In an era where women’s empowerment is strongly being emphasized, women-ledsuperheroshows are becoming more and more relevant. Because these small screen projects depict women as powerful individuals capable of handling any situation, they serve as inspirational tools rather than ones merely meant to entertain. Every little girl watching these shows will be full of self-belief, knowing that even though they cannot shoot lasers from their eyes, they can change the world in one way or the other.
At the moment, there is no shortage of great women superheroes on television.Marie Moreau fromGen Vhas shown that it’s possible to overcome trauma and have a better life, while Harley from the animated showHarley Quinnhas shown that anyone can change their ways if they put their mind to it. However, there are a couple of women-led superhero shows that not only rely on their main characters but are solid all around.
10Watchmen (2019)
Events inWatchmentake place three decades after those of the 1986 DC Comic series of the same name. In it, a white supremacist organization known as the Seventh Kavalry begins targeting members of the Tulsa Police Department, forcing the officers to conceal their identities. When Detective Angelar Abar’s (Regina King) friend gets murdered, she vows to bring the culprits to book.
Why It’s Great
By creating a new story rather than modeling itself as a blow-by-blow adaptation of the source material,Watchmengives both casual and hardcore fans a reason to watch it. Most importantly, it is relevant to the current times because of how delicately it dissects racism and the criminal justice system. The show’s activist tone is so deep that real-world events like the Tulsa race massacre and the Holocaust are touched on. The performances are incredible all around, too. For her work in the lead role, King received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.Stream on Max
9Ms. Marvel (2022-Present)
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvelfollows Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American student from Jersey City, who happens to be the biggest fan of The Avengers. She spends her days playing games, drawing, and writing fan fiction. One day, she suddenly gains the ability to manipulate hard light constructs and harness cosmic energy, a development that turns her into a superhero like her idols.
The majority of MCU projects focus on large-scale superhero conflicts, so, by covering the life of an ordinary teenager as she struggles to understand her new abilities,Ms. Marvelfeels distinctive. When she isn’t dealing with nefarious figures, she faces family and relationship challenges, arcs that put the show in the same category as some ofthe best teen dramas.
Besides that, the MCU series has plenty of wonderful visual gags and offers a comical look into the lives of immigrants. Apart from that, whenever Kamala is dreaming, the events are depicted in cartoon format, hence satisfying Marvel animation fans.Stream on Disney+
8Birds of Prey (2002-2003)
Birds of Preyshares continuity withTim Burton’sBatmanmoviesas the events take place in a future version of Gotham City, where Michael Keaton’s Caped Crusader has quit crime-fighting and disappeared off the face of the Earth. Because of the power vacuum, a all-women group, consisting of Oracle, Huntress, and Dinah Redmon, steps up and attempts to clean the streets. Aiding them is Batman’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
The show keenly dives into the interpersonal relationships of its main characters. Hence, there is a perfect blend of friendship and mentorship. Huntress and Oracle have a great mother-daughter dynamic, while Dinah and Oracle are the true definitions of real camaraderie. The show also plays out like a crime drama, hence the crimes committed are closer to reality, and not simply about the showcasing of powers. Besides that, it’s much more faithful to the comics than most DC adaptations, with Huntress, Dinah, and Oracle all channeling the same mannerisms that they do on the DC pages.Stream on Tubi
7DC’s Stargirl (2020-2022)
DC’s Stargirlfollows Los Angeles high school student Courtney Whitmore, who becomes the superheroine known as Stargirl after chancing upon the powerful weapon known as the Cosmic Staff. She then goes on to become the leader of the second version of the Justice Society of America (JSA) after the group’s original members are killed by the Injustice Society of America (ISA).
A compelling coming-of-age story,DC’s Stargirlcombines teen drama elements with crime-fighting, resulting in a wonderful cocktail. The inclusion of the Justice Society of America is a great tribute to the Golden Age of Comics, and the fact that the show goes to great lengths to modernize this particular team deserves commendation. Brec Bassinger is perfect in the lead role, too, and because of her efforts, she won a Best Actress Saturn award twice in a row.Stream on Max
6WandaVision (2021-Present)
WandaVision
Set after the events ofAvengers: Endgame,WandaVisioncenters around the Avenger-turned-villain Wanda Maximoff, aka, Scarlet Witch, as she lives a happy suburban life with her lover, Vision, in Westview, New Jersey. Soon, however, it emerges that nothing is as it seems in this quiet neighborhood.
AlongsideLoki, WandaVisionis one of the most creative MCU shows as it satirically employs many television tropes while paying homage to classic sitcoms, such asBewitched, The Dick Van Dyke Show, andFull House.Additionally, the show serves a great purpose in the entire franchise because it not only hasseveral MCU Easter eggs, but it also sets up the plot ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.As an acknowledgment of its awesomeness, the miniseries was nominated for a whopping 23 Emmy Awards.Stream on Disney+
5Agent Carter (2015-2016)
Agent Carter
Set after the events ofCaptain America: The First Avenger,Agent Carterfollows Agent Peggy Carter as she works for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). In secret, she assists Tony Stark’s father, Howard, who is being persecuted because of his weapons manufacturing programs. Aiding Carter is Stark’s iconic butler, Edwin Jarvis.
Why It’s Great
Agent Carteris aesthetically stunning. The ‘40s setting looks great and so does the overall cinematography. On top of that, the costumes are very period-appropriate. Tone-wise, the show dwells more on espionage drama than action, making it more similar to some of thecritically acclaimed spy showsthan its fellow MCU projects.
Most importantly, it’s a perfect women-empowerment vehicle. Carter feels like a fish-out-of-water as a single woman in 1940s America, and has to bear with gender-related discrimination from the SSR boss, who prefers tasks to be handled by men. Despite the challenges, she comes out on top.Stream on Disney+
4Powerless (2016-2017)
Taking a sitcom format,Powerlessfocuses on Emily Locke during her tenure as the Director of Research & Development at Wayne Security (a subsidiary of the Bruce Wayne-owned Wayne Enterprises). The organization’s purpose is to handle cases involving people who have been affected by the destruction caused by the battles between superheroes and supervillains in the city.
The tendency of superheroes to make a mess of the city without any form of consequence or compensation tends to make superhero tales look unrealistic, soPowerlessdoes well by addressing the issue.And because the people tasked with addressing these issues aren’t serious about their jobs at all, the show ends up being more fun — closer to the vein ofThe Office. Apart from that, its episodic format allows viewers to enjoy it without much continuity burden.Rent on AppleTV
3Supergirl (2015-2021)
InSupergirl,Kara Zor-El, the biological cousin of Kal-El (Superman), juggles between her secret life as a superhero in National City, and her normal life as a reporter for Catco World Media. During her sting as one of America’s resourceful saviors, she encounters different kinds of villains and also gets to team up with heroes like The Flash and Green Arrow.
LikeAgent Carter,Supergirlis a progressive show. Kara isn’t as sexualized as she is in the comics, and at some point, her costume is even changed, switching the short skirt for pants. The importance of career growth for women is also emphasized. As much as Kara is physically powerful, she strives to be an established reporter and to achieve a great level of independence.Stream on Netflix
2She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022-Present)
InShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law,attorney Jennifer Walters accidentally acquires powers after blood belonging to her cousin, Bruce Banner (Hulk), accidentally comes into contact with hers. She is, therefore, forced to balance between life in the courtroom, and encounters with deadly villains who either pose a threat to her directly or to society.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Lawis chock-full of funny moments. Whether it’s Brice and Jennifer debating whether Captain America is a virgin or supervillains attending a therapy session to erase their malicious nature, the show keeps viewers laughing from the beginning to the end. There are plenty of great supporting characters, too, and at some point, Daredevil even shows up and has a fling with Jennifer (something that doesn’t happen in the comics). Not to forget that the finale has one of the silliest fourth-wall-breaking moments in television history.Stream on Disney+
1Wonder Woman (1975-1979)
Wonder Woman
Wonder Womanhas slowly fallen into obscurity, mostly because it aired during an era where special effects were laughable, but anyone who ignores the subpar visuals is still likely to enjoy it. Events revolve around the Amazonian Diana Prince, aka, Wonder Woman, as she solves crimes in America after leaving Paradise Island.
Lynda Carter’s portrayal of Wonder Woman is widely praised to this day, mainly because the legendary actor does a great job of capturing both the character’s naivety (stemming from her unfamiliarity with the outside world) and her fierceness (stemming from her desire to make evil people pay for their sins). In fact, she almost had acameo inThe Flashearlier this year. Nevertheless, her show is also packed with plenty of great storylines. From Nazi-hunting to encounters with the mob, there is more on offer than just the usual DC baddies.Stream on Max
