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The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse

The show kicks off with the MI5 agents locked down as part of a simulation concerning a fictional terrorist event, supervised by two Home Office agents. As events unfold, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as reports reveal a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and intensifies when the leader seems contaminated, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or permitting their exit and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.

The 1984 production Threads

Threads was low budget yet among the scariest shows I’ve ever seen because of the stark reality and dismal official figures. Saw it not long ago after seeing the first airing; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield from the programme which underscored the actuality and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there among intense episodes. I spent the entire episode literally perched nervously, 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!” – resembled a outburst.

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 leave the room several times owing to the vast degree of the wanton self-destruction I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty in his job and domestic life – buried in financial obligations to illegal creditors due to his addictive betting, taking such risks with a bet on sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, is brutally attacked. Each instance you believe things cannot decline more, it deteriorates. Redemption seems possible by the episode’s conclusion but he squanders the opportunity, resulting in dreadful effects in the concluding part of the season. Absolutely had to relax following that!

Peep Show – Holiday (2007)

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. Yet the installment Holiday contains such levels of cringe that it can cause you to stand throughout the entire episode, riddled with anxiety. The tension escalates when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals from 2001

Nothing I have seen has been as tense than the first time I watched the second season finale of The West Wing. The show opens with the fallout of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy of the president’s MS diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to seek re-election. Superb programming. Unequaled.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train alongside his juvenile boy, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He spots a Muslim woman going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, board the train, and attempt to convince 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 from natural reasons, which is the least common kind of passing in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a somber mood, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The final scene of the final episode of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Recall the minor details.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sadly tells Carmela there’s trouble afoot with yet another of his crew cooperating with the officials. Meadow secures a parking space. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow finds a spot. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony glances upward. Keep going. It stops. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I stayed up to watch this episode at 2am. It was incredibly tense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets and then leaving the victim unknown (finished with an unresolved situation). The victim’s POV shot and the subdued noises – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season