Seven Female Bosses Dominating Television

By starrymag | May 7, 2016

By: Taylor Gates

 

Her heels stab the floor as she carries her scalding hot coffee. (She takes it black, of course.) Her hair is pulled up into a severe updo, pairing nicely with her pinched, perpetually-irritated facial features. She effortlessly barks out orders, not even bothering to look up from the Blackberry tethered to her hand. She’s brazen. She’s bitchy. And not only is she bossy—she’s the boss.

 

We all know the trope: a ruthless, powerful woman is so dedicated to her job that she neglects every other aspect of her life. She’s the antagonist, a haggard villain who makes her young, innocent employee work late and miss a date with her new beau. It’s an entertainment staple that’s been around for years and these types of roles have attracted many seasoned veterans, including the likes of Oscar winners Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada and Sandra Bullock in The Proposal. Though vaguely stereotypical, one thing is obvious—hard-as-nails female bosses are irresistible for both actors and audiences alike.

 

Looking at network channels, cable stations, online streaming and everything in between, something else is clear—female bosses are dominating television right now and with good reason. Television provides the perfect medium for these characters, its week-by-week form providing more time to truly delve into these characters, inviting audiences to explore both the flaws and vulnerabilities that make up these powerful women.

 

That’s not to say that these television bosses are perfect; on the contrary, they make a plethora of mistakes. However, the more screen time these ladies have—and consequently the more time viewers have to get to know her—allows for their journeys to be real and inspiring rather than simply reduced to a comedic ploy or cautionary tale. She is capable of emotion, growth, and sometimes even true evil. Her position of power does not fully define her, for she is so much more; she’s 3-dimensional and there to do more than just be in charge of a company or make another character’s life hell. Below I want to highlight seven female bosses—from all different careers, walks of life, and places on the moral spectrum—to celebrate one of the most diverse and intriguing roles in television today.

 

1. Character: Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay)

Show: Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, NBC

Job: Lieutenant at New York Special Victims Unit

Why she’s boss: Her mixture of compassion, drive and intelligence has allowed Olivia Benson to crack the most complicated cases and go up against the toughest criminals for a whopping seventeen years now. She has had to overcome countless challenges including an abusive childhood, the death of friends, her partners leaving and several assaults. Not only that, but fans have gotten to see her progress from a mere rookie cop to heading an entire squad, moving up in the workplace with her persistence and loyalty. Olivia is not a perfect boss by any means, but it’s obvious she cares deeply about her squad. Her leadership skills and dedication to everyone she cares about makes her a boss anybody would be proud to work for.

 

2. Character: Quinn King (Constance Zimmer)

Show: UnREAL, Lifetime

Job: Executive Producer of a reality show, Everlasting

Why she’s boss: She’s stubborn, brash and not particularly likable, but she’s extremely good at what she does. As the ruthless executive producer of Everlasting, Quinn King has verbally abused her staff, manipulated contestants and even [technically] helped commit murder. However, she has shown a few moments of humanity, especially when interacting with coworker/friend/protégé Rachel (Shiri Appleby). Her tough love and mentoring (regardless of how messed up her motives) show Quinn is more than a power-hungry robot. Plus, you have to give her credit for knowing how to play her cards; sometimes you have to be cutthroat to get ahead, especially as a female in a clearly male-dominated business. Despite how shady her methods may be you have to admit: she knows how to get results.

 

3. Character: Diana Trout (Miriam Shor)

Show: Younger, TV Land

Job: Head of marketing at a publishing house, Empirical

Why she’s boss: Diana is a no-nonsense boss, running her section of Empirical with the discipline of a military leader and mercilessly bossing her assistant Liza (Sutton Foster) around. It’s clear though that underneath her tough outer shell, there’s a gooey inside. From giving Liza money to pay her daughter’s tuition to encouraging her to aim high in the workplace, she can also act as a friend and mentor to her promising employees.

 

4. Character: Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski)

Show: The Good Wife, CBS

Job: Senior Partner at Lockhart, Agos and Lee

Why she’s boss: She took in Alicia Florick as a legal associate when she was bravely taking a step back into the field of law after publicly standing by her cheating District Attorney husband. She was a sounding board each time Alicia needed guidance and would provide a unique outlook that would steer her in the right direction. She also gave her a “home” to come back to each time Alicia went out on her own. Diane is a liberal champion to women’s causes and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. In fact, she is currently seeking to create the only female partner led firm in Chicago. A badass in the courtroom, an incredible legal mentor and the head of a law firm. Who could ask for more?

 

5. Character: Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart)

Show: Sueprigrl, CBS

Job: CEO of CatCo

Why she’s boss: The definition of a B-O-S-S (capitals necessary). She may have started out as Perry White’s assistant at the Daily Planet, but she now is the head of her own media conglomerate. While she can barely get the name of her favorite assistant correct, she does not suffer fools lightly. Bring her coffee that isn’t the perfect temp? You’ll instantly regret showing up to work. Can’t get her a photo of Supergirl? You’ll end up in a ball of tears. But that’s because she doesn’t settle for less than the best. She is also a great mentor to Kara as she advises her about being a woman in a man’s world. Brava!

 

6. Character: Claire Underwood (Robin Wright)

Show: House of Cards, Netflix

Job: Director of nonprofit organization Clean Water Initiative, potential Vice President of the United States

Why she’s boss: A modern day Lady Macbeth, Claire Underwood has always been a woman of power. She is shady, there is no doubt about that. She’s willing to stab anyone in the back to get ahead, including her own husband. But she’s had to overcome trauma from being raped, public scrutiny after it was leaked that she got an abortion and the death of her mother. While her methods are often questionable and much too extreme, she teaches viewers not to let anyone push them around or let life make them a victim. Her endurance and intelligence make her a true, if somewhat wicked, ruler.

 

7. Character: Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni)

Show: Madam Secretary, CBS

Job: Secretary of State

Why she’s boss: She’s worked for the CIA and is now the Secretary of State so i’s pretty obvious Elizabeth is a tough woman. The thing though that makes Elizabeth really stand out is her optimism and kindness. She’s not afraid to stand up to a corrupt leader, but she’s also willing to show compassion when the situation calls for it. She’s a fair boss, treating her workers with respect and understanding. She’s not a pushover, by any means, but she is willing to cut people some slack when need be. She’s overcome her fair share of trauma, loss and disappointment, but she’s still able to balance her career and family flawlessly while keeping a great sense of humor in the process.

 

 

Additional reporting by Jamie Steinberg