TV Anti-Heroines

Being an anti-hero is about more than making morally questionable decisions. It is also having unconventional personality traits that situate a character in a gray area, rather than being placed within the simplistic view of good vs. evil. Much has been said about TV’s most famous male anti-heroes, from quintessential Jersey mobster Tony Soprano to advertising legend Don Draper. Yet, we often overlook female characters when we talk about the anti-hero.

In this list, you will find 10 TV anti-heroines who are examples of remarkable women who, despite some of their dubious actions, are still exemplary of the complexities of the human condition and make for great TV characters. 

Annalise Keating (Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder”)

Viola Davis brings to life the notorious Annaliese Keating. Hated and revered by those around her, Annaliese’s methods of defending her students and winning cases are indeed questionable. Yet, beneath the ruthless character lies someone with humanity and a strong will to protect those around her. This role won Davis an Emmy in 2015.

Patty Hewes (Glenn Close, “Damages”)

Winning a Golden Globe and two Emmys for her performance, Close starred in the FX drama as Patty Hewes, a feared high-profile New York litigator whose intimidating gaze will chill your bones. Even if her methods are highly unorthodox, Patty’s commitment to unmasking the illicit actions of powerful criminal moguls and corporate conglomerates meant that her ethics go astray sometimes. She could be relentless if you mess with her, but the flashback-ridden narrative of “Damages” reveals that Patty’s strength was not created in a vacuum. We realize that she acquired her skills the hard way, which makes for a very multifaceted and fascinating character.

Claire Underwood (Robin Wright, “House of Cards”)

There is no one with as much poise and agency as Claire Underwood. Even next to another anti-hero, her husband, Claire has guile and pretty much stands on her own. She will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and even if she does something morally questionable, there is something about her that makes us root for her. Robin Wright won the Golden Globe and has garnered 5 Emmy nominations for this portrayal. And in Season 6, it’s her turn to fully lead the show.

Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”)

Louis-Dreyfus stars as (initially) Vice President Selina Meyer, who is by no means a paragon of the ethical successful politician. In fact, she is quite self-absorbed most of the time, but this is also in response to never being taken seriously by predominantly male politicians. For this reason, you want her to succeed in her endeavors, even though her means are highly questionable. Louis-Dreyfus has won a record of six consecutive Emmys for this role.

Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”)

Julianna Margulies’ character in “The Good Wife” is fed up with THE patriarchy. When her husband (Chris Noth), a former state’s attorney, is involved in a sex scandal and is imprisoned, Alicia Florrick returns to the courtroom when she starts working at a law firm in which her boss is a former love interest from college. Struggling between love and lust, and betrayal and loyalty, Alicia takes up the role of the working matriarch and leads it with dignity and self-assurance.

Regina Mills/Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla, “Once Upon a Time”)

In one world, Parrilla is an evil monarch whose sole purpose is to make sure Snow White isn’t happy again, even though that means it will be at everyone’s expense. In the other world, she is the mayor of a town who is keeping its citizens trapped in her own fabricated reality. Yet, as the show progresses (and its cheesiness spikes), we become aware of what made Regina evil in the first place. She begins to battle the darkness of her heart and ends up becoming one of the show’s best characters.

Helena (Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”)

Maslany embodied more than 10 different roles in “Orphan Black” but by far the most dynamic of them was Helena. Clouded by her extremist religious upbringing, Helena started off as an outright villain, but as the show went on she proves to be a misunderstood person, regardless of the gruesome killings and the bloodbaths she leaves behind. Her methods come to be quite heroic as she saves her clone sisters (or sestras, as she calls them) multiple times. Maslany won an Emmy in 2016 for her clone portrayals.

Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds”)

A morally questionable soccer mom par excellence, Mary-Louise Parker embodies Nancy Botwin in a Golden-Globe-winning performance (beating all the other desperate housewives that year). She portrays a resilient woman who will do everything in her power to keep her lifestyle after her husband dies unexpectedly. Even if that means selling marijuana in her suburban neighborhood and getting in trouble with some drug cartels.

Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell, “The Americans”)

Elizabeth leads a double life alongside her husband Philip (Matthew Rhys). She is a Russian spy who has been undercover as an American for over 20 years and even has American-born children. While her character is strong and nuanced, she is still willing to do whatever it takes for the cause she believes in. Keri Russell has been nominated for the role twice.

Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones”)

Probably the most controversial selection for this list, Cersei Lannister, portrayed by Lena Headey, is arguably one of the most despicable characters on “Game of Thrones.” She is conniving, merciless, selfish, and a tyrant. However, her stay as a hostage of the High Septon in the later seasons let her humanity slip out for a little bit, reminding us that there’s much more than the typical good vs. evil showdown.