🔗 Share this article

Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

The episode begins with the Spooks team restricted as part of a simulation concerning a fictional terrorist event, monitored by two government representatives. As the situation develops, it appears that there really has been an attack with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as reports reveal a catastrophe taking place outside, and escalates when the leader seems contaminated, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or allowing them to leave and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.

The 1984 production Threads

The production was inexpensive yet among the scariest shows I have ever watched owing to its grim authenticity and dismal official figures. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield featured in the show which emphasised the reality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Still absolutely terrifying 35 years later.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I spent the entire episode actually sitting tensely, straining every sinew with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to reveal their realities. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – was like an eruption.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I was compelled to halt and rise and depart the area multiple times owing to the vast degree of the reckless self-harm I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – buried in financial obligations from unscrupulous lenders due to his addictive betting, engaging in dangerous ventures on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, gets beaten to a pulp. Each instance you believe things cannot decline more, it does. Redemption seems possible at the end of the episode but he squanders the opportunity, resulting in dreadful effects in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. However, the Holiday episode features such degrees of awkwardness that it will make you rise the whole episode, permeated with worry. It all ramps up once Jeremy and Mark find themselves needing to deceive regarding the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You then occupy the remainder 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

No other viewing has been as gripping compared to my initial viewing the season two finale to The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s confidential aide and escalates to a高潮 with a situation in Haiti, and the repercussions of the secrecy about the president’s MS condition, with confirmation of his intention to run for another term. Wonderful television. Unequaled.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The start of the British program Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train alongside his juvenile boy, is personally a top tense installment. He observes a woman in Islamic attire heading to the toilet and knows something is off. The bomb diffuser experts are called, get on the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Tension escalates to a nearly intolerable level, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy arrives at her residence to realize her mom has deceased of natural causes, which is the least common kind of passing in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a somber mood, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Think about the small elements.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow parks. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with yet another of his crew cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Keep going. It ceases. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)

I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was extremely gripping after the buildup of bad guy Negan locating the survivors, cruelly taunting his victims and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). The point-of-view shot from the victim and the subdued noises – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season