TV shows with strong women and no sexual violence
by beth-granter | created - 10 Jan 2018 | updated - 25 Jan 2018 | PublicThings to watch with strong women in, that do not contain any sexual violence. We know SV happens, we know it needs to be talked about, and many of us have experienced it. Sometimes we just don't want to see it played out in front of us. List order is simply the order they were recommended in. NB: These suggestions were all crowdsourced. If any of them do in fact contain SV please tweet @bethgranter and I'll remove them.
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1. Motherland (I) (2016–2022)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
This is a programme about navigating the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood. It looks at the competitive side and unromantic tale on parenting--not the cute, acceptable face of motherhood.
Stars: Anna Maxwell Martin, Lucy Punch, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready
Votes: 8,155
2. Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
The absurd antics of an Indiana town's public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.
Stars: Amy Poehler, Jim O'Heir, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt
Votes: 288,123
3. The A Word (2016– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
The Hughes family work and love and fight like every other family. Then, their youngest son is diagnosed with autism and they don't feel like every other family anymore.
Stars: Max Vento, Lee Ingleby, Christopher Eccleston, Molly Wright
Votes: 2,415
4. The Crown (2016–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Biography, Drama, History
Follows the political rivalries and romances of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped Britain for the second half of the 20th century.
Stars: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith
Votes: 256,858
5. Call My Agent! (2015–2020)
TV-MA | 52 min | Comedy, Drama
French serial about the lives and jobs of people working at a talent agency in Paris.
Stars: Camille Cottin, Thibault de Montalembert, Grégory Montel, Liliane Rovère
Votes: 16,734
6. Leverage (2008–2012)
TV-PG | 42 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
A crew of high-tech crooks attempt to steal from wealthy criminals and corrupt businessmen.
Stars: Timothy Hutton, Gina Bellman, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf
Votes: 54,222
7. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015–2019)
TV-14 | 42 min | Comedy, Musical
A young woman abandons a choice job at a law firm and her life in New York in an attempt to find happiness in the unlikely locale of West Covina, California.
Stars: Rachel Bloom, Donna Lynne Champlin, Vincent Rodriguez III, Pete Gardner
Votes: 22,668
8. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, Drama
After her husband leaves her, young mother of two Miriam "Midge" Maisel discovers that she has a talent for stand-up comedy. Could this be her calling?
Stars: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle
Votes: 143,004
9. Stranger Things (2016–2025)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
Stars: Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder, David Harbour
Votes: 1,337,264
10. Insecure (2016–2021)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Follows the awkward experiences and racy tribulations of a modern-day African-American woman.
Stars: Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell
Votes: 22,391
11. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012–2015)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, History
A female sleuth sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of Melbourne in the late 1920s, fighting injustice with her pearl-handled pistol and her dagger-sharp wit.
Stars: Essie Davis, Nathan Page, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Ashleigh Cummings
Votes: 17,727
12. Feud (2017–2024)
TV-MA | 60 min | Biography, Drama
An anthology series centering on famous feuds, including Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and Truman Capote and the New York elite.
Stars: Jessica Lange, Alison Wright, Naomi Watts, Susan Sarandon
Votes: 26,178
13. Lip Service (2010–2012)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama
Sex, lies and true love in modern Scotland. Following the lives and loves of a group of twenty-something lesbians living in Glasgow.
Stars: Fiona Button, Heather Peace, James Anthony Pearson, Natasha O'Keeffe
Votes: 4,556
14. Halt and Catch Fire (2014–2017)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama
Follows some players in the 80s technological revolution that lead to information society.
Stars: Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis, Kerry Bishé
Votes: 35,274
15. The Expanse (2015–2022)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
The disappearance of rich-girl-turned-political-activist links the lives of Ceres detective, accidental ship captain and U.N. politician. Amidst political tension between Earth, Mars and the Belt, they unravel the greatest conspiracy.
Stars: Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham, Shohreh Aghdashloo
Votes: 172,413
16. The Good Place (2016–2020)
TV-PG | 1,303 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Four people and their otherworldly frienemy struggle in the afterlife to define what it means to be good.
Stars: Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, D'Arcy Carden
Votes: 189,506
17. QI (2003– )
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Game-Show
A comedy panel game in which being Quite Interesting is more important than being right. Sandi Toksvig is joined each week by four comedians to share anecdotes and trivia, and maybe answer some questions as well.
Stars: Alan Davies, Stephen Fry, Sandi Toksvig, Bill Bailey
Votes: 33,630
Last two series in 2016/2017 had a female presenter.
18. Wanted (2016– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Two strangers are prime suspects in a murder.
Stars: Rebecca Gibney, Geraldine Hakewill, Anthony Phelan, Nicholas Bell
Votes: 6,711
19. Marcella (2016–2021)
TV-MA | 45 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Marcella Backland left the Metropolitan Police for the sake of her family, only to have her husband leave her. She returns to her job on the murder squad, investigating a case that seems disturbingly familiar to her.
Stars: Anna Friel, Ray Panthaki, Jack Doolan, Jamie Bamber
Votes: 37,275
20. Chewing Gum (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 23 min | Comedy
The life of Tracey and the mishaps of her neighbourhood, friends and family, and of course, her boyfriend.
Stars: Michaela Coel, Danielle Walters, Robert Lonsdale, Shola Adewusi
Votes: 10,611
21. The Bridge (2011–2018)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer.
Stars: Sofia Helin, Rafael Pettersson, Sarah Boberg, Candice van Litsenborgh
Votes: 76,848
22. Z: The Beginning of Everything (2015–2017)
TV-14 | 27 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, a brilliant and beautiful Southern belle who became the original flapper and icon of the wild, flamboyant Jazz Age.
Stars: Christina Ricci, David Hoflin, Kristine Nielsen, David Strathairn
Votes: 4,755
23. The Golden Girls (1985–1992)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
Four previously married women live together in Miami, sharing their various experiences together and enjoying themselves despite hard times.
Stars: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty
Votes: 47,246
24. Transparent (2014–2019)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
An L.A. family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out.
Stars: Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Landecker, Gaby Hoffmann, Jay Duplass
Votes: 23,448
25. Steven Universe (2013–2019)
TV-PG | 11 min | Animation, Short, Action
A team of intergalactic warriors fights to protect the Earth, but the combination of three highly trained beings and one quirky young boy leaves the team struggling to overcome the dangerous scenarios that are put in front of them.
Stars: Zach Callison, Deedee Magno, Michaela Dietz, Estelle
Votes: 39,740
26. Girlboss (2017)
TV-MA | 26 min | Comedy
Sophia, a misfit, discovers a passion for fashion, becoming an unlikely businesswoman in the process. As her business grows, however, she has to learn to cope with life as her own boss. This show is loosely based on the true story of Nasty Gal Founder, Sophia Amoruso.
Stars: Britt Robertson, Ellie Reed, Johnny Simmons, Alphonso McAuley
Votes: 19,756
27. No Angels (2004–2006)
TV-MA | 47 min | Comedy, Drama
Nurses who work, but also enjoy the night life.
Stars: Kaye Wragg, Louise Delamere, Sunetra Sarker, Jo Joyner
Votes: 466
28. Jane the Virgin (2014–2019)
TV-PG | 60 min | Comedy
A young, devout Catholic woman discovers that she was accidentally artificially inseminated.
Stars: Gina Rodriguez, Andrea Navedo, Yael Grobglas, Justin Baldoni
Votes: 59,080
29. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Crime
Comedy series following the exploits of Det. Jake Peralta and his diverse, lovable colleagues as they police the NYPD's 99th Precinct.
Stars: Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero
Votes: 363,628
30. Undercover (I) (2016)
TV-14 | Drama, Thriller
A lawyer returns to Britain to become the first black Director of Public Prosecutions. She begins to suspect that everything she knew about the man she has been married to for the past 20 years is a lie.
Stars: Sophie Okonedo, Adrian Lester, Daniel Ezra, Shannon Hayes
Votes: 2,274
31. GLOW (2017–2019)
TV-MA | 35 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
A look at the personal and professional lives of a group of women who perform for a wrestling organization in Los Angeles during the 1980s.
Stars: Alison Brie, Marc Maron, Betty Gilpin, Britt Baron
Votes: 50,609
32. Raised by Wolves (2013–2016)
30 min | Comedy
A large family is raised by an unconventional single mother on a council estate in Wolverhampton, England.
Stars: Philip Jackson, Rebekah Staton, Helen Monks, Alexa Davies
Votes: 1,845
33. Teen Titans Go! (2013– )
TV-PG | 10 min | Animation, Short, Action
Superhero roommates Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy love saving the day, but what happens when they're done fighting crime?
Stars: Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Hynden Walch
Votes: 24,538
34. Saturday Night Live (1975– )
TV-14 | 90 min | Comedy, Music
A famous guest host stars in parodies and sketches created by the cast of this witty show.
Stars: The Saturday Night Live Band, Don Pardo, Darrell Hammond, Kenan Thompson
Votes: 52,755
35. Grace and Frankie (2015–2022)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy
Finding out that their husbands are not just work partners, but have also been romantically involved for the last twenty years, two women with an already strained relationship try to cope with the circumstances together.
Stars: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, Martin Sheen
Votes: 57,076
36. Broad City (2014–2019)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy
Broad City follows two women throughout their daily lives in New York City, making the smallest and mundane events hysterical and disturbing to watch all at the same time.
Stars: Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, Hannibal Buress, Arturo Castro
Votes: 35,741
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