13. Hustle (2004-2012)
Channel BBC1 Starring Adrian Lester, Marc Warren, Robert Glenister, Robert Vaughn, Jaime Murray, Rob Jarvis, Matt Di Angelo, Kelly Adams. Heists have long been a movie staple from The Italian Job to Oceans Eleven, viewers have long found themselves entertained by the exploits of fictional thieves and conmen, regardless of their morally questionable professions. Yet until the emergence of Hustle, there has never really been a successful modern small-screen equivalent, with American shows like Heist and the Ray Liotta-led Smith failing to ever make it off of the ground in recent years. Hustle features a team of charismatic and engaging grifters led by Adrian Lesters Mickey Bricks, with episodes that are usually self-contained, featuring a mark that the group intend to con. Its something of a cop out that these are almost always written to be unlikeable individuals, but it makes the show appeal strongly to casual viewers, though there are a few ongoing storylines in place for the dedicated to follow. The shows success spawned a spin-off documentary series, The Real Hustle, in which members of the public are unwittingly conned, with the procedure demonstrated to viewers by a team of experts. Though one of the most popular shows on BBC3, it now appears to have ended its run, much like the main BBC1 show did in 2012 after 8 years on air, leaving something of a void for an enjoyable yet not-too-serious ensemble drama.
12. Spooks (2002-2011)
Channel BBC1 Starring Peter Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Hugh Simon, Rory McGregor, Rupert Penry-Jones, Olga Sosnovska, Raza Jaffrey, Miranda Raison, Hermione Norris, Gemma Jones, Richard Armitage, Shazad Latif, Sophia Myles, Max Brown, Lara Pulver, Geoffrey Streatfield, William Hope. Jack Bauer, eat your heart out. Frequently labelled as the British 24, Spooks makes its American equivalent look tame in comparison. Whilst Bauer was always a dead cert to save the day, the main characters of Spooks had an almost nonexistent life expectancy, creating a drama that always kept viewers on the edge with its unpredictability. Set in the world of MI5, the UKs domestic security agency, the show is fast-paced and brutal, with stories focusing on terrorism and other threats to national security. It may have garnered controversy for scenes depicting torture and suicide bombings, but in a post 9/11 (and 7/7, which occurred just two months before the airing of an episode involving a similar attack on London) world, such things are no longer unfamiliar to the general public, and their inclusion is a chilling showcase of the inhumanity present in the modern world. A youth-orientated spin-off, Spooks: Code 9, was a terrible extension to the franchise, but all ten series of the main show make for some of the most tense and gripping television of the modern age. The theme tune isnt half bad either.