No Sausage Fest Here—Intriguing Science Fiction & Fantasy Series By, And/Or Starring Women
It’s no big revelation to report the majority of science fiction and fantasy (SFF) television series and films have narratives centering on men.
Despite encouraging exceptions in television with series like Jessica Jones, Wynonna Earp, The Expanse, Dark Matter, and Killjoys, men overwhelmingly remain the default setting as lead protagonists.
Unfortunately, women’s representation on television was dealt setbacks this season by network decisions including ABC canceling its superb Agent Carter series and the female-driven drama Nashville.
While we are getting a woman-led version of the supernatural comedy classic Ghostbusters this summer, as well as a live action film starring the iconic DC Comics superhero Wonder Woman in 2017, these representations are still a teeny tiny drop in the bucket compared to films focusing on the male heroic journey.
Hollywood is constantly proving it’s still a big ol’ sausage fest.
However, in the web series medium, there is far more diversity of narratives to chose from.
Many filmmakers are ingeniously taking advantage of the relative creative freedoms the medium affords to tell stories where women drive the narrative.
I’ve been fortunate enough in my work to be exposed to many of these exceptional projects.
The following are a few women-centric gems any fan of interesting and compelling SFF stories will enjoy:
The True Heroines
What if three, close-knit housewives living in the early 1950s were hiding from the world the startling secret that they had superpowers?
Okay, now imagine if those same housewives had used their special abilities as U.S. spies during World War II — and now their former employer wants to kill them?
That is the exact premise of the extraordinary web series The True Heroines.
Think of a female version of Mad Men, but with the tone and comic book sensibility of Heroes.
Released in 2013 by stars Fiona Vroom, Jovanna Huguet, and Paula Giroday, the web series is a remarkable period piece inspired by their successful cabaret show in Canada.
With its three engaging female leads, unique premise, and gorgeous period production design, The True Heroines is a singular viewing experience
Watch the official series trailer for a sneak peek inside its coolly retro world …
The complete series is available for viewing on YouTube.
If you are looking for an SFF story with a unique premise and cool visuals, The True Heroines is just the ticket.
MisSpelled
Created by and starring actress-singer-writer Lindsey McDowell, MisSpelled is a modern fantasy about a coven of five young witches — who are also young women of color.
McDowell has succeeded in weaving a charming (pun intended) narrative that provides vital onscreen representation to a much underserved audience in SFF.
This engaging series focuses on the friendship and rivalries between the young witches of this small coven as they cope with their coming of age in high school.
Watch the official series trailer …
The entire series is available for viewing on YouTube.
MisSpelled enchants with its engaging story, solid performances, and depiction of diverse, complex young women.
Project: S.E.R.A.
Commissioned by gaming and entertainment company IGN, Project: S.E.R.A. is a six-part, sci-fi web series featuring a woman protagonist cut from the same cloth as Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor.
Julia Voth stars as Gillian Eames, a woman determined to stop the black market sale of an extremely dangerous experimental drug after it kills her father — a high ranking U.S. military officer.
The drug was originally designed to hasten the healing of severe wounds suffered by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the compound has a horrific side effect — it turns people into ravenous, mindless killers.
Created and directed by Benjamin Howdeshell, Project S.E.R.A. is high-octane action from start to finish.
Everything about this production is exemplary, including the frenetic cinematography, superb visual effects, and explosive fight sequences.
But the true series standout is its star Julia Voth.
Though Voth’s Gillian Eames kicks serious ass, the character isn’t a one-note, action movie hero caricature.
Voth also imbues Gillian with keen intelligence, vulnerability, and emotional depth.
The result is a non-stop panorama of action, drama and intrigue that puts this web series on par with the best of its cable and network counterparts.
Watch the complete, electrifying seven-minute debut episode …
All six episodes of Project: S.E.R.A. are available on YouTube.
These three very different web series all have one important trait in common — each feature captivating stories centering on fascinating, compelling women.
Again, these are SFF narratives any fan can appreciate.
Projects like these also illustrate how much more rich and interesting storytelling can be when diverse and marginalized voices are given space to shine.
If you enjoyed any of these SFF series, please click the tiny heart button to help others discover them too.
A proud blerd, Rod is also a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan. He is the author of 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films (see below) — a compilation of over 30 hours of terrific SFF short films. Explore more of his work by subscribing to his monthly newsletter here:
Read 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films here:
