Favourite TV Female Characters

[queendarkness12]

I wanted to create this thread because of how far TV has come, when it comes to developing and writing female characters.

There is more diversity and a range of how female characters are presented on television and how audiences respond to them.

Who are some of your favourite female characters on TV?

 

[queendarkness12]

My List:

Buffy Summers
Willow Rosenberg
Faith Lehane
Tara Maclay
Piper Halliwell
Prue Halliwell
Billie Jenkins
Morgana Pendragon
Niki Sanders
Claire Bennett
Emma Coolidge
Lydia Martin
Allison Argent
Melissa McCall
Emily Throne
Victoria Grayson
Carol Peletier
Maggie Greene
Catelyn Stark
Michonne
Arya Stark
Cersei Lannister
Shireen Baratheon
Caroline Forbes
Bonnie Bennett
Rebekah Mikaelson
Liz Forbes
Jenna Gilbert
Ellen and Jo Harvelle
Charlie Bradbury
Ruby (The original)
Anna

 

[THUNDERSTRIKE]

Nomi and Amanita from Sense8...

 

[flickchick85]

Veronica Mars is probably my all-time favorite (back when the show was in its prime, at least).

Other faves:
Buffy Summers, Faith Lehane, Anya and Darla from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Patty Hewes from Damages
Dana Scully from The X-Files
Jaye Tyler from Wonderfalls
Zoe from Firefly
Arya Stark from Game of Thrones
Sydney Bristow from Alias
Sarah Walker from Chuck
Peggy Carter from Agent Carter
Skyler White from Breaking Bad
Joan Harris and Peggy Olson from Mad Men

 

[kvz5]

My Top 5:

Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Dana Scully (The X-Files)
Sydney Bristow (Alias)
Sarah Walker (Chuck)
Olivia Dunham (Fringe)


HM: Root (Person of Interest), Vanessa Ives (Penny Dreadful)

 

[flickchick85]

^Ooh, forgot about Sydney and Sarah. Must edit!

 

[psylockolussus]

Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City)
Betty Suarez (Ugly Betty)
Lynette Scavo (Desperate Housewives)
Miranda (Sex and the City)
Sun (Lost)
Charlotte (Lost)
Cristina Yang (Grey's Anatomy)
Amanda Clarke (Revenge)
Wicked Witch (Once Upon a Time)
Mama Pope (Scandal)
Annaliese Keaton (How to Get Away with Murder)
Naomi Clark (90210)
Niki Sanders (Heroes)

 

[X-Ray]

Right now...

Peggy Carter (Agent Carter)
Olivia "Liv" Moore (iZombie)
Clarke Griffin (The 100)
Arya Stark (Game of Thrones)
Carol Peletier (The Walking Dead)
Regina Mills (Once Upon a Time)

All time favorites...

Olivia Benson (Law and Order: SVU)
Dana Scully (X-Files)

 

[Soapy]

 

[coluanprime]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel:
Buffy Summers - Sarah Michelle Gellar/Along with Dana Scully, one of the first real female characters on television, also she's fairly awesome
Willow Rosenberg - Alyson Hannigan/Willow has a lot of traits that I also share and seeing those on TV is quite nice
Drusilla - Juliet Landau/I love Drusilla, she's one of my favorite physco characters ever. Juliet gave an otherwordly and creepy vibe but also let you feel pity for her.
Cordelia Chase - Charisma Carpenter/She's a lot of fun to watch
Dawn Summers - Michelle Trachtenberg/This may be an unpopular opinion but I quite like Dawn

Sherlock:
Mary Watson - Amanda Abbington/Abbington really impressed me in that she created a really wonderful, lived-in character from a description that was fairly formulaic.

Scandal:
Olivia Pope - Kerry Washington/Kerry just oozes power in the show and is an immensely capable actress that is fun to watch
Abby Whelan - Darby Stanchfield/I've loved Darby's character since the Pilot and as much as I like Olivia, I'm always a little sad that Abby has to take the backseat.
Mellie Grant - Bellamy Young/If Mellie were real I would hate her, but as a character on TV she's lots of fun to watch.

How to Get Away with Murder:
Annalise Keating - Viola Davis/I quite dislike Annalise but that is only because Davis gives it her all and makes her feel like a real person so everything terrible thing she does makes one dislike her more.

Agents of SHIELD:
Melinda May - Ming-Na Wen/She's badass and is over 50 and is gorgeous and is a well written character. What's not to love?
Jemma Simmons - Elizabeth Henstridge/Henstridge is a very good actress and I love the way she show's Simmons' interactions with the world.
Raina - Ruth Negga/Talented, manipulative, and smart, she is a character that is a lot of fun to watch.

Agent Carter:
Peggy Carter - Hayley Atwell/Simply Fantastic

Arrow:
Moira Queen - Susanna Thompson/Susanna Thompson was exceptional in playing a really layered character that could be powerful, week, and flawed.

X-Files:
Dana Scully - Gillian Anderson/Like Buffy she was a well-rounded character who paved the way for other great characters.

 

[queendarkness12]

Abby is the only character on Scandal I actually care about.

 

[Kaleb]

Root (Person of Interest)

 

[Zantera]

There's so many of them. But I'm currently re-watching X-Files and it has so many great characters. Mulder/Scully is definitely up there, but even characters like Cigarette Smoking Man and Alex Krycek are interesting as hell. While it may not be a popular opinion, I also thought Doggett was a great character.

EDIT: Damn it, didn't see "female"

 

[Loki882]

Are we talking current or all-time?

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

The ones I can think of :
Shaw in PoI
Regina in OUaT
Olivia/Fauxlivia in Fringe
Lagertha in Vikings ( had forget her, thanks Loki882 ).

 

[Loki882]

-Buffy Summers.
-Xena.
-Katherine "Kate" Beckett (Castle).
-Dana Scully (X-Files).
-Lagertha (Vikings).
-Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Bones).
-Joan Holloway (Mad Men).
-Vanessa Ives (Penny Dreadful).
-Peggy Carter (Agent Carter).
-Melinda May (Agents of SHIELD).
-Vanessa Marianna (Marvel's Daredevil).
-The Stark girls (Game of Thrones).
-Lady Maergary Tyrell (GOT).
-Lady Olenna Tyrell (GOT).
-Clarke Griffin (The 100).
-Sara Lance (Arrow).
-Moira Queen (Arrow).

And I'll probably think of more later.

 

[Milos]

Regina Evil Queen (Once upon a time)
Chloe Sullivan (Smallville)
Caroline Forbes (The Vampire Diaries)
Cara Mason (Legend of the Seeker)
Hanna Marin (Pretty Little Liars)
Lana Winters (American Horror Story)

 

[THUNDERSTRIKE]

I'm surprised no one has brought THESE ladies up...

all from Orphan Black...

Sarah Manning
Alison Hendrix
Cosima Niehaus
Helena
Rachel Duncan

 

[Blind_Lawyer]

Melinda May (Agents of SHIELD)
Lynette Scavo (Desperate Housewives)
Xena (Xena)
The Halliwell sisters (Charmed)
Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones)
Michonne (Walking Dead)
Jordan Sullivan (Scrubs)
Dr. Jennifer Melfi (The Sopranos)
Trish George (The Shield)
Zoe Washburn (Firefly)

Probably more.

 

[James]

Peggy Carter from Agent Carter
Skyler White from Breaking Bad

Peggy is fantastic! I also really like Skyler, she got a bad rap from fans of the show which I always felt was mostly due to her going against Walt -who in black and white terms was the 'real' bad guy.

Off the top of my head I'd also add to the thread Kaylee from Firefly, along with Abbi and Iilana from Broad City, but mostly just because those two are hilarious.

 

[flickchick85]

I'm surprised no one has brought THESE ladies up...

all from Orphan Black...

Sarah Manning
Alison Hendrix
Cosima Niehaus
Helena
Rachel Duncan

Oh my god, I'm a terrible fan. I can't believe I forgot my clones, lol. Yes to Sarah, Helena and Alison. ESPECIALLY Alison.

 

[Fincher]

1. Willow Rosenberg (Buffy)
2. Buffy Summers (Buffy)
3. Robin Scherbatsky (How I Met Your Mother)
4. Pam Beesly (The Office, U.S.)
5. Hanna Marin (Pretty Little Liars)
6. Aria Montgomery (Pretty Little Liars)
7. Fred Burkle (Angel)
8. "Boomer" (Battlestar: Galactica)
9. Lily Aldrin (How I Met Your Mother)
10. "Athena" (Battlestar: Galactica)

Also:

Arya Stark (Game of Thrones)
Sansa Stark (Game of Thrones)
Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Hannah McKay (Dexter)
Lila West (Dexter)
Debra Morgan (Dexter)
Gillian Darmody (Boardwalk Empire)
Carrie Mathison (Homeland)
Sara Lance (Arrow)
Thea Queen (Arrow)
Dr. Claire Saunders (Dollhouse)

 

[Two-Face=Badass]

Everyone's favourite techno-mage Root, from Person of Interest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3eTnmrkA4g

 

[haephestus]

There's so many:

- Xena, Gabrielle and Callisto (Xena: Warrior Princess)
- Willow, Anya and Fred (Buffy: The Vampire Slayer/Angel)
- Zoe and Kaylee (Firefly)
- Arya and Brienne (Game of Thrones)
- Starbuck, Caprica Six, Boomer, Athena, Roslin and Three (Battlestar Galactica)
- Sara Lance aka Black/White Canary (Arrow)
- Carol and Michonne (The Walking Dead)
- Wendy and Lacey (The Middleman)
- Kahlan and Cara (The Legend of the Seeker)
- Peggy Carter (Agent Carter)
- Dana Scully (X-Files)
- Sydney Bristow (Alias)
- Captain Janeway and Seven (Star Trek: Voyager)
- Korra and Assami (The Legend of Korra)
- Helena, Alison and Cosima (Orphan Black)
- Bo and Kenzi (Lost Girl)
- Kiera (Continuum)
- Donna Noble (Doctor Who)
- Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars)

And I'm sure many, many more!

 

[famicommander]

On TV now;
Liv Moore (iZombie)

All time:
Peggy Bundy (Married... With Children)