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The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

This installment starts with the Spooks team confined during a training exercise about a potential terror incident, monitored by two government representatives. As the situation develops, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The anxiety increases as messages indicate a disaster happening externally, and escalates as the superior shows signs of exposure, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to choose between firing at them or letting them go and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. Given it’s Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads (1984)

Threads had minimal funding but one of the most frightening programmes I’ve ever seen because of the stark reality and grim official statistics. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub shown in the series which emphasised the reality and the casual, straightforward government details which was broadcast. Continuing to be utterly horrifying 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 literally perched nervously, exerting with Dylan to hold the switches that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – felt like an explosion.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I needed to stop and stand and exit the space repeatedly due to the immense extent of the deliberate ruin I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – overwhelmed by debt from unscrupulous lenders because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, gets beaten to a pulp. Whenever you assume the situation cannot deteriorate further, it worsens. There is a chance for salvation as the installment closes yet he wastes the chance, with horrifying consequences in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. Yet the installment Holiday features such degrees of awkwardness that it’ll have you standing up for the full show, filled with nervousness. The situation intensifies once Jeremy and Mark find themselves needing to deceive regarding the dog they by chance collide with and subsequent attempts to dispose of it. You then occupy the remainder of the episode doubting if it can actually be more terrible than burning, and it turns out to be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001

Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense compared to my initial viewing the second season finale of The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak involving a Haitian emergency, and the fallout from the non-disclosure about the president’s MS condition, with confirmation of his intention to pursue re-election. Superb programming. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train with his young son, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He observes a woman in Islamic attire heading to the toilet and senses something is wrong. The bomb squad is alerted, board the train, and try to persuade the woman to discard her bomb jacket. 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 discover her mother has died from natural reasons, which is the rarest form of demise in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a somber mood, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)

The final scene of the final episode of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, were all vanquished. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Remember the little things.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow stops the car. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony looks up. Don’t stop. It stops. My heart dropped from my mouth around 20 minutes subsequently.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I kept late hours to see this show in the early morning. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan finding the group, mercilessly mocking his targets then not knowing who he killed (finished with an unresolved situation). 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