Spotlight on TV: Alice Kramden (The Honeymooners)

Growing up, I had favorite TV shows that I would watch every night. One of those programs was The Honeymooners (in reruns) on WPIX. Though I may not have been conscious of it at the time, I now realize that there was one character on the show who stood out as a positive role model for women of her generation.
The Honeymooners was a situation comedy that aired in the mid 1950's. It revolved around the lives of a New York City bus driver (Ralph Kramden, played by Jackie Gleason) and his wife (Alice Kramden, played by Audrey Meadows). They lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn, and would most often just scrape by financially.
Alice was a strong female character who spoke her mind and challenged her husband, and argued with him about who was "head of the household." At a time when other "TV wives" were drifting around in pearls and staying in their traditional roles as the behind the scenes, have-it-all-together homemaker, Alice represented a more realistic and progressive woman, one who was not content to stay quiet and to do as her husband said without questioning it, and one whose mission in life was not solely to keep the house looking perfect and the husband happy.
Alice spoke her mind with regard to finances and business decisions, and expressed her unhappiness with her abode at times; whenever Ralph had a get-rich-quick idea, Alice was sure to shoot it down with practicality. But also, she was always there in the end to forgive him and help put their lives back in arrears when things did not go as planned. Alice did not need rescuing; in fact, it was often she who came to Ralph's rescue.
Obviously, this show aired before the cultural revolution of the 1960's; for this reason, I think Alice Kramden's character could be seen as something of a brave trend-setter.
What television shows/movies have you seen, or what books have you read, that have featured characters who were ahead of their time, or who acted outside of their traditional societal roles?

The Fictional Hero

I think the reason we love the heroes in books and movies so much is simply this - most of us are cowards; that is, there are things we want to say in our lives that we sometimes hold back because of our inhibitions, or because of the potential consequences. For example, I might refrain from mouthing off to my boss about something because I fear the consequence, i.e. getting fired! The heroes in books and movies do what we have not the courage to do, and say what we have not the strength to say. We worship these characters for acting in situations the way we wish we could act, were there not consequences. We all love the down-trodden employee who finally stands up to his boss at the end of a movie, because most of us have to answer to managers and supervisors that do not treat us exactly how we want to be treated, and tell us to do things that we do not agree with. We love the character who has the courage to step off the "beaten path," and live out her life the way she wants to, even though it means taking a big risk, much like the hero in the movie Jerry MacGuire. This is the reason why I love Fight Club so much; for aren't many of us (in some ways) like Edward Norton's character? We imagine ourselves doing the things which we know are brave and/or crazy; we want to be Tyler Durden, but are too afraid. Who is your favorite fictional hero? Why and how do you relate to him or her?