‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ Your most intense television episodes ever
The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse
This installment starts with the MI5 agents restricted as part of a simulation relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, overseen by two Home Office officials. As the situation develops, it appears that there really has been an attack and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse when the leader seems contaminated, with the two officials trying to exit, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or letting them go and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.
Threads from 1984
Threads was low budget yet among the scariest shows I have viewed owing to its grim authenticity 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 which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying 35 years later.
Severance – The We We Are (2022)
The season one finale of Severance deserves a top spot as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode actually sitting tensely, straining every sinew with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while yelling at the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she survives!” – was like an eruption.
Industry – White Mischief (2024)
The fifth episode of Industry’s third season caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly because of the sheer scale of the reckless self-harm I saw. 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, assuming hazardous chances on a wager involving sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Whenever you assume it can’t get any worse, it does. There’s hope of redemption as the installment closes but he misses the opening, with horrifying consequences during the season’s final episode. Certainly required a rest afterward!
Peep Show – Holiday from 2007
Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. However, the Holiday episode features such degrees of awkwardness that it’ll have you standing up throughout the entire episode, filled with nervousness. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover being compelled to falsify about the canine they accidentally run over and following tries to eliminate it. You then occupy the remainder of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it can be!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)
Nothing I have seen has been as tense as when I first saw the season two finale to The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the death (in a traffic accident) 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 pursue re-election. Excellent TV. Never bettered.
The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode
The opening of the British series 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 entering the restroom and knows something is off. The bomb squad is alerted, get on the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Anxiety builds to a nearly intolerable level, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.
The 2001 Buffy episode The Body
Buffy arrives at her residence to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the least common kind of passing in this paranormal series. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s shock of discovering her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The concluding moment of the last installment of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, had all been defeated. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Remember the little things.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow parks. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks. The door chimes, a person comes in. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Don’t stop. It ceases. My spirit fell roughly 20 minutes after.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016
I stayed up to watch this episode during the night. It was so intense after the buildup of bad guy Negan discovering the characters, savagely teasing his prey and then leaving the victim unknown (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The victim’s POV shot and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
