There’s no one thing that makes a character memorable — they can be heartbreakingly relatable, superpowered, or aspirational. These roles helped elevate many of the best sitcoms of all time, through physical humor or irreverent one-liners.

From the black-and-white era all the way to modern streaming darlings, some of these women are half of our favorite sitcom couples, but each one is funny and lovable on her own two feet. These are the best female sitcom characters of all time.

20 Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling)

The Mindy Project (2012-2017)

Mindy Lahiri is a romcom heroine who got to be messy, brilliant, stylish, and deeply human all at once. Created and played by Mindy Kaling, she’s a tribute to the kind of romantic comedy leads Kaling grew up loving, but grounded in real flaws and modern humor.

Dr. Mindy is an exceptional OBGYN, her NYC apartment is a dream, and her wardrobe is just as aspirational as Carrie Bradshaw’s. The Mindy Project’s uneven network run and polarizing central romance meant it never broke big, but Mindy Lahiri remains an iconic example of women getting to be complicated, selfish, lovable, and hilarious.

19 Jan Brady (Eve Plumb)

The Brady Bunch (1969–1974)

Photo: ABC via MovieStillsDB.

Jan Brady stands out as one of TV’s most relatable teen characters. While her sister Marcia was polished, popular, and perpetually center stage in the cast of The Brady Bunch, Jan was the quieter, more awkward middle child who constantly felt overshadowed. Her insecurities, dramatic exasperation, and perfectly timed eye rolls captured something deeply real about adolescence.

At a time when family sitcoms were built on cheerful resolutions and tidy morals, Jan brought vulnerability. She didn’t always know the right answer, and she didn’t pretend to. Jan Brady gave viewers permission to feel unsure, jealous, imperfect, and still deserving of love. In a show defined by sunny optimism, she was the character who felt genuinely human.

18 Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery)

Bewitched (1964-1972)

Samantha Stephens from Bewitched is one of television’s most memorable sitcom characters, perfectly blending domesticity with supernatural whimsy. Played by Elizabeth Montgomery, Samantha’s trademark nose twitch became a cultural touchstone, instantly recognizable and endlessly referenced. As a witch navigating suburban life, she brought a fresh mix of magic, humor, and relatable marital and family challenges to the screen.

Bewitched premiered during an experimental era of TV in the 1960s, when networks were testing genre-blending formats, and it stood out for its clever combination of fantasy and domestic comedy. The show was remade into a feature film decades later, and even inspired Kathryn Hahn’s character in WandaVision, cementing Samantha as a timeless pop culture figure.

17 Deborah Vance (Jean Smart)

Hacks (2021-Present)

Jean Smart’s portrayal of Deborah Vance in Hacks is a late‑career masterclass. On stage, Deborah’s persona is glamorous and commanding — quintessential Las Vegas diva chic — but beneath the glitz lies real fear, regret, and a relentless drive that pushes her into dark, unexpected places.

With the Hacks protagonist loosely inspired by Joan Rivers, Deborah proves that comedy can be razor‑sharp and emotionally rich at the same time. Smart not only makes stand‑up within a scripted show actually funny, but Hacks season 4also veers it into dramatic territory with devastating timing. Smart has won Emmys for the role in 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025.

16 Lois Griffin (Voiced By Alex Borstein)

Family Guy (1999-2002, 2005-Present)

Lois Griffin is an essential Family Guy character, grounding the show’s chaos with a steady, sharp sense of humor. While Peter embodies a loud, exaggerated version of Rhode Island culture, Lois reflects a different side: more composed, quietly ambitious, and often the closest thing the Griffin family has to a voice of reason.

Alex Borstein brings heart, warmth, and perfectly timed exasperation to Lois, keeping her relatable even when the jokes go big. The actress’s work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel demonstrates that her range extends far beyond animation, even if Bornstein isn’t leaving Family Guy any time soon.

15 Issa Dee (Issa Rae)

Insecure (2016-2021)

Issa Rae’s portrayal of Issa Dee in Insecure was a cultural moment, showcasing her immense talent as a writer, creator, and performer. Playing a version of herself, Rae brought honesty, nuance, and humor to the experiences of modern Black women navigating work, love, and friendship in Los Angeles.

Issa Dee is relatable and flawed — awkward in romance, ambitious in her career, and fiercely loyal to her friends. Insecure blends sharp comedy with real emotional depth, tackling issues of identity, race, and personal growth with authenticity. Issa Rae’s unique voice, perspective, and performance have left an indelible mark on contemporary television through the Insecure finale.

14 Fran Fine (Fran Drescher)

The Nanny (1993-1999)

Fran Fine is one of the most enduring and instantly recognizable characters in sitcom history. With Fran’s unforgettable wardrobe, nasal, comedic voice, and larger-than-life personality, she became a cultural icon in the 1990s for The Nanny.

Her humor, warmth, and unapologetic confidence made her both hilarious and relatable, allowing audiences to embrace her over-the-top antics while rooting for her success. Actress Fran Drescher’s portrayal was so definitive that she has become nearly synonymous with the character herself, and Fran Fine’s influence can still be seen in later sitcoms that celebrate quirky, fashion-forward female leads.

13 Keeley Jones (Juno Temple)

Ted Lasso (2015–2020)

Keeley Jones in Ted Lasso is a truly singular and original character whose evolution over the show has been remarkable. Introduced as a glamorous, seemingly shallow influencer, Keeley quickly revealed surprising warmth, depth, and honesty, becoming one of the emotional anchors of the series.

Played by Juno Temple, Keeley’s bisexuality becomes a plot point in season 3, but her story is never defined solely by her relationships or sexuality. Instead, she drives her own narrative, exemplified by her idea to launch a women’s football team, which is poised to be a major focus in the upcoming Ted Lasso season 4.

12 Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel)

New Girl (2011-2018)

Zooey Deschanel’s role as Jessica Day in New Girl is a perfect fit for her, embodying quirky charm, warmth, and a playful twist on the Manic Pixie Dream Girl archetype. Jess’s offbeat personality and heartfelt optimism contrast hilariously with the dude-bro antics of her roommates in their DTLA loft, creating a dynamic that drives the show’s humor and heart.

Played with impeccable timing and sincerity, Deschanel made Jess endlessly relatable, funny, and endearing. New Girl grew increasingly bold and delightfully weird over its seven seasons, embracing absurd humor, emotional depth, and the unique personalities of its ensemble. Jess remains both delightfully eccentric and deeply human, anchoring the show’s enduring popularity around the chemistry between Nick and Jess.

11 Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter)

Arrested Development (2003-2006, 2013-2019)

Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development is a masterclass in comedic villainy, a character whose wit, casual cruelty, and decadence have made her unforgettable. Played by the late Jessica Walter with impeccable timing, Lucille is the archetypal out-of-touch matriarch — a drunk, sharp-tongued Emily Gilmore in a family of equally outrageous characters.

Surrounded by comedic geniuses like Tony Hale and Will Arnett, Lucille stands out for her biting one-liners and absurd logic, including the timeless “It’s a banana, how much could it cost? Ten dollars?” Her unapologetic selfishness and outrageous antics are central to many of Arrested Development’s best episodes. Many say Lucille Bluth walked so Moira Rose could run.