Ashley’s 15 Most Influential Female TV Characters

There’s no medium quite like television. Television reaches audiences widely and in ways that can be deeply personal — even more so than we may realize at first.

Concluding our Critics’ Picks list series focused on influential female TV characters, I’m sharing the ones that have made that kind of impact on me. From the characters I watched as a child to ones I feel inspired by currently, I’m grateful to have seen their journeys and learn a little something from each one.

I’m presenting these not in the order they first appeared on television, but to the best of my recollection, in the order in which I watched them (or started watching them). Here’s my list of most influential female TV characters:

1. Mary Richards (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)

I remember when my parents got me a TV for my bedroom when I was a kid in elementary school. I was limited on what I was allowed to watch, but one of the channels I had was Nickelodeon, which became Nick at Nite in the evenings.

I developed a love for classic television as a result, and I so clearly remember watching Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I know a lot of the show went over my head at the time, but seeing this independent career woman on my television screen made me feel like I could grow up to be anything I wanted to be.

2. Jesse Spano (Saved by the Bell)

My most-watched television show growing up was Saved by the Bell. I watched it nearly every day when I got home from school and every Saturday morning. The character I identified with most was Jesse Spano.

She worked hard and cared about her grades, and so did I. But Jesse taught me some things about feminism and about standing up for what you believe in. That’s incredibly valuable in a show meant for children. 

Jesse was also flawed, and she gave us a very real lesson in what happens when one works too hard and forgets to take care of their self. The first thing most everyone thinks about when they think of Jesse Spano is that famous “I’m so excited! I’m so excited! I’m so scared!” moment. It’s a moment we laugh about.

But the pressures she was facing and the anxiety she was dealing with? Those things were relatable and worth paying attention to.

3. Lindsay Dole (The Practice)

I can’t tell you how many countless hours I spent watching The Practice in the late 90s and early 2000s. I probably would have told you back then that I was going to be a lawyer one day because of it. That didn’t happen, but I was certainly influenced by the show and by one character in particular: Lindsay Dole.

Lindsay was successful, focused, passionate, and tried to do the right thing, even when those lines were a bit blurry. She fought for what she believed she deserved. That meant fighting for partnership of her law firm, for herself and her colleagues, and later, it meant taking a risk and starting her own firm. 

She didn’t always make the right decisions, but her tenacity was inspiring, as was her ability to fight and overcome even the most horrifying of circumstances. It kind of makes me want to go back and do a re-watch of The Practice right now, actually.

4. Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

I was a little older than Rory Gilmore herself when I first started watching Gilmore Girls, but her journey helped to shape mine anyway. I saw a lot of myself in Rory — she was driven, focused, a little introverted but committed to her causes, and she loved to read. 

There was also a fearlessness about her. She took off one day and went to New York — not the best decision at that moment, but she did it, and that was big. Then she moved away to college and gained a necessary independence. Even though she didn’t move far, it was a hard thing to do, and that was inspiring. 

Add to that, she chose to go to Yale instead of Harvard — which meant a willingness to change the plans she’d had for years and be open to a new idea.

5. Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

Yeah, I know it feels a little like cheating to have two characters from the same show, but I’ve spent so much time watching Gilmore Girls that it makes sense for me. In addition to Rory, I’m also including Lorelai Gilmore on this list because of her fierce independence and her will to make things happen.

She’s a woman who saw her goals come to fruition thanks to a lot of hard work (and coffee), and seeing that absolutely had an impact on me personally. She was able to make that happen while also being a fully committed single mother, and that was all after picking up her entire life, moving to a new place, and working her way up from the bottom of the ladder. 

6. Kristina Braverman (Parenthood) 

I felt a kinship with Parenthood’s Kristina Braverman before I was ever a mother myself. I was in awe of how she supported her children and learned to adapt to help her son Max after his Asperger’s diagnosis.

That’s something that eventually became pretty personal to me. Kristina was such an incredible mother to Max, I’d like to think I learned a few things from her, including how to be an advocate for your child.

Kristina took big steps, too. When she wanted to make a change, she fought hard, whether that meant running for a local government office or starting her own school. We could also take a few lessons from Kristina Braverman.

7. Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

I actually didn’t watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer when it first aired. It’s a show I came to later, and I imagine its influence on me would have been different had I seen it sooner. Watching as an adult, I think, gives the show a different meaning.

Buffy Summers didn’t ask to be a vampire slayer. It’s a responsibility she was given, and even when she was reluctant, she did what she had to do to literally save the world.

She was a leader who didn’t back down from a fight and made sacrifices for the greater good. In the process, she proved herself to be as tough as she was vulnerable. That’s an inspiring journey to be able to watch at any age.

8. Miranda Bailey (Grey’s Anatomy) 

If anyone understands hard work, it’s Miranda Bailey. From the early days of Grey’s Anatomy we’ve watched her grow as a doctor and a leader. She’s a doctor that everyone at Grey-Sloan respects, and even as a resident, her opinion was valued.

Her hard work, her ability to be a great teacher and mentor, and her willingness to speak out and stand up for herself have helped get her where she is now as chief of surgery. And as a woman of color, she had to work a little harder than others.

Maybe her most important quality, though, is that she knows her limitations. When she needed to step back to deal with her anxiety, she did it. That’s something I appreciate seeing on television. 

9. Kate Beckett (Castle)

Castle’s Kate Beckett took a tragedy and turned into a way to help other people, becoming the kind of detective who focused on carrying out justice the way she wished those who investigated her mother’s murder had. She was good at her job, a strong leader, and yet another female character who overcame some powerful obstacles.

On top of that, one of my favorite dynamics we saw play out on the show was how often Beckett got her own self out of trouble. She was no damsel in distress, and I, for one, appreciated seeing that on TV. 

10. Temperance Brennan (Bones) 

Bones brought me a lot of joy in its twelve-season run, and I found so many qualities in Temperance Brennan that are worth aspiring to. Brennan was stubborn, focused, loyal, and incredibly intelligent.

She was also willing to learn and grow and in some dramatic ways — and isn’t that something we should all want to be able to do? 

The Temperance Brennan we met in Bones Season 1 had a difficult time trusting others. She eventually learned to open herself up more, which not only allowed her to form a strong relationship with her eventual husband, but it allowed her to become a good mother and a better teacher. She took an active role in trying to grow as a person, and she succeeded.

11. Peggy Olson (Mad Men) 

I don’t think I’ll ever get over the feeling of seeing Mad Men’s Peggy Olson work her way up the ladder, gain confidence, and become comfortable in her own skin. If you’re noticing a theme here, it’s not a coincidence.

It’s important to see women on television who stand up for themselves and demand what they deserve. Peggy Olson did that, and the way she grew over the course of the series was nothing if not inspiring. 

12. Donna Paulsen (Suits)

Speaking of women who know how to demand what they deserve, I could only hope that I’d be able to take a few cues from Donna Paulsen. She’s smart and confident when we first meet her in Suits Season 1, but somehow she became even more so as the series went on.

Donna also had this incredible ability to read people and understand them, she was fiercely loyal, and she believed that women should support one another as much as possible.  

13. Rebecca Bunch (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) 

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s Rebecca Bunch is a character I’m grateful to have been able to watch on my TV screen. This is another character who learned some important lessons along the way, both in terms of her relationships with the people close to her and to her relationship with her own self. 

Her journey became about discovering herself and how she could find real happiness. Along the way, this flawed character faced decisions she’d made, owned up to mistakes, and took important steps in treating her own mental health. It’s one of the most meaningful journeys I’ve seen a character go through on television.

14. Frankie Bergstein (Grace and Frankie)

When I’m older, I can only hope that I wind up like Frankie Bergstein from Grace and Frankie. She’s free-spirited, caring, and doesn’t give a care what people think of her.

She’s also yet another character on this list who’s overcome, and in this case, her whole life changes at an age where that’s least expected — at least in terms of how it changes. 

Frankie adapts, though, and she does so with compassion, remaining friends with her ex-husband after he leaves her for another man, and developing a priceless friendship with a woman who is her total opposite. Her outlook on life is one I think we’d all love to have. 

15. Penelope Alvarez (One Day at a Time) 

It seems fitting to end this list with One Day at a Time’s Penelope Alvarez, as she embodies so many of the qualities I’ve already listed. Here’s a character who has overcome challenges in more ways than one. She’s a single mother and a Cuban-American war veteran struggling with PTSD and anxiety. 

We’ve gotten the chance to see her face her battles and ask for help. We’ve seen her stand up for her children and make difficult decisions. We’ve seen her choose a career she wants and work hard to make it become a reality, which also meant deciding on her priorities.

Just the thought of all that gives me goosebumps, and I’ll be honest — I cried my eyes out at the end of One Day at a Time Season 3 seeing what she accomplished. (Thank goodness a new season is coming this month to Pop TV.)

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What female TV characters have influenced or inspired you? Let me know in the comments below, and take a look at who some of our other writers chose as their most influential female TV characters here. 

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