21 Highly Influential Female TV Characters
In honor of Women’s History Month, we’ve gathered together a list of fabulous female TV characters that shaped modern television. Check them out below!
1. Lucy Ricardo – I Love Lucy
Lucy Ricardo was a funny, smart, and kooky housewife with a thirst for stardom. She never gave up on her dreams of making it big, much like Lucille Ball.
In a case of art imitating life, Lucille Ball went from increasingly small film roles in the late 1940s (because of her age) to the cornerstone of modern comedy. She co-executive produced and starred in I Love Lucy, making it a show we all adore 66 years later.
2. Mary Richards – The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Who can turn the world on with her smile? Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile? That would be Mary Richards, one of the first great single women on TV.
Mary was a fully realized person who was responsible but fallible– and who was strong enough to laugh along with the jokes. Brought to screen by Mary Tyler Moore, the world would be less bright without this character’s presence.
3. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan – M*A*S*H
Talk about character growth. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan went from the hot-blooded, no-nonsense major surrounded by Buffon’s to a woman who respected her self-worth and control over her body than her job or opinions of those around her.
It may have taken 11 years, but Margaret became a woman to look up to and not just one you enjoyed seeing suffer. Loretta Swit and Alan Alda rarely get credit or recognition for how great this character is, which makes her all the more precious to fans who discover and rediscover M*A*S*H year after year.
4. Ann Romano – One Day at a Time
She’s a divorced mother of two teenage girls who struggles with maintaining her role as Mom with giving her girls the freedom she never had. The character is based on creator Whitney Blake’s experiences raising her daughters including future actress Meredith Baxter. Ann was one of the first divorced characters to not only lead a television series, but to also showcase the difficulties and challenges associated with divorce to a national audience.
5. Nyota Uhura – Star Trek
Uhura was one of the first characters of African descent to be featured in a non-menial role on television. She was the communications officer and held equal footing with her male counterparts.
When Nichelle Nichols planned to leave the series, Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay, stating she was an inspiration to the African-American community and that she didn’t have a black role — she had an equal part.
6. Thelma Frye – Amen
The vamp virgin homebody daughter of a church deacon, you’d expect Thelma to a one-off character never to be seen or heard of again.
Instead, Thelma became the focus of Amen, mostly in part of the brilliant acting of Anna Maria Horsford. Her ability to play the frumpy Thelma with pizzazz gained the show popularity and engraved her character and comic timing in the hearts of fans around the United States. Sadly, the show ended after four seasons, and Thelma is often overlooked for her significant contributions to comedy in the 1980s.
Jessica Kreamer
Jessica has a degree in History, an MLA is Liberal Arts, and a great desire to consume as much quality television as she can. By day, she's an office worker and caregiver. By night, she's a tea drinking television fanatic. Her current favorite television shows include: Madam Secretary, How To Get Away With Murder, Jane the Virgin, and Veep. Her greatest wish is to make tea drinking into a payable skill. Follow Jessica on Twitter: @pythiaprophet