TV's 50 Sexiest Women -- Ever

Counting Down the Hottest Babes to Hit the Small Screen

Picking the 50 sexiest women in primetime history wasn't easy. But it sure was fun. We waded through dozens of contenders -- from vixens to vamps, from girls next door to blonde bombshells -- before making our final list. Now it's your turn do the work, click through our beauties to see our top picks. It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.

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• Discuss: TV's 50 Sexiest Women Ever

50. Sarah Michelle Gellar

Show: 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (1997-2003)
Heat Index: As Buffy Summers, athletic beauty Sarah Michelle Gellar had plenty of weapons in her arsenal -- a sharp stake, a killer wardrobe, an endless supply of quick-witted quips -- and she used them all to great effect, on vamps and viewers alike.

49. Teri Hatcher

Shows: 'Lois & Clark' (1993-1997); 'Desperate Housewives' (2004-present)
Heat Index: For starters, there's never been a hotter Lois Lane, in any medium. For longevity, there's that head-turning 'Desperate Housewives' gig. But for our money, Teri Hatcher's finest moment came during a 'Seinfeld' guest stint. Yes Jerry, "They're real -- and they're spectacular!"

48. Loni Anderson

Show: 'WKRP in Cincinnati' (1978-1982)
Heat Index: In an era when dumb blonde cliché filled the airwaves, Loni Anderson's Jennifer Marlowe served as an intriguing counterpoint. A buxom beauty with brains to match, she kept the 'WKRP' staff on their guard and her fans on their toes.

47. Sophia Bush

Show: 'One Tree Hill' (2003-present)
Heat Index: As Brooke, a flirtatious and feisty cheerleader with a winning smile, the sultry Sophia Bush almost makes us want to go back to high school. What was her real-life hubby/co-star Chad Michael Murray thinking when he let her get away?

46. Grace Park

Show: 'Battlestar Galactica' (2004-present)
Heat Index: What's the only thing better than watching the smoky-eyed Grace Park heat up the best sci-fi show on television? Watching multiple versions of Park -- aka Boomer, aka Athena -- light up both sides of this human/cylon small screen drama.

45. Carmen Electra

Show: 'Baywatch' (1997-1998)
Heat Index: There wasn't a whole lot of depth to Carmen Electra's character, Lani McKenzie. But did it really matter? When this former Playboy pinup hit the sand in that red lifeguard suit, all the buoys and gulls sat up and took notice.

44. Kate Jackson

Show: 'Charlie's Angels' (1976-1979)
Heat Index: Who says smart isn't sexy? Kate Jackson's Sabrina more than held her own alongside some of the hottest babes to ever hit primetime, and proved it was possible to simultaneously strike a pose and strike a blow for the good guys.

43. Pat Priest

Show: 'The Munsters' (1964-1966)
Heat Index: Herman and Lilly and Grandpa may have considered Marilyn Munster the family's ugly duckling, but for those who lived outside 1313 Mockingbird Lane, there was plenty of classic '60s beauty on display in Pat Priest.

42. Ali Larter

Show: 'Heroes' (2006-present)
Heat Index: If you're looking for a girl who can be very, very good and very, very bad, then it doesn't get much better than Ali Larter's dual personality character. Niki and Jessica -- they're two treats in one.

41. Jennifer Garner

Show: 'Alias' (2001-2006)
Heat Index: As super spy Sydney Bristow, Jennifer Garner could don a wig, a revealing costume and a fresh accent and make even the most malicious criminal go weak at the knees. Not surprisingly, she had the same effect on most viewers.

40. Katie Holmes

Show: 'Dawson's Creek' (1998-2003)
Heat Index: Before she became Ms. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes transformed Joey Potter from the tomboy girl next door into the classy hottie down the creek in front of our eyes. It's no wonder she had best pals Pacey and Dawson battling over her.

39. Kim Cattrall

Show: 'Sex and the City' (1998-2004)
Heat Index: There aren't many TV characters who've been more open and blunt about their sex lives than Kim Cattrall's undeniably saucy Samantha. Her revealing wardrobe, or lack thereof, helped turned HBO into HB-Oh!

38. Elizabeth Montgomery

Show: 'Bewitched' (1964-1972)
Heat Index: As Samantha Stevens, Elizabeth Montgomery worked her magic on audiences as a bewitching housewife with a few tricks up her sleeves. From the very first twitch of her nose, she had the world charmed. By the way, that nose twitch isn't easy -- even Nicole Kidman couldn't pull it off.

37. Lucy Lawless

Shows: 'Xena: Warrior Princess' (1995-2001); 'Battlestar Galactica' (2005-present)
Heat Index: What a woman! As Xena, Lucy Lawless was the epitome of girl power as a tough yet sexy sword wielding warrior in a skimpy leather wardrobe. Lawless recently turned the TV temperature up again as a sultry blonde Cylon on 'Galactica.'

36. Robin Givens

Show: 'Head of the Class' (1986-1989)
Heat Index: On-screen, Robin Givens' rich girl Darlene sent school boys scrambling with a flip of her fabulous hair. Off-screen, the onetime Mrs. Mike Tyson caught the eye of Brad Pitt and Howard Stern and also posed for Playboy.

35. Nikki Cox

Shows: 'Las Vegas' (2003-2007); 'Unhappily Ever After' (1995-1999)
Heat Index: 'Las Vegas' is filled with a bevy of beauties, including Vanessa Marcil and Molly Sims, but there's just something special about Nikki Cox's sweet and sassy Mary McConnell. This buxom bombshell first caught our eye in a silly but scantily clad role on 'Unhappily Ever After.'

34. Victoria Principal

Show: 'Dallas' (1978-1987)
Heat Index: Victoria Principal flaunted her flawless skin and perfect curves for maximum effect in fabulous clothing. But would you expect anything less from the wife of Bobby Ewing? Principal's Pamela Barnes Ewing always looked great, even in the midst of the nastiest family feuds.

33. Peta Wilson

Show: 'La Femme Nikita' (1997-2001)
Heat Index: Fierce yet feminine, Peta Wilson's brutal assassin Nikita -- dressed in skimpy black -- used martial arts flare and her seemingly never-ending legs to take down bad guys. But it would be worth a deadly glare from this femme fatale for a look into her piercing blue eyes.

32. Sherilyn Fenn

Show: 'Twin Peaks' (1990-1991)
Heat Index: Perhaps the most tempting teenager to ever hit the small screen, Sherilyn Fenn's Audrey was at the epicenter of a pop culture phenomenon. Her tongue-twisting cherry stem trick was arousing, alluring and altogether inappropriate, which is exactly why viewers couldn't get enough of her.

31. Tricia Helfer

Show: 'Battlestar Galactica' (2003- present)
Heat Index: She may be called Number Six, but this blonde bombshell is the Number One Cylon in our book. She slinks around the Galactica in short, curve-hugging dresses and is able to invade the mind of a powerful man to fill his head with sexy fantasies. That's just plain hot.

30. Cheryl Ladd

Show: 'Charlie's Angels' (1977-1981) Heat Index: It was a tough task for Cheryl Ladd to join the hit show in its second season, but her sassy Kris Monroe made us forget Farrah (almost). As Farrah's flirty little sis, she had a ball tossing her tempting blonde tresses around and strutting her stuff in teeny bikinis while fending off bad guys.

29. Alyssa Milano

Show: 'Charmed' (1998-2006) Heat Index: Alyssa Milano managed to transform herself from the adorable teen on 'Who's the Boss' to the most beguiling of the hot Halliwell sisters on 'Charmed.' She could see the future, levitate and kick butt with badass martial arts skills. Thankfully, she used her witchy powers for good and not evil.

28. Jeri Ryan

Show: 'Star Trek: Voyager' (1997-2001) Heat Index: Look at that picture. Need we say more? Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine sporting a skin-tight catsuit left jaws gaping when she first set foot on the Voyager. If all Borg looked like her, people would be begging to be assimilated.

27. Nichelle Nichols

Show: 'Star Trek' (1973-1974) Heat Index: The original 'Star Trek' babe, Nichelle Nichols showed off her endless legs in a super-short Enterprise uniform. The skimpy attire didn't escape the notice of Capt. Kirk who shared TV's first interracial kiss with the sensual Lt. Uhura. Lucky him!

26. Tiffani Thiessen

Show: 'Beverly Hills, 90210' (1994-2000) Heat Index: Tiffani (formerly Amber) Thiessen first caught our eye as 'Saved by the Bell' cutie Kelly Kapowski but it was her manipulative role as vicious vixen Valerie Malone on 'Beverly Hills, 90210' that really captured our imagination. The brunette beauty went on to ooze devilish sex appeal with her perfectly pouty lips on 'What About Brian.'

25. Jessica Biel

Show: '7th Heaven' (1996-2006) Heat Index: We love it when good girls go bad. Jessica Biel, who played the saintly Mary Camden, went bad in a really big way. On-screen, her rebellious behavior upset her minister father. Off-screen, this hottie was even posing topless (at age 17) in 'Gear' magazine, reportedly causing her temporary ouster from the family-friendly show.

24. Goldie Hawn

Show: 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In' (1968-1970) Heat Index: Goldie Hawn showed off her ditzy blonde persona, as well as her fabulous figure, in this pioneering '60s variety show. The giggly gal charmed America by spouting the show's "sock it to me" slogan, showing off her dance moves and adorably flubbing her jokes.

23. Evangeline Lilly

Show: 'Lost' (2004-present) Heat Index: Is there any other beauty you'd rather be trapped on an island with? So what if she's a murderer on the lam. Torn between two smokin' hotties, Evangeline Lilly's tormented beauty Kate always looks amazing, even without a mirror.

22. Charisma Carpenter

Show: 'Buffy, the Vampire Slayer' (1997-1999); 'Angel' (1999-2004) Heat Index: Her name says it all -- she's got Charisma. This gorgeous gal was able to bring the bratty and stuck up Cordelia Chase to life and still make 'Buffy' fans adore her. While Cordy was more tolerant when she transferred to 'Angel' she never lost her knack for taking bad guys down with a brutally honest comment and a sexy glare.

21. Jennifer Aniston

Show: 'Friends' (1994-2004) Heat Index: From the moment she burst into Central Perk in a soaked wedding dress, Jennifer Aniston's Rachel Green was a pop culture icon. Her infamous 'Rachel' hairstyles set off trends that women across the country tried (in vain) to duplicate, and her on-again-off-again romance with the dorky Ross was what made 'Friends' must-see TV for a decade.

20. Julie Newmar

Show: 'Batman' (1966-1968) Heat Index: Meow! Viewers had cat scratch fever from the moment this fabulous feline clawed her way onto the small screen. As Batman's irrepressible foil Catwoman, Julie Newmar filled out her slinky black leather suit in ways that no one else has been able to purr-fect.

19. Christina Applegate

Show: 'Married ... With Children' (1987-1997) Heat Index: There have been plenty of airhead blondes on television, but none have been quite as deliciously wonderful as Christina Applegate's bodacious bimbo Kelly Bundy. Borderline trashy with her tight torn jeans and terrifically teased bleached hair, this promiscuous girl had us captivated with her Bundy Bounce.

18. Donna Douglas

Show: 'The Beverly Hillbillies' (1962-1971) Heat Index: Anyone who ever thought tomboys lacked sex appeal never met Elly May Clampett. Donna Douglas flaunted her ultra feminine curves as the naive Southern belle who loved her oddball pets and had a knack for taming Hollywood's hottest playboys.

17. Jaclyn Smith

Show: 'Charlie's Angels' (1976-1981) Heat Index: There's something to be said for longevity. Jaclyn Smith was the only Angel to stay for the series' entire five-season run, which made us love the perfectly coiffed Kelly Garrett even more. This dark-haired do-gooder dared to flirt with danger and was best when using her dance skills to wiggle her hips out of tough situations.

16. Jessica Alba

Show: 'Dark Angel'(2000-2002) Heat Index: Forget the 'Bionic Woman' (both versions). We'll take Jessica Alba's Max Guevera (aka X5-452) any day. Engineered to be the super-soldier of the future, she was also the sexiest bike messenger ever. And don't forget her tight black leather wardrobe and impeccable cat burgling skills. Because we sure can't.

15. Maureen McCormick

Show: 'The Brady Bunch' (1969-1974) Heat Index: Maureen McCormick's Marcia Brady was a sweet girl-next-door who blossomed in into a stylish, golden-haired beauty right in front of our eyes. With her super-short skirts and dazzling smile, it is no wonder everyone was always buzzing about Marcia, Marcia Marcia. She even managed to make a broken nose look cute.

14. Lisa Bonet

Show: 'A Different World' (1987-1989); 'The Cosby Show' (1984-1991) Heat Index: Even though she was draped in a then-stylish baggy wardrobe during her initial stint as Denise Huxtable, Lisa Bonet was unable to keep her smoky eyes a secret. We loved watching this 'Cosby' cutie transform from a free-spirited teen to a smokin' hot college student.

13. Peggy Lipton

Show: 'The Mod Squad' (1968-1972) Heat Index: Could there be a hipper, hotter undercover cop than Peggy Lipton's Julie Barnes? The ultimate groovy '60s gal, Lipton portrayed a former troubled youth with a sexy stare, an ability to infiltrate crime rings and a rockin' sense of style (those micro-minidresses seemed like they were invented for her).

12. Suzanne Somers

Show: 'Three's Company' (1977-1981) Heat Index: Never before -- or since -- has a grown woman looked so hot in pigtails. Of course, it helped that Suzanne Sommers' bubbly Christmas "Crissy" Snow also sported ample curves, long legs, short shorts, a fun-loving innocence -- and roller skates. Hey, it was the '70s.

11. Dawn Wells

Show: 'Gilligan's Island' (1964-1966) Heat Index: What's not to love about Dawn Wells' All-American castaway? That winsome smile. That wholesome demeanor. Those teeny tiny outfits. She even cooked. And when she was paired with fellow S.S. Minnow passenger Ginger, they delivered maybe the sexiest one-two punch in TV history.

10. Tina Louise

Show: 'Gilligan's Island' (1964-1966) Heat Index: Long before Geri Halliwell, Tina Louise's original Ginger spiced up our lives with her divalicious ways. Her glamorous style -- and miniscule swimsuit -- had male viewers thrilled that the "three hour tour" was extended.

9. Catherine Bach

Show: 'The Dukes of Hazzard' (1979-1985) Heat Index: Catherine Bach's sweet Southern waitress is most memorable for her trademark super-short denim cut-offs. And as hot as Jessica Simpson was in her Daisy Dukes, we'll stand by the original -- Bach, with her legendary endless legs.

8. Katherine Heigl

Show: 'Grey's Anatomy' (2005-present) Heat Index: Katherine Heigl's Izzie Stevens may be unlucky in love, but this knockout (and 'Knocked Up') beauty sexes up even regulation scrubs. And we can't forget Izzie's pay-for-med-school gig as lingerie-model alter ego Bethany Whisper.

7. Barbara Eden

Show: 'I Dream of Jeannie' (1965-1970) Heat Index: Who didn't dream of Jeannie in her practically transparent wardrobe? This wish-granter bewitched us with her blink and nod. Even though she aimed to serve her Master, the scantily clad spitfire was best when she was finding ways to disobey.

6. Diana Rigg

Show: 'The Avengers' (1965-1968) Heat Index: Skintight catsuits, micro-minidresses, good aim and brains? Diana Rigg's classy and super-stylish Emma Peel had it all. This sexy spy broke the typical weak-woman mold and fended off foes with unforgettable flare.

5. Eva Longoria

Show: 'Desperate Housewives' (2004-present) Heat Index: If Wisteria Lane were real, we'd move there in a suburban second to get neighborly with Eva Longoria Parker's Gabrielle. This naughty housewife and former model is smokin' hot and super seductive. How can we get a job as her gardener?

4. Heather Locklear

Show: 'T.J. Hooker' (1982-1986); 'Dynasty' (1981-1989); 'Melrose Place' (1993-1999) Heat Index: Heather Locklear wasn't Aaron Spelling's go-to golden gal for nothing -- one sultry glance could breathe new life into a series. Whether as devious Amanda on 'Melrose,' pretty cop Stacy on 'T.J. Hooker' or rich brat Sammy on 'Dynasty,' she's the looker with acting chops to match.

3. Lynda Carter

Show: 'Wonder Woman' (1975-1979) Heat Index: Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman was just plain awesome. She had an invisible jet, super-charged accessories and a mesmerizing spin -- AND she could kick bad-guy butt in her patriotic one-piece and high-heeled boots. We'd take the lasso of truth anytime.

2. Lynda Carter

Show: 'Charlie's Angels' (1976-1980) Heat Index: Her iconic image is the best-selling poster of all time, and skyrocketed Farrah Fawcett to true sex symbol status. She was a regular on 'Charlie's Angels' for only one season, but her role as the feather-haired Jill Munroe kicked the collective butt of a generation.

1. Pamela Anderson

Don't Miss Our Exclusive Interview Show: 'Baywatch' (1992-1997) Heat Index: A completely knock-out blonde who wears a bathing suit and bounces around as she saves lives ... as Borat might say, "niiiice." Pamela Anderson took bodacious to a new level, and really, with CJ around, how is it that men weren't drowning by the dozens on that beach?