Samantha’s 20 Most Influential Female TV Characters

All my life, I have looked up to the women on my television — and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From space-faring scientists and bisexual badasses to political fixers and representation trailblazers, these women have left their mark on the small screen, and on me.

They’ve taught me how to be brave and how to fight for what I want; they’ve taught me that it’s okay to be soft and that I can be whoever I want to be. 

Beyond the strong female character stereotype, the women of television have been breaking glass ceilings and changing our lives for decades.

As part of our Critics’ Picks list series, and in no particular order, here are 20 women of television who have had a significant impact on my life:

1. Deanna Troi (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

I’ve become a diehard Trekkie in the last year, and while I’ll be talking about a few of my favorite women from Star Trek on this list, Deanna Troi is the one currently impacting my life the most. In a world that demands a lot from women, Deanna doesn’t compromise her integrity or any other part of who she is in order to conform to anyone else’s ideas of her. 

Deanna is a Starfleet Commander and the most emotionally intelligent person aboard the Enterprise. Her softness and her vulnerability add to the strength of her character, and she’s a champion mental health and sex-positivity. 

Deanna: Respect is earned, not bestowed. 

Deanna Troi thrived in spite of the sexism behind the scenes of Star Trek. The original concept for the character called for her to have four breasts, and would force Marina Sirtis to wear more revealing costumes than the rest of the cast. Sirtis actively speaks out against sexism, and Deanna Troi has recently returned to our screens on Star Trek: Picard.

Luckily, she still sports just two breasts along with her powerful empathic abilities, and she wears whatever Marina Sirtis wants her to.

2. Root (Person of Interest)

Root is one of the first television characters that I was truly able to see myself in. She’s a snarky badass lesbian, the smartest person in most rooms, and a secret softie with a heart of gold. Throughout Person of Interest, Root goes from one of the series’ most iconic villains to one of its most beloved heroes. 

Root’s romance with Shaw was developed after the writers saw the chemistry between Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi. They wrote it into the story, rather than the other way around. As part of a groundbreaking queer love story, Root made me feel seen at a time in my life when I was figuring out my own sexuality. 

Root: If we’re just information, just noise in the system, we might as well be a symphony.

3. Clarke Griffin (The 100)

The 100 is filled to the brim with incredible female characters, several of whom have had a significant impact on my life, but if I had to choose this place has to go to Clarke Griffin. Clarke is The CW’s first bisexual lead character, a trauma survivor, and a lifesaver. 

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Clarke has done her best to save what’s left of humanity for the last seven years. She’s made her fair share of mistakes, but she owns every choice she’s made and she never stops trying to do better. She never gives up, even when giving up might genuinely appear to be the best option she has left. 

Clarke fights for the people that she loves and she’ll do it until she can’t anymore. She does what she believes is right and she won’t let anything stop her. The final season of The 100 is set to return sometime this spring, and all I want is for Clarke to be at peace in the end. I think if anyone’s earned that, it’s her. 

4. Olivia Pope (Scandal)

Olivia Pope broke ground and paved the way for black women to lead modern primetime television as she commanded the screen on Scandal for seven seasons. Fitz and then Mellie Grant may have held the presidency during Scandal‘s run, but unquestionably it was Olivia who was running the world. 

Olivia was powerful, passionate, angry, and unflinching; she made impossible decisions and did what she had to do to affect change on an entire nation. She got blood on her hands when no one else had the courage or strength to make those calls. 

She knew her worth and she refused to settle for less. She was twice as good as anyone else, and she was going to make damn sure you knew it. 

Olivia: I am very good at what I do. I am better at it than anyone else. And that is not arrogance, that is a fact.

5. Joyce Byers (Stranger Things)

Joyce Byers would quite literally go to the ends of the Earth (and fight monsters from another dimension) to protect her kids. She stands up to every powerful man that acts like he knows better than she does, and she refuses to be talked down to or belittled. 

When her son goes missing, she fights against all odds to get him back. Even when everyone thinks she’s losing her mind, Joyce stands by her convictions. Joyce is brave and firey and she doesn’t ever let anyone ever underestimate her, even when the whole town is ready to count her out. 

Joyce: This is not yours to fix alone. You act like you’re all alone out there in the world, but you’re not. You’re not alone.

Joyce fights for what she believes in and protects the people she loves with her entire heart. She’s a single mother over 40. She knows exactly who she is, what she wants, and how far she’ll go to save what she loves, and I respect her so much.

6. B’Elanna Torres (Star Trek: Voyager)

B’Elanna Torres was one of the first dynamic female Klingon characters on Star Trek. She’s angry and brilliant and full of a fire that makes her one of the most personally compelling television characters I’ve ever seen. 

As a half-human, half-Klingon, B’Elanna struggled with her anger issues and nearly let them define her until she learned to embrace both parts of her identity. B’Elanna showed me that accepting every part of myself (even the ones I might be afraid to look at) is crucial to being able to live a full life. You don’t have to parts hide who you are to be loved and accepted. 

B’Elanna: Tell me what you want me to be! A good Starfleet officer? A good Maquis? Lover? Daughter? Just tell me what you want from me!

Janeway: We only want you. 

B’Elanna: I’m so tired of fighting. 

7. Rachel Green (Friends)

Friends was far from a perfect show, but Rachel Green actually had a pretty fantastic arc filled with character growth and personal discovery. She began the series as a spoiled little rich girl who barely knew how to survive in the real world. But little by little, she figured out what she wanted to do with her life, and who she wanted to be. 

Rachel learned the value of hard work, and that finding joy and fulfillment in what she does is more important than any number of dollar signs. Figuring out what you’re passionate about might be a long and difficult journey, but it is one that is worth every step. 

8. Samantha Carter (Stargate SG-1)

Samantha Carter makes me proud to be named Samantha. An incredible scientist and a strong air force captain, Sam showed me the value of standing up and fighting for your place in a world where you aren’t always welcome. 

Sam explored the galaxy, saved the world, blew up a sun, and never let anyone make her believe that she didn’t absolutely deserve to be a part of SG-1. 

Sam: I logged over 100 hours in enemy air space during the gulf war. Is that tough enough for you or are we gonna have to arm wrestle?

She was easily the smartest person on her team and she was plenty tough to make her way in this boys club. Sam saved everyone’s lives innumerable times and she was not there for your sexism, thank you very much. 

9. Judy Robinson (Lost In Space)

Judy Robinson on Lost In Space is such a delightful representation for black girls in STEM. Judy is the eldest and most brilliant of the Robinson children: she’s been training to be a doctor, and she’s done all of the work that eldest children are most often burdened with in any complex family. 

Judy’s biological father passed away before she was born and her relationship with John Robinson proves that it’s not blood that makes a family, it’s love.

Judy is unafraid to speak her mind and let her loved ones know exactly how she feels. She’s smart enough to save them all, and that, along with her trustworthiness and her passion, led to her becoming the leader of every child on the latest mission to Alpha Centauri. 

Judy loves her family and even when she’s scared, she will do whatever it takes to protect them and keep saving what is left of the human race. 

10. Elena, Lydia, and Penelope (One Day At A Time)

Elena, Penelope, and Lydia all provide a range of representation for Latina women, gay women, single mothers, working mothers, older women, and more. One Day At A Time is one of the most important shows on television right now and I am so grateful that it’s coming back to us on Pop TV this year. 

Elena shows us a young lesbian, who’s also a total nerd and just an absolute delight of a person. One Day At A Time shows us Elena battling homophobia from the general public as well as her own father. She keeps going even when people hurt her or try to hurt or manipulate her because of her sexuality.

Elena isn’t going to let anyone make her conform to be something she’s not. She is who she is and she loves who she loves and you better get used to it. 

One Day At A Time also shows us Penelope as a single mom, an ex-soldier and person with PTSD and depression and a proud Cuban woman fighting for her family. Penelope’s struggle with PTSD and her medication to cope is some of the most honest and beautifully done work I’ve ever seen for depicting a realistic vision of what it’s like to live with depression and anxiety.

Lydia is our matriarch and a proud Cuban; she shows us what it’s like to live as an immigrant and an older woman of color in America. She honors her Cuban heritage in such a beautiful way. All of the Alverez women speak their minds and show a range of strength and vulnerability that is present in every woman I know. 

11. Callie Torres (Grey’s Anatomy)

Callie Torres is a bisexual icon! Played by real-life bisexual Sara Ramirez, Callie is one of my personal heroes. She goes through life being completely unapologetic about who she is and who she loves. Callie is a brilliant and capable doctor on top of being a snarky little badass. 

Callie: I’m bisexual. So what? It’s called LGBTQ for a reason. There’s a B in there and it doesn’t mean Badass. Okay, it does, but it also means bi.

Callie’s father is deeply religious and he doesn’t approve of her sexuality and her choice to marry Arizona, but Callie stands up to him and fights for the woman she loves and the relationship that she’s in. Callie’s coming out story and her relationship with Arizona (particularly during the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy) make me feel particularly seen on television. 

12. CJ Cregg (The West Wing)

I want to be CJ Cregg when I grow up. CJ was the press secretary for most of the Bartlet administration until she took over Leo’s position as Chief of Staff in the final years of The West Wing. With a biting sense of humor and a deep desire to affect change and make the world a better place, CJ shaped the public perception of the president and shared her own passions from the press pulpit. 

CJ knew when she was fighting a losing fight, but she always kept going even when the odds were against her and the administration. She showed me that time spent complaining is usually time wasted. If something was bothering CJ she didn’t mope about it — she dealt with it head-on. 

CJ Cregg: I’m the Press Secretary boo boo, I don’t have that kind of time. 

13. Kara Thrace (Battlestar Galactica)

Kara Thrace is a genderswapped character in the reboot of Battlestar Galactica. As Starbuck, she kept many of the same traits as her original male counterpart. Throughout the series, she was defined by her insanely good piloting skills, her cocky attitude, and her savior complex, rather than her romances or her love life. 

Rarely do women get the same opportunities to be messy and difficult on television that men do, but Kara subverted those expectations.

She was never afraid to express herself sexually or physically in action, but she struggled with her emotions and took time to grow in her understanding of herself before she could actually let anyone close enough to love her. 

14. Tasha ‘Taystee’ Jefferson (Orange Is The New Black)

Tasha ‘Taystee’ Jefferson was someone who made the best of an absolutely horrible situation. At the end of Orange Is The New Black, it’s devastatingly clear that Taystee was likely to spend the rest of her life in jail for something that she absolutely didn’t do. Instead of letting that fact destroy her (and she very easily could have) Taystee found a purpose for her life. 

Taystee faced heartbreaking loss after the prison guards brutally murdered her best friend, Poussey Washington. In the end, she took all of those horrific circumstances and turned them into something good. She built a GED program within the prison and helped women take control of their lives, their educations, and their time in prison and afterward. 

In Poussey’s name, Taystee created a mico-loan program to help newly released inmates get back on their feet and have the skills to maintain financial stability once they’re free. She taught a beautiful, if somewhat heartbreaking, lesson about persevering and helping others even when it feels like all hope is lost. 

15. Raquel Murillo (La Casa De Papel)

La Casa De Papel took the world by storm last summer and Raquel Murillo instantly stole my heart. Raquel goes from being the lead investigator on the heist of the century to standing beside the man at the head of the crime. 

Raquel taught me the value of taking risks. Some things are worth changing your entire life for, including love and societal justice. She worked in an environment where she is faced with constant sexism, from men being condescending to undervaluing her expertise or sexualizing her. 

She takes a huge leap of faith in going after the professor and building a life with him, but it’s a choice she would make over and over because she knows it’s the right one. Raquel would go so far as to die for the man she loves and the cause that they’re fighting for as we saw at the end of Season 3. La Casa De Papel Season 4 returns to Netflix in April. 

16. Michael Burnham (Star Trek: Discovery)

Following in the footsteps of women who built Star Trek, like Nichelle Nichols and Whoopi Goldberg, Sonequa Martin-Green plays Michael Burnham as the lead character of Star Trek: Discovery. We absolutely owe the continued magic of Star Trek to black women who have been phasering glass ceilings and saving the show since its inception. 

Michael is also the first lead character on Star Trek to not be the captain of the show’s ship. She gives us a new perspective and a complex character arc as she fights for the federation and the right of all beings to exist. Michael makes her fair share of mistakes but she has a brilliant, strategic, and passionate mind that gets the Discovery out of some pretty sticky situations. 

Raised on Vulcan, Michael struggles with her human emotions, but that’s just one more thing that makes her real and relatable. People can see themselves in Michael, and she helped to usher in a new era of diversity and inclusivity in the decades-long franchise. 

17. Rosa Diaz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Rosa Diaz is an absolute boss on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and she also had one of the best coming out story arcs that I have ever seen. The storyline was written and crafted with input from Stephanie Beatriz — who is also bisexual — in order to accurately reflect the experience of what it is like to actually be a bi person. 

Rosa’s parents didn’t understand her sexuality, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine showed us how hard that was for her, but they also showed us the beauty of having a supportive found family.

So many queer people are rejected by their flesh and blood just because of who they love. Rosa shows people that even if that happens to you, you are still loved, you still have a family in your friends, and you still have value and love to give to the world. 

She’s an incredible cop, a wonderful friend, and just a downright great person. I hope one day that I’m even half as cool as Rosa Diaz. 

18. Waverly Earp (Wynonna Earp)

Anytime I think of characters that I personally see myself in, I always think of Waverly Earp. She’s funny and feisty, badass and brave, vulnerable and soft all wrapped into one little package. Waverly is proof that being sweet and bubbly and being an absolute badass are not mutually exclusive. 

While Waverly struggles a lot with her personal identity and her sense of belonging, she is well aware of her principles. She will fight tooth and nail to protect the people that she loves. She may be Wynonna’s little sister, but she more than pulls her own weight on their team. 

19. Adora (She-Ra)

I don’t normally get into animated shows (nothing at all against them, they’re absolute feats of creativity and storytelling, they just aren’t normally my thing). But the reboot of She-Ra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, is a wonderland of queer representation, coming of age stories, and healthy friendships. 

Adora becomes She-Ra and breaks from the toxic regime in which she was raised in order to fight for the rest of humanity. She reassembles the Princess Alliance, uniting each young woman to fight with her against the evil Horde.

Even though it puts her at odds with her former best friend, Catra, Adora follows her destiny and becomes a genuine superhero. She does it all while still caring about Catra and hoping to save her too. 

20. Parker (Leverage)

Leverage is one of the best found family series of all time. Each member of that team needed the others, but perhaps Parker needed each of them most of all. An orphan turned thief turned mastermind, Parker was the group’s oddball. She always pulled wild stunts and quirkily broke into buildings and got the team exactly where they needed to be.

During her time on Leverage, Parker learned how to not be alone. She learned to be a friend, a daughter, a lover, and a person in her own right, who was valued for who she was and not just what she could do.

She was twenty pounds of crazy in a five-pound bag, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Parker showed me that if you stick around long enough, the right people will come along and show you exactly what you’re worth. 

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Which women of television had the biggest impact on your life? Do we share some favorites? Tell me about the women on television who had the biggest impact on your life in the comments below!

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