Critics name Sopranos best show

Malcolm In The Middle's Jane Kaczmarek got an award

Mob drama The Sopranos was named best TV series by American critics at their annual awards ceremony.

The show, which was nominated for 22 Emmy awards earlier this month, also shared the best drama gong with political series The West Wing.

Malcolm In The Middle and Ken Burns' documentary Jazz were among the other winners at the 17th annual Television Critics Association Awards.

Sopranos creator David Chase was at the ceremony

The honours, chosen by more than 200 reporters and columnists from the United States and Canada, were handed out at a ceremony in Pasadena, California, on Saturday.

The Sopranos was named Best Programme, and tied for the Outstanding Achievement in Drama prize with The West Wing.

Best comedy

Sopranos actor James Gandolfini, who plays Tony Soprano, added to the show's gongs by winning in the Individual Achievement in Drama category.

Malcolm In The Middle was named best comedy, while the show's actress Jane Kaczmarek won the comedy category's individual award.

A career achievement honour was given to Sid Caesar, who set the benchmark for TV comedy with Your Show of Shows in the 1950s.

Sesame Street and Between The Lions shared the children's award.

New series

The Sopranos lead the nominations for the prestigious Emmy Awards, which take place in September.

It is up for the best drama prize, while Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco and Edie Falco are nominated in acting categories.

The show, set in the New Jersey underworld, will return for a fifth series after creator David Chase - who had suggested the series might end after its fourth season - signed a new deal with TV network HBO.

The West Wing, a White House drama starring Martin Sheen and Rob Lowe, has 18 Emmy nominations.