Top 10 Female TV Antiheroes

Yep, we all have a friend like Hannah. Lena Dunham uses this leading lady to brilliantly satirize privileged millennials that are coming of age. The aspiring writer is narcissistic and mentally unstable, which brings about moments that are both hilarious and sad. Watching her fumble (and we mean fumble) through her path to adulthood can be a frustrating experience, but that just makes her actual moves of responsibility that much more satisfying. It’s a lot of fun to laugh at her childishness, but the character’s realism also successfully endears us to her.

 

Claire Danes’ CIA agent is one of the most interesting characters in early 21st century television. Her bipolar disorder makes her investigation of Nicholas Brody, an ex-prisoner of war who may or may not have been brainwashed, more difficult. Despite her talent as an agent, her methods tend to be of a highly reckless nature, especially as her disorder causes her to be obsessive. What’s worse is that she begins an affair with the man she suspects is an ex-POW turned al-Qaedat terrorist, which eventually results in a child she has little interest in mothering. Though her disturbing actions, which stem from her unstable nature, set her on a path of self-destruction, Mathison is still driven and committed to protecting her country… though she obviously has some issues to sort out.

 

Glenn Close’s Patty led this legal drama through five fantastic seasons, and she spent much of it acting highly cold to those around her and doing whatever it takes to win her cases. When she takes on Ellen, a great antiheroine in her own right, as a protégé, the two are often at odds with one another and bring fatal consequences with them. A powerful woman, Patty doesn’t allow others to judge her based on her gender, illustrating her authority via blackmail and even murder. Though she often takes her job too far, this complex character always stands up for the little guy in the cases she takes on, and she isn’t without her reservations about her actions. It’s not hard to see why Close took home two Emmys and a Golden Globe for her performance.

When the Evil Queen cursed the residents of the Enchanted Forest to the real world, few expected that she would perform such an about-face as the series progressed. This villain-come-antiheroine has a tragic backstory involving her mother killing her true love, and this is what makes her heart so cold. However, it was significantly softened when she – as Regina Mills - adopted Henry, the biological son of Emma Swan - the Savior. It took a while for her to ally herself with the heroes, but once she did, she became a vital asset to the good guys of Storybrooke. Despite occasionally giving in to her dark side, Regina grows to care about her friends and it’s her complexities that have made her a fan favorite since the beginning.

 

After being caught for a crime she committed 10 years prior, Piper is sent to Litchfield Penitentiary. At first, she feels way out of her comfort zone, not understanding the prison’s complex social hierarchy. But as the series progresses, we see her make many power plays, which obviously require some unsavory deeds. Almost like a trainwreck, her downward spiral into madness is impossible to look away from. Though her actions often come from a place of necessity, she does many things in her own self-interest; including manipulating and hurting the people she loves. It’s unclear how her time in prison will affect her life when she gets out, but we can be sure that Piper is definitely not the same woman she was when she first entered Litchfield.

 

A mother’s gotta do what a mother’s gotta do, right? This particular mom had to resort to selling marijuana after her husband dies to keep up the lifestyle to which she and her family had become accustomed. After her business becomes successful, she becomes embroiled in gang activity, political corruption in Tijuana, and a murder cover-up. Oh, and she also is partially responsible for her hometown being burned down. Trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes, though she doesn’t make much effort to avoid it. When push comes to shove, though, Nancy truly cares about her family and even manages to brush off some of her more objectionable behavior sometimes.

It’s said that behind every great man is a great woman. We would say that about Claire, but it wouldn’t be accurate to place her behind her husband, Frank. Though he’s the face of his very shady political career, he wouldn’t be anywhere without her. She’s every bit as ruthless and as her partner, supporting his quest for power but also expressing disappointment when he fails, like Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth. However, she never allows his goals to supersede her own interests, going as far as to double cross him when they disagree. Anyone who crosses her will be dealt with efficiently and gracefully, and she is easily one of the most dynamic female characters on television in the early 21st century.


There’s no doubt that emergency room nurses are heroes...but this one is a bit less so. Jackie spends the entire series battling her addiction to drugs, and more often than not loses that battle. Her habit causes her to hurt and betray her family, friends and fellow employees time and time again. Despite these faults though, she proves herself to be one of All Saints’ most talented nurses, saving many lives throughout her career. The phenomenal Edie Falco plays the duality of her character to perfection with Jackie demonstrating typical addict behavior and deflecting, denying and scheming at every turn as her life comes crashing down around her.

Despite the title, this law professor doesn’t really teach you how to kill people. That is, unless you’re one of her choice students who ends up being involved in covering up her husband’s murder. A cold but brilliant woman who may be a little too fond of alcohol, she works tirelessly to win her cases, even when she knows her client is guilty. We love her for being fiercely protective of her students as well as for her assertive, no-holds-barred attitude. Viola Davis’ remarkable performance of this complex and fascinating character made her the first black woman to win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.
 
Mickey Dobbs
“Love” (2016-)
  
Tamsin
“Lost Girl” (2010-15)
 

Rachel Goldberg
“UnReal” (2015-)
  
Emily Thorne
“Revenge” (2011-15)


 
Paige Michalchuk
“Degrassi: The Next Generation” (2001-15)
 
 
Kara Thrace
“Battlestar Galactica” (2004-09)
 
 

What if a superhero wasn’t such a great guy? Or... woman? That’s the question posed by this Marvel-ous Netflix series. After retiring from being a super heroine, Jessica Jones becomes a private investigator in Hell’s Kitchen. She is an alcoholic with PTSD who isn’t particularly friendly or fond of rules, but she usually ends up on the right side of things. Though “Daredevil”’s Elektra could have also been a viable antihero for this list, she was no match for this stunning lead. Jessica helps to prove that both women and superheroes can be complex and interesting characters. We don’t need to be told to smile when we have her on our screens, kicking ass. 

Do you agree with our list? Who’s your favorite female antihero in TV? For more badly-behaved top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.