The Best Female-Led TV Shows

Updated February 25, 2021 36.7k votes 2.8k voters 49.3k views284 items

List RulesOnly shows with a recognizable main character who is a girl or woman.

While society has by no means reached actual equality, in the last few years television viewers have started to see an uptick in female-driven television series hitting the airwaves. These days it's easy for audiences to watch action or serious drama series with female leads in TV shows. This list ranks the best female-led television programs, both past and present - from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Inside Amy Schumer and everything in between - and needs your votes.

Women in TV have evolved incredibly over the decades. From the dutiful housewives, damsels in distress and temptress femme fatales of yesteryear to the flawed secret agents, high-powered attorneys, and twenty-somethings figuring it all out of today, the age of the Internet has allowed us to gain access to a whole host of women-driven dramas, comedies, and action sci-fi series. This list shows off the best women in TV series, from the black-and-white era to shows that are still airing new episodes today.

Whether you enjoy the period action of Agent Carter, the noir/teen-drama of Veronica Mars, or the biting satirical comedy of Veep, this list has all the top female-led TV shows. So vote up the best female shows below that you think all ladies (and gents!) should know about.

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427
235
The Golden Girls
Bea Arthur, Betty White
Premiered: 1985
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom, created by Susan Harris, that originally aired on NBC... more
2
567
347
Veronica Mars
Kristen Bell, Percy Daggs III
Premiered: 2004
Genres (Tv): Teen drama, Mystery, Neo-noir
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
Veronica Mars (UPN, 2004) is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by... more
3
651
466
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan
Premiered: 1997
Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Horror, Comedy-drama, Teen drama, Action
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (The WB, 1997) is an American supernatural drama television series... more
4
420
210
The Handmaid's Tale
Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes
Premiered: 2017
Genres (Tv): Drama, Dystopian fiction
The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu, 2017) is an American web television series created by Bruce Miller,... more
5
157
82
Bewitched
Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York
Premiered: 1964
Genres (Tv): Soap opera, Sitcom, Comedy, Family Film, Fantasy
Bewitched is an American TV situation comedy fantasy which was broadcast for eight seasons on... more
6
186
120
The Nanny
Fran Drescher, Charles Shaughnessy
Premiered: 1993
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
The Nanny is an American television sitcom originally aired on CBS from 1993 to 1999, starring... more
7
448
335
Charmed
Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Drama, Fantasy, Supernatural
Charmed (The WB, 1998) is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M.... more
8
268
198
I Love Lucy
Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz
Premiered: 1951
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance,... more
9
175
112
Murder, She Wrote
Angela Lansbury, William Windom
Premiered: 1984
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Crime, Procedural drama, Drama, Cozy mystery
This show is a television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and... more
10
319
252
Parks and Recreation
Amy Poehler, Jim O'Heir
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Mockumentary, Satire, Romance TV, Comedy-drama
Parks and Recreation (NBC, 2009) is an American television sitcom created by Greg Daniels and... more
11
218
143
How to Get Away with Murder
Viola Davis, Billy Brown
Premiered: 2014
Genres (Tv): Drama, Crime, Legal drama
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC, 2014) is an American legal thriller television series... more
12
252
173
30 Rock
Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin
Premiered: 2006
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Satire
30 Rock (NBC, 2006) is an American satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey.... more
13
281
202
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea
Premiered: 1996
Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Sitcom, Children's television series, Comedy, Fantasy television
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is an American sitcom based on the Archie comic book series of the... more

14
288
235
Once Upon a Time
Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison
Premiered: 2011
Genres (Tv): Drama, Mystery, Fairy tale, Comedy-drama, Fantasy
Once Upon a Time is an American fairy tale drama series that premiered on October 23, 2011, on... more
15
541
436
Gilmore Girls
Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel
Premiered: 2000
Genres (Tv): Comedy-drama
Gilmore Girls (The WB, 2000) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy... more
16
344
238
Jessica Jones
Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter
Premiered: 2015
Genres (Tv): Action, Crime, Drama
Jessica Jones (Netflix, 2015) is an American web television series created by Melissa... more
17
157
66
Xena: Warrior Princess
Lucy Lawless, Renée O'Connor
Premiered: 1995
Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Action/Adventure, Drama, Adventure film, Comedy-drama
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American/New Zealand television series filmed in New Zealand. The... more
18
274
238
Agent Carter
Hayley Atwell, James D'Arcy
Premiered: 2016
Genres (Tv): Action, Adventure, Spy-Fi, Superhero
Marvel's Agent Carter, or simply Agent Carter, is an American television series created for... more
19
436
312
The 100
Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco
Premiered: 2013
Genres (Tv): Drama, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Action
The 100 (The CW, 2014) is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction drama television series... more
20
224
193
Sex and the City
Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall
Premiered: 1998
Genres (Tv): Romantic comedy
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
Sex and the City (HBO, 1998) is an American romantic comedy-drama television series created by... more
21
175
123
Wonder Woman
Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner
Premiered: 1975
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Drama, Adventure film, Action, Fantasy
Wonder Woman is an American television series based on the DC Comics comic book superheroine... more
22
231
162
Alias
Jennifer Garner, Ron Rifkin
Premiered: 2001
Genres (Tv): Action, Thriller, Espionage, Drama
Alias (ABC, 2001) is an American action thriller television series created by J. J. Abrams.... more
23
251
224
Dollhouse
Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix
Premiered: 2009
Genres (Tv): Action/Adventure, Drama, Psychological thriller, Thriller, Adventure film
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
Dollhouse is an American science fiction television series created by writer and director Joss... more

24
103
73
Reba
Reba McEntire, JoAnna Garcia Swisher
Premiered: 2001
Genres (Tv): Sitcom, Comedy
Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's... more
25
147
88
Revenge
Emily VanCamp, Madeleine Stowe
Premiered: 2011
Genres (Tv): Soap opera, Psychological thriller, Mystery, Serial drama
Revenge (ABC, 2011) is an American drama television series created by Mike Kelley, inspired by... more