Can we have a "brilliant tv programmes that centre women and manage to be brilliant without using violence and rape"?☺

[CatNamedEaster]

I've never had a stomach for violence on tv but even less so now, so I thought I'd start a thread for people who want shit-hot drama/comedy/whatever that has women at its heart but isn't fluffy Sunday night filler (nothing wrong with that, I'm not a snob).
My recent highlights have been:

Impeachment. About the Monica Lewinsky affair. I find the actresses playing Monica and Linda mesmerising and they manage to convey so much with a look.

Cutting It. Watched the whole lot in lockdown. Really funny and poignant and unafraid to show women who are strong and vulnerable and sexual.

The Pact.

In The Club. Followed a group of pregnant women, with Hermione Norris and Jill Halfpenny. Haven't seen it since it was first on so not sure if it's aged well!

@rifling

I wish more tv producers would realise that a lot of us don't want to be "entertained " by sexual violence. We have lived through it and it was not entertaining. Even if it is necessary for a plot, it doesn't have to be shown . It can be implied or glimpsed.

Game of thrones, most of the time did not shy away from nudity or violence but the scene where Sansa is raped was done really well. If rape can ever be 'done well'.

If you have not seen it; Sansa has been forced to marry Ramsey Bolton, Ramsey makes Sansa's cousin and childhood friend, Theon watch their first night.

The camera just shows Theon's face.

Great thread and thanks for articulating why a lot of stuff on tv doesn’t appeal to me

Miss Sloane or anything else with jessica Chastain in it, or for completely the opposite Motherland.

Ted Lasso has two very strong female leads who empower each other and are positive and strong role models for the male characters. Season 2 also has a female doctor join the cast and make a big difference.
I binged all the episodes and they are so feel good and uplifting but also moments of drama and heart break. It’s just brilliant!

Another vote for the good wife. I feel the same as the poster who would love to be able to wipe it from their memory and start it again!

You should watch I May Destroy You OP. It's amazing. Not much TV has stayed with me lie that will.

My first thought was The Good Place, although there are 5 main characters the lead is female and its just a great show without a hint of sexism, sexual violence or manipulation. For a comedy show the characters are really well developed and grow as the show goes on. Definitely one of my "if I could watch it again for the first time" shows.

Just wanted to say thank you so much for this thread OP!! I will return to it. I've become so suspicious of starting new TV shows as so often there's a big DV/sexual assault element and I find it so affecting. It's to the point where me and DP are in a viewing rut as I find it hard to relax into something if I think it might be coming iyswim, and in the past it has come up so often. I've often thought I would like some sort of directory so I can look up shows without this. Thank you x

Pulling (BBC iPlayer) - another great show by Ms Horgan!

The Bold Type on Netflix - based around 3 female friends who work at a fashion magazine. Strong women who look out for each other, it's lovely.

Working Moms (also Netflix)
Ugly Betty

I’m watching Little Fires Everywhere on Prime. Not sure where the story will go but the characters are good and I love Reese Witherspoon

This Way Up by Aisling Bea 👌

Virgin River is very gentle and a strong female lead. Can't remember any violence in it.

I do sometimes wonder if all the violence against women shown on TV highlights the problem in a good way, or just normalises it so no one is shocked when a women get attacked or abused.

I May Destroy You was amazing. The writing is unbelievable and as a PP out it so succinctly - the way it portrays a lived experience following sexual assault/rape.. it doesn’t in anyway glorify it or make it “entertainment”, and neither is t the sole focus of the show, it also looks closely at race, female relationships etc

Brilliant thread, I'm going to check some of these out over Xmas!

I haven't seen Grace and Frankie mentioned yet! It's absolutely one of my fave shows ever, with a really strong cast of female characters/leads.

I also really liked Glow - female wrestlers in the 80s.

Derry Girls
The good place
Parks and rec
The queen's gambit
Booksmart (movie)

Oh, and firefly lane!

@CatNamedEaster Cutting It was one of my (surprise) favourite series ever. Absolutely loved it. I remember my mum telling me about it and me going "do I look like I want to watch a series about hairdressers?"

Although there is most definitely violence, Saga Noren in the Bridge has to be one of the most iconic female characters ever. No make up- the actress's real scar from a motorbike accident wasn't hidden or disguised, apart from putting a clean t shirt on every so often she wore the exact same dull green and khaki clothes for 4 series, she was clearly on the AS spectrum, yet totally and utterly who we all want to be. Best female character ever and I daren't watch anything else with the actress in case it ruins Saga for me.

Disagree about Dr. Foster though- stopped watching exactly because it made it look like all women turn into swivel headed loons when their husbands fuck around.

@Fadette

Virgin River is very gentle and a strong female lead. Can't remember any violence in it.

I do sometimes wonder if all the violence against women shown on TV highlights the problem in a good way, or just normalises it so no one is shocked when a women get attacked or abused.

I think sometimes it does- I'm old enough to remember when The Accused came out and created such furore But sometimes it's just lazy writing and the film/book equivalent of clickbait. And often done by women writers as well. Mo Hayder for example (RIP) but the violence against women, often seemingly gratuitous, seemed at times lascivious rather than awareness raising in any way.

GLOW on Netflix is about a women’s wrestling troupe (the trashy American theatrical type) in LA in the 80s. The men are of their time sexists but the women’s camaraderie is great.

There are are lots of Korean dramas that centre women as >80% of their TV writers are women. Search WWW on Netflix is about rival internet search engines and focuses on 3 very strong female characters. It has one of my all time favourite kdrama scenes which involves two of the women being very ballsy.

@EewwwDavid

Brilliant thread, I'm going to check some of these out over Xmas!

I haven't seen Grace and Frankie mentioned yet! It's absolutely one of my fave shows ever, with a really strong cast of female characters/leads.

I also really liked Glow - female wrestlers in the 80s.

Derry Girls
The good place
Parks and rec
The queen's gambit
Booksmart (movie)

How could I forget Grace & Frankie??? Thats a great series

Dr Foster was in fact Medea.

Bones is good but is about a forensic anthropologist so lots of gory bits. The main character is a woman (who has a lot of ASD character traits) and is smart, funny, has a lot of boyfriends. The main man is the one with the emotions. The last few seasons aren’t as good tho.

Miranda! On bbc iplayer. Can’t believe no one has mentioned it yet my teenager daughter loves watching it so I re-watched the series too both of us laughing out loud.

Another vote for The Good Wife. And it’s spin off which I don’t love as much, but is still good.

Madam Secretary is a political one. I’ve watched the first two seasons which I enjoyed, need to watch more.

Heartland on Netflix. Strong female characters, a few fights but no other violence. Beautiful scenery and horses.

Oh yes another vote for both Heartland and Madame Secretary