10 Great TV Series That Celebrate Female Friendships!

Often in television series, there can be a lot of instances where women are constantly being pitted against each other. However, is that completely accurate to real life? For most people, that is not the case. When it comes to the ups and downs of life, people often tend to fare better when they have some good friends in their corner. These are people to lean on and to help build up some necessary strength. Friends are also there in the good times, to celebrate life’s victories and to encourage their friends to go the distance. These experiences are an important part of real life, which is why they should be represented in the media. Fortunately, not every show tries to make women fight each other. Some shows demonstrate that great female friendship can be a key ingredient for success. These are some series that display positive examples of tight female friendships being an important part of one’s life journey!

1. "Sex and the City"

There is nothing more fun than going out with your friends and chatting about the excitement in each other’s lives. That is what has made "Sex and the City" such a successful series. The show is about Carrie Bradshaw and her group of friends as they live their best single lives in their 30s. They go on bad dates, deal with struggles at work, and sometimes have to deal with public embarrassment. However, they are always ready to listen to each other. They will dish details at brunch and they will talk for as long as necessary on the phone to get answers to problems. Even though they each have different approaches to their lives, they will support each other through every decision. While they sometimes make mistakes and get into fights, these women taught viewers what a deep and strong friendship looks like. Stream on Max.

2. "The Sex Lives of College Girls"

While people go to college for their education, the people who you spend your time with are what make the experience special. That is the message behind "The Sex Lives of College Girls". This series is about 4 college freshmen who are also suitemates. They all come from very different backgrounds and all have very different personalities. However, despite these differences, they are always ready to support each other and help out when in need. The series sees the girls help each other in classes, be each other’s wing(wo)men when flirting with someone cute, or being shoulder to cry on when their life gets tough. The suitemates stick together to face every college obstacle that comes their way, and that connection is what makes these girls so fun to watch. Stream on Max.

3. "Girls"

Friendship will not always be sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, there are hurdles to go through. "Girls" takes a raw look at adult friendships. The series is about Hannah, a 20-something writer in Brooklyn, and her 3 closest friends. The four of them all have their rocky moments, whether they be one-on-one or with the whole group. However, it is clear that they all care about their friendships deep down. They all want to see their friends succeed and always hope for the best. The girls may go through periods of time where they're mad at their friends and don’t speak to them for weeks, but they still look out for each other so that they are all at least mostly happy in their lives. Stream on Max.

4. "The Bold Type"

Jobs are stressful for everyone. However, some of the stress can be relieved with good friends by your side. This is explored in the television series "The Bold Type", about 3 women who work at Scarlet, a fictional magazine that is supposed to be this show’s version of Cosmopolitan. One woman is a writer, one is a social media manager, and one is a stylist. While the magazine may look glamorous, their problems are anything but. Fortunately, the women all get to see each other at work and help each other out. These women are uplifting each other so that they can reach their career goals and dominate the corporate world. They also do uplifting for their personal lives, as they care deeply for each other. With great friends’ support, the women of "The Bold Type" gain the confidence they need to soar. Stream on Hulu.

5. "Insecure"

Career issues, relationship issues, and societal issues are all big parts of a person’s 20s. Fortunately, a strong friendship is also a big part of a person’s 20s. "Insecure" is a modern look at adult life experiences amongst friends. The series is about late-20s best friends Issa and Molly. whose lives are meant to show the contemporary African-American experience in Los Angeles. They go through a lot of romantic issues, but they also have to deal with the pressures from society that they face individually and collectively. Nevertheless, they go through a lot of these experiences together, and that is what helps them keep their heads held high. They are two of the most important people in each others’ lives, and that is what helps them through life’s hurdles. Stream on Max and Netflix.

6. "Broad City"

A friend is someone you talk to about your wild adventures. A best friend is someone who goes on those adventures with you. That is the premise of Broad City. The show centers around two best friends, Abbi and Ilana, who get into some wild situations together. Each episode shows that a day in their lives is never normal, and it often leads to them running away from someone, getting thrown out of an establishment, or just in total party mode. However, they are never alone in these situations. When one of them says “jump”, the other says “how high?”. They are always ready to go to bat for each other and encourage their friend to do their best. At the end of the day, they want to make sure that they both had a great time, that they are both fulfilled, and that they both have each other’s back. The two are closer than sisters, and that leads to one of the strongest bonds on television. Stream on Hulu and Paramount+.

7. "2 Broke Girls"

People often say that opposites attract. Those people are mostly talking about romantic relationships, but it can be true for friendships as well. "2 Broke Girls" has 2 main characters that could not be more different, yet they still figure out how to work well together. The show follows Max and Caroline, who work together in a diner. Max is brash and lazy and from a poor upbringing, while Caroline is posh and poised and from an upper class background. On paper, the two should not go together. However, they become roommates, business partners, and best friends. They learn to trust each other, and they are always happy to stand up for each other. The one thing they have in common is that they care about their best friend’s happiness, and the series demonstrates that happiness grows when they are together. Stream on Roku.

8. "Pen15"

Middle school can be one of the most awkward and embarrassing experiences of a person’s life. Luckily, a great best friend can make middle school a little easier. "Pen15" explores the hardships that everyone goes through in middle school. In addition, the joke of the television series is that the main characters are supposed to be 13 but they are played by women in their 30s. The series is about two middle school best friends who are social outcasts and struggle through all of the changes that come with being a middle schooler. But at least they are not going through this journey alone. They understand that their friendship is really important, and that it is the only reason they are surviving through middle school. Luckily, both girls have a best friend they can count on so that they never have to go through years of being a social outcast all alone. Stream on Hulu.

9. "Grace and Frankie"

Life is not always friendship at first sight. It may take a while for friendship to develop, but it could end up being so worth it. "Grace and Frankie" demonstrate that friendship can come at any time, age, or circumstance. When the titular characters’ husbands leave their wives for each other, Grace and Frankie have to learn to start over late in life. This becomes the beginning of a friendship and business partnership between the two women. After all, they are going through the exact same situation. While the women are very different, they learn that they need each other for support through thick and thin. They are prepared to help each other out in life now that their husbands are gone. Their friendship may have been unexpected, and may have started late in life, but it becomes a strong bond that changes their lives for the better. Stream on Netflix.

10. "The Golden Girls"

It can be difficult to live with your best friends and spend all of your time with them. However, this could also lead to the creation of a strong bond. "The Golden Girls" has been off the air for a few decades at this point, but the lives of the 4 main women are still enjoyed today. The series centers around 4 women over 50 who live in a house together in retirement. They all meet by chance due to roommate searches. While it takes some time for them to get used to each other, they soon form some strong friendships. They make some wisecracking comments about each other, but it is only because they really care deep down. All of the women are happy to defend their friends and fulfill any request that is made of them. Even though the women are older, they still have a lot of fun and understand the importance of long-lasting friendships. Like the theme song says, "thank you for being a friend!" Stream on Hulu.