By Rhonda Collins, I Start Wondering Columnist
For too long most of the older characters on TV shows have been presented as senile, silly or detached from what’s happening in the world today. Mature women, particularly those past age 70, have often been depicted as frail, stay-at-home folks who can do nothing but knit and espouse old-fashioned advice to their younger, more with-it family members.
I’m delighted to report that this is changing. If you are in the mood for comedies and dramas with positive representations of cool, capable, realistic older women, consider the following TV shows.
Matty Matlock – Intelligent and Sassy
Matlock, a new show on CBS, blows away many stereotypes by depicting a strong, beautiful and professional older woman in a leading role. Kathy Bates plays a 70-something attorney who is working full-time and raising her grandson.
Not since Murder She Wrote have we seen an older “working girl” as the leading lady in a TV show. Matty Matlock is not only clever, she’s hip with technology, a great problem-solver, has excellent communication skills, and gets along well with her Gen Z colleagues – even teaching them a thing or two about lawyering and investigative work.
Matty acknowledges that older women are often ignored, but she sees this invisibility as an advantage, allowing her to gather information without anyone noticing. The show has a fun twist at the end of the pilot that makes Matty even more interesting (she has secrets!).
I’ve seen every episode so far, and I’m looking forward to enjoying more of this interesting, smart character, who is an inspiration for women juggling work and home life, regardless of age.
Matlock airs on CBS on Thursday evenings or can be streamed on the Paramount + app.
Grace and Frankie – Serious and Funny
Another recent TV show features retired women in their 70s and 80s, starting over after their husbands leave them (for each other). Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda are superb in Grace and Frankie, a half-hour comedy that lasted seven seasons (2015-2022). Demonstrating both the humor and the resilience of older women, the series documents the two women’s transition from rivals to best friends, despite a huge difference in personalities and values.
The first few episodes have been criticized for having some stereotypical scenes where the characters are shown as ditzy and incompetent (i.e., trying to “hang up” a cell phone). Yet, the show finds its footing as it goes on, presenting typical problems that seniors face, along with some humorous solutions, such as when the two friends invent and sell a vibrator designed for older women.
I recommend Grace and Frankie, streaming on Netflix, when you are in the mood for a light laugh at the struggles of modern-day seniors.
Connie Tucker (aka Meemaw) – Feisty and Fun
Although not the lead character on Young Sheldon, Annie Potts stands out among the cast, as she portrays a tough 1990s-era Texas grandmother who takes no guff from anyone.
Connie is one of my favorite characters on TV. She is an up-with-the times widow who, over the course of the series, dates several men– one of whom describes sex with her as “vivacious” – and she owns several businesses, including an illegal gambling facility.
Meemaw gives great hugs and excellent advice to her daughter and grandchildren, but I think her biggest appeal to older fans of the show is the realistic depiction of a contemporary grandma. While she crochets and babysits her grandkids (and later a great-granddaughter), she also goes to bars with her friends, drinks beer in the backyard with her son-in-law, and hides her cash in cereal boxes.
Airing for seven seasons (2017-2024) on CBS, Young Sheldon is currently streaming on Netflix.
Queen Elizabeth – Calm, Competent and Classy
Of course, we don’t see Britain’s last queen as an elderly woman until the last two seasons of The Crown, but the show is worth mentioning as an example of an extraordinary drama depicting a powerful aging female. She deals with grand matters of worldwide significance, along with petty family spats.
Imelda Staunton is splendid in seasons 5 and 6 as Queen Elizabeth, who despite being in her 70s and 80s, is entirely knowledgeable and competent. While she is traditional, following all protocols expected of a royal, including famously staying calm, Queen Elizabeth also is stylish in her colorful attire, stubborn in her choices, and tough as nails.
Six seasons (2016-2023) of The Crown are streaming on Netflix, and available for purchase or rental on Amazon Prime.
Celia Dawson – Headstrong and Realistic
Another of my favorite TV shows is Last Tango in Halifax, a British drama that centers on an older couple who fall in love and marry late in life and the not-so-easy blending of their very different families. Ann Reid is perfect as Celia, a stubborn, outspoken septuagenarian who endured an unhappy marriage most of her life, and now plans to enjoy her remaining years, doing things her own way.
Last Tango doesn’t whitewash or sugar-coat the dialogue just to get a laugh or keep things politically correct. Celia’s words cut like a knife, but are a realistic depiction, I believe, of how families interact today.
Although I don’t agree with Celia’s ultra-conservative viewpoints or the way she treats her daughter and speaks to family members she disagrees with, I admire her spunk and resolve to say and do as she pleases. She represents today’s older woman, living life on her own terms.
Typical of BBC productions, there are only 24 episodes over eight years. These can be streamed on BBC One or purchased in some locations from Amazon Prime.
The Golden Girls – Breaking the Stereotype
By today’s standards, the characters on The Golden Girls, a show about four widows who share a home, may seem old-fashioned, unrealistic and even silly. However, when this program first premiered in 1985, it was the first sit-com to feature older women as the lead characters.
Featuring Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show was (and still is) touted for breaking the stereotype of the lonely, helpless older woman. The sit-com is a celebration of female friendship, and the fact that women, even older ones, are resourceful and can solve problems without the assistance of a man. It’s a great show to watch when you want a light comedy that features strong women.
Running for seven seasons (1985-1992), The Golden Girls is on Hulu and Pluto.
Other Great Women Characters?
Tell us about your favorite TV shows featuring mature women! Which characters do you like the best? What storylines resonate with you?
It seems I am drawn more to these shows. They are the ones my mom and I watch. As I was reading I was whisked away to the characters with a smile on my face... thank you...
Rhonda, thank you so much for this post! It's really wonderful to be seeing more and more realistic representations of older women in the media. I also love that older women such as Michelle Yeoh, Christine Baranski, Isabella Rosellini, Juliette Binochet, Kristen Scott Thomas, Audra McDonald and Meryl Streep (among others) have thriving acting careers in the movies and on stage. Hopefully, producers, directors and other entertainment decision-makers are getting the message and will continue to write roles that depict older women in all of our fascinating and complex glory--and then make appropriate casting decisions that highlight these amazing older actors!