Our picks for the sexiest men on television from 2008.
#50 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, New Amsterdam
If you don’t remember New Amsterdam, you’re probably not alone. FOX’s drama about an immortal detective, the only notable thing about it was the hotness of its unknown Danish leading man. Unfortunately for Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, even having the first two episodes air after American Idol wasn’t enough to keep this show alive, but at least it was easy on the eyes.SEE MORE: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
#49 Dustin Milligan, 90210
The new 90210 has plenty of reinventions, and one of them is the definition of a school jock. Milligan’s Ethan Ward may be the star lacrosse player, but the actor isn’t your typical jock. He’s a bit small and a lot dorky, but it’s that strange blend that makes him and his character so appealing. Usually in teenage movies and TV shows you don’t want the girl to wind up with the school jock, but this time, we’ll make an exception.SEE MORE: Dustin Milligan
#48 Jonny Lee Miller, Eli Stone
A modern-day prophet, Eli Stone’s sexiness came from his endless desire to do good, and the fact that he’s played by Jonny Lee Miller didn’t hurt either. Angelina Jolie’s former husband, Miller is suave and charismatic, the ultimate charmer who could be the knight in shining armor or the adorable boy next door.SEE MORE: Jonny Lee Miller
#47 Joe Jonas, Camp Rock
Ask any teenage girl, and she’ll tell you that Joe Jonas is the cute one. In the Disney movie Camp Rock, Joe apart from his brothers as the dreamy music superstar who fails for an ordinary girl, giving every female viewer hope that they too could land a Jonas brother.SEE MORE: Joe Jonas
#46 Matthew Fox, Lost
Jack took charge in season 4 of Lost, promising to get everyone off the Island. In hindsight, it wasn’t the best idea, but his devotion to his fellow castaways is one of his more attractive qualities, going so far as to lie under oath to help Kate.SEE MORE: Matthew Fox
#45 James Roday, Psych
Every girl knows an adorable slacker who doesn’t apply himself even though he’s always the smartest guy in the room. That’s how James Roday comes off in every episode of USA’s Psych, and even though he has no ambition and is content to goof around all day, his childlike view of life is infectiously cute.SEE MORE: James Roday
#44 Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Who doesn’t want a guy who bakes and will do anything to keep his beloved happy? Lee Pace is lanky and a bit odd, but he’s so charming as Ned the pie maker that it’s impossible not to find him sexy.SEE MORE: Lee Pace
#43 Jeffrey Donovan, Burn Notice
Being a spy is no easy job, but Jeffrey Donovan effortlessly slips into any character he plays on Burn Notice, and he does it with a nonchalant attitude that makes you wonder if he’s going to kill you or make love to you. He’s a tough guy without looking intimidating, which is extremely sexy.SEE MORE: Jeffrey Donovan
#42 Matthew Rhys, Brothers & Sisters
Kevin Walker is neurotic and insane and often self-absorbed, but Matthew Rhys has the sweetest, kindest eyes, and any mother would love to have him dating her daughter, or even her son. The sexiest thing about him is that while TV also loves playing up gay caricatures, Rhys plays an intelligent, handsome, devoted man, who just happens to be gay.SEE MORE: Matthew Rhys
#41 Joshua Jackson, Fringe
We still know and love him as Pacey, but on the sci-fi drama Fringe, Joshua Jackson has grown up into a rather stunning man. He’s a little tough and a little troubled, but we know deep down inside is that same old cute little Pacey.SEE MORE: Joshua Jackson
#40 Matt Keeslar, The Middleman
Guys don’t seem to have manners anyone, which is why the Middleman is such a nice reminder of when men were gallant. Matt Keeslar has the perfect chiseled jawline to play this milk-drinking, Western-loving cross between Wally Cleaver and Gary Cooper.SEE MORE: Matt Keeslar
#39 Blair Underwood, Dirty Sexy Money
Blair Underwood had a banner year in 2008, playing the perfect teacher on The New Adventures of Old Christine and a cocky fighter pilot on HBO’s In Treatment. But it was as the diabolical Simon Elder on Dirty Sexy Money that he really got our juices flowing. He’s seductive and lethal, a rich man willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. They say wealth and power are aphrodisiacs, but even without them, Underwood would still be damn sexy.SEE MORE: Blair Underwood
#38 Gale Harold, Desperate Housewives
How do you make Susan forget about Mike? Bring in a super-cute house painter, and Desperate Housewives got its money’s worth in Gale Harold. The former Queer as Folk star brought his boyish good looks and pleasant charm ti Wisteria Lane and it’s not hard to see why he swept Susan off her feet.SEE MORE: Gale Harold
#37 Brendan Fehr, Samurai Girl
Who doesn’t love motorcycle-driving ninja masters? On ABC Family’s miniseries Samurai Girl, Brendan Fehr made a great return to TV as the sexy bad boy who could hurt you or make love to you. The fact that Fehr also turned up as Booth’s rebellious brother on Bones only confirmed his hotness this year.SEE MORE: Brendan Fehr
#36 Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Everyone’s favorite coach, Kyle Chandler excels at playing the perfect husband, father and mentor. He’s tough but fair, gentle yet strong. He’s TV’s perfect sensitive and masculine man, which is enough to make any girl’s heart melt.SEE MORE: Kyle Chandler
#35 Barry Watson, Samantha Who?
We’re not sure why Samantha doesn’t realize that the man of her dreams is right in front of her, because if Barry Watson were living with us, we wouldn’t need to look elsewhere for love. Watson has proven himself a capable romantic comedy leading man and his effortless wit and endless smile are so powerful that even with amnesia, we’d remember him.SEE MORE: Barry Watson
#34 Sam Trammell, True Blood
HBO’s vampire drama True Blood was full of sex and nudity, and among our favorite twists was that Sam Merlotte has the ability to morph into an animal, and every time he returns to his human form, he’s totally naked. It happened quite a bit in season 1, and with a body like Trammell’s, we hope it happens even more in season 2.SEE MORE: Sam Trammell
#33 Amaury Nolasco, Prison Break
Sucre is everything a best friend should be, willing to sacrifice it all for Michael Scofield. This season on Prison Break, Sucre tried to help out by posing as a gigolo willing to seduce an older man. We had no trouble believing that Amaury Nolasco could spice up a day by the pool.SEE MORE: Amaury Nolasco
#32 Jason O’Mara, Life on Mars
The fashions of the 1970s wouldn’t look flattering on anyone, but Jason O’Mara makes it work. The sexy newcomer took his first step to stardom as the lead in this British import, and his sexy, strong attitude will surely keep us hooked on this time travel journey.SEE MORE: Jason O’Mara
#31 Hunter Parrish, Weeds
In season 4 of Weeds Nancy’s teenage son Silas turned from a boy to a man, with some help from star Hunter Parrish, who clearly spent the time between seasons working out a lot. We noticed, and so did older women, as guest star Julie Bowen played a MILF who couldn’t resist the strapping young man. We certainly don’t blame her.SEE MORE: Hunter Parrish
#30 Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Dancing with the Stars
Maks came back for season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, and we were happy he did. The sexy dancer once again swept us off our feet, and while early predictions had him and partner Misty May-Treanor going far, her medical emergency cut his stay this season short.SEE MORE: Maksim Chmerkovskiy
#29 Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl
We still find Dan Humphrey annoying and pretentious, someone incapable of making a decision because he’s paralyzed by fear of the possible ramifications. But on the other hand, Penn Badgley is very cute, and we wouldn’t mind finding him tied to a statue in nothing but his boxers on the Yale campus, so long as someone also stuffed something in his mouth so he couldn’t complain.SEE MORE: Penn Badgley
#28 Taye Diggs, Private Practice
Doctors are always sexy. But when one is played by Taye Diggs, it’s just unfair to the rest of the male population who have absolutely no chance of competing with him. In season 2 of Private Practice, we’ve learned that Dr. Sam Bennet doesn’t know how to flirt or ride a bike, so it’s nice to know there are some flaws, no matter how tiny, in this otherwise perfect specimen of a man.SEE MORE: Taye Diggs
#27 Michael Phelps, The Olympics
Michael Phelps is the very definition of a “butter face.” From the neck up, he looks a little weird with over-sized features and teeth and gums like a horse. From the neck down, his body fat percentage is possibly in negative numbers and his tall frame is in the best condition possible. How else could he win eight Gold medals and become the biggest TV star in the world during the summer?
#26 Cristian de la Fuente, In Plain Sight
This Latino heartthrob burst onto the scene in 2008 in two very big ways. First, he danced into our hearts on Dancing with the tars, and then he played Mary’s baseball-playing sexual plaything on USA’s In Plain Sight. Whatever the role, de la Fuente was very en fuego this year.SEE MORE: Cristian de la Fuente
#25 Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Jon Hamm knows how to wear a suit. As the womanizing Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men, Hamm can charm anyone with his silver tongue that tells you exactly what you want to hear, whether you know it or not. He may not be trustworthy, but it’s not hard to see why every woman loves him.SEE MORE: Jon Hamm
#24 Naveen Andrews, Lost
From defending Nadia’s honor to helping everyone get off the Island, Sayid is always a man of action, and Naveen Andrews continues to find ways to make this former torturer sensitive. Naveen may not always be front and center on Lost, but when he is, it’s hard not to fall in love with his dangerous character.SEE MORE: Naveen Andrews
#23 David Boreanaz, Bones
Booth is a man’s man, a tough guy who loves his family and loves justice. He’s not the brightest bulb in the store, but he’s a good person, funny at times, and so goofy that at times we forget how hunky David Boreanaz really is. Then we take a step back and remember that he’s absolutely gorgeous.SEE MORE: David Boreanaz
#22 Milo Ventimiglia, Heroes
Peter Petrelli is always getting into troubling, aligning himself with bad guys and making a mess of things. While that’s often annoying, Milo Ventimiglia remains incredibly sexy, and as was the case in season 2, his character becomes infinitely more compelling whenever he takes his shirt off.SEE MORE: Milo Ventimiglia
#21 Jason Mesnick, The Bachelorette
We’re glad DeAnna Pappas chose Jesse Csincsak, because it meant the handsome, devoted single father Jason Mesnick was still on the market. We’ll be seeing even more of him as the new Bachelor in January, and while he already told reporters that he found true love, it doesn’t stop us from fantasizing that this loving, sweet man is still free for us to have.SEE MORE: Jason Mesnick
#20 Chad Michael Murray, One Tree Hill
The star of One Tree Hill isn’t the most interesting person on TV, and his permanently scruffy face is a bit of a turn-off, but Chad Michael Murray is still one fine looking man, and we’re extremely happy that he grew out of that mop-headed young teen star he used to be.SEE MORE: Chad Michael Murray
#19 Dallas, The Amazing Race
A sense of humor really is important, and while Dallas is certainly a sexy young man who loves his mother, that’s not the only reason we love him. At first he seemed like a typical empty-headed beefcake, but during the season he made us laugh as a Mexican wrestler covered in Spandex or as a cow mooing his way through the streets.SEE MORE: Dallas
#18 John Krasinski, The Office
When Andy horned in on Jim’s proposal at the end of season 4, we were mad. Luckily, season 5 started off with an emotional rainy day proposal that made our hearts melt, and since then, John Krasinski’s adorable Jim has continued to make grand romantic gestures that make us swoon, then cry because no man in real life can possibly compare.SEE MORE: John Krasinski
#17 Michael Trucco, Battlestar Galactica
Bad boys are always sexy, and when Anders was revealed to be a Cylon, his sex appeal shot through the roof. We don’t care if he’s an evil robot because we’d still gladly have a frakking good time with him.SEE MORE: Michael Trucco
#16 Robert Buckley, Lipstick Jungle
The year’s sexiest boy toy, Robert Buckley may not be a household name, but with a body like his, names aren’t that important. Cheating on your spouse is never acceptable, but one look at Buckley, and we might be willing to make an exception.SEE MORE: Robert Buckley
#15 Zachary Quinto, Heroes
Sylar’s journey this season didn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it showed us several different sides of his character, including the sexy one. Zachary Quinto made us fall hard just like Elle did as he struggled with his identity and decided to let go and let lust and love have a chance, It didn’t last, but if having our head sliced open and having our body burned is the price we’d pay to have sex with him, we’d certainly consider it.SEE MORE: Zachary Quinto
#14 Taylor Kitsch, Friday Night Lights
Taylor Kitsch somehow just gets better looking every season on Friday Night Lights. This year, Tim Riggins and Lyla tried to make it work again, and finally she got through to him as he agreed to try college. It may be unrealistic for a show to tell us that a woman is capable of changing a bad boy into a good man, but we’d like to believe the lie.SEE MORE: Taylor Kitsch
#13 Henry Cavill, The Tudors
British history never seemed so fascinating. Henry Cavill is one of TV’s hottest new stars, and while you might not be familiar with his work on the Showtime drama The Tudors, you should definitely become acquainted with his face. This season the girls of Gossip Girl referenced Cavill’s sexiness, and there’s certainly no bigger indication that you’re an “It” Guy than to be adored by those Upper East Siders.SEE MORE: Henry Cavill
#12 James Lafferty, One Tree Hill
The tricky part of playing Nathan Scott is that he’s still trying to become a professional basketball star, so James Lafferty has no choice but to stay in great shape, otherwise it becomes unbelievable. Lucky for us, he does, and his recovery keeps him working up a sweat in the gym nearly every episode.SEE MORE: James Lafferty
#11 Justin Gaston, Nashville Star
Aspiring country musician and former underwear model Justin Gaston first showed up as a contestant on NBC’s Nashville Star, and while he wasn’t particularly good, his extraordinary hotness carried him far enough. But what made Gaston a household name were the photos of him “hanging out” with 16-year-old Miley Cyrus. It’s very sketchy and possibly illegal, but given the fact that he’s a former underwear model, it’s hard to blame Miley for “hangiing out” with him.SEE MORE: Justin Gaston
#10 Ryan McPartlin, Chuck
Ryan McPartlin has to work out every day. As Captain Awesome, McPartlin shows up without his shirt in just about every episode of Chuck. Sometimes it’s not even integral to the plot, he just wanders onto the scene and, for some reason, has no shirt on. But we’re not complaining, because McPartlin is gorgeous, funny, sweet, and motivated, everything we could possibly want in a man. Captain Awesome is a big name to live up to, but McPartlin does it well.SEE MORE: Ryan McPartlin
#9 Sam Witwer, Smallville
No newcomer made a bigger impression this year than Smallville’s Sam Witwer. As Davis Bloom, aka Doomsday, he showed up, one over viewers, and displayed the year’s most impressive six-pack. It makes it hard to root for Clark Kent when his rival is so sexy. Who knew Crashdown from Battlestar Galactica was hiding such an amazing body?SEE MORE: Sam Witwer
#8 Wentworth Miller, Prison Break
How do you make one of TV’s sexiest men even sexier? Give him a fatal disease that makes him even more sympathetic. Michael Scofield battled illness and the Company to protect himself and his loved ones, and did it all while maintaining his calm demeanor.SEE MORE: Wentworth Miller
#7 Jensen Ackles, Supernatural
The sexiness of Jensen Ackles always came from his quick wits and dead-pan delivery of Dean’s strange flights of fancy. This season he added a deeply emotional component to his arsenal as Dean struggled with coming back from Hell. He may have been tortured mercilessly in Hell, but Dean came back looking better than ever.SEE MORE: Jensen Ackles
#6 Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl
It may not be considered a compliment to call a man pretty, but that’s exactly what Chace Crawford is. As Gossip Girl’s resident pretty boy, Chace’s Nate Archibald has hooked up with nearly every female character on the show, including an older woman who turned out to be a Duchess. For anyone else, this might be a stretch, but with Chace, we find it easy to believe that every girl on the Upper East Side would want a piece of him.SEE MORE: Chace Crawford
#5 Justin Chambers, Greys Anatomy
Alex Karev was always sexy, but this past year he struggled with some serious stuff that made him think about his emotions and decide to pursue a real relationship with Izzie. Through it all, we only fell deeper and deeper in love with Justin Chambers, whose piercing stare and gorgeous body distract us from all the behind-the-scenes drama Grey’s Anatomy has become famous for.SEE MORE: Justin Chambers
#4 Brian Austin Green, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Who could’ve guessed that the year’s biggest 90210 comeback would have nothing to do with the CW’s new series? From aspiring white rapper Brian Austin Green showed up as John Connor’s uncle at the end of the first season, and instantly proved that he’s no longer the skinny, dorky kid from the 1990s. The new Brian Austin Green is buff, sexy, and a real action star. The new Terminator series has defied many expectations, and Green’s newfound sexiness is just one of them.SEE MORE: Brian Austin Green
#3 Ryan Kwanten, True Blood
As the cute, dim-witted Jason Stackhouse, Ryan Kwanten charmed every woman in Bon Temps, Louisiana and was able to have sex with whomever he pleased. Lucky for us, creator Alan Ball took this as far as possible, and as a result, Kwanten appeared nude or almost nude in sex scenes nearly every week. True Blood had a fascination with keeping Kwanten naked all the time, whether he was having sex on videotape or being forced by his drug dealer to dance seductively in his tighty whities. Thank you, True Blood writing staff, for being so generous.SEE MORE: Ryan Kwanten
#2 Justin Hartley, Smallville
Oliver Queen is a rich, jet-setting playboy who lives a double life by dressing up in skintight leather as the Green Arrow. Either way, Justin Hartley makes it all look good, outshining every other man on Smallville with his absolutely stunning face and body. He’s the total package, whether he’s jetting off to the Caribbean, protecting the world in green leather, or stranded on a desert island so he spends most of his time working out without his shirt on. Hartley is perfect, and if Smallville ever comes to a close, we hope the CW will keep him around to star in his own show.SEE MORE: Justin Hartley
#1 Jared Padalecki, Supernatural
There’s a classic debate among Supernatural fans: who’s sexier, Jensen or Jared? Most fans go with Jensen, and we’re fine with that, because it means more Jared for us. As the younger Winchester brother, he may not have all the emotional baggage, but he has plenty of problems. Yet more often than not, it’s Dean who gets all the attention. Now we’d like to shine a spotlight on the other Winchester, the one with the oh-so-adorable mop of hair and the tall, muscular frame. The one who has sex with demons and the one who is quite possibly the perfect blend of tall, dark and handsome.SEE MORE: Jared Padalecki
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