This entertaining study from novelist Evelina surveys how, since the mid-1990s, a new crop of shows has centered around 'stronger' and 'more independent' female leads than the medium had previously seen. She suggests that such shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alias, and Jessica Jones foreground the concerns of ordinary women, even when their protagonists have extraordinary abilities, marking a shift from the working mothers (Clair Huxtable in The Cosby Show) or unrelatable superheroes (The Bionic Woman) that had been the norm.... [F]ans will enjoy the fresh insights into some old favorites.

Publishers Weekly

Evelina takes a close look at ten television shows from the last two and half decades that feature strong heroines in this slim, engaging volume. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed at the end of the 1990s into the early aughts to more recent shows like Agent Carter, Orphan Black, and the current incarnation of The Equalizer starring Queen Latifah, Evelina examines how the lead female characters navigate sexism, lean into family and friends for support, and fight the patriarchy. Evelina readily acknowledges the shows' failings, or in some cases, those of their creators, including how many do not feature characters of color, and how others, such as Homeland, leaned into problematic stereotypes. She also expertly conveys how each of the ten shows was groundbreaking in its representation of women taking center stage and fighting against the many obstacles in their way while inspiring female audiences. Evelina offers a guide to three essential episodes from each show in this delightful analysis for fans of some or all of the shows featured and for those new to them.
A thoughtful and accessible read for teen fans looking for a deeper dive into any of the featured shows.

Booklist

Award-winning Evelina uses 10 television shows from 1994–2022 to explore feminist issues.... [T]his is an accessible study of archetypes and their pop culture iterations.Evelina gives viewers of the featured 10 shows an excuse to binge watch some of their old favorites.

Library Journal

When it comes to expositions on fierce and fearless females, there's no better authority than Nicole Evelina. Her deep dives into the badass—and, sometimes, sadly forgotten—women of history is unparalleled, and her research is second-to-none. Evelina continues in this tradition with the Fierce Females on Television contribution to the Cultural History of Television series. Her approach to characters ranging from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Carrie Matheson of Homeland is both brilliant and relevant, and she explores everything from character development to topical issues in an intelligent, multifaceted way, without coming across as inaccessible. Fierce Females on Television is a fine contribution to the Cultural History of Television series, and a must-read for both feminists and gender studies scholars alike.

Bernadette R. Giacomazzo, author, In Living Color: A Cultural History and The Golden Girls: A Cultural History

Nicole Evelina’s Fierce Females on Television: A Cultural History mixes a breezy writing style with a comprehensive overview of the emerging bad-assery of women on television from the mid-1990s to the present day. Examining heroines from Buffy to The Equalizer’s Robyn McCall, Evelina not only ties their fierceness and femaleness to their sociopolitical contexts and broadens the discussion beyond superpowers to include characters such as Peggy Carter and Carrie Mathison, but focuses on the nuances—and responsibilities—of power and what it means for a woman to wield it.

Erin Giannini, author of Supernatural: A History of Television's Unearthly Road Trip

For those who love the series, Nicole Evelina's work is a particularly fun read. Reminiscent and conversational, the monograph calls to mind all that was exciting, energetic, and enervating about the series and its spinoffs. As a scholarly examination of the series, Sex and the City: A Cultural History is more an introduction, offering the beginnings of examinations that future scholars can build upon.

Journal of Popular Culture