If the TV Land series "Hot in Cleveland" has proven anything, it's that there is still a space within comedy for a woman-centered show that features the powerful bonds that develop among women. In honor of those special bonds, here are some of other series of the past that have also made the relationship among women of central concern.
When it comes to shows about women, none are better than "The Golden Girls." This series, which was immensely popular in its day and continues to be played on both WE and Hallmark, was not afraid to tackle some of the biggest issues of its day. The fact that it continues to be watched by women both young and old speaks to the very powerful message that the series sent, and to the fact that there is something extraordinarily empowering about the strong emotional bonds among women.
Airing at around the same time as "The Golden Girls," this series also focused around the lives and loves of four women. Though the cast changed somewhat in the later seasons, there was always the feeling that these were extraordinarily talented women who shared their lives and businesses with one another. Though they might have had their differences, these women, like their companions in Miami, managed to find strength in their friendship that helped them to face some very stressful situations.
Whatever its flaws, you can't deny that the women of "Sex and the City" still managed to show audiences, especially contemporary female ones, that there is something to be said for the companionship of women that allows them to talk about all of things they are forbidden in the company of men. The fact that these women also decided to fulfill their own desires underscored the message that women have had enough of simply doing what men expected of them.
Clearly, "Hot in Cleveland" is in good company when it comes to the representation of the strong emotional bonds between women. Although remarkably few shows have focused exclusively on women, these particular series, and their recent companion currently airing on TV Land, show us time and again that women have lives that are not necessarily inextricably intertwined with the men in their lives. This is a lesson that current network television would do well to take to heart, but it remains to be seen whether they will do so.
