7 Badass Women on TV

Women are taking the lead on our TV screens—and they’re doing it with class, wit and kickass outfits. Whether they’re saving lives in an operating room or starting a revolution, they’re showing us what they’ve got, and we can’t stop watching. Pour yourself a glass of wine, turn on the TV and get ready to be wowed by these top female leads.

1. June Osbourne

There’s no fury like a woman entrapped and suppressed. June Osbourne (Elisabeth Moss) plays a handmaiden in a dystopian world where women are enslaved to bear children for elite families. Despite her circumstances, June won’t be held down. She’s outspoken, ruthless and full of rage. She plots, fights and crawls her way through injustice trying to get back to her family. She also inspires the woman around her to stand up and fight for their freedom, protecting them with whatever means she has. She is a woman on fire—and she can’t be stopped. Watch the Handmaid’s Tale live on Hulu every Wednesday to see what this badass woman does next.  

2. Sabrina Spellman

Being half-mortal and half-witch isn’t an easy feat at 16 years old, but Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) can handle herself well. Netflix put a new, darker spin on the original ‘90s show, Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Sabrina plays a girl who isn’t willing to submit to the expectations of others, but instead is hell-bent on paving her own path. Determined to live her life on her own terms, she proves her power by standing up to the Dark Lord and anyone else who tries to undermine her capabilities. She’s not afraid to take charge and be the leading witch in whatever realm she lives in.

3. Arya Stark

While the Game of Thrones (GOT) series has ended, one character will never be forgotten—Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has left a mark on our hearts forever. Born with a warrior heart and swift wrist made for sword fighting, this young woman was never meant to be a lady. She goes from a tomboy aimlessly waving a sword around to a lethal assassin with an agenda to avenge her family. She may not know how to curtsy, but she is smart, wildly independent, quick on her feet and one relentless young woman. She has a kill list, and she won’t stop until all the names are marked off. Watch GOT on HBO Max for the first time or for the 100^th to relive her most badass moments.

4. Annalise Keating

Brilliant, passionate, intimidating and unpredictable are some of the words we would use to describe Annalise Keating. She is a Criminal Law professor and practicing lawyer played by none other than Viola Davis. While she can walk into any courtroom and win without breaking a sweat, she’s also someone with a lot of demons. Throughout the show we see her strip away the mask to reveal all her layers—good and bad. Despite dealing with her own problems, she also makes time to lead a class-action at the Supreme Court, protect her students and win every court case sent her way. She’s got a lot to prove and everything to lose, but she isn’t one to back down.

5. Eve Polastri

If you thought Sandra Oh was badass as a surgeon on Grey’s Anatomy, wait until you see her as a British intelligence agent in Killing Eve. Eve Polastri is a flawed, complicated woman who can’t help but feel like her life’s calling isn’t stuck at a desk. In the midst of self-discovery, she finds herself wrapped up in an off-the books mission to capture an assassin named Villanelle (played by Jodie Corner). While Eva may be a hot mess at times, her resilience and determination are what make her a noteworthy leading woman.

6. Beth Pearson

When it comes to super moms, Beth Pearson (Susan Kelechi Watson) from the family drama, This Is Us, is just that. She’s loving, loyal, confident, smart, gorgeous, and not afraid to speak her mind. When everyone around her seems to be falling apart, Beth is the glue that holds everyone together. She’s the perfect combination of tough love and a soft heart who everyone trusts. She may let her husband have the nachos with all the cheese, but she always finds a way to get her chips too. If she wants something, she goes after it. Find out how she does it by watching on Hulu.

7. Meredith Gray

Grey’s Anatomy’s Meredith Gray (Ellen Pompeo) has come a long way since her start as the girl at the bar who liked to drink tequila and kiss her boss in the elevator. Over the years she’s grown to become an ambitious doctor who stands up for what is right no matter the cost. She went from intern to chief of general surgery, all while raising three kids as a single mom. Some superheroes wear caps, others wear scrubs. Turn to Hulu to watch the latest season.