Women-centric TV shows have always hit the mark with viewers. Not only are the storylines relevant and poignant, these shows also help dispel myths and change how women are viewed.
Covering a wide range of topics such as hardships at a male-dominated workplace, female friendships, ageing and finding love at a later age, these television series have left an indelible impression on viewers.
There have been many female-centric TV shows over the years but here are 10 of our favourites.
Who would’ve thought a TV sitcom about four elderly women living under one roof would be a bonafide hit?
Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the seven-season sitcom was well received by both viewers and critics, winning the Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series twice.
Aired from 1985 to 1992, the show was ahead of its time as it zoomed in on taboo topics such as interracial marriage, sexual harassment, suicide and LGBT issues.
Viewers were invested in the lives of the four women staying at Wisteria Lane from the get-go.
Murder! Plane crash! Adultery! Suicide! Yes, the drama is endless for Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) and Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman).
But throughout the eight seasons, the ladies stuck by one another through thick and thin, proving that one should really love thy neighbour.
With an A-list ensemble cast comprising Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz and Shailene Woodley (Meryl Streep joins in Season Two), this HBO series is a must-watch.
Just like Desperate Housewives, the ladies in Big Little Lies live in a tight-knit community and will do whatever – lying, manipulating, murder – to protect one of their own.
Set in the 1980s, this comedy is loosely based on the women who make up the professional wrestling team, GLOW – Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling.
The underdogs in an industry dominated by men, the ladies boast a never-give-up attitude – no matter how tough things get in the wrestling circuit. It just makes us want to stand up and cheer for them even more.
Apart from gender inequality, Glow also tackles heavy topics such as sexual harassment, racism and beauty standards.
Tired of being dealt a bad hand, sisters Beth and Annie with their friend Ruby decide to rob a grocery store. However, the money they get away with belongs to a gangster, who now wants payback. But instead of making the girls give back the money, the gangster wants them to work for him – to launder money.
Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman and Retta’s captivating performances as the cash-strapped women will have you rooting for them although what they do is sketchy and illegal.
Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha will go down in history as TV’s most memorable girlfriends.
The ladies – in designer clothes, expensive shoes and handbags – navigate single life in New York City while supporting each other’s endeavours and quirks.
While there have been spats between co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Cattrall during the show, we hardly noticed it as all four actresses (Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon round up the cast) have such electrifying chemistry. Now, that’s good acting!
Not all female-centric shows are about working (or retired) adults.
This one features four high school-going girls who find themselves victims of an unknown and unseen assailant who goes by the letter A.
Though this mystery series has a convoluted storyline, fans found some of the themes explored here engaging and relatable such as cancel culture and cyberbullying.
It also helps that the gorgeous cast – made up of Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario, Shay Mitchell and Ashley Benson – is decked up in equally gorgeous outfits, making Pretty Little Liars a pretty show to watch for seven seasons.
Female friendships are made everywhere – workplace, school, neighbourhood, or in the case of Orange Is The New Black, in prison.
When Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) is sentenced to a 15-month jail term, the last thing on her mind is making friends at Litchfield Penitentiary.
What’s great about this series is how it explores friendship in a setting viewers aren’t familiar with. And the show features an inclusive cast, including Laverne Cox who became the first transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy in an acting category, for her role as inmate Sophia Burset.
If you love dramas, this one is right up your alley. Set in the 1950s and 1960s, this long-running British series (11 seasons and counting) tells the stories of midwives and the community they serve in a poor neighbourhood in East End of London.
Topics explored in this drama include poverty, adoption, teen pregnancies, miscarriage and more. Heavy subjects indeed, but well told.
Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) is 32 and raising a teen daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel). It is tough, especially when Lorelai sees so much of herself in Rory, who is headstrong and rebellious.
Luckily, the two of them have a strong support system who get them through tough times. Lorelai relies on her best friend Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) while Rory confides in Keiko (Lane Kim).
With witty dialogues and heartwarming storylines, Gilmore Girls won fans over. So much so that in 2016 – nine years after it ended its run – the show was revived in a four-part mini series titled Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life.
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