I found this quote in a reader response over at The Daily Dish.
The better explanation is that television and movie viewers have always been willing to accept non-traditional protagonists if the story is well constructed enough.
I (as I’m sure most would) agree that in large part it comes down to story, though in the visual mediums other factors can come into play such as an actor’s charisma, I do wonder if the presence of a non-traditional protagonist is more palatable to the consumer in visual form then in written form?
I think the suspension of disbelief comes easier for viewers vs. readers — a more direct, stronger sensation. Our brains have been genetically programmed — seeing is believing.