Fun
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Nostalgic
Intense
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Choked Up
Curious
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2017 was quite the year for women on TV. Award-winning shows like Big Little Lies and The Handmaid’s Tale brought female-centric issues to the forefront of the nation’s attention, and favorites such as Insecure and SMILF doubled down, capturing unique aspects of the female experience like never before. For most of the year, strong, bad ass women dominated our screens, reminding viewers (and network execs) that “women’s issues” resonate with audiences of all kinds. Gone are the days of all-male, all-white television shows, and we have these women to thank.
It’s difficult to choose just 10 fearless women out of a pool of hundreds of worthy contenders, so it’s important to note that this is by no means a complete list of the TV’s most remarkable women. However, from women fighting for reproductive autonomy to solving a decades-old conspiracy to battling racism and sexism in the workplace, these are a few of the leading ladies that inspired us most in 2017.
Offred, 'The Handmaid's Tale'
Elisabeth Moss won a very well-deserved Emmy award for her role as Offred, a woman forced to reproduce with leaders of a near-future dystopia, in The Handmaid’s Tale. At first, Offred (named June before her arrival in Gilead) pushes aside her feminist inclinations, initially believing that the only way to survive is to give in to the religious autocracy’s demands. However, it’s not long before Offred refuses to keep silent, and at the end of the show’s first season, she stages a very public rebellion that will lead to confinement, at best, and death, at worst. The finale ends before we know which possibility will become reality, but no matter the outcome, Offred’s willingness to put herself on the line makes her one of the most bad ass women of 2017 (or whatever year it is in Gilead).
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, bitches.
Molly Carter, 'Insecure'
Molly (Yvonne Orji) had a big year on Insecure. After finding out in the first episode that her male co-worker is being paid way more, Molly begins a serious examination of her professional life. Is it sexism, racism, both, or neither? Molly never gets a straight answer, but she refuses to let up on the issue throughout the show’s entire second season, even after her predominantly white law firm gives her a “Rising Star” award instead of a raise or promotion. While Molly’s sex life may have been a mess this season (albeit a very, very hot one), her dedication to her career reminds us that standing up for yourself at work is one of the most important, and the most difficult, things a woman can do.
The Women of 'The Keepers'
Unlike the rest of the women on this list, the women of The Keepers exist IRL. Netflix’s seven-part docu-series documents the efforts of a group of Baltimore women, led by Gemma Hoskins and Abbie Schaub, who set out to investigate the murder of their former teacher Sister Cathy Cesnik. As the women delve deeper into the decades-old murder, they discover a much larger Catholic Church conspiracy to cover up years of sexual abuse, and they take it upon themselves to interview countless individuals who may know something about Sister Cathy’s murder or who were involved in Church activities in the 1970s. In telling the victims’ stories—both Sister Cathy’s and those of abuse survivors—The Keepers provides a voice to women who have been silenced, often violently, for decades.
Sam Fox, 'Better Things'
In its second season, Better Things crafted a beautiful portrait of motherhood, and Sam Fox (Pamela Adlon) is at the center of it in all her constantly-overwhelmed glory. Throughout the season, single mother Sam is faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles: children that always demand more, a romance that forces her out of her comfort zone, a complicated relationship with her own mother, and a career that continues to take a back seat to her child-raising duties. No matter how horrible the situation, Sam sacrifices herself for her family with no expectation of getting anything in return. It’s unclear what will happen with Better Things now that co-creator Louis C.K. has been fired from his Executive Producer role, but honestly, I can’t imagine that his departure leave a mark. Better Things has always been Sam’s (and Pamela’s) story, and no matter what happens, it always will be.
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, 'FEUD: Bette and Joan'
No show skewered sexism and ageism in Hollywood more in 2017—or maybe ever—than Ryan Murphy‘s Feud: Bette and Joan, a scathing account of the legendary rivalry between actresses Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) and Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange). The series revolves around the filming and distribution of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), the first and only film that the women, both in their fifties at that point, collaborated on. In spite of their constant, well, feuding, Bette and Joan have similar goals: they both want to continue working in an industry that has decided they’re too old to be actresses. Both Bette and Joan refuse to lie down and take it, insisting that there’s still a place in Hollywood for “women of a certain age,” despite what male industry leaders would have women believe.
The Women of 'GLOW'
The first season of GLOW was a perfect representation of girl power. The Alison Brie-led comedy follows a ragtag group of women who form an amateur women’s wrestling league called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW), and in just ten short episodes, the series offers an amazing portrait of female friendships, both in and out of the ring. As each woman develops a unique identity—Zoya The Destroya, Liberty Belle, Machu Picchu, just to name a few—they learn about their true selves, the value of teamwork, and the basics of wrestling (kind of). GLOW is by no means a hardcore drama like The Handmaid’s Tale or The Keepers, but it is a fun, genuine, female-driven comedy that just may inspire you to get into the ring yourself.
Samantha White, 'Dear White People'
Our own Kayla Cobb described Dear White People as “one of the smartest, most woke, and most insightful watches of the year,” and that compliment is due primarily to Sam White, the show’s protagonist. Sam (Logan Browning) runs Winchester University’s radio show “Dear White People” and becomes especially relevant after Winchester’s satire magazine hosts a blackface party. Sam isn’t always right, but she’s not afraid to apologize for her mistakes and step in to be a good friend when necessary. While we don’t always see the university’s complicated racial politics through Sam’s eyes—Dear White People switches perspectives in every episode—it’s easy to identify with her passion for social reform and her commitment to achieving equality at the primarily white university.
Bridgette Bird, 'SMILF'
Few shows have been as fun to watch this year as SMILF, Frankie Shaw‘s spectacular take on single motherhood. Bridgette Bird (Shaw) is a scrappy South Boston native struggling to take care of her infant son, Larry—yes, Larry Bird—manage her career, and have a semi-normal love life. Nothing comes easy for Bridgette, but despite facing constant adversity, she remains devoted to ensuring her son has the best life possible. Like many of the women on this list, Bridgette doesn’t have her shit together, but that’s what makes her so lovable. The “S” in SMILF stands for a lot of things (single, Southie, scrappy), but if the show’s freshman season has taught us anything, it’s that we can definitely add another term to the list: strong as hell.
Rebecca Bunch, 'Crazy Ex-Girlfriend'
There is, quite literally, no woman on TV like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend‘s Rebecca Bunch (played by the wonder that is Rachel Bloom). This season, she has evolved from plotting to send poopy cupcakes to taking on the responsibility of learning about and accepting her borderline personality disorder diagnosis. In the seven episodes of season three we’ve seen so far, she’s upped the game when it comes to embracing and working on your own personal health, owning up to your missteps, and being a good friend to those you care about. We’ve seen a new vulnerability to one of television’s brashest broads, which is proving to be not only inspiring and informative, but entertaining on a level much deeper than any wacky rom-com with fun songs could be expected to deliver. The only thing crazy about this girlfriend is what a delightful surprise it’s been to watch such a dynamic female character go through her ups and downs and get better every step of the way. — Lea Palmieri
Chris Kraus, 'I Love Dick'
In a year full of amazing performances, Kathryn Hahn‘s turn as Chris Kraus in I Love Dick tends to get a little lost. However, Chris most definitely deserves a spot among the top TV women of 2017 for her unashamed expression of female sexuality. In the show, Chris becomes obsessed with local artist named Dick (Kevin Bacon), and she writes him explicit, passionate letters that she hangs above the bed she shares with her husband. Rather than shy away from her sexual fantasies, as women have traditionally done, Chris embraces them, reveling in her newfound status as an “undignified… female monster.” In I Love Dick, Chris shows us that it’s more than okay for women to have fantasies; in fact, it’s freeing.
