As I’m writing this, I’m waiting for the latest “Parks and Recreation” episode to load so that I can be reunited with some of my favorite characters on television (and also avoid writing my 3,000-word essay for class). I spend a good amount of my free time catching up on shows, and in the past couple of years, I’ve encountered unforgettable characters and storylines that have sucked me in until the end.
Many of the shows I watch tend to gravitate around female figures, so I decided to compile a list of women characters on television that I admire and why. Film and book favorites lists will be coming in the following weeks.
Before all of this starts though, I want to say something about these characters in general. Many of them will fall under the category of “strong female character,” and it’s a term that I can’t quite map out how I feel about it. I hear it being thrown around all the time in television, film and literature.
I understand that it’s praising women, but at the same time, I feel like it isn’t. We never refer to male characters as being “strong male characters,” and part of me feels like this is because we regard all male characters as being strong. Female characters, on the other hand, are divided into those that are strong and those that are not.
At the same time, having strong female characters really puts a stamp on those characters that are excelling and on those shows that need them. I guess what I’m really aiming for here is for all female characters to be strong in their own ways, and someday we never have to categorize any woman as being a “strong female character.”
Now, let’s start that list.
First on it is, of course, Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation.” Although the show is in its final season, the character is stronger than ever. The past seven seasons have let her evolve into someone that I’m proud to call an inspiration and hero to women (and men) everywhere.
Leslie has her faults of being overbearing and controlling, but she is, at the core, a good human being. She fights for equality, believes in empowering people and knows that breakfast foods are the best kind of food. It’s hard not to fall in love with her.
Next on my list is Liz Lemon from “30 Rock.” I remember starting and finishing all seven seasons in less than a week because Liz Lemon was just an all-around boss. She juggled her crazy co-workers like a pro and dominated in a work world where it was a boys’ club. She also used her treadmill as a place to hang her clothes, and she’s not afraid to tell it like it is.
To continue on the comedy train, I can’t forget my girl Tina Belcher from “Bob’s Burgers.” Tina doesn’t let the boys (or anyone in fact) bring her down and has so much confidence in who she is. She isn’t afraid to tell the world how she feels, and though she is a cartoon character, she definitely still counts as being a female figure that I love in television.
Taking a turn from comedy, there are many other female characters that I identify with. Since I’m a big lover of crime shows, Temperance Brennan (or better known as Bones) from “Bones” has been a role model of mine since I was quite young. She solves murders effortlessly and dominates in a field (science) where few women are found. Headstrong and independent, she lives by facts and isn’t easily swayed.
Her match could be found in the character of Olivia Pope from “Scandal.” She can tackle any problem, and she gets what she wants through wit, power and smarts. Olivia tries not to let the bad guys win, and she very much proves that a woman can play in the world’s greatest game: politics. True to her word, if there’s a problem, it’s handled.
I could really keep listing female characters that I love in television because there are so many more. I haven’t even gotten to “Orange is the New Black,” “Game of Thrones” or any of the other shows on that I watch at the moment.
What I’m really getting at is that I’m happy that there are fantastic female characters on air. It’s nice to see someone that I can relate to and be proud of. I’m glad new generations of women are being raised on television. These female characters are no longer just defined by their good looks or play sidekick roles to men. Instead, they rule their own worlds.
Congrats, TV ladies. Keep on being defined by your intelligence, humor and ambition.
