I’ve been streaming a lot of shows recently. A few of them have been absolute garbage (I’m looking at you Iron Fist), but for the most part, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve found. Of particular note are all the shows that feature strong, confident and self-actualized women as principal characters. Here are just a few of the awesome shows with awesome women that I’ve come across recently.
1. Dear White People
Dear White People is the sequel series to the movie of the same name. Before we continue, stop what you’re doing and go watch the film. Seriously, It’s great. Both the film and the show follow the life of Sam White as she deals with the expectations of being a modern black woman and how it affects her personal and professional lives. Race and womanhood are at the forefront of this series, and I can’t in good conscience not put it on the list.
2. How to Get Away with Murder
How to Get Away with Murder is a class act in how to do strong, no nonsense black woman right. The series follows Professor Annalise Keating as she practices law as well as mentoring a small group of students in it as well. From the jump, we understand that this is a woman that will get things done no matter the cost and no matter who she must hurt – or worse – along the way. The things she does aren’t pretty, and she’s often not in the right, but if she’s not a compelling character then I don’t know who is.
3. The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale is a post-apocalyptic tale of Offred, one of the rare fertile women enslaved by the Republic of Gilead, formally the United States. This series isn’t for the faint of heart. Women are systematically treated unjustly and cruelly by the government. The state of affairs is made worse by the fact that this is in our future. However, one theme is present through all the women’s hardships: perseverance. Offred doesn’t simply bow down to the government that oppresses her and other women; she fights, she resists, she hopes, she inspires.
4. Insecure
This is another show about race and black women, and it also has an original that it follows from. However, this time to source material takes the form of a web series that some of you might be familiar with: Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. The serious follows Issa, a young woman who works for a nonprofit, as she reevaluates her life as she approaches her thirtieth birthday. The story is known for its handling of blackness and female friendship as well as the humor that made its source material resonate with viewers so well.
5. The Bold Type
This is a show that I was introduced to fairly recently, but I like it so far. The show follows three friends, Jane, Kat and Sutton, as they work and survive in New York City and all the difficulties that usually entails. It’s about friendships, hardships and relationships. Overall, I would recommend this show to anyone that likes ensemble casts of strong women making it in the professional world.
6. Doctor Who
With an original air date of 1963, this second show is quite the long runner, but the latest season is the first in more than fifty years that has a female protagonist! The Doctor is known for being a supremely confident and knowledgeable individual. It’s a good bet that if The Doctor is in the room, then she’s going to be the one in charge. Personally, I love Doctor Who and have for a while, but I understand that not everyone shares my opinion. Still, Doctor Who has strong writers and interesting storylines, and I recommend that everyone try the newest season if only so the showrunners over at BBC don’t start thinking that female protagonists don’t sell.
7. iZombie
iZombie is a show about, you guessed it, zombies. Based (loosely) on a comic book of the same name, this show follows the adventures of Olivia “Liv” Moore as she deals with the ramifications of being a actual, living, breathing (sorta) zombie. I love the show just because of how weird it is. For example, in the comics, zombies (and other supernatural creatures) are a result of magic. In the show, however, zombies come from . . . energy drinks. Yeah, it’s that kind of show. It’s the perfect balance of fun, weird and serious and definitely one you should sink your teeth into.