10 Girlboss Dramas That Are 'So The Drama'

Gaslight. Gatekeep. Girlboss. Bingewatch.

Who would have guessed that this latest iteration of the roaring 20s would lead us to such an iconic and questionable hashtag: Gaslight. Gatekeep. Girlboss. Sure, the phrase technically runs itself as a joke, poking fun at the so-called empowered feminist archetype, but it does kinda shine a light on what that ideal of the ‘Girlboss’ fails to do.

The concept behind female empowerment should be to empower your fellow female, but a lot of the ‘Girlboss babes’ that we hype up in pop culture are far removed from actually building each other up. Each term – gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss – are red flags to look out for in supposedly welcoming environments, the same way the appearance of mainstream feminism often neglects to invite the voices of all women to the table.

The way that I interpret it, the joke behind the "Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss" phrase is that the media will idolize these so-called girlbosses without acknowledging the wear and tear one undergoes on the road to achieving that title. And for someone who comes from unluckier circumstances, if said title is even obtainable, it’s quickly polished the person into a very, let’s say Target-style, former classmate-turned-MLM-peddler-in-your-Facebook-DMs definition of a Girlboss.

The ultimate girlboss career goals nowadays are to become the next TikToker extraordinaire or build the next Kardashian Dynasty. However, like most every role in our modern society, those dream careers often exclude people who represent the fringes of the model mainstream. I hate to break it to you, but you’re probably not gonna become the next Steve Jobs for your bluetooth-enabled, self-heating mascara wands. But maybe you need to see it through to reach the end of your girlboss journey — you need to fail at your first Fyre Fraud before you can meet your Ja Rule.

Despite the negative connotations of the girlboss ideal, it's got some solid inspiration behind it. And occasionally, it does recall the feminist aspect behind the empowered ideal by linking arms with a fellow female to achieve the elusive white whales of adulthood: financial independence and grown-up friendships. And if we are willing to learn from the following depictions of girlbosses in the media, maybe we can start to shift the paradigm toward more inclusive kick-ass feminism. It's what Destiny's Child would have wanted.

1. Girlboss

What better way to kick off this list than with the 13-episode Netflix series that embodies the name? 'Girlboss' is one of those documentary-esque series with creative liberties taken for entertainment's sake, based off of the memoir of the same name (technically '#Girlboss' if the distinction of the hashtag is that important to you) of Nasty Gal founder, Sophia Amoruso. The personal sacrifices that Sophia takes to transform Nasty Gal from an eBay side gig to a full on brand are occasionally overshadowed by how much of an awful person that she is, but I think that's part of the lesson. Also, the Chicago Tribune calls it a "...a painful reminder of just how awful our lexicon was in the mid-aughts," so viewers beware – you have been warned of the cringe.

2. For a Good Time, Call... (NSFW trailer)

I always feel so weird recommending this film because, well, it's about a phone sex company. But it's also about two former enemies-turned-roommates-turned-coworkers. I just love their dynamic so much, and to be completely transparent, my bestie and I had a pretty solid plan to become a sugar baby duo post-college until I went and got myself hitched (think Salt n Pepa energy), so it's more than a little relatable for me. I think the great thing about this film is that it's pretty realistic in it's depictions of not just those awkward adult friendships but also of those times throughout your life that you just happen to fall into the right place at the right time. Also, what a killer way to embody the girlboss babe brand with an equally badass bestie, am I right?

3. Like a Boss

Tiffany Haddish blew into our lives like a whirlwind of relatability and we do not deserve her. Though I must say this film isn’t her best work, it is still a solid “girl besties as girl bosses” flick for the list as she and Rose Byrne learn just what it takes to break into the beauty biz to join Selma Hayek’s billionaire beauty mogul role. And honestly, you just can’t lose with any of these women on screen.

4. The Devil Wears Prada

Make way for the queen: Meryl Streep. Even her costars Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt know to treat her with respect. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, why? If you’re more of a bookish fan, read the novel by the same name. Do I even need to explain to why this film/book is so iconic? Seriously, what are you waiting for? Your own makeover montage? Don’t worry, Stanley Tucci’s got you covered. But if you're the kind of 'fashionista' who still thinks that florals for spring are 'groundbreaking,' maybe study up on your fashion with the help of this style analysis of the film.

5. Good Girls

Alright, so fair warning, this is a bit of a binge watch, but it’s such a good example of the girlboss squad. 'Good Girls' shines a light on the tough side of the whole "Susie Homemaker" archetype when three housewives/mothers/friends find themselves struggling to keep their families afloat. With nowhere left to turn, naturally they turn to crime. But it's not all bake sales and burglaries with this iconic cast. They are new to the whole crime thing after all, so they're bound to have some slip ups. But you know, you should never come between a mother and her family. And you've got a juicy four seasons to understand why.

6. Inventing Anna

I have been anxiously anticipating this release ever since watching the highlight reel of Anna’s escapades in HBO’s ‘Generation Hustle.’ Anna embodies the affluent dreamy NY socialite perfectly, but there’s just one problem: she’s lying. Anna is a walking example of “an airbrushed ideal,” giving off It Girl vibes when in actuality, nobody knows who this girl is. While I sympathize with those that fell for Anna’s scheming, I’m also totally here for the manipulative mindset straight from the now infamous international icon herself. Call her a modern day Robin Hood, Eloise at the Plaza all grown up, a money-minded mogul in the making, or a pathological scammer – Anna Delvey/Sorokin is too enticing to ignore.

7. The Hustle

This was an unexpected role from Anne Hathaway for me, playing the put-together mentor to Rebel Wilson’s precocious protege. Under Hathaway’s tutelage, Wilson learns to be a proper femme fatale. Think rom-com meets heist film. Only here, the marks are unsuspecting men unknowingly willing to buy into the "damsel in distress" archetype. This film may not pass the Bechdel Test, but there's something inherently feminist about ripping off rich white guys, don't you think?

8. Ocean’s Eight

Speaking of heist films, what better way to outline “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” than a diamond heist? I would not have pegged myself for an ‘Oceans’ fan, but there are few things I will not watch when Sandra Bullock is involved. I was rewarded with a stellar star-studded cast: Mindy Kaling, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway (she is just determined to stay on this boss babe list, isn’t she?), Sarah Paulson, Helena Bonham Carter, Awkwafina, and Queen RiRi herself. Sure, the logistics of pulling off such a heist are questionable, but does that really matter when you get to watch these personalities play off of each other? I mean, their fashionable Met Gala exit alone makes it worth it.

9. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

If Ocean’s 8 wasn’t enough to quench your jewel-encrusted bloodlust, allow Birds of Prey to kick it up a notch. First off, I feel it important to mention that Birds of Prey soared where the original Suicide Squad failed. Kickass characters that you actually care about on every part of the good guy/bad guy spectrum, including your hilariously antihero icon and independently indifferent protagonist Harley Quinn as she learns how to do bad all by herself. Margot Robbie’s antics nearly distracted me from Jurnee Smollet’s absolutely relatable role as a woman who’s still figuring out when to go with the flow and when to say no. And the gem in question leads all the characters to one interesting truce, but not before we get an earful of the boss babe soundtrack. I bought them film on DVD, so needless to say, I am quite a stan.

10. Claws

Closing out the list is a true undiscovered gem in my eyes. The time-honored actress Niecy Nash leads the pack of a group of girls running their own nail salon. Unfortunately, business is far from booming and they find themselves in hot water more than a few times due to their ties with the mob (why is it always the mob?) but unlike Good Girls, Niecy's character Desna wants out. Easier said than done. This series is honestly so aesthetically pleasing, and I admitted had to step away from watching because the role of Desna's brother Dean is played so well as an adult male with autism that I started drifting into "feels territory." Every bit of this list has given me a fair share of laughs, but Claws has me crying, cackling, and clinging the edge of my seat through the funny and the drama. Treat yo' self and watch this.

Honorable Mentions:

Here's a list of projects that, for one reason or another, didn't feel like they met the girlboss grandeur mark, but were still trying to vibe on that same wavelength.

1. Hustlers – not well received, but I love that the trailer refers to the star-studded crew of exotic dancers as "coworkers." Yes, queen. It's going on my list of "rainy day things to watch someday."

2. P Valley – sounds really interesting based on what I've seen from Instagram (there's even non-negative representations of spiritual healers), but who has access to Starz?

3. GLOW – I think I'm just iffy about classifying something as a 'girlboss' genre piece when a man is the boss even though these women are all about claiming a seat at the table instead of setting it. Plus, some of the cultural stereotypes are just hard to swallow even with the premise of overt wrestling characterizations. There's definitely some 'screw your sexism' vibes going on here, and it was based on real women wrestlers and the 80s show that bared the same name. And it looks like this Netflix reboot was cancelled because of the pandemic and filming costs.

4. Penelope – First off, I love Christina Ricci. Second, I love Everyone else in this film. Third, I love the subversion of your typical fairytale, 'someday my prince will come', exploring the world and embracing yourself warts and all, so to speak. That said, this is less 'girl bossy' and more 'girl confident' with a sweet rom-com backdrop. Also, the whole film is on YouTube.