The Women to Watch

Mariska Hargitay (51), ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Christine Baranski (63), ‘The Good Wife’

Here are three steps to rule TV: First, play a law professor in a Shonda Rhimes series. Second, win an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama (and be the first black woman to do so). And third, deliver a knockout acceptance speech. Davis deftly sustains her tough, layered, vulnerable act in the show’s second season.

Viola Davis (50), ‘How to Get Away With Murder’

Then: Ally McBeal, whose hemline, neuroses and complex love life made the TV lawyer a headache for some feminists. Now: Cat Grant, a sexy, no-nonsense media mogul who “leans in” — hard — and delivers inspiring girl-power speeches in the new CBS drama Supergirl. 

Judith Light (66), ‘Transparent’

On Seinfeld, JLD’s character, Elaine Benes (and her awkward, retina-scarring “kick dance”), earned the actress her first of six Emmys. The Veep star just took home another statuette — her fourth in a row — for channeling grossly incompetent, foul-mouthed President (at last!) Selina Meyer in HBO’s biting political satire. 

Calista Flockhart (51), ‘Supergirl’

“It’s kind of hip to be on Netflix when you’re an old broad,” Jane Fonda has said about teaming up with Lily Tomlin in Grace and Frankie. The longtime friends (and 9 to 5 costars) winningly play frenemies-turned-roommates after their attorney husbands burst out of the closet and reveal their two-decade love affair. 

Kathy Bates (67), ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’

Murderous voodoo queen? Check. Three-breasted woman? Check. Tina Turner? Check. This Yale graduate has made her career playing fiery, magnetic women. This fall, Bassett returned to AHS to play an actress — and Lady Gaga’s spurned lover — in Hotel, while last January she directed a Lifetime biopic about Whitney Houston.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (54), ‘Veep’

What exactly is “Code Black”? Complete pandemonium in the ER. Luckily, the Oscar-winning actress has perfected her take-no-prisoners approach (in L&O: SVU and Damages), effortlessly becoming maverick Dr. Leanne Rorish, the talented (and sometimes reckless) head of the nation’s most notorious emergency room in Los Angeles. 

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In a long-overdue comeback, the teenage star of the horror classic Halloween (1978) plays a grownup college dean in Ryan Murphy’s new comedy-thriller, Scream Queens. Expect confrontations with cruel sorority president Chanel Oberlin (Emma Roberts) and her namesake minions — Chanel No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5. (Chanel No. 4 has already met her grisly end.) 

Jane Fonda (78) and Lily Tomlin (76), ‘Grace and Frankie’

• Soundtrack of the boomer generation
• Playboy bunnies: Then and now

Kate Mulgrew (60), ‘Orange Is the New Black’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Angela Bassett (57), ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Kate Burton (58), ‘Scandal’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Marcia Gay Harden (56), ‘Code Black’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Mary McDonnell (63), ‘Major Crimes’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Jamie Lee Curtis (57), ‘Scream Queens’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

Allison Janney (56), ‘Mom’

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.   

More Entertainment Slideshows

All hail Hargitay! In 17 seasons as police Lt. Olivia Benson, she has paved the way for strong female characters on television. Besides playing Lt. Benson (now a mother), Hargitay directs SVU episodes and runs a foundation for survivors of sexual assault.