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The 20 greatest female leads in sitcom history
MovieStillsDB/Yardbarker

The 20 greatest female leads in sitcom history

Let's give it up for the ladies who've starred in sitcoms. These 20 funny gals were excellent leads. 

 
1 of 20

Tina Fey, '30 Rock'

Tina Fey, '30 Rock'
Broadway Video/NBC

Tina Fey just has a mind for television. That woman knows funny and churned out one of the best sitcoms of all time based on her experience as the head writer at Saturday Night Live. 30 Rock would’ve been great no matter what, but her performance as Liz Lemon made it even better. 

 
2 of 20

Amy Poehler, 'Parks and Recreation'

Amy Poehler, 'Parks and Recreation'
Open 4 Business Productions/NBC

The world needed Leslie Knope, and no one was better than Amy Poehler to bring her to life. Poehler cared about her character just as much as the fans, which always makes for a great performance.

 
3 of 20

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, 'Fleabag'

Phoebe Waller-Bridge, 'Fleabag'
Two Brothers Pictures

Some of the best television performances in history have come from the people who created their show. A great example is Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Fleabag. Aspects of this short-lived series can be debated, but what’s certain is that Waller-Bridge was fantastic. 

 
4 of 20

Quinta Brunson, 'Abbott Elementary'

Quinta Brunson, 'Abbott Elementary'
Delicious Non-Sequitur

See what we mean about actors who created their shows? Quinta Brunson shines as Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary. She thinks of every last detail to make the character as real as possible, and Janine has definitely become a part of Brunson. 

 
5 of 20

Mary Tyler Moore, 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'

Mary Tyler Moore, 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show'
MTM Enterprises

We’ve got to give it up for the ladies who were leading their shows before it was commonplace. Mary Tyler Moore was excellent as Mary Richards in The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She gave a master class in comedic timing. 

 
6 of 20

Fran Drescher, 'The Nanny'

Fran Drescher, 'The Nanny'
Sternin & Fraser Ink Inc.

The Nanny had a lot going for it — great writing, a fun premise, and hilarious supporting characters — but none of that would’ve mattered if Fran Drescher hadn’t been so good as Fran Fine. The role defined her career, but Drescher defined that series. 

 
7 of 20

Mindy Kaling, 'The Mindy Project'

Mindy Kaling, 'The Mindy Project'
3 Arts Entertainment

Mindy Kaling has great vision. She knows exactly what she wants out of a show, and that’s why her best work has come from her own creations. The Mindy Project wouldn’t have worked without Kaling as the lead, and she proved it in every episode. 

 
8 of 20

Zooey Deschanel, 'New Girl'

Zooey Deschanel, 'New Girl'
Elizabeth Meriwether Pictures

It would be hard for anyone to shine, regardless of gender, against a cast made of Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, and Lamorne Morris, but that’s how good Zooey Deschanel was in New Girl. She commanded attention in her scenes, always making her presence known. 

 
9 of 20

Lucille Ball, 'I Love Lucy'

Lucille Ball, 'I Love Lucy'
Desilu Productions

We probably still would’ve had female-led sitcoms without Lucille Ball’s influence, but they probably wouldn’t have been nearly as good. Ball was everything in I Love Lucy, and her impact went far beyond the six seasons of her show. 

 
10 of 20

Candice Bergen, 'Murphy Brown'

Candice Bergen, 'Murphy Brown'
Shukovsky-English Productions/Entertainment

Despite having more Emmy Awards than most sitcoms combined, Murphy Brown doesn’t get its due. But no more. Candice Bergen and the show deserve better. 

 
11 of 20

Calista Flockhart, 'Ally McBeal'

Calista Flockhart, 'Ally McBeal'
David E. Kelley Productions

When thinking of ‘90s television, it’s impossible to ignore Ally McBeal. Calista Flockhart did what she does best and made Ally McBeal one of the most memorable pieces of TV from its time. 

 
12 of 20

Reba McEntire, 'Reba'

Reba McEntire, 'Reba'
Acme Productions

Who would’ve thought that a country superstar could make such a good sitcom lead? Reba McEntire proved that she can do it all in her titular sitcom, and she became a comedic icon in the process. 

 
13 of 20

America Ferrera, 'Ugly Betty'

America Ferrera, 'Ugly Betty'
Ventanarosa Productions

After her role in Barbie, some might say that that’s America Ferrera’s career-defining role, but sitcom fans will know that she was just as good — possibly better — in Ugly Betty. That show is legendary, and it’s thanks in part to Ferrera’s performance. 

 
14 of 20

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 'Veep'

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 'Veep'
HBO Entertainment

Julia Louis-Dreyfus has given stellar performances in every show she’s been in, but there was something special about her work in Veep. When people talk about actors being born to play certain roles, they’re talking about Louis-Dreyfus in Veep

 
15 of 20

Ellie Kemper, 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'

Ellie Kemper, 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'
Little Stranger, Inc.

Ellie Kemper doesn’t get enough credit for her performance in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt . Tina Fey and Tituss Burgess get recognition for their contributions — and rightfully so — but Kemper was the heart and soul of that series. 

 
16 of 20

Sarah Jessica Parker, 'Sex and the City'

Sarah Jessica Parker, 'Sex and the City'
Darren Star Productions

Sex and the City was an ensemble show, but Sarah Jessica Parker’s performance as Carrie Bradshaw elevated the series. She had fantastic writing to work with, but the character wouldn’t be so maddeningly memorable if it weren’t for Parker’s outstanding work. 

 
17 of 20

Bea Arthur, 'Maude'

Bea Arthur, 'Maude'
Tandem Productions

Bea Arthur is another woman who doesn’t get enough credit for her contributions to television as a whole. Yes, she was great in The Golden Girls, but before that, she was the iconic Maude on her own show. Mind you, that character was only in two episodes of All in the Family and still warranted a spin-off. That is power. 

 
18 of 20

Kristen Bell, 'The Good Place'

Kristen Bell, 'The Good Place'
Fremulon

The Good Place was a damn near perfect TV series, and Kristen Bell was a damn near perfect lead. She made Eleanor Shellstrop, a character who had seemingly no redeeming qualities, someone the audience wanted to root for, and that is no easy feat. 

 
19 of 20

Elizabeth Montgomery, 'Bewitched'

Elizabeth Montgomery, 'Bewitched'
Screen Gems

The sitcom actresses of the early days of television were putting in serious work. Elizabeth Montgomery filmed over 250 episodes of Bewitched, and she was spectacular in every single one of them. 

 
20 of 20

Barbara Eden, 'I Dream of Jeannie'

Barbara Eden, 'I Dream of Jeannie'
Sidney Sheldon Productions

The premises of older sitcoms were much simpler — an astronaut comes across a genie, for example — but that shows just how good the performances were. Audiences didn’t care about the plot of I Dream of Jeannie. They just loved Barbara Eden. 

Acacia Deadrick

Acacia Deadrick is a South Dakota-based writer who has written for sites such as Nicki Swift, The List, and Glam. She loves music and all things pop culture, and she can be found watching TV, completing a crossword puzzle, or reading in her spare time. 

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Jets coaches try to calm situation in wake of Justin Fields' comments
NFL

Jets coaches try to calm situation in wake of Justin Fields' comments

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Winners and losers from Packers' dominant preseason win over Seahawks
NFL

Winners and losers from Packers' dominant preseason win over Seahawks

The Green Bay Packers have completed their last preseason game before the start of the NFL regular season, doing so in dominant fashion against the Seattle Seahawks. With a final score of 20-7, the Packers got the final word after the two teams had several brutal fisticuffs on Thursday’s joint practice. The team had several players star in their roles during their final auditions before roster cuts on Tuesday, but while Saturday’s game was all Green Bay, several players also missed their chance to leave a lasting impression. Winner: Ty’Ron Hopper impresses with several splash Plays Any Green Bay Packers fans who watched Saturday afternoon’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks are now familiar with the name Ty’Ron Hopper. The second-year linebacker out of Missouri was all over the field, making several impressive plays. He finished with three tackles, a sack, and some good plays in coverage as well. Additionally, he had a forced fumble on a fourth-down play where Seahawks QB Jalen Milroe had achieved enough yardage to move the chains, but found himself unable to hold onto the ball. Hopper was not a name getting a lot of attention entering camp, but there’s no chance of him not making the roster following an excellent preseason. With starters Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie cemented as the top three ‘backers for the team, Hopper appears to firmly have his hands on the reins for the fourth spot. Winner: Kalen King makes his presence felt Kalen King may have been an outside shot to make the roster a few weeks ago, but it seems like many think the former Penn State star has done enough. King ran with some of the Green Bay starters on defense during the opening periods of the game and had several important contributions. None stands out more than his fumble recovery, which was one of four turnovers forced by the team on the afternoon. In addition to the fumble recovery, he had a strong tackle on Jalen Milroe as the Seattle quarterback scampered towards the end zone, which resulted in no gain. While the secondary remains an area of concern for the Pack, King looks like he may have done enough to ensure he is a part of it entering the season. Loser: Rookie Anthony Belton still has a lot to learn Rookie offensive tackle Anthony Belton has certainly had his struggles this preseason. Just a week after being called for five first-half penalties against the Indianapolis Colts, Belton continued to show up with some poor moments against Seattle. Although he was only called for one false start on Saturday afternoon, head coach Matt LaFleur was seen ripping into Belton during the late first half. Later, it was revealed that LaFleur was upset with Belton’s stance on a third–down play where the team was hoping to secure field goal position. Belton will likely not be counted on for many snaps on offense this upcoming season. He clearly has a way to go before he can develop into a reliable player. Loser: Sean Clifford fails to impress in third-string QB battle King certainly had a strong day, but for another Penn State alum, it was more of a struggle. Reserve quarterback Sean Clifford did not have his best outing in limited action. Clifford finished 6-9 passing, but managed only 19 yards. He had multiple inaccurate balls on some shorter throws that many would expect him to convert. Competing with Clifford for the last quarterback spot is Taylor Elgersma, who had a better day. He went 6-8 for 33 yards. Even though both QBs did not do much of note against Seattle, Elgersma has had a much better preseason overall. In fact, his QB rating was over double of that of Clifford’s entering the final preseason game. Saturday’s contest was a chance for Clifford to rebound, and he failed to take advantage of the opportunity. One other advantage that Elgersma has is that he is four years younger than Clifford. Despite Clifford being just a second-year pro, he is already 27 years old. Theoretically, Elgersma has more room to grow if he was kept around.

Steelers Get Promising News Regarding The Return Of Several Playmakers
General Sports

Steelers Get Promising News Regarding The Return Of Several Playmakers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a rash of injuries following the 2025 preseason, headlined by an MCL Sprain to first-round pick defensive end Derrick Harmon in their third and final game. However, there might not be anyone they need to get healthy more than wide receiver Calvin Austin III, who suffered an oblique injury early in camp and has yet to play in 2025. With depth lacking at the position, the Steelers will need Austin to be ready to go right away - and they just received a promising update regarding his status. With the team practicing on Saturday, the status of several players was brought up by Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. "It's good to get guys working their way back. We have some guys that have been limited in their participation and less so today. Guys like Calvin Anderson, Calvin Austin, Jonnu [Smith], [Cory] Trice, Juan [Thornhill], and Donte Kent," Tomlin explained. While Austin had been practicing individually the past few days, he missed all three preseason games for Pittsburgh. Austin was less than clear when asked if he would be ready for Week 1, so it's good to get some confirmation that he is ramping up and the team is optimistic. Austin, the 5'9" speed threat out of Memphis, had a breakout year in 2024. After not playing his rookie season and having a limited role in 2023, Austin had a career high 36 receptions, 548 yards, and 4 touchdowns in his latest season. It wouldn't be a surprise to see those numbers explode even more in 2025 with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers under center, but first, Austin has to get healthy. Steelers Getting Healthier As Regular Season Approaches As Tomlin mentioned, several other faces returned to practice in addition to Austin. Among those were new tight end Jonnu Smith, who was traded to the Steelers from the Miami Dolphins in June after a career season. Smith hasn't played in a game yet either this year, although it's less clear if his absence was injury related or simply a matter of resting a veteran. Other returning players include cornerback Cory Trice, safety Juan Thornhill, offensive tackle Calvin Anderson, and defensive back Donte Kent. While getting all of these players back is crucial, there's no position that's thinner for Pittsburgh than wide receiver. Without Austin in the lineup, the Steelers are depending on Roman Wilson, who played just 5 snaps in 2024, to fill the role of WR2 behind DK Metcalf. Wilson showed a lot of promise in college at Michigan, and has had a strong preseason, but has yet to prove it in the regular season. The Steelers are aware that they lack receiver depth as well, and are still open to bringing in outside help at the position. On Tuesday, free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis had a second visit with the team, although he left without a contract. While the Steelers are depending on a number of players in the 2025 season, there's not a position group they can afford an injury to less than wide receiver. If an injury were to strike Metcalf or Austin again, the outlook would be bleak. While there's still no promise that Austin will be ready to suit up for Week 1, his participation in practice is surely a step in the right direction.

Mets manager confirms veteran pitcher done for the season due to 'pretty significant' injury
MLB

Mets manager confirms veteran pitcher done for the season due to 'pretty significant' injury

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