Top 10 Female Spies in Television
Top 10 Female Spies in Television
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The thrilling world of television espionage is rife with intrigue, undercover missions, lethal weapons and fights to the death. James Bond is cool but with shows like Covert Affairs, The Americans, Chuck, The Avengers, Homeland, La Femme Nikita, Charlie's Angels, and Alias, the female spies in these series make James Bond look like an amateur.
For this list, we're looking at the most memorable small screen female characters that obtain secret or confidential info without permission – in other words, they're spies. We're excluding assassins and characters based on real life people. We're also excluding Kim Possible, who isn't actually a spy and doesn't even belong to a spy organization, as she is actually just a teenage crime-fighter.
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#10: Annie Walker “Covert Affairs” (2010-14)
She begins as just a young CIA trainee, but it doesn’t take Annie long to prove her skills as a spy – and those skills are many! Aside from the usual set, like fighting, maintaining a cover and finding information, Annie can speak multiple languages fluently, which is what lands her her first mission – retrieving information from a Russian spy. Her new life in the Domestic Protection Division isn’t easy, but she learns to trust her instincts and her co-workers. What makes Annie a great spy are her killer instincts and her willingness to follow where they lead, even when that means disobeying orders.
#9: Elizabeth Jennings “The Americans” (2013-)
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Set in the height of the Cold War, the show follows two Soviet KGB agents living in the suburbs of Washington D.C. They’re undercover as a married couple, so Elizabeth Jennings not only has to fight, steal information and plant bugs, but she also has to keep her unsuspecting children safe all while trying to lead the life of a regular American woman in the 1980s. This show is far more realistic than most spy stories, but that doesn’t mean that Elizabeth faces any less danger or intrigue. All in all, she makes for a tough, smart and ruthless spy, as well as a compelling antihero.
#8: Sarah Walker “Chuck” (2007-12)
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She’s a CIA agent assigned to protect a man named Chuck, who was perfectly average until he accidently ended up with the entire merged database of the CIA and the NSA embedded in his brain. Sarah was recruited by the CIA while still in high school, and she basically didn’t stop kicking ass ever since. She can fight guys twice her size and a lot of her strength comes from her determination to never give up. Despite her skills, she’s not a ruthless killer, and lets her heart and intuition guide her through the tough situations she lands in.
#7: Emma Peel “The Avengers” (1961-69)
Emma Peel may be an amateur spy working alongside a professional, but that doesn’t make her any less effective. A certified genius and scientist, Emma is far more than her trademark leather catsuit. She can fight with her hands, with a gun or even with a sword. Quick-witted, snarky, resourceful and fearless, Emma Peel saves her partner Steed more than once, and can dominate in a fight even when she’s dressed in heels and a corset. She was a feminist icon in the 60s, and she remains one of the great spies of television.
#6: Carrie Mathison “Homeland” (2011-)
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Carrie is an incredibly complex character who has to balance her bipolar disorder with her work for the CIA. A lot of her espionage strength comes from her quick wits and ability to make connections that other people miss. It doesn’t hurt that she’s incredibly single-minded, to the point of being obsessive, and more than willing to disobey orders. Tough, reckless and pragmatic, she’s the only one who realizes that Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody, recently rescued from an Iraqi prison and generally recognized as a hero, is in fact a double agent. All in all, Carrie is a phenomenal spy, and it’s not surprising that actress Claire Danes took home an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance.
#5: Nikita “La Femme Nikita” (1997-2001)
Based on the French film “Nikita”, this show follows the adventures of a young homeless woman who is falsely accused of murdering a police officer. She is rescued from life in prison by the ominous Section One, a secret counter-terrorism unit, and forced to join them on pain of death. Even though she’s an unwilling participant, Nikita quickly becomes an absolutely amazing spy, learning to fight and even kill. A large part of her strength come from her unfailing moral compass, which she manages to retain even as she is forced to become a ruthless killer.
#4: Sabrina Duncan, Jill Munroe & Kelly Garrett “Charlie's Angels” (1976-81)
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After finally graduating from the police academy, these three young women are given terribly exciting jobs…as a meter maid, an office worker and a crossing guard. That’s certainly rather typical treatment of women in the 1970s, but Sabrina, Jill and Kelly aren’t having any of it. Instead, they accept jobs as private investigators for the mysterious Charlie Townsend. This alone showcases a lot of the qualities that make them excellent at espionage – they’re all determined, focused and know what they want and how to get it. They’re also all gorgeous and they know it, and can use their looks to their advantage alongside their intelligence and fighting skills.
#3: Agent 99 “Get Smart” (1965-70)
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The show might be named for Agent Maxwell Smart, but his partner Agent 99 is the real brains of the team – and a good part of the brawn, too. The series is a parody of spy fiction, but that doesn’t stop 99 from being a powerful and glamorous spy. She’s one of CONTROL’s top agents, and it’s easy to see why. Perfectly poised undercover and unstoppable in a fight, she wins awards for her tracking skills and speaks several languages fluently. Combined with her bizarre gadgets, these skills – and more - easily make 99 the coolest spy in Get Smart and one of the most iconic spies in television history.
#2: Peggy Carter “Agent Carter” (2015-16)
Peggy worked alongside Captain America as an officer with the Strategic Scientific Reserve during the Second World War, but after the war she became stuck doing administrative work, despite the fact that she’s an agent. That’s 1940s America for you. But neither the rampant sexism she faces every day nor the fact that she’s a mother can stop Peggy from being an absolutely kickass spy, who easily ferrets information from enemies, tracks down the bad guys and fights off men twice her size. She may not have superpowers, unless you count an amazing ability to keep calm under pressure, but that doesn’t stop her from getting by in the Marvel universe, relying on her wits, determination and martial arts skills. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Melinda May “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” (2013-) Sam, Clover & Alex “Totally Spies!” (2001-14) Fiona Glenanne “Burn Notice” (2007-13)
#1: Sydney Bristow “Alias” (2001-06)
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Sydney is inarguably an amazing spy – not surprising, because she was trained from early childhood and comes from a family of excellent, if rather twisted, spies. From her marksmanship to her hacking skills, Sydney is unbeatable, and that’s not even mentioning her ability to fight bad guys, disarm bombs and use a parachute. And to top it all off, she’s the subject of an ancient prophecy. With her incredible training, killer intuition, infinite resourcefulness, take-charge personality and lethal fighting skills, Sydney is without a doubt one of the greatest spies on television.
