Female characters can be good, bad, or something in between. They can be sweet, funny, caring, malicious, envious, hateful and also somewhere in between. Television keeps audiences' attention by offering a whole host of female characters to represent the diversity of womanhood in real life. This diversity can be found even with women who are positive representations of femalehood, debunking the myth that a good female role model can only come in the form of the good girl archetype.
Whether they be tough, no-nonsense representations, or sweet doves, different TV characters portray different sides to femininity, creating a complex world in which women can be anything they want to be.
Leslie Knope (Parks And Recreation)
The woman who created Galentine's Day, a great day to celebrate female friendship and , Parks and Recreation Department in Pawnee. In her dreams to become President, she runs for City Council and wins. Leslie Knope is a great believer in friendship. She takes very good care of her friends, and cares for them deeply.
Even the stoic Ron Swanson comes to consider Leslie his best friend thank to her good-natured meddling. Leslie mixes her warm-heartedness and her love for people with political ambition, creating one of TV's greatest politicians.
Rose Nylund (The Golden Girls)
The Betty White's Rose is a very sweet, warm and loving woman. Her job working with those with emotional pain suits her perfectly, because she is a very comforting woman who hates to see people in pain or upset. As an artists describes her in one episode, Rose is Mother Earth. She keeps the peace with her friends, and helps them dig deep to what is bothering them beneath their surface emotions. Despite her sweet personality, Rose stands up for herself when she needs to. She is also very tenacious and strong.
Mrs. Wexler (Broad City)
Mrs. Wexler is a gangster in a Jewish mother's body. Ilana's mother, Mrs. Wexler is as loud, boisterous and full of life as her daughter. Mrs. Wexler also lives life to the edge. She has done so much shady business with Chinese counterfeit bag sellers that she now speaks Hebrew Chinese (whatever that is). She is confident, outspoken and suffers no fools. Indeed, she puts people in their place immediately if they cross a boundary. Mrs. Wexler never gave up her wild spirit as is often expected of women, especially as they get older. Instead, she embodies the beauty of a woman who never changes to meet society's constricting standards.
Leela (Futurama)
The one-eyed mutant with expert martial arts skills, Leela proves that there is nothing wrong with a strong woman being vulnerable, and needing her family and friends in times of vulnerability.
Diane Nguyen (BoJack Horseman)
A controversial character that was received badly by some audiences of Diane represents a new woman who sees herself as completely equal to men, and never backs down from misogynistic threats to keep her in her (oppressed) place.
She is strength, wisdom, knowledge and growth personified in one character.
Tina Belcher (Bob's Burgers)
A teenaged girl who desperately wants to be a young woman, Tina does not hide any part of her femininity. Despite society's messages that teenaged girl interests are fickle and unimportant, Tina never internalizes this message. She proudly shares her erotic friend fiction, and is a member of her local Boys 4 Now Fan Club. Tina teaches her younger sister, Louise, how to be a woman without restrictions.
Sheneneh Jenkins (Martin)
Who started out as a parody of stereotypical Black hairstylists soon became a fully-fledged female role model on Martin. Martin's neighbor is an accomplished businesswoman with her own successful beauty shop. Not only does Sheneneh run her business, but she manages her money prudently. She wins many hair competitions, proving her competence as a stylist, and she demands respect from her lovers. Those who refuse to respect her, she leaves behind. Sheneneh is bold, and wears what she wants and does what she wants, and this often wins her the affection and respect of even the most esteemed people.
Amy Santiago (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Sergeant Amy Santiago began as a detective in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and has high aims to become a very young captain one day. Amy is a nerd who has studied hard and planned meticulously all her life to achieve big dreams. Amy proves that using one's intellect can be a great tool to achieve dreams and to improve and grow as a person.
Amy is also humble. She understands that a mentor would help her grow better, and would be there to her when she is not strong enough to do it alone. Amy teaches that ambition can be a good thing if done right.
Mandy (The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy)
A little girl with the power of the dead at her disposal, Mandy plans to take over the world as a full-time career when she grows up. Calm, but burning with seething rage and steely resolve, the ten-year-old child with horn-shaped hair is not one to be messed with. And although her ambitions for world domination are evil and worrying, Mandy proves that a woman should never diminish her dreams. She teaches girls to pursue even the biggest dreams, and let nothing get in their way. Indeed, Mandy was once offered the world on a platter, but turned down the offer, because she wanted to do it her way. For Mandy, a woman should always do things her way, so that she never ceded too much control over herself to others.
Pam Poovey (Archer)
Pam Poovey is a loud-mouthed, vulgar and unrefined woman who has an addictive personality and a problem with gossip. A very flawed Her funny, witty personality keeps the gang together, and acts as a tension breaker during intense moments. Although from a working-class background, Pam also paid her way through college by fighting (and winning) in underground fight clubs. She is tough, resilient, strong and intellectually and physically powerful. These are skills Pam uses on a daily basis to get her out of trouble, and to move up in life.
