit and sarcastic sense of humour, Lorelai has impeccable comedic timing which is the most enjoyable part of the show. She carries the series, and while some of the other characters become less and less likable (AKA. Rory Gilmore), Lorelai maintains her likeable qualities. She does come across as extremely privileged, but I think the show makes that obvious. She is a great mom and role model for Rory and supports her even through her questionable decisions. Lorelai learns from her mistakes and grows out of a lot of her immature habits by the end of the show. She’s pretty much the life of the party and emulates good vibes.