Veronica Mars,Xena and Dana Scully are probably up there.
Give me female protagonists as well-written, badass, charismatic than Buffy Summers
Veronica Mars is the most obvious answer
I want a montage of Veronica tazing people. Does anyone know if this exists?
She did a full season’s worth of establishing badassery in the first 5 minutes.
Kara “Starbuck” Thrace from Battlestar Galactica, if that counts… She’s flawed but such a badass and so well written and well acted, imo.
Flawed (if written well like BG) usually means more realistic. People aren't perfect, even really good people. Katara and Toph come to mind too. They're badass, but still have their flaws.
Came here to say this. Really most of the female characters on BSG are really interesting and badass in different ways
One of my favorites. Amazing character.
Best answer
I was thinking of her too !
Xena
Rogue from the X-Men! And Storm!
Rogue and Storm are so great in X-Men ‘97!
The clones from Orphan Black.
“Strong like baby ox”
Absolutely Dana Scully
Cordelia Chase. Nobody undergoes a more dramatic and impactful change into a true hero than Cordy. And she did it mostly without any sort of powers. Her devotion to continue the good fight was absolutely unwavering, she will always be my favorite female hero.
Charisma Carpenter is a criminal under-rated actress. It's a shame she's too damn pretty for her own good, only gets cast as ditzy high-schoolers or MILFs. Would give anything to see her have the opportunity to properly exercise her acting chops.
Not a superhero, but I was very impressed with Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul.
I started watching Better Call Saul because I loved the universe and Jimmy's character. 2 seasons in I still loved the universe and Jimmy, but I was watching primarily for Kim Wexler. I would fucking love for her to get a spin-off.
I'd watch that easily. Rhea Seehorn played her so well too.
Rhea was robbed at the Emmy's
She is amazing
Olivia Dunham from Fringe, actually Astrid too.
Both of the Astrids.
Major Kira of Deep Space Nine
Captain Janeway (Startrek) Ginny Weasley (book version) River Song (Dr Who)
All the women (main) in Firefly/Serenity (though maybe that is my weird love for the show): Kaylee Frye River Tam Zoe Washburne Inara
Can't think of many more right now as it's late where I live!
Captain Janeway rules.
Alongside Janeway I’d throw in Seven of Nine
Ohhh yes I am frustrated that I didn't think of that as I love Seven! 😍
Janeway was almost always well written, good choice.
No love for Firefly is weird.
Wynona and waverly earp.
Came here to say this.
It's also the show that I found closest to scratching my buffy itch.
Legends of Tomorrow might interest you, then. A lot of the episodes remind me of season one of BtVS. Sara Lance is really similar to Buffy, and there was an episode where she was standing on a pool table, fighting villains with a cue.
Liv Moore
What's funny is that my Dad recommended me to watch iZombie exactly because the dialogues reminded him of the Buffy series so we watched it together XD Ravi stole the show though
It's hard not to fall in love with his character. I loved and watched izombie until it turned into zombietown.
I was working at a bakery in North Vancouver close to the film studio where iZombie was being made. A PA came in to get stuff for people, and I nosily asked what she was working on. She said the show, and I gushed how much I love Rose McIver, and that I loved her sense of comedy. The PA said how much Rose loved hearing stuff like that, and she was going to tell her. I was a little embarrassed but neato. The next day, the PA comes back with a SIGNED HEADSHOT, and she said Rose McIver insisted. She is such a cool person, and now I religiously watch Ghosts, as well.
Plus one to that. I love that show.
Used to be a power ranger too
Margot from The Magicians
Absolutely! She was a true badass in every way.
Julia too, a lot of the women in that show are written very well
Agree! I have a soft spot for Marina. I could definitely fix both her and Faith
That’s High King Margo the Destroyer to us commoners. Ovary up is still in my vocabulary!
honestly she's a close fucking contender. I love Margo!
Ahsoka Tano
Book Hermione Granger. No love to she who must not be named, but book Harmonie was a CERTIFIED badass. Give me more
Olivia Dunham from Fringe
Rose Tyler, Donna Noble & Amy Pond & River Song From Doctor Who❤️🖤
Toph from ATLA
Katara from ATLA as well.
I know it’s an antagonist but I’m seriously an Azula fan girl and it’s ridiculous. The amount of get shit done that girl has, so evil, so crazy. All fun to watch.
Very true. Azula, at 14, led a bloodless coup of a city the withstood 100 years of war, in a two days. Azula gets shit done.
She plays better political games than anyone even in like Game of Thrones universe! Plus she enjoys it so much 😍
Every single female character in The Expanse. Probably the best written females in television.
Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell. Insanely strategic, commanding presence, heart of empathy, bad ass fighter.
Hear me out.
Elizabeth Bennett.
Nothing beats Buffy (or Scully or Ripley) but Sydney Bristow comes close.
Olivia/Fauxlivia/Olive in Fringe.
Various female characters in The Boys and Gen V
Sarah/Cosima/Alison etc in Orphan Black
Sam and later Vala in SG1
Aeron, and later Chiara in Farscape.
Echo in Dollhouse.
Laurel in Braindead.
Whiskey on Doll house! And Alpha but he's a guy.
OG Princess Bad Ass, Leia. At least in the original trilogy.
XENA : WARRIOR PRINCESS
Cptn Starbuck and President Roslin from Battlestar Galactica
Adora from She-Ra 2018
Wynnona Earp
Xena, Ellen Ripley, Sarah Connor, and Buffy are the Mount Rushmore of female leads.
Sarah Connor, yes! That riffle pump and all it stood for was so impactful when I was young. She was such a new, fresh take on what a female character could be on screen.
What's a "riffle pump"?
Tank Girl, the most badass bitch of the wastelands
Fuck yea!
Kim Possible
Daisy Johnson/Quake is not quite on Buffy's level, but she's definitely a contender.
Imma gonna leave dis here...
Ah, I must have watched that oner a couple dozen times when I had Netflix. Beautiful. You know Chloe actually broke her arm partway through that and managed to finish?
Wow, I never noticed that was a long take before
I keep thinking “did I imagine that show was insanely great?” But no, it was.
Love buffy! Also loved Jessica alba in dark angel which sadly only got 2 seasons
Amazing show! Quite ahead of its time too.
Olivia Benson
CJ Cregg, Eleanor Shellstrop, Sally Draper, Arya Stark, Fargo S1, 2, 3 and 5 all have a different captivating female protagonist, lately in love with Lucy in Fallout
Veronica Mars
Fuckin' A!
Brienne of Tarth, though I can't remember if the later seasons ruined her or not. Maybe?
Major Motoko Kusangi doesn't seem to like wearing clothes very much, but if you look past that, she's a pretty rad action hero.
Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill was pretty badass.
Æon, from Æon Flux may actually hate trousers more than Motoko does, and she dies a lot. Still cool though.
Brienne is always amazing. My dog is named Brie after her.
Brienne was one of the few characters to escape “D&D” unscathed, and Gwendoline Christie finally got an Emmy nomination for the last season (2019). Having 4 women from GOT nominated in supporting probably split the votes, but she had some great scenes in the final season.
“Fun” fact:
Gwendolyn Christie had to nominate herself just for that reason: the producers didn’t want her splitting the votes. Same for….oh forgive me, but I forget the actor’s name, but he played Theon Greyjoy. They weren’t the faces of the show, the producers thought there was a better chance with the prettier people, but since they two couldn’t be fired, the actors went for it.
The actor is Alfie Allen. His sister made a fun song about him.
Beatrix Kiddo 🗡️
You want Babylon 5: "Who am I?! I am Susan Ivanova, Commander. Daughter of Andre and Sophie Ivanov. I am the right hand of vengeance and the boot that is going to kick your sorry ass all the way back to Earth, sweetheart! I am death incarnate, and the last living thing that you will ever see. God sent me."
Also:
"Only one human captain has ever survived battle with a Minbari Fleet. He is behind me. You are in front of me. If you value your lives, be somewhere else!"
Same show, two different female characters. One of the all-time greats of television. All the women in that show are amazing.
Babylon 5 has some of my favorite characters. Also Battlestar Galactica and The Expanse.
“So I guess from now on the operational phrase is trust no one?”
“No! Trust Ivanova, trust yourself—anybody else? Shoot ‘em!”
Very different personality, but Commander Shepard from the Mass Effect trilogy.
I was going to put Shepard in my list... Actually a good chunk of female characters throughout the Mass Effect (game) series now I'm thinking of it! 😍
Ok first none because it's impossible but also
One of many companions, especially in the post 2000 era, that qualify.
Jessica Jones is one of my favourite characters but Kate Bishop and Kamala Khan from the Hawkeye and Ms Marvel shows are pretty good too. Leia from the Star Wars OT, Cleo Cazo (Ratcatcher 2) from The Suicide Squad if she counts as a protagonist, Mulan from the animated film and Sarah Jane Smith
I freaking love Kamala Kahn. What screen presence that actor has!
Vanessa Ives (Penny Dreadful)
Stella Gibson (The Fall)
Vanessa Ives 🖤🖤🖤
Katniss Everdeen
Kara Thrace
Wynonna Earp
But none quite reach Buffy hero status
Sookie Stackhouse
Katniss Everdeen is very cool.
The Charmed Ones
The old Charmed Ones tho
Worrier Nun. I honestly thought this show would be like a 2020s version of Buffy and last a lot longer than it did.
Was quite sad when it got cancelled after 2 seasons wlw shows with religious tones and fighting cornecopia. Loved the show a lot.
I'd heard they decided to renew it so hopefully we'll get a third season!
Kat Stratford, Elle Woods, Dana Scully, Samantha Jones, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Hillary Banks, Lorelai Gilmore, Xena, Daria, Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle, any female lead from any Studio Ghibli film, The Bride from Kill Bill, (controversial: Liz Lemon), ETC.
Girls rule, Joss Whedon isn’t responsible for that.
Sabrina the teenage witch 😅
Yes and?????
She was a badass in every rendition! I throughouly agree!
Joss Whedon is responsible for how well Buffy is written. Joss may be a flawed person but the bad things he’s done don’t invalidate the good things he’s done.
Scarlet O'Hara... book version is so badass, she is notorious for her charm, and is very well-written. She's ultimately a tragic character but very much still a hero. Might need to give that a re-read.
Lyra Silvertongue
Wynonna Earp. Nancy Drew (CW).
Aeryn Sun: Farscape, pretty much any main female character from Farscape. Naomi Nagata: The Expanse, Drummer: The Expanse, Bobbie Draper: The Expanse, Avasrala: The Expanse, Julie Mao: The Expanse, you mostly learn about her 3rd person, but she is a young lady with strong convictions. Winrie Rockbell: FMA, I can keep going.
Melinda May.
Parker and Sophie from Leverage.
Aloy. She has some big flaws just like Buffy, but quite often has to cast away those closest to her in order to serve the greater good, also just like Buffy.
Veronica Mars. BTVS is my favorite show but Buffy herself isn't my favorite protagonist/character. That would be Veronica. I just find her more charismatic, badass, and entertaining to watch than Buffy.
Off the top of my head I can think of two shows with charismatic, well written, badass, standout female protagonists that shape the entire show:
— edit: Strangely I just realized they are both Canadian shows.
The assassin Yalena Yardeen (“Dutchess”) in the 5 season long science fiction show Killjoys gets my vote.
She was such a badass, yet who was at times outgunned and had to face many trials and overcame some extreme (and I’m mean to the extent of being physically difficult viewing at one point) hardships and survives the whole “Hero’s Journey”
That show’s great world-building took me by complete surprise and I was often taken aback by just how much depth the main characters and antagonists had.
And it’s one of the few shows that managed to make it all the way to the end of its multi-layered, multi-season story arc.
Would also add Bo Dennis and Kenzie Malakov from the 5 season fantasy show called Lost Girl. Their opposing and contrasted dynamics on screen are top notch.
While I didn’t like the choppy and ridiculously abrupt pacing, super fast reveal of the “secret society” by the end of the first episode and the rest of the exposition-heavy first season of the show, like Buffy, it got better in later seasons as the characters’ chemistry built on screen and the direction became more confident that their audience could follow the lore heavy stories.
This show is far more emotional than Killjoys, has less action and more melodrama. The music direction is a truly standout feature lot of songs REALLY pull on the heartstrings. I’d argue that this is more of a lady’s show than a man’s show exactly, but that’s just pure conjecture in my part.
I adore Kenzie! She is one of my favorite characters of all time. She's so adorable!
Lost Girl was great! I don't think I ever finished that one because my TV options changed at times when I was in uni. Will have to find & rewatch!
I've never heard of Killjoys, will find that, too.
Vi from Arcane
Wynonna Earp🤠
Either nobody has seen this show or nobody agrees with me but I’ve always gotten Buffy vibes from Allison DuBois in Medium. Her badassery and superpowers are of a psychic nature, not physical one. But she’s so incredibly beautiful and kind and genuinely wants to help everyone she meets. She’s a hero. Also definitely a “chosen one” trope.
not charismatic, but definitely the others - katniss everdeen
Kim Possible
HOW has no one said Elizabeth Bennett yet??
I think Aeryn Sun from Farscape had a very well written arc about a female protagonist. She was the co-star of the show, but it would have been nearly impossible without her. I think she was written much better than Buffy was.
Daenerys Game of thrones fs she’s so awesome
Veronica Mars obviously! 🫶
Kim Possible.
Zoe, River and Kaylee from Firefly. Captain Katherine Janeway. Seven of Nine. River Song. Missy aka the Master. Toph. All the ladies from LotR. Princess Leia.
Wynonna Earp
Aeryn Sun from Farscape, of course.
Ripley. Sarah Conner. Half the characters Charlize Theron has portrayed.
Evelyn Wang from Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Sidney Prescott - Scream
Brennan from Bones is one of my favorites
Not charismatic but I really like Katniss Everdeen. She is badass, brave and caring though taciturn, a great hero for us introverts.
I really can't think of any female character that comes close to Buffy obviously Sarah Connor from the first two films deserves to be named and Jessica Jones was pretty good but she's no Buffy.
I write them, but nobody has bought my stuff yet LOL. Sorry.
Keep going! Someday we’ll hear of them.
Yes keep going !!!!
I have a question, do you need these characters to be young women like Buffy or does the age matter as long as they are women with agency and badass!
The girls of Stranger Things 🧇
doctor meredith grey mhmhm (and on the show we see cameos from halfrek, oz, and tara)!
Sabrina Spellman
The OA!
Not a superhero but Catherine Caw from Happy Valley (fantastic series).
Any of the Doctor Who companions but the most kickass is Donna.
I think I was thinking of Martha but yeah Donna is great too! I think some their writing can be a little ehhhh but they all have pretty amazing developments as characters so much love for the companions.
I feel like Elizabeth Jennings from The Americans is this, albeit she is more of an antihero.
But she is underappreciated as a female antihero dramatically at least on par with Walter White, Don Draper, or Tony Soprano.
Jessica “J.B.” Fletcher
Akane Tsunemori from Psycho Pass
Honestly, I found Matsuda Misaki from Sword of Kaigen to be incredibly compelling.
Dutch from killjoys for sure.
Mara of the Acoma from Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts Empire trilogy of books. The last survivor of a betrayed house, she has less than 30 men left in her garrison and survives and thrives using her wits.
If you do plan on reading them, read Feist’s Magician first.
Sundew from Wings of Fire.
Any of the women in Brooklyn 99 (TV series)... I'm not a huge fan of Gina due to her personality but she is a badass
Xena
Sydney Bristow? Love her too
Dana Scully and Xena
It's an ensemble, but has amazing women - Sense8. A bit porny, so be careful who you watch with. I've rewatched a ton of times and I usually skip those parts.
Nomi - trans hacker and total badass, even though she thinks she's weak and screams and ducks a bit. She has some amazing moments.
Amanita - Nomi's partner, a regular girl and a TOTAL badass, I don't want to spoil but I'd want her with me in a knife fight, she has no tolerance for bullshit.
Sun - the "spirit of Jean Claude Van Damme." Korean, background in finance, karate expert, tough as nails even though she gets minimized by her family because she's female.
Riley - gentler than the others, but she powers through and faces her trauma.
Kala - also gentler, but she can make a bomb from household chemicals. She was very sheltered growing up and handles the realities of a very different world pretty well.
It's a great story, the characters are wonderful, the men are great, too. I'm thankful they finished it off, though more seasons would have been better.
Xena was definitely great
Lagertha Lothbrok from Vikings.
Kate beckett(Castle) and season 1- 8 Meredith grey (greys anatomy) are 2 off the top of my head
For books - anything by Lindsay Buroker. The Emperor's Edge series has Amaranth & she is amazing. The Dragon Blood series has Sardelle & Cas & Keika. They're fun stories with lots of levity and adventure.
Villanelle from Killing Eve. Ok ok, a bit of a…dark side, but she fits the descriptors well!
Kristin Bouchard. Sister Andrea from Evil.
Audrey Horne in Twin Peaks Dana Scully in The X Files River Song in Doctor Who
Kalinda Sharma from the Good Wife.
Captain Kathryn Janeway -Star Trek Voyager
Ellen Ripley
Sarah Connor
Dana Scully
Xena
Sidney Prescott
Beatrix Kiddo
Veronica Mars
Starbuck
Kim, Zoe, & Abernathy (Death Proof)
Vanessa Ives (Penny Dreadful)
Jessica Jones
Elle Woods! She and Buffy are the epitome of “badass and smart aren’t mutually exclusive with girly.”
Gwen Cooper from Torchwood
Dana Scully, for at least the first five seasons.
Liz parker from Roswell 1999 even the new one
Veronica Mars
Betty Cooper (riverdale)
Cordelia chase (Angel)
Nancy Drew
Do do hee (my demon)
Yoon Ji Woo (my name)
buffy is a badass. the writing was so good I can't think of anyone that comes close.
Sydney Bristow(Alias), Olivia Dunham(Fringe), Nora Durst (The Leftovers), Olivia Pope(Scandal), Annalise Keating(How to Get Away Wuth Murder)
I'm going to stray out of of sci-fi/drama/horror and offer Samantha Jones from SATC. For the '90s she was way ahead of her time (open relationships! queer relationships! didn't want kids or marriage!) and so charismatic that people loved her character instantly.
Daenerys Targaryen, Tifa Lockhart (not the protagonist but still a main character), Kara Thrace
Valerie in Cyberpunk 2077
Femsheppard
Kelly and ruby from ash vs evil dead, Ahsoka Tano, Laurie strode in halloween h20, 2018 and ends.
Clarke, Octavia, & Raven from The 100
Rose & Donna from Doctor Who (to me, they are the most normal every day humans plucked from the crowd that are just badass for companions.)
Animated - Katara & Toph absolutely from ATLA
Haven't finished, but Jessica Jones.
And you know what, people have said Cordy, which fair enough, but I'm gonna throw in Faith from BTVS too. I think she is a badass and was written incredibly well, too, and with less screen time to flush out her arc.
Hit Girl from Kickass
Having trouble thinking of more that haven't already been mentioned in other comments or that can be considered main characters. Or, a lot are badass, but I don't know if I consider them as well written as Buffy simply for depth, flaws, and character journey.
Ellie from The Last of Us (game version goes harder to me).
Frieren & Fern from Beyond Journey's End
There is a graphic novel called Strong Female Protagonist written by Brennan Lee Mulligan lol
Uma Thurman-Kill Bill films!
The only fictional character that actually dethroned Buffy as my favorite fictional badass is Bobbie Draper from the Expanse.
Ellen Ripley