10 New Shows With Women Leads To Stream This Fall

If you are looking for a binge-worthy series or a fresh female lead to inspire you, the lineup of new shows dropping this fall will have you hooked.

From gripping dramas to dark comedies and rich historical tales, each series offers a unique perspective and unforgettable performances.

Here is a roundup of 10 must-watch shows with women at the forefront, unlocking captivating plots and powerful characters to keep you hooked all season long.

“Joan” is a fiery woman in her 20s taking life into her own hands after her husband, who is a criminal, goes on the run. A mother to her 6-year-old daughter, Joan takes this opportunity to make a whole new life for her and her daughter. She creates several new identities as the show progresses, which in turn creates new trouble for herself in every episode.

Inspired by one of Britain’s biggest thieves in the ’80s, actor Sophie Turner’s performance as Joan is a captivating blend of fictional mischief and unfortunate reality. The show is only a six-part series, so you can easily binge it all the way through in no time.

Following a character who is the exact opposite of the show’s title, the unconventionally dark “Sweetpea” focuses on Rhiannon Lewis, who victim of neglect and bullying and walking through life aimlessly with nothing new and exciting to take up her time. She has a list of all those she’d love to kill, and one day she finally snaps and starts checking off her list.

Living a secret double life as an admin assistant at a local newspaper, she continues on the path of murder until her actions begin to finally catch up with her.

If you are looking for a new dark comedy to binge, then “Kaos” should be at the top of your watch list.

The story unfolds with Zeus, played by Jeff Goldblum, who is threatened by the possibility of his immortality coming to an end. At the same time, Prometheus, a former prisoner of Zeus, is plotting his revenge with the help of three mortals and the family of Zeus (Hera, Hades, and Poseidon) are all navigating their own unique challenges. The blend of continuous chaos, power, prophecy, and rebellion makes for an eventful watch.

Pro tip: it is worth brushing up on your Greek mythology knowledge before taking the plunge. 

In “Disclaimer,” a television documentary journalist finds herself as the main character in someone else’s book when she is mysteriously sent her own copy. The book highlights her as a protagonist and exposes major secrets from her past, including an awful event during a trip to Italy.

Happily married and successful, these secrets may be her downfall if she can’t figure out how to keep it hidden and how they ended up in the book in the first placed. Starring Cate Blanchett, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kevin Kline and Lesley Manville, this is a psychological thriller that explores the themes of revenge and justice.  

Gender-swapped for the first time ever in the “Matlock“franchise, actress Kathy Bates dives into a series where her character is in her 70s and rejoining the workforce at a top law firm. She is an unassuming powerful player with her age in the modern world of law as she manages expose business corruption and win cases. As the show progresses too, each episode reveals that she has several intriguing layers one wouldn’t notice at first glance. 

The new show is a fresh take on the franchise and has no correlation of the original character Ben Matlock, played by Andy Griffith. However, there are a few clever references to the original.

If you are infatuated by a good drama, “Rivals” will leave you seated until the very end.

Based on the steamy novel written by Dame Jilly Cooper, this show will take you back in time to 1980s England to experience intense romance and power-grabbing scenarios between men and women. Set in 1986, the show exposes the glamorous, yet competitive world of British elite circles and focuses on the power struggle of Tony Baddingham, a sly television executive and Rupert Campbell-Black, a charming athlete turned politician.

This show, with its many twists and turns, is every man and woman for themselves — leaving you wondering if any of them will win the war of love or will lose it all in the shuffle. 

“How To Die Alone” follows an employee named Mel at New York’s JFK airport who has never been in love and is in need of a jumpstart on life. After a near-death experience, Mel goes on a journey to take more risks, rediscover joy, and finally live life to its fullest.

The show helps viewers reimagine their life in a way that will bring more joy and guide you to a more fruitful potential with a refreshing take from your not so typical protagonist. 

During a time where social media has taken center stage in several facets of people’s lives, “Penelope“becomes the perfect escape from it all.

The show follows a 16-year-old girl as she disconnects from the modern world into the woods to create a life for herself and rediscover who she is without any distractions. She learns to face challenges while living off the grid and comes across new people who help her to discover herself along the way. With little dialogue, the show focuses on highlighting introspection, natural beauty and surrealism.  

“Beauty In Black” tells the story of unlikely characters coming together in a truly compelling way.

A drama series created by Tyler Perry, the show follows a woman named Kimmie who is a financially struggling exotic dancer that secures a scholarship to a reputable cosmetology school run by a secretive and wealthy family. As Kimmie becomes involved with the family and navigates her new world, she also gets wrapped up in the chaos of their dark secrets and tumultuous relationships.

If you are craving a good romance with a twist, then “Like Water For Chocolate” is the perfect choice, as it takes you on an adventure into the heart of Mexico and traditional family customs.

Th story centers around Tita de la Garza, the youngest daughter in a traditional Mexican family, who falls in love with Pedro Múzquiz. However family customs forbids the youngest daughter to marry in order for the mother to be taken care of in her old age. To stay close to Tita, however, Pedro marries Tita’s sister, which creates complications and strain in a complex love triangle. The show is an adaptation from the existing 1989 novel as well as the 1992 film.