Kings of Cool TV

Iconic, stylish and entertaining, these are the coolest TV shows of all time.

From the leather-clad sex appeal of Diana Rigg in the Avengers to the Eighties chic of Miami Vice and the snarling realism of The Sopranos, the programmes define the TV of their eras.

Some series, such as The Saint, are more than 30 years old, but exert a powerful influence on programme-makers today after winning new generations of fans. Others, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and The West Wing, are far slicker, with the production values and budgets of Hollywood blockbusters.

But all share one essential characteristic, says Radio Times TV editor Alison Graham: "At its best, cool TV makes you want to leap from your armchair and shout, Yes! I want to live like that! I want to wear sunglasses to work and walk down corridors in slow motion!"

Radio Times compiled the list ahead of the screening on BBC1 next week of the first episode of Hustle, which follows the exploits of a gang of con artists in London. As with previous flagship BBC series State Of Play and Spooks, Hustle takes its cue from ultra-slick US shows, and stars Robert Vaughn, a veteran of Sixties American cool TV, including The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Gareth Neame, BBC head of independent drama commissioning and the man behind Spooks, State Of Play and Hustle, said: "I've simply followed my love of American TV series.

"They always have fantastic production values. Too many of our series are too gritty and dark. Too many of our dramas don't look fun enough." However the list is likely to spark debate over exactly which were the coolest TV shows of recent years.

Where, for example, are the latest American shows? How can a contemporary survey miss out Kiefer Sutherland's performances as Jack Bauer in 24? And where is Sky's recent US import, Nip/Tuck, which won rave reviews for its graphic depictions of the lives of cosmetic surgeons and their patients? And as for the absence of Footballer's Wives ...

The Cool TV list is in the new Radio Times, on sale tomorrow