Popular Feminist Television

Examining the emergence of popular feminist television in the 2010s, this book explores how feminism has been incorporated and negotiated within contemporary television culture. It investigates the cultural, industrial and political shifts that have contributed to the rise of women-centric and feminist-leaning series, particularly in the subscription and streaming environments. Providing a comprehensive overview of the feminist turn in television, this book situates these series within broader media and cultural transformations. Drawing on critical television studies, feminist theory and cultural analysis, it explores how the transition from broadcast networks to subscription services has intersected with the growing politicisation of popular media. Through detailed case studies of four prominent series – Outlander (Starz), Jessica Jones (Netflix/Disney+), Westworld (HBO) and The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) – the book evaluates how these flagship series, their franchises and services engage with feminist discourses, politics and activisms. It examines their textual construction, production, distribution, promotion and reception to assess their contributions to feminist media culture and their potential political impacts. Offering critical insights into the characteristics of popular feminist television, it unpacks the ways in which these series reflect, contribute to and sometimes co-opt feminist movements, providing nuanced evaluations of their feminist merit and cultural significance. By combining interdisciplinary analysis with long-form case studies, this book highlights the possibilities and limitations of feminisms in contemporary television. Popular Feminist Television is designed for students, scholars and educators in screen, media and cultural studies, feminist theory and gender studies. It is an essential resource for those learning, researching or teaching topics such as subscription and streaming television, feminist media culture, and the intersections of media and social movements. The book’s interdisciplinary approach makes it accessible across disciplines, including sociology, politics and communications, and it is particularly relevant for courses on media, feminisms and cultural studies.