23 characters who are total boss babes

Women were doing it for themselves like never before in the ‘70s, and because of that, television started to reflect that reality. Mary Richards tossed her hat in the air and became a beacon for independence as she not only was a single woman living alone but also a career woman.

Being a teenage girl is hard, but imagine balancing all that comes with hormones, dating, and hallway drama with slaying vampires. Buffy managed, though, and is forever a hero to many.

Love her or hate her, but you will respect her.

Those who have watched the hit NBC series This Is Us know that the Pearson family has a lot going on. A lot. So much so that those who married into the family often had to deal with all of the drama and then some, but Beth held it down and not only kept her family afloat during tough times but also her partner and her own goals in life.

The series might have shined a light on Harry Potter, but the real ones know that Hermione Granger was the real star who got things done.

Wednesday entered that school of chaos and held her own when faced with every trial and tribulation thrown her way — all while doing that viral dance.

The superhero everyone depends on to get the job done.

Working moms were huge for ‘80s TV, but there were none quite like the one and only Clair Huxtable.

People can debate all day about which Quentin Tarantino's character is the best, but in the end, it's always going to be The Bride and her blade.  

Butcher’s band of misfits looking to take down superheroes and their evil corporations is a bit testosterone-heavy, so it’s nice and empowering to know that their most powerful member is a woman named Kimiko.

The most infamous bite of pie in cinema.

Shameless had Fiona Gallagher raising her siblings, making sure her dad was still breathing when he passed out in the front yard, and trying to work to ensure they had a home — all before she could legally buy herself a drink.

Tiana was the first Disney princess to have a job and a career goal.

Was Amanda Woodward the drama? Oh yes, but was she also the HBIC of Melrose Place? A thousand percent. 

Those who haven’t taken in the beauty of The Harder They Fall , please head to Netflix and enjoy Regina King as the baddie, Trudy Smith.

We’re so excited to place Jessie Spano on this list because while everyone else at Bayside was up to shenanigans, Jessie was working overtime to ensure she had a future after high school. So much so fans didn’t even see her for a minute when Tory stepped into her place.

Sue Ellen is forever the prime example of “fake it till you make it.”

Claire Dunphy is Type A through and through, but she needed to be to corral that family of hers.

Everyone knows the oldest sister is the backbone of the family, whether or not the parents are in the picture.

She’s a businesswoman, honey!

When Joy Wang walked out like the final boss of a video game, lives were changed.

Kathy Bates appeared in a total of eight episodes of The Office and dominated every single one of them as the Floridian printer mogul Jo Bennett.

Bea Arthur gets a lot of well-deserved love for Golden Girls, but the real stans know that Maude walked so Dorothy could soar. Maude was the first character on national TV to talk about abortion, and she had her single-mother daughter living with her. Baby, Maude was and is the small-screen feminist icon.