🔗 Share this article

The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

The show kicks off with the intelligence unit confined during a training exercise concerning a fictional terrorist event, overseen by two Home Office officials. As things progress, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The anxiety increases as reports reveal a disaster happening externally, and gets worse as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. This being Spooks, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.

The 1984 production Threads

Threads had minimal funding but arguably the most terrifying series I have viewed owing to its grim authenticity and grim official statistics. Saw it not long ago after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub from the programme which emphasised the reality and the casual, straightforward government details that were transmitted. Continuing to be utterly horrifying after three and a half decades.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there among intense episodes. I spent the entire episode literally perched nervously, straining every sinew with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while shouting to the Innies to get their truths out there. The concluding高潮 – “she survives!” – was like an eruption.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I was compelled to halt and rise and depart the area multiple times owing to the vast degree of the wanton self-destruction I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – buried in financial obligations from unscrupulous lenders owing to his uncontrollable gaming, taking such risks with a bet on sterling which could lose his company millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, is severely assaulted. Every time you think the situation cannot deteriorate further, it deteriorates. There’s hope of redemption as the installment closes but he squanders the opportunity, with horrifying consequences in the concluding part of the season. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

Peep Show is not inherently a tense series. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it can cause you to stand for the full show, riddled with anxiety. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover having to lie about the dog they accidentally run over and following tries to eliminate it. You then spend the rest of the episode questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it is possible!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

Nothing I have seen has been as tense as when I first saw the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The installment begins with the consequences of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 with a crisis in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure of the president’s MS diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to seek re-election. Excellent TV. Never bettered.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train accompanied by his small son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He notices a Muslim female going into the loo and senses something is wrong. The bomb diffuser experts are called, get on the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to take off her suicide vest. Tension escalates to an almost unbearable degree, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001

Buffy enters her house to realize her mom has deceased from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a gloomy atmosphere, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The final scene of the final episode of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all overcome. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow stops the car. Tony gloomily informs Carmela difficulties are arising with an additional associate working with the government. Meadow parks. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow finds a spot. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It stops. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was extremely gripping after the buildup of bad guy Negan finding the group, savagely teasing his prey and then keeping the death a mystery (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season