Currently, the entertainment industry is saturated with so many influencers and reality TV stars, it's hard to remember a time when TV was mainly comprised of scripted shows full of endearing, admirable characters. The adolescent audience is arguably the most impressionable, yet the women displayed to our youth in today's society have much to be desired.
Leaping back in time, let's take a look at ten of the best teen heroines featured on the silver screen, and the reasons behind their deserved legacy.
Topanga Lawrence: Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel) is the larger-than-life know-it-all who's constantly in an on-again-off-again relationship with Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) in the famous teen dramedy, Boy Meets World. The typical tale of romance budding from hatred happens when Cory discovers he has feelings for Topanga, his longstanding nemesis, which changes the tune of Boy Meets World from a sitcom to a teen drama.
Topanga Lawrence is a great role model and teen heroine, always prioritizing her academics and hoping to do the right thing. Though she marries at a young age, Topanga stands behind her convictions and puts her foot down when being pressured to lose her virginity.
Angela Chase: My So-Called Life (1994)
Oh, Angela! After starring as Beth in the 1994 remake of Little Women, Claire Danes landed the role of Angela Chase, the moody protagonist of My So-Called Life. Angela's just another fifteen-year-old girl trying to make it through her sophomore year while developing new friendships and pining after her crush, Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto).
Even though Angela Chase lacks superpowers and doesn't particularly excel in academics, she's a great role model for teen girls because she's honest, genuine, and feasible. Her brooding narrative throughout My So-Called Life is hauntingly reminiscent of teenage woes.
Sabrina Spellman: Sabrina The Teenage Witch (1996-2003)
Melissa Joan Hart plays Sabrina Spellman in the '90s classic, Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Finding out she's a witch at sixteen years old, Sabrina receives guidance from her two aunts, Hilda (Caroline Rhea) and Zelda (Beth Broderick), on how to sharpen her newfound powers. Sabrina The Teenage Witch also features her popular talking black cat Salem and courses Sabrina through the trials and tribulations of being a modern-day teenager.
Sabrina is bright, confident, and strong, all qualities of a deserving teen heroine.
Raven Baxter: That's So Raven (2003-2007)
Raven-Symoné stars as the main protagonist Raven Baxter in the Disney Channel hit That's So Raven, as a teenage girl who randomly gets visions seeing into the future. With her best friends Eddie Thomas (Orlando Brown) and Chelsea Daniels (Anneliese van der Pol) in tow, Raven finds herself in sticky situations as she continuously goes on wild goose chase after wild goose chase trying to pinpoint how these visions come to fruition.
Not only is Raven Baxter a teen heroine with great attributes and admirable qualities, but Raven-Symoné is a real-life heroine herself, standing as a proud gay woman in the LGBTQ+ community after outing herself on Twitter back in August 2013: "I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you!" Catch old episodes of That's So Raven on Disney Plus.
Rory Gilmore: Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
The luster of Stars Hollow tenaciously lived on in the hearts of Gilmore Girls fans around the globe who felt vindicated when Netflix released Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life in 2016, eleven years after the show's final episode. The mother-daughter duo of Rory and Lorelai Gilmore will forever encapsulate the prime example of how every daughter wishes they could feel about their own mother.
Just sixteen in Gilmore Girls' first season, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) was an immensely great overall role model for the adolescent audience. Assiduous by nature, Rory always persevered in the face of challenges. Even when she "goes off the deep end" after getting arrested and quitting Yale, Rory remains responsible and refuses to let her hardships define her existence. Both versions of Gilmore Girls can be found on Netflix.
Joey Potter: Dawson's Creek (1998-2003)
Katie Holmes stars as Joey Potter in Dawson's Creek, the wildly popular teen drama that ran throughout the late '90s. Joey Potter is an original, unique character who marches to the beat of her own drum. Though she can be annoying and even insufferable at times, Joey always displayed a great amount of courage and gusto and excelled in school.
In the episode titled "Beauty Contest," Joey delivers an unforgettably moving performance when she sings "On My Own" during a beauty pageant, upset Dawson only sees her beauty when she gets dolled up. Joey's character sends the right message to young women-- that inner beauty sparkles much more than your outward appearance.
Haley James-Scott: One Tree Hill (2003-2012)
Haley James-Scott might seem like a questionable choice for a teenage heroine, but it's her "questionable decisions" that make Haley a great role model, particularly for teenage mothers. In season one, Haley is known as "Tutor Girl," AKA Lucas' sidekick who knows her way around a book. By the season finale, Haley winds up married to Lucas' half-brother, Nathan Scott.
During their senior year of high school, Haley becomes pregnant, which sends a message to teenage moms watching: it's possible to follow your dreams and also give birth as a teenager! Haley not only pursues her dream of teaching by later becoming a teacher at Tree Hill High, but she also continues her passion for music by never giving up on her dreams, continuing to perform and go on tour years after Jamie's birth.
Buffy Summers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Buffy The Vampire Slayer will always be one of the highest-rated cult-classic TV shows, largely due to Sarah Michele Gellar's portrayal of Buffy Summers. On the outside, Buffy seems like every other ordinary adolescent girl, but her ability to slay vampires and demons continues to impede her typical teenage life. Alongside her helpful friends, Buffy battles the underworld while trying to balance her life in the real world.
Buffy provided teenage girls a role model to look up to, aspiring to be strong and courageous while holding her ground. In response to creating a strong female figure without blatantly mentioning feminism, showrunner Joss Whedon told BBC: "The self-actualized female who was in charge of things didn't land quite as solidly... I, too, have been somewhat disappointed… it feels almost like a backlash - we want to inoculate ourselves against this by giving you everything [Buffy] had without the feminism."
Lindsay Weir: Freaks And Geeks (1999-2000)
Portrayed by Linda Cardellini, Lindsay Weir is the heroine every high school needs, defending the nerds and geeks while still being friends with the "freaks." Lindsay Weir couldn't help but exude realness throughout Freaks and Geeks, breaking down stereotypes and slashing the segregated nature of high school culture by being a non-conformist.
Lindsay Weir is the ultimate teen heroine and the believability factor behind Lindsay Weir makes her even more alluring as a role model. Jake Kasdan, who directed the pilot and four other episodes of Freaks and Geeks, speaks on the show's unique aesthetic of "uncosmetic decisions," namely the choice show creators Paul Feig and Judd Apatow made when asking Linda Cardellini and Busy Phillipps to specifically not lose weight, adding to the authenticity of what high schoolers actually look like!
Veronica Mars: Veronica Mars (2004-2019)
Veronica Mars deserves to be at the very top of any TV teen heroine list, the quintessential female role model. It's no secret Veronica kicks major ass, but the subtle nuances that comprise her character add just as much weight to her awesomeness. She's whip-smart, both academically and street-wise, and she has a great relationship with her father.
Though she's a heroine for saving so many lives and preventing so many crimes, Veronica isn't fully innocent herself. In the second season episode "Donut Run," the audience witnesses a new side to Veronica, one where she lies to her father (and the police!) in order to protect her boyfriend, Duncan Kane. Fans look up to Veronica despite her questionable judgment calls, because showing your faults is more relatable than any other human experience! Catch Veronica Mars available on Hulu.