# Who are your 5 favorite female sitcom characters of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [March 9, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321 "2026-03-09T18:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/81 "2026-03-10T19:09:47Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Benes (pronounced Benesh, because an S with a diacritical mark called a hachek, š, is “sh”), is a very common Czech name, and I always assumed that’s what her name was. I thought she was Spanish. Should we be talking about this? I really don’t think we should be talking about this. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/82 "2026-03-10T19:22:35Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > wasn’t even thinking about Britcoms. So let’s add: Nora Batty (Last of the Summer Wine) Alice Tinker (Vicar of Dibley) Bob (Blackadder) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/83 "2026-03-10T20:33:20Z")
I guess I should include Shirley and Laurie Partridge as a matched pair. (Tracey will have to wait a few years.) [![](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4d/fc/e5/4dfce5aceb9c080a16636fac3dfa95ae.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4d/fc/e5/4dfce5aceb9c080a16636fac3dfa95ae.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/84 "2026-03-10T21:15:11Z")
Jeannie (Barbara Eden, _I Dream of Jeannie_) Bailey Quarters (Jan Smithers, _WKRP in Cincinnati_) Rose Nylund (Betty White, _The Golden Girls_) Selma Hacker (Selma Diamond, _Night Court_) Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell, _The Good Place_) I would have named Olive Snook (Kristin Chenoweth, _Pushing Daisies_), but that was an hour-long show, and thus disqualified by the OP. ---
**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 10, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/85 "2026-03-10T21:18:21Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Selma Hacker (Selma Diamond, _Night Court_) Oh man how could I forget Selma? The woman who had an ashtray installed on her exercise bike. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/86 "2026-03-10T21:30:33Z")
I’ll see your Selma Hacker and raise you June Wheeler! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VboItM4UqtU/maxresdefault.jpg "bob & june wheeler on night court") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VboItM4UqtU) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/87 "2026-03-10T21:51:43Z")
Hmm. 1. Mary Tyler Moore 2. Murphy Brown 3. Princess Carolyn 4. Edith Bunker 5. Elaine Benes Agent 99 and Emma Peel too… depending on the elasticity of sitcoms… ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/88 "2026-03-10T23:04:54Z")
Helen Fisk (Fisk) Kitty Flanagan Liz Lemon (30 Rock) Margo Leadbetter (Penelope Keith – The Good Life/ Good Neighbors in US) Lucille Bluth Sue Heck I may end up replacing Lucille Bluth with someone else. I’m not considering female sitcom characters who are mostly the one-note normie straight guy, even though they’re very likeable. So not Laura Petrie or Mary Richards (except for crying, “Oh Rob!” or “Oh, Mr. Grant!”), or Barbara Good, Mary Ann, or the like. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/89 "2026-03-10T23:12:17Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Now, start a thread for for sexy cartoon characters and I’m all over it! Daphne Blake [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Daphne_Blake.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1d/Daphne_Blake.png) ---
**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 10, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/90 "2026-03-10T23:17:16Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I guess I should include Shirley and Laurie Partridge as a matched pair. (Tracey will have to wait a few years.) > > [https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4d/fc/e5/4dfce5aceb9c080a16636fac3dfa95ae.jpg](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/4d/fc/e5/4dfce5aceb9c080a16636fac3dfa95ae.jpg) Which 2 of the 5 you’ve already selected are you replacing with these? mmm ---
**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 10, 2026, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/91 "2026-03-10T23:20:43Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I’ll see your Selma Hacker and raise you June Wheeler! Ok, now you’ve named a total of 10 (not including the animated Velma). Please stop. As it says in the OP, you are limited to 5 submissions. I will use your first 5. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/92 "2026-03-10T23:22:44Z")
Rose Nylund - Betty White on Golden Girls Sue Ann Nivens - Betty White (again) on the MTM Show Lucy Ricardo - Lucile Ball on I Love Lucy for her innovative physical comedy for women Laura Petri - MTM on Dick Van Dyke - she set the bar for female comedians. Elaine Benes - Julia Louis-Dreyfus ---
**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 10, 2026, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/93 "2026-03-10T23:23:43Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Hmm. > > 1. Mary Tyler Moore > 2. Murphy Brown > 3. Princess Carolyn > 4. Edith Bunker > 5. Elaine Benes > > Agent 99 and Emma Peel too… depending on the elasticity of sitcoms… Please list just 5. Also, Princess Carolyn is animated, so not eligible. mmm ---
**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 10, 2026, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/94 "2026-03-10T23:26:43Z")
1. Liz Lemon (30 Rock) 2. Kimmy Schmidt (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) 3. April Ludgate (Parks and Recreation) 4. Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) 5. Roz Doyle (Frasier) ---
**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 10, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/95 "2026-03-10T23:29:15Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Margaret Houlihan > Lucy Ricardo > Corinne Tate > 99 > Lily Munster Revised list: Margaret Houlihan Lucy Ricardo 99 Lily Munster Bailey Quarters ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2026, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/96 "2026-03-10T23:41:11Z")
Lucy Ricardo Laura Petrie Margaret Houlihan Elaine Benes Kimmy Schmidt ---
**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 11, 2026, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/97 "2026-03-11T00:51:41Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Margaret Meldrew (One Foot in the Grave) - deserves it just for putting up with Victor for so long What did you think of the last episode? > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Jessica Tate > Diane Chambers > Amy Farrah Fowler > > Still thinking about the last two. I thought of one. Carolyn Knapp-Shappey ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2026, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/98 "2026-03-11T00:54:59Z")
Glad someone else thought of Fisk. Not sure if she is top 5, but definitely an honorable mention. Brian ---
**Author:** ![GenerationJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@GenerationJones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GenerationJones)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2026, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/99 "2026-03-11T02:05:43Z")
I forgot about Aunt Esther! I was older for _Sanford and Son_ and understood more of the humor, so Aunt Esther wins out over Endora. revised list: Edith Bunker Aunt Esther Margaret Houlihan Lovey Howell Daphne Moon ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2026, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321/100 "2026-03-11T11:56:19Z")
I’d go with Betty… but I’d be thinkin of Wilma… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-your-5-favorite-female-sitcom-characters-of-all-time/1028321.md?page=6)