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The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

The show kicks off with the Spooks team confined while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, overseen by two Home Office officials. As things progress, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The tension ratchets up as incoming communications show a catastrophe taking place outside, and escalates as the boss appears to be infected, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. This being Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads from 1984

Threads was low budget but one of the most frightening programmes I have ever watched owing to its grim authenticity and grim official statistics. Watched it about a month ago after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub featured in the show that highlighted the truth and the glib matter-of-fact official information which was broadcast. Remaining completely frightening 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 as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – felt like an explosion.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Installment five in Industry’s third series caused my heart to pound. I had to pause and get up and leave the room several times owing to the vast degree of the reckless self-harm I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt to illegal creditors because of his compulsive gambling, engaging in dangerous ventures with a bet on sterling which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, uses copious drugs and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, is brutally attacked. Every time you think the situation cannot deteriorate further, it worsens. There is a chance for salvation at the end of the episode but he misses the opening, leading to terrible outcomes in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday (2007)

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. Yet the installment Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it’ll have you standing up the whole episode, filled with nervousness. The tension escalates when Jeremy and Mark realize being compelled to falsify about the canine they unintentionally hit and subsequent attempts to dispose of it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it is possible!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

No other viewing has been as gripping as when I first saw the season two finale to The West Wing. The show opens with the fallout of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to seek re-election. Wonderful television. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train accompanied by his small son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He spots a Muslim woman going into the loo and knows something is off. The bomb squad is alerted, board the train, and try to persuade the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy enters her house to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The concluding moment of the last installment of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, had all been defeated. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate working with the government. Meadow parks. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It ceases. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I stayed up to watch this episode during the night. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan discovering the characters, mercilessly mocking his targets and then leaving the victim unknown (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the muted audio – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season