Cult Spy Icon: Julian Sark ('Alias')

Over its five wonderful seasons, JJ Abrams's legendary show Alias was frequently illuminated by the magnetic presence of one Julian Sark. Ignore the fact that he'd probably blow up entire countries for a quick buck or shoot a close associate just to keep his trigger finger supple - this dastardly fiend was someone we unashamedly loved to love.

Always a lone shark, freelancer Sark was an agent hired by both Arvin Sloane and Sydney's mother Irena Derevko to secure various Rambaldi artefacts across the world and cause general mayhem. The end result often left him in the same boots (or paws) as Wile E. Coyote in the Roadrunner cartoons - totally thwarted, but destined to emerge for another attempt after emerging from the cloud of dust.

Armed with a winning smile and youthful looks, Sark served as the perfect antidote to the group of world-saving crusaders like Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn, as well as grim reapers like Arvin Sloane. His cheery, flippant manner stood out against the pervading seriousness elsewhere in the show. When taken hostage by the do-gooders and faced with interrogation, it was a joy to behold his response, delivered with trademark snobbish British tones: "I understand I am in no position to demand anything, but for the record, I'm far more comfortable talking over a glass of Chateau Petreuse... '82."

"My loyalties are flexible," Sark once told Vaughn. It was certainly great fun to watch him swap allegiances just to save his own skin, wriggling free from many precarious situations. In particular, his toing and froing with the ghastly Anna Espinosa highlighted this, as he ultimately sold short the terrorist in order to curry favour with Sydney. It worked, and she memorably teamed up with him to infiltrate an Italian prison in a bid to grab an old Rambaldi amulet. Of course, before long they were on opposing sides, such are the perils of being a freelancer.

Sark's libido was also notable, as he could weave his way into the affections of ladies both good and bad. Not only did he openly declare his love for the murderous, body-thieving Allison Doren - even when she took on Francie's looks - but he also did the naughties with the evil Lauren Reed behind Vaughn's back, and described his experiences as being "deliciously filthy".

Smarmy to the extreme, his knack for survival continued to the very end of Alias. As the last season's finale hurtled to a close, Vaughn let Sark go after he gave up the codes to abort a planned missile strike on various cities. He was up to his wicked ways again though, as in the very final scene of the series - set several years in the future - Dixon turned up at Sydney and Vaughn's remote loveshack to try to tempt them out of retirement - to track down You Know Who.

If Sark was on board the Titanic, you just know he'd somehow manage to have his own lifeboat, packed full of the ship's caviar and champagne supplies. He'd be chuckling away to himself with that wry, babyfaced smile as he watched the ship go down. Legend.