As an avid television watcher, I have looked up to many characters over the years. I mean, who doesn’t want to be Carrie Bradshaw? Carrie lives a glamorous life in Manhattan that all girls dream of. I’ve also enjoyed watching the journeys of Rachel Green from Friends, Meredith Grey from Grey’s Anatomy, The Gilmore Girls, etc. As much as I’ve loved watching the storylines of these women unfold, I’ve always longed to watch a character that was a bit more relatable to myself. For as long as I can remember, women on television have been depicted as being size zeros, having glamorous lives and having a handsome man who would do anything for them. However, the truth of the matter is most American women are not size zeros, do not live the A-list lifestyle, and do not have a man that looks like Patrick Dempsey pining after them (as much as we wish we did).
Luckily, two relatively new shows have hit the airwaves that do not shy away from showing real women that deal with relatable life experiences and insecurities.
The two women responsible for these new shows are Lena Dunham and Mindy Kaling. Both Dunham and Kaling created, write for and star in their respective shows (does this make you feel as lazy as it does me?). Dunham’s show Girls has become one of my favorite television shows of all time. The show has been described as “Sex and the City for our generation”. Girls is about women, fresh out of college, who do not have their lives figured out romantically or professionally. Dunham, who has fast become a comedy idol of mine, is also not afraid to show her body, which does not fit the typical Hollywood mold. Dunham’s bravery in both her writing and her acting makes Girls one of the best shows on television.
Mindy Kaling, who like Dunham is one of my favorite comedians, stars in The Mindy Project. On the show, Mindy plays an OB/GYN who is unlucky in love and experiences hilarious dating mishaps on her quest to find Mr. Right. Mindy is not afraid to poke fun at herself and does not shy away from showcasing her character’s flaws. Both Mindy and Lena have created shows that are relatable, hilarious and heartwarming. Neither Mindy or Lena’s characters have the perfect man in their lives or always look the part. Both of these shows provide a breath of fresh air for female television viewers and are incredibly hilarious.
If you are in need of a new show to become addicted to, these shows are definitely worth checking out! Season two of The Mindy Project airs Tuesday nights at 9:30 pm on Fox and the third season of Girls will premiere soon on HBO.