Best Women Running TV Shows: From Nancy Drew’s Noga Landau and Melinda Hsu Taylor to Vampire Academy’s Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre

Credit: The CW

Best Women Running TV Shows: From Nancy Drew's Noga Landau and Melinda Hsu Taylor to Vampire Academy's Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre

One of a kind storytelling. Many of Us Weekly's favorite TV shows have been brought to life because of the women behind the scenes. Julie Plec worked her way up through Dawson's Creek and Kyle XY until she got her first opportunity to step up as a showrunner in 2009 alongside Kevin Williamson (who later stepped down, giving Plec full control.) The writing team opened up about dividing their work to initially develop The Vampire Diaries for The CW. "I would say this of our partnership. Much to our detriment, we are very codependent and we like to make all the decisions together," Plec told Deadline in 2010. "I always say we should be two people doing two people’s jobs creatively. Instead, we’re two people doing one person’s job. Instead of having an extra brain, we share a brain right now." She continued: "But I think that’s going to be true of any first season show when you are really just trying to get a shared sensibility, and one person wouldn’t necessarily know the right look or tone or vibe or attitude right off the bat. So, the two of us can duke it out, fight it out. And as far as the process goes, we both sign off on everything – we write together, we break story together, we do everything together." After wrapping up production on the epic vampire series in 2017, Plec continued to expand the bloodsucking genre with Peacock's Vampire Academy, which debuted in 2022. The series, based on books of the same name by Richelle Mead, reunited the screenwriter and Marguerite MacIntyre on their next writing project. MacIntyre played Sheriff Forbes on TVD and was a writer on the the show's spinoff The Originals. [jwplayer LfhwE160-zhNYySv2] "The thing with Marguerite is that she’s a beautiful writer and a beautiful brain. She knows everything about everything, and she has such an interesting perspective on life. She has a nuanced, layered, intelligent perspective on all the themes that I like to play in, probably much deeper than the way I look at life," Plec gushed to Collider in September 2022 after working with MacIntyre on the TVD franchise. "I get to have this partner who is so intelligent and so talented, and who also has this gift for understanding the big picture. Having looked at it from the point of view of an actor for so many years, and as a writer, and ultimately as a director and filmmaker, if not in this moment, in the future, she has that whole big picture approach to being a good leader." Meanwhile, Noga Landau and Melinda Hsu Taylor have also left their mark with their collaboration on The CW's Nancy Drew and Tom Swift. Ahead of Nancy Drew's premiere, the duo discussed how they approached recreating the story for the small screen. "I think it’s age appropriate in this day and time to show what we show on screen. I also think that we have an opportunity with Nancy Drew," Landau told KSite TV in 2019. "To show a girl who is not only smart, brave, driven, complicated, fraught — all the things on all the spectrum, but also that she has healthy, consensual, good sex with people that she cares about and that you can have all those things and still be the hero of the show. And I think that’s just important for girls and boys, everyone to see up on screen." Scroll down to meet the women who were at the helm of our favorite TV shows:

Credit: The CW

Best Women Running TV Shows: From Nancy Drew's Noga Landau and Melinda Hsu Taylor to Vampire Academy's Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre

One of a kind storytelling. Many of Us Weekly's favorite TV shows have been brought to life because of the women behind the scenes. Julie Plec worked her way up through Dawson's Creek and Kyle XY until she got her first opportunity to step up as a showrunner in 2009 alongside Kevin Williamson (who later stepped down, giving Plec full control.) The writing team opened up about dividing their work to initially develop The Vampire Diaries for The CW. "I would say this of our partnership. Much to our detriment, we are very codependent and we like to make all the decisions together," Plec told Deadline in 2010. "I always say we should be two people doing two people’s jobs creatively. Instead, we’re two people doing one person’s job. Instead of having an extra brain, we share a brain right now." She continued: "But I think that’s going to be true of any first season show when you are really just trying to get a shared sensibility, and one person wouldn’t necessarily know the right look or tone or vibe or attitude right off the bat. So, the two of us can duke it out, fight it out. And as far as the process goes, we both sign off on everything – we write together, we break story together, we do everything together." After wrapping up production on the epic vampire series in 2017, Plec continued to expand the bloodsucking genre with Peacock's Vampire Academy, which debuted in 2022. The series, based on books of the same name by Richelle Mead, reunited the screenwriter and Marguerite MacIntyre on their next writing project. MacIntyre played Sheriff Forbes on TVD and was a writer on the the show's spinoff The Originals. [jwplayer LfhwE160-zhNYySv2] "The thing with Marguerite is that she’s a beautiful writer and a beautiful brain. She knows everything about everything, and she has such an interesting perspective on life. She has a nuanced, layered, intelligent perspective on all the themes that I like to play in, probably much deeper than the way I look at life," Plec gushed to Collider in September 2022 after working with MacIntyre on the TVD franchise. "I get to have this partner who is so intelligent and so talented, and who also has this gift for understanding the big picture. Having looked at it from the point of view of an actor for so many years, and as a writer, and ultimately as a director and filmmaker, if not in this moment, in the future, she has that whole big picture approach to being a good leader." Meanwhile, Noga Landau and Melinda Hsu Taylor have also left their mark with their collaboration on The CW's Nancy Drew and Tom Swift. Ahead of Nancy Drew's premiere, the duo discussed how they approached recreating the story for the small screen. "I think it’s age appropriate in this day and time to show what we show on screen. I also think that we have an opportunity with Nancy Drew," Landau told KSite TV in 2019. "To show a girl who is not only smart, brave, driven, complicated, fraught — all the things on all the spectrum, but also that she has healthy, consensual, good sex with people that she cares about and that you can have all those things and still be the hero of the show. And I think that’s just important for girls and boys, everyone to see up on screen." Scroll down to meet the women who were at the helm of our favorite TV shows:

Credit: Colin Bentley/The CW

Noga Landau and Melinda Hsu Taylor

Before creating Nancy Drew for The CW, Landau was a writer on The Magicians and Wayward Pines as well as a coproducer on See. Alongside Taylor, the New Mexico native developed Nancy Drew and later expanded the universe with Tom Swift.

Taylor, for her part, got her start on Lost, Falling Skies, Touch, The Vampire Diaries and The Gifted.

Credit: Jose Haro/Peacock

Julie Plec

The producer got her start as an assistant to Wes Craven on Scream, Scream 2 and Scream 3. Plec went on to develop The CW's The Vampire Diaries, which later branched out to include The Originals and Legacies.

The writer was also involved in The Tomorrow People, Containment and The Endgame in various capacities. She has directed episodes of Riverdale and Roswell, New Mexico as well.

After working on TVD with MacIntyre — who played Liz Forbes — the pair continued to collaborate behind the scenes with Peacock's adaptation of the Vampire Academy book series. The Illinois native currently has several projects in development such as HBO Max's The Girls on the Bus, Netflix's Confessions, Dead Day, Clifton and We Were Liars for Peacock.  

Credit: ABC/Gilles Mingasson

Quinta Brunson

The Philadelphia native started out by producing her own Instagram series titled Girl Who Has Never Been on a Nice Date. Brunson also developed content for BuzzFeed before turning her focus to the TV landscape. She booked roles as an actress in iZombie, Single Parents and Miracle Workers before starring in HBO's sketch show A Black Lady Sketch Show.

In 2021, Brunson became the creator, executive producer and star of Abbott Elementary. The show was nominated for five Emmy awards and brought home the trophy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Credit: MTV

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson

In 2016, Robinson made her mark with the debut of Sweet/Vicious on MTV. The critically acclaimed short-lived series was a stepping stone for the Florida native, who went on to write Someone Great, Unpregnant, Thor: Love and Thunder and Do Revenge.

Robinson, who has also directed several of her projects, has an untitled Center Stage series in development.

Credit: Peter Taylor/Prime Video

Jenny Han

The author got her start writing fiction novels including the To All the Boys series and The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy. Since helping develop To All the Boys I've Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love You and To All the Boys: Always and Forever for Netflix, Han has branched out with a spinoff titled XO, Kitty.

The Virginia native is also the showrunner on Prime Video's The Summer I Turned Pretty series.  

Credit: Freeform

Tia Napolitano

The executive producer got her start with ABC shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and Station 19. Napolitano got promoted to showrunner after Bert V. Royal departed Cruel Summer following its pilot episode. Ahead of the Freeform show's second season, it was confirmed that Napolitano would remain as an executive producer while Elle Triedman would be the new showrunner. 

Credit: ABC

Krista Vernoff

After starting out as a writer on Charmed, Law & Order, Private Practice and Shameless, Vernoff became an executive producer on Grey's Anatomy. The screenwriter took over as showrunner on the medical drama following Shonda Rhimes' departure in 2017. Vernoff also ran the writers' room for Station 19 and the short-lived Shondaland series Rebel.

Credit: The CW

Nkechi Carroll

Carroll was originally a producer on shows such as Bones, Rosewood and The Resident. Following a transition from theater to film and television, the writer joined All American after its pilot episode. Carroll has since become a showrunner on both All American and All-American: Homecoming.

Credit: Lara Solanki/Netflix

Mindy Kaling

Before getting involved in Netflix's Never Have I Ever and HBO Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls, Kaling rose to fame playing Kelly in The Office. Off screen, the Massachusetts native was also in the writers' room, which prepared her for future projects such as The Mindy Project, Champions and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Credit: OWN/YouTube

Ava DuVernay

The filmmaker is known for her work on Selma, 13th and A Wrinkle in Time. On the small screen, DuVernay has developed Queen Sugar, When They See Us and Colin in Black & White. She has also helped bring to life The Red Line, Cherish the Day, Home Sweet Home, Naomi and DMZ in various capacities.

Credit: Netflix

Natasha Lyonne

The New York native was a child actor who made waves in films such as But I'm a Cheerleader, American Pie and more. After taking a break from Hollywood to overcome her substance abuse issues, Lyonne returned to the limelight with Netflix's hit series Orange Is the New Black, followed by films such as Ad Astra and The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Lyonne expanded her skills by co-creating, writing, starring in and directing Russian Doll for Netflix.

The Emmy nominee continues to direct and is the executive producer on Loot and the upcoming series Poker Face.

Credit: Jessica Brooks/Hulu

Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle

Ahead of their collaboration on Hulu's Pen15, Erskine and Konkle appeared on screen in several TV shows. The Vermont native booked roles in New Girl, Maron, Rosewood and Ray. Meanwhile, Erskine scored projects such as Insecure, Casual, Betas and Crossing Swords.

Credit: SYFY/YouTube

Sera Gamble

Gamble originally worked her way up from a writer to a showrunner on The CW's Supernatural. From there, she worked on Aquarius before creating The Magicians, Physical and You. The New York native currently has a series titled Providence in production at Peacock.