🔗 Share this article

The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

The episode begins with the Spooks team confined while undergoing a drill about a potential terror incident, overseen by two Home Office officials. As events unfold, it seems an actual attack has occurred with a chemical weapon released. The tension ratchets up as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse when the leader seems contaminated, and the government agents endeavor to depart, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or allowing them to leave and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. This being Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads (1984)

The production was inexpensive but one of the most frightening programmes I have viewed due to its harsh realism and grim official statistics. Watched it about a month ago following the initial broadcast; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield from the programme which underscored the actuality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Still absolutely terrifying 35 years later.

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 remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, exerting with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that kept the Innies on overtime, while shouting to the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she survives!” – felt like an explosion.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

The fifth episode of Industry’s third season had my heart racing. I had to pause and get up and depart the area multiple times due to the immense extent of the wanton self-destruction I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – overwhelmed by debt to illegal creditors owing to his uncontrollable gaming, assuming hazardous chances on a wager involving sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, uses copious drugs and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, gets beaten to a pulp. 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, resulting in dreadful effects during the season’s final episode. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday (2007)

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. But the episode Holiday features such degrees of awkwardness that it’ll have you standing up throughout the entire episode, filled with nervousness. The situation intensifies when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they by chance collide with and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

No other viewing has been as gripping than the first time I watched the season two finale to The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s confidential aide and builds to a peak with a crisis in Haiti, and the fallout from the non-disclosure about the president’s MS condition, with confirmation of his intention to seek re-election. Superb programming. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train accompanied by his small son, is personally a top tense installment. He spots a Muslim woman going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The bomb squad is alerted, board the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Tension escalates to a nearly intolerable level, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

The 2001 Buffy episode The Body

Buffy enters her house to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the rarest form of demise in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering 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 viewed it when it first premiered, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all overcome. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Think about the small elements.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow parks. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with yet another of his crew working with the government. Meadow secures a parking space. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow finds a spot. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony glances upward. Keep going. It ceases. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I kept late hours to see this show during the night. It was extremely gripping after the buildup of bad guy Negan discovering the characters, cruelly taunting his victims then not knowing who he killed (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season