Life would be so much better for everyone if these women were friends.

Is the ultimate list of TV besties?

I love my girlfriends.

They’re on call when advice is required or just a catch up over lunch. But if I lived in a parallel universe and could choose new best friends or add a few to my crowd I know from where I would choose them. In case you’ve been living under a rock, boxed sets are the new form of entertainment. Indeed, Kathy Lette writes anyone saying they’re getting creative in bed is code for watching boxed sets!

The following are my top 8 new best friends from boxed sets:

1. The Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey: She’s witty, acerbic, full of unsolicited advice and unapologetically critical. When accused of hating to be wrong she retorted: “I wouldn’t know, I’m not familiar with the sensation.” The kind of friend every girl needs even for amusement value.

2. Alicia from The Good Wife: She’s a brilliant lawyer, returned to practice after a considerable hiatus looking after babies. She’s stoic in the face of public embarrassment, loyal to her friends with a fabulous dress sense. You would call on her in heart beat for any legal issues or fashion advice.

3. Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones: Mother of Dragons from Game of Thrones – sold into marriage at an early age, Daenerys proves herself as leadership material over and over again – if ever there was a poster girl for Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ she’s your woman! She’s someone you definitely want at your table.

4. Birgitte Nyborg from Borgen: Don’t let anyone tell you getting to the top is without major sacrifice. She has been through the wringer losing her marriage, having to deal with the mental illness of her daughter, betrayal by colleagues and her own health scare. Yet she remains true to her values (sort of) and rises to the top in unlikely circumstances. She’s astute, funny, and vulnerable – we’d all like to be a bit like Birgitte and if not be like her have her around.

Read more: The 9 reasons our best friends make life worth willing.

5. Joan from Mad Men: She’s intelligent and complicated, trying to behave professionally and be true to her values in a sexist environment. Hmmm – sounds a lot like today no? She’s not afraid to be brutally honest when it’s called for and is loyal to those for whom she cares.

6. CJ from The West Wing: Press Secretary to the President who rose to be his Chief of Staff , she earns the respect of the press gallery and her colleagues with her swift ability to assess complicated situations and brilliant retorts under pressure: When having to front up to the press gallery and give updates after the President has been shot she states: “There were 36 homicides last night, 480 sexual assaults, 3411 robberies, 3685 aggravated assaults, all at gunpoint. And if anyone thinks those crimes could have been prevented if the victims themselves had been carrying guns, I’d only remind you that the President of the United States himself was shot last night while surrounded by the best trained armed guards in the history of the world.” She’s loyal, an independent thinker and can evaluate a sticky situation pronto – what every girl needs.

7. Martha Costello from Silk: Another lawyer but very different from Alicia. She’s brutally honest, expects nothing from anyone and also wears her heart on her sleeve. She comes from a working class background and has an immediate affinity for those treated poorly in society. A friend who is brilliant and empathetic – she’s a winner.

8. Saga Noren from The Bridge: Okay, she would not make a great friend as she approaches life so literally and ends up offending most of whom who come into contact with her. While not confirmed, the show alludes to her being on the autism spectrum. She’s highly intelligent and sees connections while others flounder. She’s such an interesting character that I had to include her just for variety and the amusement factor.

Don’t let anyone suggest there aren’t amazing roles for women on tv. So who would your new best friends be?

Liora Miller is a Program Manager at a private school in Melbourne who also loves to read and watch fabulous tv boxed sets. She will occasionally tolerate interruptions from her husband and three children when the fridge empties, stomachs are growling and motherly advice is sought.