Strong Female Characters

We are proud to present the second year of SYFY FANGRRL’s Forgotten Women of Genre, a limited-series podcast during Women's History Month where we tell the stories of the women who helped some of the most famous fantasy worlds become a reality.

It’s a Birds of Prey celebration on this week’s Strong Female Characters! After breaking down all of the Oscars news, Cher and Preeti discuss their Birds of Prey thoughts. Plus, they prepare for Valentines Day with a look at some of comics’ most iconic relationships.

On this week’s Strong Female Characters, the gang’s all back together to discuss inclusion in film, sweaty drunk robots, and Joaquin Phoenix’s BAFTA speech. Plus, it’s been 20 years since Scream became a trilogy which is the most perfect time to look back on the films and play a cut-throat game of Frak, Marry, Kill.

This week, Cher and Courtney celebrate the historic Doctor Who episode and discuss just how freaky it is that scientists recreated the voice of a mummy. Then, it’s time for a Hansel and Gretel-themed Tropebusters and a game of Reboot, Remake, Ruin featuring the fairytale-inspired TV shows you forgot about. Plus, #JusticeForNancyDrew!

This week, Preeti and Courtney get excited about Peacock and catch up on Taika Waititi's Rumours. Then, they celebrate all things Geena Davis with a Beetlejuice discussion and spotlighting her work on gender and media. Plus, fellow FANGRRL Carly Lane drops by to recommend a few books.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney discuss what the latest Black Widow trailer means for the future of the MCU, those Oscar snubs, and speculate on Mark Hamill’s “What We Do in the Shadows” role. Then, it’s time for a Buffy celebration with a defense of the Buffy movie. Plus, Courtney and fellow FANGRRL Carly Lane play a rousing game of Battleships.Follow @syfyfangrrlspod on Twitter and Instagram.Find all things FANGRRLS at SYFY.com.

On the first episode of a brand new year, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney catch up on important news items like Dame Judi Dench’s human hands in CATS before creating their very own FANGRRLtopia full of what their ideal 2020 would look like. Plus, they She-imagine what film remakes could look like with all female casts.References from the Episode- Kumail Nanjiani’s muscles- "Om Shanti Om" music video (Bollywood song Preeti mentioned)- “Padmé Amidala, Queen of Empty Space” by Genevieve Valentine (Wired article Preeti mentioned)Follow @syfyfangrrlspod on Twitter and Instagram.Find all things FANGRRLS at SYFY.com.

It's time for a Star Wars! This week, Preeti and Courtney chat everything Star Wars. From The Rise of Skywalker predictions to favorite moments of the Skywalker Saga, they cover it all. Plus, Cher talked with the ladies of The Witcher about fan expectations and online reactions.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney talk about all of those kick-ass trailers that dropped before reminiscing about all of those Disney sequels you forgot existed. Plus, they have some unusual gift recommendations for the holidays.

This week on Strong Female Characters, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney put on their detective hats for a mysterious episode where they play a surprisingly difficult game of Knives Out FMK before recounting why Clue is basically a perfect film.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney discuss that Maclunkey moment then take the appropriate about of time to squee over baby yoda during a discussion all about the first two episodes of The Madalorian. Plus, another round of Down with the Ficness as they read their original Keanu-themed fanfic.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney get excited about Star Wars and disgusted by giant worms before diving into a deep discussion about ghost romances. Then, Keanuvember continues as they embark on a Bogus Journey with Bill & Ted.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney kick off Keanuvember with some Keanu-related news and a Keanu-themed game. Plus, they dive into the history of Charlie’s Angels in TV and film.

When you think of I Know What You Did Last Summer, you probably think of the 1997 slasher. What you might not think of is Lois Duncan, who wrote the book that inspired the film, and hated every second of the movie that made her creation a bestseller two decades after its publication.But Duncan was far more than this one title. Her work was filled with suspense, and her life was beset by tragedy.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney question why a person would want to pinch their phone and discuss that Catwoman casting news. Plus, they talk about every version of Sarah Connor then try to decide how she would’ve fared on the Titanic.

The week on Strong Female Characters, Courtney and Preeti discuss just what they cannot wait to watch on Disney+ and in honor of her upcoming birthday, gush about what makes our princess, general, and space mom Carrie Fisher so special.

Horror’s having a bit of a moment, but this time the genre’s comeback is steered by stories that are far more diverse & inclusive than ever before. Join hosts SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS founder & managing editor Cher Martinetti & Rotten Tomatoes editor Jacqueline Coley, as they talk to Issa López (TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID), April Wolfe (BLACK CHRISTMAS), and Jennifer Reeder (KNIVES AND SKIN) about their love of horror, their influences, and what it takes to become a Queen of Scream.

The gang’s all back together! This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney reunite to discuss that Spider-Man news (!!!) and reveal their hopes and dreams for this year’s New York Comic Con. Then they play a few celebratory rounds of Frak, Marry, Kill: The Good Place Edition.

While Cher is at Fantastic Fest, Preeti and Courtney discuss Tom DeLonge’s UFO discovery, the potential return of the piece of legend known as The Star Wars Christmas Special, then dive into the underappreciated film gems you’ve probably never seen.

This week, Cher and Preeti are off living their best lives so Courtney is joined by fellow FANGRRLS Carly and Sara to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our favorite underrated gem, Jennifer’s Body. In this house we stan Megan Fox, Karyn Kusama, and Diablo Cody.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney celebrate T-rex weddingwear, lament Patty Jenkins's Netflix wage gap, and discuss that wicked, evil conjurer of evil spirits himself, Harry Potter. Then, our three co-(g)hosts take a trip to the beyond and talk about the afterlife in genre--the good, the bad, and the bonkers.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney gush over gay representation in The Eternals, celebrate even more theme park news, and spend a lot of time talking about butts, then give themselves to the Dark Side, the Force, and a lengthy discussion about whether or not C-3PO is a total jerk while discussing all things Rise of Skywalker.

This week, Cher and Courtney delight over the announcements at D23, celebrate the goodness of dogs, and cringe at the horrors of ear spiders (shudder), then discuss the trope of the femme fatale and if it's actually the empowered character choice writers seem to think it is.

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney discuss the Wheel of Time casting news, squeal in terror and delight over the mysterious TV-headed delivery man, and bring their own deeply on-brand Avengers-based fan fic into the world. We also introduce our newest segment, Get Rec'd with Carly Lane and Kayleigh Donaldson, featuring the latest in SFF romance.And if you want to check out any of the books we chatted about, here's the full list!Year One by Nora Roberts (Chronicles of the One series);Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling series);The Beyond series by Kit Rocha;Firelight by Kristen Callihan (Darkest London series);The Winter King by CL Wilson

This week, Cher, Preeti, and Courtney talk Quentin Tarantino and Bruce Lee, delight over the potential of a Nintendo theme park (GIVE US A ZELDA RIDE, PLEASE), share their most unpopular opinions, and Preeti pitches Cher on a little-known book series about a boy who lived.

This week, Cher and Courtney talk about the plague of grasshoppers attacking Las Vegas, celebrate The Boys, and play a game of Reboot, Remake, Ruin with some real classics (and also the Halle Berry Catwoman).

This week, Cher, Preeti and Courtney are breaking down the biggest and best news (and some of the not-so-great news) from this year's SDCC, including the delightful announcement that Brandon Routh will once again be donning the Supe cape, marketing nostalgia with the resurgence of certain genre franchises (*cough* Terminator *cough*) and more.

This week, Preeti and Courtney talk Picard, aka The Patrick Stewart Show with Dogs and Wine, and prepare their bodies and minds for San Diego Comic-Con with a game of Frak, Marry, Con.

Cher, Preeti and Courtney are back to talk all things Spider-Man: Far From Home, from shipping May and Happy to shipping themselves with Mysterio to those game-changing post-credits scenes.

In their final episode of the season, Cher, Preeti and Courtney dive deep into Avengers: Endgame and bid a fond farewell to the MCU as we know it.

This week, Cher, Preeti and Courtney crave sleep, lament Y: The Last Man, and welcome our new zombie pig overlords, then play an Endgame-themed round of Idris for Everything (spoiler: Idris Elba should be in everything) and talk about our Avengers OTPs (Cap 'n Buck 4ever).

This week, Cher, Preeti and Courtney celebrate men who aren't afraid to be feminists, break down all that Disney+ news, and are joined by Game of Thrones superfan Katie Wilson to place their bets on who will win the Iron Throne (and Courtney sells them on a theory that it will be Ned Stark's Rapidly Decomposing Head).

This week, Cher, Preeti and Courtney celebrate Ao3's Hugo nomination and John Cho's Cowboy Bebop casting, learn a thing or two about dolphin love, and honor the 15th anniversary of Ella Enchanted by breaking down the tropes of the Cinderella story and the wicked stepmother.

This week, Preeti and Courtney are joined by guest co-host Riley Silverman to discuss Mark Hamill as Chucky, pen a Will Smith-style rap for the Matrix, side-eye NASA's suit availability and play a 'Magicians'-themed game of Frak, Marry, Kill.

Creature from the Black Lagoon is a science fiction classic and its iconic Gill-Man one of the most recognizable and famous monsters ever created. It should have marked the beginning of a long film career for creator Milicent Patrick. But thanks to an egomaniacal boss, it would be her last film before fading to obscurity.

Tarpé Mills gave the world more than its first female superhero written and drawn by a woman — she gave girls and women a character who defied societal expectations and gender norms, who owned her sexuality and turned misogynistic tropes on their head.

Jackie Ormes was the first Black woman to become a professional cartoonist. Her illustrations depicted Black girls and women in ways most of society refused to portray them at the time — glamourous, educated, opinionated, snarky, and with political awareness and social justice slant.

From writing comics to voicing Meowth on Pokémon for eight seasons, Maddie Blaustein made a huge impact in her short life — and gave trans and intersex kids someone to look up to.

Professor Ellen Beeman's career in the games industry, which began back in the early '90s on the popular Wing Commander franchise and has since spanned over 40 different titles, continues to have a major impact on the next generation of rising female game developers, writers, and producers.

As an editor at DC, Dorothy Woolfolk faced relentless criticism and misogyny, her impact diminished and dismissed at every turn by the men annoyed and threatened by her, but she's more than a footnote or cautionary tale of harassment — in fact, Woolfolk brought Kryptonite to the Superman comics.

Casting is one of the film industry's most misunderstood processes, and it also happens to be a field dominated by women — but one woman, Sarah Halley Finn, gave us the MCU as we know it (and a plethora of hotties named Chris).

The Duchess of Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, was a poet, a philosopher, a scientist, a philanthropist, a socialite, and a pioneering sci-fi author who helped to create the literary genre we adore so much to this day.

Vera West worked to no credit and died under very mysterious circumstances, but her costuming work on Bride of Frankenstein helped craft the aesthetic of women in the golden age of horror.

You've definitely heard of Kevin Feige and maybe Louis D'Esposito, but did you know there's a third partner in the MCU triumvirate? Her name is Victoria Alonso, and she's a kickass producer who's been part of Marvel Studios since the beginning with over 20 blockbusters under her belt.

On today's episode of Forgotten Women of Genre, we turn our attention to the woman who made action movie history with her editing on Mad Max: Fury Road, Margaret Sixel.

Debra Hill was a producer, screenwriter and the "godmother of indie filmmaking,” whose successes in Hollywood opened the door for future generations to follow in her footsteps.

As a silent-era director, Lois Weber created some early works of genre that still hold up surprisingly well by today's standards.

This week, Preeti and Courtney celebrate the greatness of the Avengers: Endgame trailer and welcome Shang-Chi and Destin Daniel Cretton to the MCU, and we present part two of Cher's interview with Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Living in a society beleaguered by the horrors reported from the frontlines of WWI, Gertrude Barrows Bennett — under the pen name Francis Stevens — created dark fiction the likes of which the world had never before seen.

From her breathtaking work on Bram Stoker's Dracula to the boundary pushing baroque madness of her collaborations with director Tarsem Singh, Japanese production and costume designer Eiko Ishioka created some of the most striking and revolutionary clothes ever seen on film.

Despite not being credited for it in her lifetime, Delia Derbyshire wrote the Doctor Who theme song and contributed a great deal of work to British TV and film through the late '60s.