She's Got It: Favorite Female Characters

[amensisterfriend]

Female TV characters tend to get a lot of heat, and often with very valid reason. This is the place to celebrate our favorite female characters of former and current shows. Maybe you love and relate to them because they seem the perfect balance of admirable strengths and compelling flaws. Maybe they remind you of a beloved friend or even yourself. Maybe you find them especially vivid and memorable despite feeling you wouldn't love them much in real life. Maybe you just have a crush on the actress :) 

 

Who are your 5-10 favorite female TV characters...and why?! 

 

A few who leap to mind for me, in no particular order...

 

Early Seasons Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)---I know some feel she was "too perfect", but I was beyond thrilled to discover this introverted, sharp but somewhat emotionally clueless, quietly snarky bookworm who I loved and connected to to a ridiculous degree. 

 

Amy Santiago (Brooklyn Nine Nine)---She's amusingly and relatably anxious, competitive and neurotic, yet sweet and funny and smart and highly competent. It helps that she's played by an actress who's just eminently likable to me.

 

Zoe Wasburne (Firefly)---Stoic and terse and tough, yet also compassionate and surprisingly funny and passionately in love with her somewhat dorky husband. 

 

Paris Gellar (Gilmore Girls)---She's often a fairly terrible human being, and a woman I'd probably run from in real life, but as a TV character I found her incredibly compelling, fascinating, amusing and even touching: incredibly smart and neurotic (this seems to be a common trait among many of my favorite characters!), defensive, snarky to the point of meanness and often unhappy, yet surprisingly vulnerable, loyal and layered.  

 

Buffy Summers---Brave, resilient, witty, caring, resourceful, and my first TV heroine :)  

 

...I'd love to hear other people's picks! 

[MaryMitch]

Xena and Gabrielle from "Xena: Warrior Princess"

Brenda Leigh Johnson - from "The Closer"

Jadzia Dax - from "Star Trek Deep Space Nine"

[Aquarius]

Rhoda Morganstern (Rhoda/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - my father grew up in Hoboken so her NYC accent was so familiar.  She was sarcastic but sweet and a good friend to Mary.  I really liked how those two did not undercut each other.

 

Lilith Sternin (Cheers/Frasier) - I sort of dig when a woman gets to be smarter than the men, and she has no apologies about it.  Plus, she was not all nurturing, and I can relate to that.

 

Roz Doyle (Frasier) - a sexual being who owns it.  And I loved the way she responded to Niles' putdowns.

 

You all must think my TV broke around the turn of this century and I haven't gotten it fixed.  I've been wracking my brains to even think of a fictional TV show that I've watched with any regularity since around that time . . . or a female character that I admire from the fictional shows I do watch . .  . which is more or less The Big Bang Theory, Family Guy and sometimes soap operas for nostalgia . . . But I'm coming up empty.  I guess that's my list.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Aquarius

[Shannon L.]

Abbie Mills on Sleepy Hallow.  She's a beautiful, strong, kick ass character.

All of the original four Designing Women for different reasons.

River and Zoe from Firefly.

Sarah Walker on Chuck (in spite of the increasingly ridiculous wardrobe).  Another strong, beautiful, kick ass character.

Bailey Quarters on WKRP in Cincinnati.  I loved watching her character grow from mousy, shy and nervous, to proud, confident and outgoing.

Abby Barlett, CJ Craig and Ainsley Hayes, on The West Wing.  All three are smart, confident women. 

 

I feel like Margaret Houlihan from MASH should be on this list, but she was never really a favorite of mine except for the occasional episode.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Shannon L.

[topanga]

 

Abbie Mills on Sleepy Hallow.  She's a beautiful, strong, kick ass character.

1. I'm on the Abbie Mills train, too. I think she's one of the best female characters on TV.
2. Claire Huxtable from the Cosby Show. For years, I wanted her to be my mom. Or I wanted to be her.
3. Veronica Mars: Smart, brave, loyal, and proactive. I know a lot of people hated her character, but they can shove it.
4. The Golden Girls: I can't choose one. It would be like choosing from among my children. They were all funny, smart (in their own ways), and honest.

 

     5. Season 1 (and the first few episodes of Season 2) Olivia Pope on Scandal. The way she was originally written, Olivia was smart, hard-working, and complicated: usually honest and level-headed, but she lost her mind and her morals when it came to Fitz. Ever since the middle of Season 2, it seems like she has lost her mind completely--not just when it comes to Fitz, but in every other aspect of her life as well.

[FormerMod-a1]

I've got of the same already mentioned.  (I want to be all these women).

Current  Shows:

• Abbie Mills - Sleepy Hollow. She had a tumultuous childhood, to say the least, and managed to become a strong, centered, cop.  And when she learned she is also Witness to the Apocolypse she took it in stride and fights evil with a rational head on her shoulders.
• Joss Carter - Person of Interest.  So mad what happened to her, but I love her nonetheless.  Great cop, good mom, speaks her mind...
• Watson - Elementary.  She is very smart, is learning detective skills quite quickly, can solve many crimes/mysteries on her own, is a good influence on Sherlock.  
• Emma - Once Upon a Time.  Bounced from foster home to foster home, abandoned and jailed by her first real love. Turned out strong, compassionate, doesn't blame others...  Then finds out she's a "savior", find her parents are the same age as her due to a curse, gets sucked through portals into all kinds of craziness and manages to stay grounded and "normal".  And now she has handsome Hook as a love interest.  

 

Past Shows:

• Clair  Huxtable - The Cosby Show.  She was a lawyer and mom, she didn't take any c**p from anyone and could lay a smackdown of any of her kids w/o working up a sweat.  Loved her sense of self.
• Jennifer Marlow - WKRP in Cincinatti.  She was not your typical "bomnshell" character.  She was often the smartest one in the room, she was independent, secure and sure in herself.  I loved all her connections, too.
• The whole cast of Designing Women (original 4) as well.  The Golden Girls, too.

[amensisterfriend]

You guys have just convinced me to watch Sleepy Hollow. I'll inform my DVR that we have to add yet another show to our insanely long "record" list :) 

[topanga]

 

You guys have just convinced me to watch Sleepy Hollow. I'll inform my DVR that we have to add yet another show to our insanely long "record" list :)

Yayyy, amensisterfriend! But you have to go back and watch Season 1 first.

Edited October 9, 2014 by topanga

[Aquarius]

I feel like Margaret Houlihan from MASH should be on this list, but she was never really a favorite of mine except for the occasional episode.

 

There was something harsh and brittle about Houlihan that I never liked.  Then again I really didn't like anyone on MASH. 

[Shannon L.]

 

You guys have just convinced me to watch Sleepy Hollow. I'll inform my DVR that we have to add yet another show to our insanely long "record" list :)

Yayyy, amensisterfriend! But you have to go back and watch Season 1 first.

I agree, you have to go back to season one or it's just not going to make sense.  Speaking of sense:  you have to suspend disbelief and just have fun with the storyline, but the acting, sets, effects, dialogue, costumes, are all really good.  You'll have to let us know if you manage to watch it and what you think.

[thuganomics85]

Hmm, a there is quite a few I like, but here are the ones that automatically popped into my head:

 

Current:

Amy Santiago (Brooklyn Nine Nine): in lesser hands, she could have been a boring straight person in a comedy series, but instead, she's an (IMO) lovable, adorable, competitive, and highly entertaining character, who is also smart, funny, intelligent, and clearly cares for her friends and co-workers.  And, of course, gorgeous.

Felicity Smoak (Arrow): tech girl has been done to death on a lot of shows, but they've managed to make Felicity worthy of the praise, and a stand-out on the show.  Is never short of hilarious one-liners, and has chemistry with almost everyone.

Jemma Simmons (Agents of Shield): not quite as good as Felicity, but she's another tech character, that is just as charming and likable, and just lights up the screen, whenever she shows up.

Abbie Mills (Sleepy Hollow): pretty much what everyone else said.  Intelligent, badass, beautiful, already fully-formed, and funny too. Not afraid to confront people when it is called for, including Ichabod.

Alison Hendrix (Orphan Black): OK, I could make an argument for any of the clones awesomely played by Tatiana Maslany.  But, if I have to pick one, it's Alison all the way.  I guess I like me some crazy, suburban housewives, who know how to use house-hold appliances to torture your husband when he's being cagey, or how to best bury the body that your said husband shot like an idiot.

Margaery Tyrell (Game of Thrones): Cunning, intelligent, knows how to play the game, etc.  But, also seems to truly care about Westeros on some level, even if family and her power is her first priority.  Plus, the whole Natalie Dormer thing, heh. 

 

Past:

Aeryn Sun (Farscape): on the surface, the badass solder woman, who can kick ass and look great doing it.  But, thanks to the great writing and Claudia Black's amazing talent, Aeryn is probably one of the most fascinating characters on television, IMO.  Her centric episodes like "The Way We Weren't" and "The Choice", honestly deserve to be along the great classics, that win Emmy or are mention in various Top lists.

Kahlan Amell (Legend of the Seeker): not a well known show, but it was very fun, and more importantly, she was awesome.  A total badass, who didn't suffer fools lightly, but loyal to her land and it's people, and always supportive of Richard and his quest.  It's too bad the show only lasted for two seasons.

Martha Jones (Doctor Who): a bit of an unpopular choice, but I actually really loved her, despite her crush on The Doctor.  She never let it stop her from always being helpful, resourceful, and stepping up, when the time called for it.  Plus, unlike most of the companions, she seemed to know when it was best to quit, and that's why she had a better ending then most, IMO.

Jessica Hamby (True Blood): a very flawed individual, but considering how she was forced to turn vamp and her upbringing as a human, it could have been much worst.  Even when the show itself lost it's luster, I always found her likable, someone to root for, and as close as you can get to being realistic on a show like True Blood.

Edited October 9, 2014 by thuganomics85

[ParadoxLost]

Ditto to Lilith (Cheers), CJ Craig (West Wing), Buffy and Veronica Mars.

 

To add to the list

 

Sarah Manning and Alison Hendrix and Helena.  If you've seen Orphan Black you know why.  I'm narrowing it to top three because this favorite characters and if you add in Kasima ad Rachel well then its gushing over how great Tatiana Maslany is.

 

And I'm saving that for Carol Burnett. She created so many great characters that she deserves a mention.  And because I couldn't quite bring myself to put any Star Trek females on the list, I give you this.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-WBKah3uwg

 

So going for the actual characters, I tend to really favor strong Sci-Fi female characters lie Kara Thrace (BSG), Dana Scully (X Files), Michonne and Carol (Walking Dead), and Olivia Dunham (Fringe).  In a more real world context, Murphy Brown and Colleen McMurphy (China Beach)

Edited October 9, 2014 by ParadoxLost

[Sweet Tee]

Martha Jones (Doctor Who).  I will never get why people hate her so much.  She was the best.  Smart, brave, resourceful, positive, and warm.  Sure, she loved the Doctor, but she had a good head on her shoulders and she had enough awareness to see the situation for what it was.  She also saved the world without the aid of being "special" unlike Rose, Donna, and Amy.  She did it all through her own strength.  She may have loved the Doctor but she didn't need him.  

Maeby Funke (Arrested Development).  Despite being ignored by her parents and terrible at school, she's always been savvy enough to con her way through anything.  I love her confidence and all of her ridiculous lies.  

Dee Reynolds (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia).  Well, she's an awful human being but she's hilarious.  Kaitlin Olson just has fantastic delivery, especially when Dee gets really mad.   She's shallow, cruel, and completely deluded.  Love her.

Callie Torres (Grey's Anatomy).  I quit watching this show when they killed Mark and it was obvious she was gonna be stuck with her horrible wife and no more support system.  She's confident and weird and she keeps getting back up every time someone knocks her down.  I love her sense of humor and loyalty too.

Dana Scully (The X-files).  She was my first TV role model.  I love the way she was such a woman of science but never really gave up her faith either.  I like that they showed a character who could have both.  Most shows think it's one or the other.

[ToxicUnicorn]

I've mentioned these characters in other forums over the years, but these are the ones that come instantly to mind.

 

Going way back, Brett Butler's Grace on Grace Under Fire.  She was a working class woman, single-mom, surrounded by men at the workplace.  She was hard working, intelligent, and bone tired.  She never showed that she was intimidated by all the men around her and she was able to deal with the sexist (and other) crap she got, usually with a sense of humor and sometimes with an emotional outburst.  She was my first encounter with a female character who seemed real, and I've grown to love her character more as I've grown up, although I probably haven't seen an episode in decades.

 

From Battlestar Gallactica, Tricia Helfer's Number Six was probably my favorite character.  She gave a great performance.  I always took her seriously, even though her character was something of an enigma and she was an absolute bombshell.  Now that I think about it, I always really liked Annika Hansen's Seven of Nine from Star Trek: TNG as well.  Both characters had to wear costumes that showcased their figures (to say the least) all the time, but that was the least interesting thing about them and I always felt they were complex, real people (even though neither was human.  Heh!).

 

Maria Bello in the US Prime Suspect.  The show didn't last long enough for me to remember her character's name.

 

CJ in The West Wing from Allison Janney, of course. 

 

I liked Alex Kingston's character, Elizabeth Corday, in ER until they saddled her with a goopy romance with Dr. Greene.

 

I loved both Penny Johnson Jerald.and Jean Smart as Sherry Palmer and Martha Logan on 24.  They were perfection. 

[kiddo82]

Reiko Ayelsworth as Michelle Dessler on 24 always immediately comes to mind. She remains my favorite to this day.

[ParadoxLost]

Joan on Joan of Arcadia remains my favorite teenage female character to this day.

[Misslindsey]

I still want to be CJ Cregg from The West Wing. A well-written and a total bad ass in her own right. 

 

Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation. She is nice, competent, likes waffles, and gives the best presents. What's not to love?

[Snowprince]

Rosalind "Ros" Myers (Hermoine Norris), MI5/Spooks. You want strength and competence in spades, check her out. 

[Proclone]

1) Aeryn Sun: Incredibly kick ass on one hand but also really vulnerable on the other hand. Could have been a really one note character in the hands of bad writers and/or actress but wound up being one of complex nuanced characters I can remember watching. I recently re-watched the entire series and while I loved Aeryn the first time around I think I can appreciate her even more as an adult (I was in my teens during Farscape). Oddly enough despite her hard exterior I think Aeryn was on the inside one of the most kind compassionate characters on the show and would have been very different if she hadn't been raised in Peacekeeper society. My own pet theory is she and Zahn were polar opposites with Zahn trying to suppress her violent desires while Aeryn was actually trying (at least in the beginning) to suppress her nurturing qualities. And for the record, Aeryn crying at John's death is one of the few times I can say I've cried at a TV show.

2) Olivia Dunham: Perhaps not the most obvious or flashy character, but I really love Olivia. As someone who's always been kind of loaner I could sympathize with her loneliness and I really rooted for her to find happiness. I also really liked that she seemed really real. She dressed like I imagine a FBI agent would dress and despite the craziness going on around her always acted professional. Walter was a hoot on Fringe but Olivia was the center of the show for me.

3) All of the Characters Tatiana Maslany plays on Orphan Black: I love them all. They're all kick ass in there own way. I especially love Sarah for her street smarts and for not quite being the best human being on the planet. I also really love Helena, because how can you not? I wasn't the biggest Allison fan at first but she grew on me and this past season I really started to love Cosima as well. I've yet to figure out how this woman has chemistry with herself but she does. The dance scene and the scene with Cosima and Sarah in bed in the second season finale is also one of the few times I got choked up at a show.

4) Debra Morgan: I don't know why but she was always my favorite thing about Dexter. Maybe it was because she cursed like a sailor or that she was one of the few decent people on the show, but she was always my favorite character. I really hated her ending. If anyone deserved to get a happy ending it was her.

5) Dana Scully: The X-Files was the first show I can really remember getting into. I loved that Scully was smart and capable and in her own dry way really funny. Even though her skepticism could get a little annoying at times I loved that she kept Mulder honest and never just accepted his bizarre explanations for anything.

Edited October 11, 2014 by Proclone

[amensisterfriend]

There are so many wonderful ones listed here! I'm glad I'm not alone in loving Amy Santiago, thuganmoic. And, proclone, I really loved and related to Olivia Dunham as well even when the rest of the show went a bit off the rails for me :)

 

I forgot to mention another female character who's far less admirable but who I adored anyway, at least for the show's first few seasons: The Office's Pam Beasly. She was passive (at times a bit passive-aggressive, even), and I normally dislike those 'always have to be in a relationship even if it's not a good one' types, but somehow I loved Pam---she was sympathetic, sensitive and quietly witty. I think Jenna Fisher had a lot to do with making Pam so surprisingly lovable and relatable for me. 

 

Similarly, Paget Brewster had a great deal to do with my love for Criminal Minds' Emily Prentiss. Objectively, the character was kind of all over the place (she's a cerebral, dorky introvert. No, wait, she's kind of an edgy rebel with a goth-y past! She values honesty to the point of excessive candor and bluntness. No, wait, she's been leading---and lying about---a secret life for several years!) Somehow I still (almost) always loved her despite the character being inconsistently or underwritten, though---Paget Brewster, for me, gave the character a sort of compelling intensity, warmth, humor and relatable vulnerability. 

[Haleth]

I agree with a lot of these but Lagertha on Vikings would wipe the floor with them, and she was a real person.  (Well, more or less.)  Shield maiden, wife, mother, and voted Jarl on her own merits at a time when women were chattel.  Strong, wise, and unflinching when it comes to meting out justice.  Ruled the village when Ragnar was off pillaging but walked away from him when he brought home a second wife.  And yet when he needed help she returned with her own army in tow.  Lagertha is my measuring stick for judging awesomeness.

[thuganomics85]

Can't believe I forgot about Lagertha!  Yeah, she is the ultimate badass and the best character on Vikings, IMO.  But not anywhere close to one-dimensional: very fascinating story and background, well-acted, brave, intelligent, and loyal to both her towns.  And, beautiful.  You were an idiot, Ragnar!

[DearEvette]

1, Claire Huxtable - From The Cosby Show. When I grew up I wanted to be her.  Classy and fierce.

2. Abbie Mills - From Sleepy Hollow. Such a well realized character.  Really grounded and strong, vulnerable & smart.  The SH people are getting her right down to the bones ... so far.  Please don't mess it up!

3. Peggy Olsen - from Mad Men.  She makes Mad Men for me.  I have been enjoying her transformation throughout the show.  Of all the characters on that show she is the one that feels the most fully realized.

4. Jane Kerkovich- Williams -- From Happy Endings.  Actually I just love her and Brad together.  But I love Jane's tightly wound A-type tendencies. 

5. Whitley Gilbert - from A Different World.  Like Peggy she is a character who basically transformed throughout the show.  But more importantly, Whitley even when she was less than sympathetic, she was always root-worthy.

6. Zoe Washburne - from Firefly.  Gina Torres just gave Zoe such a quietly bad-ass air.  She was matter of fact and resolute and business like.  I'd have her at my back any day.  Like Happy Endings' Jane & Brad, Zoe & Wash played around with the gender normative roles in the marriage and made it feel just right for this couple.

Edited October 11, 2014 by DearEvette

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Similarly, Paget Brewster had a great deal to do with my love for Criminal Minds' Emily Prentiss. Objectively, the character was kind of all over the place (she's a cerebral, dorky introvert. No, wait, she's kind of an edgy rebel with a goth-y past! She values honesty to the point of excessive candor and bluntness. No, wait, she's been leading---and lying about---a secret life for several years!) Somehow I still (almost) always loved her despite the character being inconsistently or underwritten, though---Paget Brewster, for me, gave the character a sort of compelling intensity, warmth, humor and relatable vulnerability. 

 

Since you've mentioned Emily, I can use that as a springboard to bring up her predecessor, Elle Greenaway. Elle was a little more consistently characterized, and despite only having been on the show for its first twenty-eight episodes, her departure remains the one that's like getting hit in the stomach. Emily was softer, and that's not a bad thing, but it's prickly, difficult Elle that really resonates with me.

[DearEvette]

Oooh....  Forgot

 

6. Christina Yang - from Grey's Anatomy -- also a very matter of fact person who was really smart and confident and knew what she wanted.

[supposebly]

These are my favorites because they are somewhat hard to sum up in a sentence. Which to me, makes them well-written and -acted characters. They don't have to be perfect, just complex. And that seems to be a rarity on TV for female characters.

 

Kara Thrace. Messed-up and heroic, smart and terrible at relationships. She feels like one of the most fleshed-out characters on TV to me.

 

Dana Scully. Smart, took no crap from her crackpot partner but never lost her respect for him. She was the first female TV character that I could relate to.

 

Olivia Dunham. The main reason I watched Fringe. Although I really don't know what she saw in Peter.

 

Honorable mention:

Most of mine have already been mentioned, so I will just add this:

Doctor Who: I never understood why Martha's crush diminished her character in some people's eyes. Who hasn't had a crush in their life that never went anywhere. And these were normal people and not timelords who looked like David Tennant.

[kathyk24]

I loved Myka and Claudia from Warehouse 13. Smart women who were tough when they needed to be. I love Rosalee from Grimm. She's helpful to everyone and balances Monroe's quirks nicely.

[Bastet]

Some already listed: Dana Scully, C.J. Cregg, the main characters of Designing Women and The Golden Girls, Grace Kelly from Grace Under Fire and Clair Huxtable.

 

Plus Laura Holt (Remington Steele), the titular characters of Cagney & Lacey, Murphy Brown, Roseanne, Rizzoli & Isles and Cybill, Stella Gibson (The Fall), and Rene Jackson (Any Day Now). 

 

There are specific things I loved about each, but the fundamental attraction is their status as, gasp, real people.  They have ideas, interests and ambitions of their own, care about the world around them, and do not define themselves by the men and/or children in their lives.  They are varying degrees of smart, some are professional, and all are resourceful, ethical and independent (regardless of their marital status), yet not at all perfect.

 

I also love Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone from Absolutely Fabulous, even though they aren't quite so many of those things.

Edited October 12, 2014 by Bastet

[giovannif7]

Gotta throw in a mention of my earliest fave, one of the first of the true kick-ass female TV characters, Emma Peel of The Avengers.

[DiamondDoll]

Kono Kalakaua from Hawaii Five-0. Tough as nails, independent kick-ass woman. 

Belle from Once Upon A Time. She's naive and flawed but she believes in the best in people and isn't afraid to speak her mind.

Britt Westbourne from General Hospital. Spunky, funny and always a survivor. 

Chelsea Newman from Young and the Restless. Feisty, smart and funny.

Brooke Logan from Bold & Beautiful. No matter what, I will always love Brooke. She's done terrible things and is deeply flawed but I always understand her. She's one of life's great survivors and nothing will ever bring her down.

[Jac]

Colleen McMurphy - flawed, passionate, strong, occasionally infuriating, complicated, damaged, smart, caring, kind.  

Leslie Knope - smart, optimistic, passionate, caring, a really good friend who tries and doesn't always succeed at being a good person.

Liz Lemon - sarcastic, funny, hopeless at relationships, even-keeled, puts up with a lot of crazy crap.

Lilith Sternin - hugely intelligent, highly sexual despite being deeply repressed, genuinely loving, great at a comeback.

 

And I add my love for Murphy Brown, Dana Scully and CJ Cregg.

Edited October 12, 2014 by JacquelineLHope

[ToxicUnicorn]

My favorite character on Roseanne, by far, was Laurie Metcalf's Jackie.  

 

Soaps are another realm.  I am hopelessly out of date; that won't stop me from proposing a few, anyway.  I always rooted for Dorian Lord (Robin Strasser) on OLTL in the ... late 70's?  That was back when she clearly was supposed to be the villainous stepmother.  Robin made her leagues more interesting than the main character, mostly through her eyebrow arches, haughty delivery, and the way she swept her furs around her when she made her exits.  This was about the same time as shows like Dallas and Dynasty, and I always thought Robin played that type better than anyone on a nighttime soap.

 

On AMC, the first Kendall (Sarah Michelle Gellar) was feisty and snotty.  She breathed new life into that show; everyone else by that time was a bland cartoon.  As the illegitimate child of Erica Kane, she upset the entire apple cart in Pine Valley. 

 

There seems to be another character on Another World worth mentioning, but I'll have to take some fish oil before that one comes back.

 

If anyone watched that era of soaps, I'd love to hear their memories.  I did the equivalent of channel surfing back then (I think remotes had been invented recently) and, at that time of day, I saw bits of all the soaps, all afternoon (while trying to avoid Hogan's Heroes or whatever else was playing on the UHF channel.) 

 

I'm trying to decide if I liked the character of Christina Yang (Sandra Oh) on Grey's Anatomy.  Sandra was by far the best actor on the show when I watched, but I feel like I was interested in Christina mainly because she was an interesting major character played by an Asian actress.  Also, she wasn't Meredith, who I couldn't stand.  Other than that, I think Christina was kind of a caricature and probably doesn't make my list.

[joelene]

Wow, there's gonna be some serious listing here. I apologise in advance.

Number 1, always and forever Dana Scully.

And in no particular order.

Laura Roslin, Battlestar Galactica.

Buffy Summers, Buffy

Mary Albright, 3rd Rock From The Sun

Edina and Patsy, Absolutely Fabulous

Lucille Bluth, Arrested Development

Elaine Benes, Seinfeld

Fran Katzenjammer, Black Books

Patty Hewes, Damages

Georgia Lass and Roxy, Dead Like Me

Jaye Tyler, Wonderfalls

Amy Jellicoe, Enlightened

Cersei Lannister, Game of Thrones

Nicola Murray, The Thick of It

Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation

Liz Lemon, 30 Rock

Donna, Karen and Louise, Pulling

Stella Gibson, The Fall

Ruth Fisher, Six Feet Under

Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson, Prisoner: Cell Block H

Claudette Wyms, The Shield

Anna, This Life

Catherine Martell, Twin Peaks

ETA: Damn, I missed the "5-10 favorite" part. Doing some editing but I'm sorry I can't part with less than... A lot.

Edited October 13, 2014 by joelene

[amensisterfriend]

I just saw my first episode of Sleepy Hollow (I couldn't get it for free on Prime, so I jumped in awkwardly with tonight's Pied Piper episode) and, wow, I already COMPLETELY see why Abbie pops up on so many of these lists. I'd already developed a raging girl crush on her by the first commercial break. Now I have to buy the DVDs and behold her (and, oh yeah, the rest of the show's) awesomeness from the very beginning! 

[TaraS1]

From back in my soap fandom days:

 

Lorna Devon, Another World (played by Alicia Coppola only, not poor woefully miscast Robin Christopher)

Carly, General Hospital (Sarah Brown's version only)

Di Henry, AMC (Kelli Giddish!)

 

From primetime dramas:

 

Abby Lockhart, ER - I don't care that she moped, I don't care that she had a crazy mother and brother who annoyed everyone, I don't care that people thought she ate up too much airtime.  She was awesome, and Maura was stunningly brilliant in that role (ten billion times better than anything the vastly overrated Marguiles ever did on that show).  I just adored her, and I was thrilled that after all the years of misery, she finally got a happy ending with Luka and Joe.

 

Joan Watson, Elementary - Strictly because of Lucy.  S2 made it clear that the writers have little to no interest in Joan whatsoever, but I adore her and every wonderful little thing Lucy brings to the role.  She's the only reason I didn't quit last season and the only reason I will be watching S3. 

 

From sitcoms:

 

Joanna Marie Polniaczek, Facts of Life - Love my Jo!  And the Jo/Blair friendship was one of the great happy places of my childhood.

 

Dorothy Zbornak, Golden Girls - For me, hands down the greatest sitcom character of all time, male or female.  Bea was, is and will forever be a comedy god.

[GodsBeloved]

Person of Interest's Joss Carter, who was killed off for catwoman. Yes I'm still pissed about it.

 

All My Children's Angela Baxter Hubbard

 

Walking Dead's Michonne

 

Friday Night Lights' Tami Taylor

 

Law and Order's Abbie Carmichael

 

Vikings' Lagertha

[JayKay]

Abby Mills: Break-out awesome character. Who expected the female lead from the show with a gun-toting headless guy to be so well-rounded and likeable?

Aeryn Sun: I liked Aeryn before I watched Farscape or even knew what she looked like. Once I watched it, there was no going back. Badass, vulnerable, strong, caring and sometimes even sweet.

Faith Lehane: A hurting hero with a dark past who isn't afraid to throw down. Should have had her own show.

Kara from Legend of the Seeker: In the same vein as Faith, but with a twisted sense of honor. There's a kicked puppy quality to her that makes her endearing, even while she revels in bludgeoning people to death.

H.G. Wells from Warehouse 13: Brilliant, cheeky, brazen and completely unexpected with a penchant for duplicity and selflessness - what's not to like?

Alice Morgan from Luthor: A femme fatale with the intellect of a mad astronomer. An existential villain with just the right amount of charm and loyalty to make you root for her.

Michonne from The Walking Dead: Kind and caring but deadly and carries a sword. Her quiet reserve, devotion, and dignity make her someone to look up to, zombie apocalypse or not.

Sara Lance from Arrow: Party girl to sciencepirate to assassin to superhero. The stunt work alone won me over, but it turned out she was a wounded soul looking for redemption while protecting innocents.

Alex Cabot from Law & Order SVU: Not my kind of show, but the snarky, bossy, icy, and occasionally recklessly brave DA had me watching whenever she was on.

Britta Perry from Community: Biggest turn around I've ever experienced, but by the time her "prank" of putting a sombrero on a frog turned into a crime scene, I realized that I loved her earnestness, misguided sanctimony and hilarious need to be liked.

There's probably important characters I'm forgetting but that's ten!

[DearEvette]

Britta Perry from Community: Biggest turn around I've ever experienced, but by the time her "prank" of putting a sombrero on a frog turned into a crime scene, I realized that I loved her earnestness, misguided sanctimony and hilarious need to be liked.

 

Oh man, i totally agree on Britta.  I remember the first episode of Community where she was just the generic hot blonde lust interest of smarmy Jeff.  So uninteresting.  But they actually found a groove for the character that made her really funny/  By the time the they did the hysterical Glee parody episode 'You Britta'd it" had a very specific meaning.  To this day my kids jokingly now pronounce 'bagel' the Britta way, i.e. 'baggle'

[cpcathy]

I love Britta. I can't stand Annie.

[selkie]

I'll join in the Aeryn Sun love. And add in some for Susan Ivanova from Babylon 5 in a somewhat similar vein- strong, capable, and got some great lines. I'll still repeat the Ivanova is god mantra from time to time.

 

Emma Peel from the original Avengers- one of the original ass-kicking babes on television, who did it with such style and wardrobe and could take out half the thugs in Wales without breaking a fingernail. For all the she was supposed to be Steed's sidekick, they were very much equals.

 

Kay Howard from Homicide:LOTS for being one of the best Baltimore homicide detectives evah and the heart of the department. And for putting her damn hair in a bun when they were going into a possible confrontation with suspects.

 

Tegan Jovanka from classic Doctor Who- she figured out that she was way out of her league early on in her travels, but kept plugging away trying to save the universe and do the right thing, even though it ended up breaking her.

Edited October 15, 2014 by selkie

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Maria Bello in the US Prime Suspect.  The show didn't last long enough for me to remember her character's name.

 

Jane Timoney.

 

Also, I have to throw some love BSG's Helena Cain's way. I can see why others might not like her, and Laura Roslin is someone I enjoyed as well, but damaged, doomed Helena makes me feel for her precisely because she was such a wreck. Michelle Forbes did an awesome job with what was essentially a thankless role, and I'm always glad to see her on my screen when she gets the work she deserves.

[Jac]

My favorite character on Roseanne, by far, was Laurie Metcalf's Jackie.  

 

Soaps are another realm.  I am hopelessly out of date; that won't stop me from proposing a few, anyway.  I always rooted for Dorian Lord (Robin Strasser) on OLTL in the ... late 70's?  That was back when she clearly was supposed to be the villainous stepmother.  Robin made her leagues more interesting than the main character, mostly through her eyebrow arches, haughty delivery, and the way she swept her furs around her when she made her exits.  This was about the same time as shows like Dallas and Dynasty, and I always thought Robin played that type better than anyone on a nighttime soap.

 

On AMC, the first Kendall (Sarah Michelle Gellar) was feisty and snotty.  She breathed new life into that show; everyone else by that time was a bland cartoon.  As the illegitimate child of Erica Kane, she upset the entire apple cart in Pine Valley. 

 

There seems to be another character on Another World worth mentioning, but I'll have to take some fish oil before that one comes back.

 

If anyone watched that era of soaps, I'd love to hear their memories.  I did the equivalent of channel surfing back then (I think remotes had been invented recently) and, at that time of day, I saw bits of all the soaps, all afternoon (while trying to avoid Hogan's Heroes or whatever else was playing on the UHF channel.) 

 

I loved Laurie Metcalf's Jackie as well. She was by far the best thing about Roseanne a show I liked a lot for much of its run.

 

If we are going to start talking about great soap women, I'm going to have to add Santa Barbara's Julia Wainwright, Guiding Light's Holly Norris and Genera; Hospital's Alexis Davis to the list.

[BizBuzz]

Been sick, so just getting back on my feet, so I totally missed the creation of this thread, and I have loved reading all your posts on favorite female characters.

 

I have to admit, I don't know a lot of them, but I am kind of old school.  Peeps like Claire Huxtable, Dorothy Zbornak and Murphy Brown have already been mentioned and they were awesome for me to model when I was growing into adulthood.  Two that haven't been mentioned yet, and this goes back a LONG LONG way is Agent 99 from Get Smart and believe it or not, Catwoman (Julie Newmar) on the old Batman TV Series was my first experience on how sexy a woman could be. 

[jazzygem]

Lucille Bluth, Arrested Development

 

Joan Girardi, Joan of Arcadia

 

Britta Perry, Community

 

Karen Walker, Will & Grace

 

Donna Meagle, Parks & Rec

 

Elaine Benes, Seinfeld

 

Felicity Porter, Felicity

 

Alexis Carrington, Dynasty

 

Mellie Grant, Scandal

[ToxicUnicorn]

Lorna Devon, Another World (played by Alicia Coppola only,

 

That's it!  She's the one I was missing, TaraS1. 

 

I suppose I will check the Sleepy Hollow show out eventually, given all the endorsements of the female lead.  Also, I have a lingering dislike for Lucy Liu (from Ally McBeal days), but I have heard many times that she is the best part of Elementary.

[amensisterfriend]

I'm loving this thread! 

 

I have another nomination that fully deserves the mockery it will receive: Murder, She Wrote's Jessica Fletcher. I know that she's not an especially nuanced character and is rather ridiculously perfect (especially when she's more polished and sophisticated in later seasons), but I just love watching a single woman over 40 who leads such a rich, fulfilling life without obsessing over romance as the key to her happiness. That in and of itself has always made her refreshing to me. I love how sharp she is and how she has more energy than most women 30 years younger than she is, but in the first few seasons she also has an amusingly quirky edge that keeps her from being too flawless and makes her a bit more interesting. As a lifelong whodunit fan, Jessica Fletcher is one of my heroines..and it doesn't hurt that she's played by the fabulous Angela Lansbury :) 

[Bastet]

While I have long held that Jessica Fletcher is a serial killer who uses her mystery writer cover to frame others for her crimes, I agree.  She was a refreshing character to see on television.  If they still made Murder, She Wrote specials, I'd still watch them.

[ToxicUnicorn]

I hold what I think is the unpopular opinion that Dead Like Me is extremely overrated (at least, on TWoP and probably here).  Having said that, I watched it, and the character I enjoyed the most was the mom, played by Cynthia Stevenson.  She was not likeable, and she was terrible in many ways to her kids, but she was believable, and she reacted in a more realistic way to the death of her child and her husband's subsequent affair than I would have imagined being on television (and not in the over the top way that you might have seen on a lifetime movie).  Also, the actress fully committed to that role.

 

I really admire the writing and portrayal of that character.

Edited October 29, 2014 by ToxicUnicorn

[potatoradio]

I know she was supposed to be a fearsome, despicable tyrant, but I freakin' loved Lucinda Walsh from As the World Turns back in the day. Woman owned her drama, her power and the way E. Hubbard played her, I found her really sympathetic when she showed hints of loneliness or vulnerability. Plus, she was wicked funny and, as horrible as this makes me, I loved when she cracked on the self-righteous, boring, milquetoast Emma Snyder. I'll never forget watching her reaction upon learning yet another Snyder kid had appeared on the farm: "goodness...that woman...she certainly...well, drops them like puppies, doesn't she?" If I'm wrong for still laughing about that line, I don't want to be right. She's an example of a villain done right, as far as I'm concerned.

[Rick Kitchen]

Lucinda mellowed in the later years, after her grandson Luke came out as gay.  She adored him, and he helped her to lighten up some.