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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

This installment starts with the Spooks team confined as part of a simulation relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, monitored by two government representatives. As things progress, it appears that there really has been an attack with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as incoming communications show a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and gets worse as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to decide between shooting them or allowing them to leave and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads from 1984

The production was inexpensive but arguably the most terrifying series I have ever watched due to its harsh realism and grim official statistics. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I often attended the bar in Sheffield from the programme which emphasised the reality and the glib matter-of-fact official information which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying after three and a half decades.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I was throughout the episode quite literally on the edge of my seat, exerting with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while shouting to the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she survives!” – was like an eruption.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Episode five of the third series of Industry caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly due to the immense extent of the reckless self-harm I was witnessing. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble professionally and personally – overwhelmed by debt to illegal creditors due to his addictive betting, assuming hazardous chances with a gamble on the pound which may result in huge losses for his employer. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, does tons of drugs and drink and experiences wins and losses, gets beaten to a pulp. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it does. There’s hope of redemption by the episode’s conclusion but he misses the opening, resulting in dreadful effects in the concluding part of the season. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. However, the Holiday episode includes such amounts of embarrassment that it will make you rise for the full show, filled with nervousness. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it can be!

The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense compared to my initial viewing the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The episode starts with the aftermath of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s personal secretary and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the fallout from the non-disclosure of the president’s MS diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to pursue re-election. Superb programming. Unequaled.

Bodyguard – episode one from 2018

The start of the British program Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train with his young son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and senses something is wrong. The bomb diffuser experts are called, enter the train, and attempt to convince the woman to take off her suicide vest. Suspense rises 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 of natural causes, which is the rarest form of demise in this supernatural show. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all vanquished. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Recall the minor details.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow parks. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela difficulties are arising with yet another of his crew collaborating with the authorities. Meadow secures a parking space. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow parks. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony looks up. Continue. It halts. My spirit fell about 20 minutes later.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I remained awake to view this installment during the night. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan discovering the characters, savagely teasing his prey and then leaving the victim unknown (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the muffled sounds – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season