There seems to be a shift in the type of girl Gen-Z is idolizing. Straying from the millennial Girlboss ideology, we are now heading towards the domination of the Girlfailure. As noted in an i-D article, the Girlfailure constantly finds herself protecting her peace, falling into situationships, and settling for moderate success. The messy female protagonists of the 2010s are proof of the struggle to keep up the the Girlboss narrative and the much needed praise for the Girlfailure.
Here are some TV show recommendations with our favorite offbeat female protagonists that are always finding themselves in chaotic predicaments.
1. New girl – jessica day
Now let’s not act like we haven’t heard of this show. New Girl (available on Netflix) follows Jess, an unstable teacher as she navigates love, her career, and “adulting” with her three male roommates, Nick, Winston, and Schmidt. The show’s 2011 premier matched with Jess’s twee wardrobe makes this pick perfect for those of us longing to be transported to the days when being quirky was all the rage.
2. The mindy project – mindy lahiri
Newly added to Netflix and available on Hulu and Amazon Prime, The Mindy Project is sure to be everyone’s new obsession. Mindy Lahiri is a 30 year-old gynecologist who can just never find a stable relationship (and if she does, it’s not for long). The pilot opens with Mindy attending her ex-boyfriend’s wedding and while petty drunk, gives a toast that she can never live down. Throughout the show, Mindy faces infinite roadblocks to the tune of viral TikTok songs (even though the show aired in 2012), making it a perfectly bingeable show.
3. dollface – jules wiley
A Hulu original comedy, Dollface stars Kat Dennings from Two Broke Girls alongside Brenda Song, Shay Mitchell, and Ester Povitsky. The show opens with Denning’s character, Jules getting dumped and reuniting with her friends that she ignored while dating her boyfriend. Jules’ storyline is interrupted by imaginative delusions facilitated and narrated by a talking cat lady, an illustration of what’s to become of Jules if she doesn’t work on herself. Dollface explores all sides of female friendship and what it means to be a (millennial) woman in our modern world.
4. shrill – annie easton
Another Hulu original created by and starring Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant is Shrill, which follows Bryant’s Annie Easton, who’s stuck in a dead-end job with a condescending boss and in a relationship riddled with immaturity. This show specifically speaks on the struggles of being a plus-sized woman in a world that makes Annie feel she should apologize for existing. Over the course of the show, Annie learns to give herself the respect she deserves but not without jumping over many quirky hurdles.
5. why are you like this? – Austin, mia, & penny
This choice strays a little from the rest of the list because this Australian comedy recounts the lives of three best friends, Austin, Mia, and Penny, not just a single female lead. Why Are You Like This? is available on Netflix and explores the many dimensions of sexuality, hookup culture, and ageism in the workplace. All three friends are fighting to take up space in the world while comforting each other when it rejects their spunky and unorthodox eagerness.
Whats the future of the girlfailure?
These shows represent the pitfalls of the Girlboss, Gatekeep, Gaslight mantra, opening up a spot in the TV landscape for a true Gen-Z Girlfailure character. We need a girl that isn’t trying to keep up with the Kardashians and their lookalikes, but instead makes fun of them. We need alarmingly awkward characters not looking to correct their flaws. We’ll be on the lookout and hope you’ll be too.