Whether you just finished binge-watching a show on Netflix or just started watching a new show, some T.V. characters are hard not be obsessed with. In recent years Hollywood has really changed the dynamic of many shows and now women are being showcased in a new light.

1. Christina Yang (Grey’s Anatomy)

Grey’s Anatomy is filled with powerful, strong-minded female surgeons but one of my favorites is Christina Yang. Yang is played by Sandra Oh, a Canadian actress of Asian descent. Not only does Oh open doors for Asian actresses in Hollywood but Yang brings a different flair to prime time television. Yang is not afraid to fight for surgeries she believes she deserves and is not scared to defy gender roles by stating she would prefer not to have children.

2. Olivia Pope (Scandal)

Scandal, a major prime time show, highlights the triumphs of Olivia Pope who runs her own crisis management firm in Washington, D.C. Olivia Pope is played by Kerry Washington who became the first African-American female lead of a prime time show in decades. Washington plays the role of a competitive, driven crisis manager who is a leader in politics a field primarily monopolized by men.

3. Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

When thinking about important female roles in television it is difficult to forget about Lorelai Gilmore. Lauren Graham first started playing this iconic role in the early 2000’s and with the newest episodes, it is easy to remember what makes her so special. Lorelai was a teen mother, who managed to raise an Ivy-league educated daughter while being a single mother and running her own bed and breakfast.

4. Dr. Elizabeth McCord (Madam Secretary)

Dr. Elizabeth McCord plays the role of the United States Secretary of State and before her taking this role, she was a professor at The University of Virginia and worked for the CIA for twenty years. The show depicts her as a strong-minded leader, dedicated wife and caring mother of three teenagers. As a viewer, it is always thrilling to see her succeed in every role she plays.

5. Stef Adams Foster (The Fosters)

Anyone who has watched the show The Fosters would have a difficult time choosing their favorite part of this groundbreaking show. The show depicts the lives of a happily married biracial lesbian couple who are the parents of biological, adopted and foster children. Stef Adams is a cop who has managed to divorce her alcoholic first husband, deal with her unaccepting father and an on the job shooting that left her fighting for her life.

The female characters described above depict strong minded, hard working women who challenge stereotypes television shows have often so blindly conformed to. The writers and producers who create these characters are not afraid to defy molds of female characters on prime time television shows. Our ability to fall in love with these characters shows our desire to see more diversity on prime time television and even gives us women to admire and root for.