In 2015, one funny lady dominated: Amy Schumer. She did, after all, have a critically beloved TV show, a blockbuster movie, and an HBO special. Oh, and she also fell in front of Kim and Kanye. While Schumer may have been the biggest breakout star, but there were plenty of other women who made us laugh.
Now that the year is coming to a close, we're reminiscing about the times female comedians triumphed, whether on-screen or behind the scenes. Remember when Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) debated whether or not to peg on Broad City? Or when Mindy Kaling bounced back from cancellation and took her series to Hulu? Or when Constance Wu crooned "I Will Always Love You" in Fresh Off the Boat?
And lest we forget, 2015 was also the year a sitcom theme song reminded us that "females are strong as hell." You bet they are. They are also really, really funny.
January 11
Amy & Tina Hosted Their Final Golden Globes
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey hosted their final Golden Globe Awards (just for now, we hope!), and their farewell was everything we'd dreamed of. In typical fashion, they lampooned Hollywood's self-seriousness and its bias against women. They also played a game of "Who'd You Rather" and gave Bill Cosby the skewering he deserves.
January 27
Ghostbusters Cast Announced
Melissa, Leslie, Kristen, and Kate? The perfect foursome.
Photo: Twitter/@paulfeigFebruary 4
Abbi Pegs On Broad City
During one of Broad City 's best episodes to date, Abbi decides whether or not to peg her neighbor Jeremy after he whips out a dildo during coitus. She does, and Ilana rejoices, as we all did.
February 4
Constance Wu Entered Our Lives In Fresh Off The Boat
Though there was some controversy preceding its debut, Fresh Off the Boat emerged as a fantastic sitcom. Why is it so great? One major reason: Constance Wu, who has begun her reign as one of the funniest people on television. Her Jessica Huang is far from a stereotype. Instead, she is an idiosyncratic woman with a killer set of pipes trying to adapt to new surroundings.
February 15
Maya Rudolph Brought Back Beyoncé
We've always loved Rudolph's Beyoncé, so when the powerhouse comedian busted out her powerhouse impression of the powerhouse diva on SNL 's 40th Anniversary Special, she reminded us why she's one of the all time greats.
February 24
Leslie Knope Gets Her Happy Ending
This year, we had to say goodbye to one of our favorite characters and personal heroes, Leslie Knope. But Parks and Recreation sent her off in the sweetest way with a happily ever after.
March 6
Kimmy Schmidt Taught Us That Females Are Strong As Hell
They alive, dammit! Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the Netflix sitcom created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, is a testament to the resilience of women. Ellie Kemper's Kimmy was the victim of a horrible crime, but faces the world with an infectious optimism. You just have to smile as you binge.
May 5
Amy Schumer Parodied 12 Angry Men
Inside Amy Schumer had a nearly perfect season, but its best moment was the episode-long 12 Angry Men tribute. Schumer ingeniously and meticulously recreates Sidney Lumet's 1957 film — except, in her version, the jurors debate her hotness.
May 7
Leslie Jones Handed It To New York
When a punishing New York winter just wouldn't quit, Leslie Jones was on SNL complaining about the weather and airing her other grievances with city life. We could listen to her rant for hours.
May 15
Mindy Kaling Took Her Show To Hulu
We were devastated when Fox canceled The Mindy Project, but Kaling didn't let that stop her. The sitcom thankfully got a second life when it got picked up by Hulu.
June 5
Melissa McCarthy Became A Blockbuster Action Hero
A Melissa McCarthy-Paul Feig collaboration is almost always reason to celebrate, and Spy is no exception. The hilarious actress stars as super-spy Susan Cooper, with support from other fabulously funny women: Rose Byrne and Miranda Hart.
June 8
Jessica Williams Talked McKinney & Hogwarts On The Daily Show
When Jon Stewart announced he was no longer going to host The Daily Show, many of us hoped that Jessica Williams might take over for him. While that did not come to pass — Williams herself argued that she wasn't ready — she still unleashed some wonderfully astute material on the world. One example: this segment about the McKinney, TX, pool party over the summer.
July 17
Schumer Hit Box Office Gold With Trainwreck
Schumer proved that she can do far more than just sketch and stand-up by taking on writing duties and starring in Trainwreck. Schumer gives a bawdy and surprisingly emotional performance as her on-screen alter ego, a magazine writer who falls for one of her subjects.
August 22
Tig Notaro Killed On Her HBO Special
Tig Notaro's HBO special is bold and honest. The breast cancer survivor does part of her set topless, displaying her mastectomy scars while making us laugh. It was a big year for Notaro. In April, Netflix debuted the documentary Tig, about her health struggles, the death of her mother, and her comedy. Her pilot, One Mississippi, debuted on Amazon in November.
September 14
Samantha Bee Edited Vanity Fair ' s Shoot
Vanity Fair celebrated the very male late-night landscape, but Samantha Bee wasn't going to let that fly, and posted this image on Twitter. Just one of the reasons why we are so excited for her new show to debut in 2016.
October 15
Issa Rae's Show Finally Got Picked Up
At long last, HBO ordered Issa Rae's Insecure, giving the Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl star and creator the platform she deserves.
Photo: Chelsea Lauren/Variety/REX Shutterstock.November 6
Lena Waithe Made Us Want An Adventure With Denise
Lena Waithe was primarily a writer before she popped up as the cooler-than-anyone Denise on Aziz Ansari's Master of None. But, boy, are we glad to have her in front of the camera. Denise is charming as hell and the perfect foil for Ansari's Dev.
November 14
SNL Ladies Explained Our Tweenage Horniness
The ladies of SNL have been producing fantastic music videos for a while now, but this one from a recent episode hosted by Elizabeth Banks was tops. Banks, Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, and Cecily Strong crooned about the crushes that first ignited their sexual fires. Bayer may have wanted to be a little bit more discreet about her desire for the Menendez brothers.
December 3
Amy & Tina Took On Star Wars
Sisters reunites Poehler and Fey with Rudolph and Rachel Dratch, and features a script written by longtime SNL scribe Paula Pell. Unfortunately, it has to compete against Star Wars at the box office. But Poehler and Fey used their underdog status to their advantage, coming up with this bizarre, wonderful parody of a Star Wars featurette. It helps that Fey is a noted fan of the sci-fi franchise.
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