Here’s what we’ve been told: that a woman’s true strength lies solely in her capacity to kick ass and take names. These are the “strong female character”-types that every pop culture outlet seems to revere. But a woman’s strength is more multifaceted than that, isn’t it?
Here’s a list of five female characters of TV who demonstrate a kind of strength we could all aspire to: a strength rooted in vulnerability, unpredictability, complexity. These are women characters, and not just by title. They’re strong because the writing explores all of their qualities: the “good” and the “bad.” They’re strong because they are, so completely, women.