From Grey's Anatomy to How To Get Away With Murder, which Shondaland leading lady is the most loved by fans?
Shonda Rhimes has managed to establish herself as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood with shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder. And whether we’re talking about Rhimes' past shows or rumored upcoming projects, there's never any doubt that they will feature an incredible group of memorable female characters.
Of course, just because they are memorable, that doesn't make them likable. One of the hallmarks of Shondaland shows is brilliantly written, complex women who fans are expected to dislike. Whether they are literal murderers or just lacking in empathy, there are as many leading ladies in these worlds that fans love to hate as there are main characters they straight-up love.
In How to Get Away with Murder, Michaela (Aja Naomi King) was introduced as a student of Annalise Keating (Viola Davis), later becoming one of the Keating 5. Initially, Michaela was competitive with everyone, determined to pull ahead and be the best. As the season progressed, however, Michaela starts to warm up to her fellow students and fans of the show found her more and more likable due to her fierce loyalty to the group. However, because of all the shady things she has done, and her decisions to continually put herself first, Shondaland fans don't necessarily like her as much as they do the rest of the women on this list.
On Private Practice, Violet (Amy Brenneman) was a psychiatrist at Oceanside Wellness Group. She has always been one of the friendliest and most understanding doctors on the team, which is why many think she could have moved to Grey’s Anatomy On Private Practice, fans admired her quick thinking when she helped verbally guide a patient through an emergency, amateur C-section so her baby would survive. Eventually, mother and son were reunited although Violet gave him up while seeking professional help. And while that is understandable and encouraged, fans were left scratching their heads when Violet left the country, leaving Pete (Tim Daly) to take care of their baby.
When Quinn (Katie Lowes) first joins Olivia Pope’s “gladiators” in Scandal, she seemed like a lost puppy, unsure about her place in the firm and whether she had what it takes to get the job done.
However, slowly but surely, Quinn was able to adjust to her new job. At the same time, she also forges close ties with everyone else at the agency, most especially Olivia’s most trusted team member, Huck (Guillermo Díaz). Fans also grew to admire Quinn for her skill and ability to hold her own. In addition, they also appreciated that Quinn was never a one-sided character, choosing to pursue a romantic relationship and have a family. Later on, Olivia chooses Quinn to run her agency, which fans approve. That said, she still lacks the warmth of other Shondaland characters.
Sure, she may have rubbed people the wrong way when she was introduced on Grey’s Anatomy. After all, she did flirt with Derek (Patrick Dempsey). Eventually, however, Lexie (Chyler Leigh) manages to win over the doctors at Seattle Grace. Eventually, fans even started to think that Lexie may be the better Grey sister. This is probably because she had relatively less drama in life, overall. Not to mention, she seemed easier to get to know, which is something that fans welcomed, considering other characters are too broody, too mysterious, or both. Still, she is far from the most likable of the characters in Shondaland series.
In the beginning, it didn't seem that Cristina (Sandra Oh) was the kind of person anyone would get along with. She was always highly competitive. Not to mention, she can be blunt about her opinions, even remarking that a fellow intern being a model would not "help with the respect thing." As the show progressed, though, Cristina won fans over. She is a good friend to Meredith and her other fellow doctors. In fact, Cristina even helped Alex (Justin Chambers) out by giving him her shares and spot on the hospital board. Eventually, fans realized that Cristina evolved into a highly capable doctor who also shows compassion and empathy.
Marina (Ruby Barker) is one of the most captivating characters in Shondaland's newest show, Bridgerton. Sure, the attention had mostly been on Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) initially, but Marina caught attention the moment she was named the true "incomparable" in Lady Whistledown's report. Marina may come from nobility but she is no snob. In fact, when Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) took her around the slums to persuade her to settle down quickly due to her pregnancy, Marina maintained that there was nothing wrong with the people they had seen. Instead, she preferred to refer to them as hardworking folk, a move that made her more endearing to fans - even if her intentions to marry a man knowing she was pregnant did not.
Meredith is Grey’s Anatomy’s titular character and she immediately tugs at fans heartstrings because she initially presents herself as an intern trying to do well at a new job while trying her best to care for a mother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
At the same time, fans also come to appreciate Meredith’s friendship with fellow intern Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) as the series progressed. In fact, Cristina had even referred to Meredith as her “person.” Aside from this, fans have also come to admire how deeply Meredith cares for everyone around her as she juggles work with motherhood.
There is a reason why some fans think that Miranda (Chandra Wilson) is the real central character in Grey's Anatomy. In the beginning, she may have appeared cold and intimidating. Over the course of 17 seasons, however, Miranda's overall disposition changed. Sure, she's still stern and she takes her job seriously. But at the same time, everyone can see how much she cares about her fellow doctors, especially those who have been under her supervision at one point. At the same time, fans have also seen how devoted she is to her patients. In a way, she is the glue that holds everyone together and fans appreciate her for it.
Annalise is the main character in How to Get Away with Murder, who cares deeply about the people around her. In fact, during the time that the Keating 4 was in serious trouble following the death of Emily Sinclair (Sarah Burns), Annalise herself was willing to get to make it look like Catherine (Amy Okuda) had murdered Emily and shot her. Annalise may look tough and stern, but she has a big heart. That's why have fans passionately rooted for her despite her shortcomings. She may look tough but there is still a vulnerability to her.
Scandal's Olivia has always been powerful and passionate about her career. She also happens to be very protective of all her gladiators in OPA. In some cases, she's saved their lives even before they became a gladiator. In fact, She was the one who told Huck to rescue Quinn and provide her with a new identity. Meanwhile, Olivia may have done some shady things but fans have come to understand that she only does this to save those she cares about. And so, despite some questionable things that she has done in the series, fans rallied around her the whole time.
