Wonder Woman & The 9 Coolest Female Leads In Classic TV Shows

Wonder Woman & The 9 Coolest Female Leads In Classic TV Shows

From Wonder Woman to Capt. Janeway of the USS Voyager, classic TV shows are filled with amazing female leads who paved the way for many actresses.

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The classic TV shows of bygone past show a society caught in the throes of constant social and political change, and they all had their own messages to convey to audiences. While society was shifting in the wake of the Civil Rights movement, female leads were already in circulation, and growing in frequency.

Throughout the years, audiences have been blessed with some of the absolute coolest female leads ever to helm a TV show. Some were created to get people talking about gender equality, while others focused purely on good old fashioned entertainment, sans politics. Here’s 10 of the absolute best, in no particular order.

10 Jessica Fletcher — Murder She Wrote (1984-1996)

Angela Lansbury rocked the role of Jessica Fletcher, a famous novelist turned would-be amateur detective with especially keen insights into the criminal mind. Fletcher was strong and successful, but also down to earth and relatable.

Her unique perspective on homicides turned her into the modern day equivalent of Sherlock Holmes, and her cool and collected demeanor turned her into America’s most favorite sleuth.

9 Dr. Michaela Quinn — Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993-1998)

Jane Seymour brought more than stunning good looks to the role of Dr. Michaela “Mike” Quinn in the beloved Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. She brought a sense of class, maturity and responsibility to a character living in the rough frontier plains of 1867.

The show would break excellent ground by showcasing the struggles of being a female in an esteemed position during that particular time. Dr. Quinn was elegant and ladylike, but also a resourceful and strong-willed mother and caregiver to the small wild west town of Colorado Springs.

8 Jaime Sommers — The Bionic Woman (1976-1978)

The character of Jaime Sommers is one of the few female leads to be killed off, then quickly revived after fan outcry. As the legendary Bionic Woman, Sommers brought a superhero element to television entertainment in the ’70s, which soon translated to overseas market success.

Though the Bionic Woman was a spin-off of the Six Million Dollar Man, Jaime Sommers quickly became just as popular as her male counterpart, and she remained a smash hit until NBC unceremoniously canceled both series out of the blue.

7 Captain Kathryn Janeway — Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

In the ’90s, Star Trek fever was already through the roof thanks to Star Trek: The Next Generation, and a second spin-off series would be issued to capitalize on its success. Enter Star Trek: Voyager and its main character, Captain Kathryn Janeway. Although Janeway was certainly not the first high ranking female officer in Star Trek, she was the first to helm a Captain’s chair for an entire series.

Janeway’s authoritative leadership and boldness in the face of multiple adversities made her a huge hit, but she never lost her femininity. She wasn’t afraid to show her sensitive and caring side, which made her accessible to a wide range of audiences. Plus, no other Captain stood down the Borg like Janeway did!

6 Clair Huxtable — The Cosby Show (1984-1992)

Phylicia Rashad was everyone’s favorite mom during the ’80s when The Cosby Show was in full swing, and it’s not hard to see why. She epitomized all the traits of a successful career woman and a mother, and fostered a deep-seated sense of discipline and responsibility in her children.

Clair was a successful lawyer who epitomized the ideals of social gender equality, a trait she was all-too-quick to exercise when confronted with her well-meaning, yet dreadfully out of touch son-in-law Elvin. Along with husband Cliff, she pushed excellent values designed to speak to children growing up at the time.

5 Lucy Ricardo — I Love Lucy (1951-1957)

Lucille Ball broke massive ground for the female leads that would follow in her wake, and the effects can still be felt nearly 70 years later. Her crazy antics and slapstick comedic timing epitomized the title of the show, and made her one of the most popular figures in television.

In terms of physical comedy, the character of Lucy Ricardo gave characters like Dick Van Dyke a run for their money and then some. Self-deprecating and adorable, she quickly became one of the coolest female leads ever to grace a television screen.

4 Edith Bunker — All In The Family (1971-1979)

Edith Bunker was never going to win any prizes for her intellectual prowess, but her street smart, savvy attitude and dedication to her family made her one of America’s favorite moms. In contrast to her loudmouthed and opinionated husband Archie, Edith Bunker was sweet, compassionate and loaded with a zeal for life.

Most times, Edith’s simple and straightforward approach to life turned out to be the wisest, making her an invaluable leading lady. Audiences young and old across multiple generations have since fallen in love with her, many times over.

3 Xena — Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001)

By today’s standards, Xena: Warrior Princess is campy and silly in the same vein as Star Trek: The Original Series, but that doesn’t mean the show didn’t produce one of the coolest female leads around. Xena was the counterweight to Renaissance Pictures’ Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and featured a new female lead who was every bit as fiery.

Lucy Lawless took the absurdity of the material and played the character with conviction and dedication, making her one of the most recognizable heroes in pop culture history.

2 Diana Prince — Wonder Woman (1975-1979)

Lynda Carter brought the superhero concept to the television screen in a big way, a full three years before Richard Donner adapted Superman for the silver screen and kickstarted the superhero movie as it’s known today. Wonder Woman quickly became synonymous with ’70s action/adventure storytelling, and propelled the character from the pages of a comic book, straight into the public consciousness.

Audiences reacted strongly, with first season Nielsen ratings nearly hitting 13 million households before dipping in the second season, then upticking once more in season three. Ironically, this was viewed as a bad thing in the ’70s due to the much smaller pool of networks in comparison to today.

1 Mary Richards — The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977)

The character of Mary Richards was born hot on the heels of the first wave feminist movement, just as it entered its second. As such, she went through most of the ’70s as an advocate for the prominent talking points of the time. Richards was strong, but kind and compassionate, especially towards her grumpy boss Lou Grant.

In many ways, Mary Richards sat on one side of the scale opposite All In The Family’s Archie Bunker, and the two tackled the heavily politicized climate of the decade from two unique perspectives. Her beloved status among audiences continues to affect pop culture today, with tons of references in other TV shows and films.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/dc-wonder-woman-coolest-female-leads-tv-shows/

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