about a cheerleader turned vampire slayer equates spirituality less with religion and more with the paranormal and mystical. Like Charmed (1998) and shorter-lived programs such as Wonderfalls (2004), Tru Calling (2003), and the newer Ghost Whisperer (2005), it shows a more complicated version of morality, in which a female lead character struggles with spiritual and ethical questions.

equates spirituality less with religion and more with the paranormal and mystical. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and shorter-lived programs such as Wonderfalls (2004), Tru Calling (2003), and the newer Ghost Whisperer (2005), it shows a more complicated version of morality, in which a female lead character struggles with spiritual and ethical questions.

equates spirituality less with religion and more with the paranormal and mystical. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Charmed (1998), Wonderfalls (2004), and Tru Calling (2003), it shows a more complicated version of morality, in which a female lead character struggles with spiritual and ethical questions.

meets the idea of God directly. This show challenges a tradition in many religions of denying women’s religious authority.

features Holly Hunter’s encounters with an unconventional angel named Earl, who offers to guide her away from her fast life and set her on the straight and narrow

traces the lives of a minister and his family, including his daughter Lucy, who follows in his footsteps to become a minister herself

introduced a female lead character who is an overtly evangelical Christian. The character, Harriet Hayes, is touted as the most talented comedian on the faux “Saturday Night Live”-like show-within-a- show that is the subject of the series. She, like Studio 60’s real-life producer Aaron Sorkin, also dislikes the hypocrisy of the political religious right

marked an increase in attention to religious imagery and themes in mainstream television. As one critic writes, the show “proved that spiritual themes are interesting, relevant, and marketable. [The show] made it OK to mention God and act like God exists on TV" (Beliefnet.com 2004). While the show is perhaps not "feminist" in nature, it offers images of women taking positions of religious authority.

equates spirituality less with religion and more with the paranormal and mystical. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Charmed (1998), Wonderfalls (2004), and the newer Ghost Whisperer (2005), it shows a more complicated version of morality, in which a female lead character struggles with spiritual and ethical questions.

equates spirituality less with religion and more with the paranormal and mystical. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Charmed (1998), Tru Calling (2003), and the newer Ghost Whisperer (2005), it shows a more complicated version of morality, in which a female lead character struggles with spiritual and ethical questions.