# The Great Sitcom Battle, Female Characters, {choose your favorite} Round 1 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [March 12, 2026, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390 "2026-03-12T12:02:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1 "2026-03-12T12:02:46Z")
This is Round One of the Great Sitcom Battle, Female Characters edition. Rankings are based on input gathered in another thread. Vote for one character in each of the following 25 head-to-head battles. Polls will close when the voting starts tapering off. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/2 "2026-03-12T12:06:31Z")
BTW, feel free to make comments in this thread. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/3 "2026-03-12T12:11:15Z")
Slight nitpick - Fred Sanford only had one son (that we know of). ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/4 "2026-03-12T12:11:51Z")
I’ve voted on all the ones I have passing familiarity with both characters, (about half of them) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/5 "2026-03-12T12:12:48Z")
Why did Mary Tyler Moore go against Betty White twice? Weird coincidence or choice. I’m disappointed by Rhoda vs Shellstrop, 2 of may favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/6 "2026-03-12T12:14:11Z")
I didn’t post in the other thread because I never came up with five, but my number one with a bullet would be Joy Turner, from My Name is Earl. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/7 "2026-03-12T12:27:32Z")
A sitcom battle? Are we talking about “which is a better character” or “which would win in a fight?” (It would definitely be the latter in most of the fan-spaces I’ve spent time in in the last few years) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/8 "2026-03-12T12:33:46Z")
I abstained on a few because I honestly am not at all familiar with either candidate. Hope that’s okay. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/9 "2026-03-12T13:22:28Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > A sitcom battle? Are we talking about “which is a better character” or “which would win in a fight?” Good point. Choose your favorite character. mmm ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/10 "2026-03-12T13:26:07Z")
Thirteen (52%) for me. Some of them were characters I’ve forgotten from shows I watched a long time ago, some of them were from shows I’ve never watched, and three or four were from shows I’d never even heard of. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/11 "2026-03-12T13:29:29Z")
> [@Thumper668](#): > > Slight nitpick - Fred Sanford only had one son (that we know of). Oops. This will be corrected if Aunt Esther advances. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > Why did Mary Tyler Moore go against Betty White twice? Weird coincidence or choice. Weird, I did not notice that. It is just how the rankings fell. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m disappointed by Rhoda vs Shellstrop, 2 of may favorites. I’m in the same situation with Agent 99 up against Maw Maw. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/12 "2026-03-12T13:45:29Z")
Bless the inclusion of Carolyn Knapp-Shappey in this poll. I know the number of people familiar with Cabin Pressure is small but it’s one of the best sitcoms of the last 30 years. But it’s radio, so… ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/13 "2026-03-12T14:09:34Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > [@What\_Exit](#): > > > > I’m disappointed by Rhoda vs Shellstrop, 2 of may favorites. > > I’m in the same situation with Agent 99 up against Maw Maw. Ditto, with Lucy vs Lily. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/14 "2026-03-12T14:40:35Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I’m in the same situation with Agent 99 up against Maw Maw. I had a hard time with this one, because Maw Maw was on my list, but I had a huge boyhood crush on 99. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/15 "2026-03-12T14:54:30Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I had a hard time with this one, because Maw Maw was on my list, but I had a huge boyhood crush on 99. In all of my selections I erred on the side of the funny one. 99 was one of the most striking women on TV but she was essentially just a straight man for Max. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/16 "2026-03-12T15:16:19Z")
Mr. Fudd raises a good point. However, I still haven’t decided. Maw Maw made me laugh, but the nostalgic warmth I have for 99 cannot be easily dismissed. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Thumper668](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thumper668/32/20803_2.png) [@Thumper668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thumper668)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/17 "2026-03-12T15:22:25Z")
My framing was “which one do you prefer?” - independent of the reasons for preference. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/18 "2026-03-12T15:24:11Z")
I used the same criteria pretty much. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/19 "2026-03-12T15:57:24Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Bless the inclusion of Carolyn Knapp-Shappey in this poll. I know the number of people familiar with Cabin Pressure is small but it’s one of the best sitcoms of the last 30 years. > > But it’s radio, so… I think I was the first to mention her in the nominations thread. The OP ruled out cartoon characters, but didn’t say that the sitcoms had to be on television. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2026, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390/20 "2026-03-12T17:13:39Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > > > [@What\_Exit](#): > > > > > > I’m disappointed by Rhoda vs Shellstrop, 2 of may favorites. > > > > I’m in the same situation with Agent 99 up against Maw Maw. > > Ditto, with Lucy vs Lily. For me it was Kimmy Schmidt vs Daphne. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-sitcom-battle-female-characters-choose-your-favorite-round-1/1028390.md?page=2)