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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The episode begins with the intelligence unit locked down as part of a simulation about a potential terror incident, supervised by two Home Office agents. As events unfold, it seems an actual attack has occurred and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The tension ratchets up as reports reveal a disaster happening externally, and intensifies as the boss appears to be infected, with the two officials trying to exit, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or permitting their exit and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads (1984)

The production was inexpensive yet among the scariest shows I’ve ever seen due to its harsh realism and grim official statistics. Saw it not long ago having watched the original; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield featured in the show which emphasised the reality and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying after three and a half decades.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that kept the Innies on overtime, while yelling at the Innies to reveal their realities. The concluding高潮 – “she survives!” – resembled a outburst.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

Episode five of the third series of Industry had my heart racing. I was compelled to halt and rise and exit the space repeatedly owing to the vast degree of the reckless self-harm I observed. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt to loan sharks because of his compulsive gambling, engaging in dangerous ventures with a gamble on the pound which may result in huge losses for his employer. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, uses copious drugs and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, gets beaten to a pulp. Whenever you assume the situation cannot deteriorate further, it deteriorates. There’s hope of redemption at the end of the episode but he squanders the opportunity, leading to terrible outcomes during the season’s final episode. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. But the episode Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it will make you rise throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. The tension escalates when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they by chance collide with and later efforts to get rid of it. You then occupy the remainder of the episode wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense as when I first saw the season two finale to The West Wing. The show opens with the fallout of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 involving a Haitian emergency, 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. Unequaled.

Bodyguard – episode one from 2018

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train accompanied by his small son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He spots a Muslim woman heading to the toilet and senses something is wrong. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, get on the train, and attempt to convince the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Anxiety builds to an almost unbearable degree, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy arrives at her residence to discover her mother has died of natural causes, which is the rarest form of demise in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

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 enemies, real and imagined, were all vanquished. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow parks. Tony gloomily informs Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team working with the government. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It isn’t Meadow, she remains 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 kept late hours to see this show at 2am. It was so intense after the buildup of bad guy Negan discovering the characters, mercilessly mocking his targets and then leaving the victim unknown (finished with an unresolved situation). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the muted audio – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season