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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The episode begins with the Spooks team locked down while undergoing a drill concerning a fictional terrorist event, overseen by two Home Office officials. As events unfold, it appears that there really has been an attack and a chemical agent deployed. The suspense builds as messages indicate a disaster happening externally, and escalates when the leader seems contaminated, with the two officials trying to exit, forcing Matthew Macfadyen’s character to opt for either shooting them or allowing them to leave and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads (1984)

Threads had minimal funding but arguably the most terrifying series I have ever watched because of the stark reality and dismal official figures. Saw it not long ago after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub featured in the show which underscored the actuality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Continuing to be utterly horrifying decades on.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The season one finale of Severance ranks highly as a tense chapter. I remained for the whole show quite literally on the edge of my seat, exerting with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – resembled a outburst.

Industry – White Mischief (2024)

Installment five in Industry’s third series made my pulse quicken. I was compelled to halt and rise and depart the area multiple times due to the immense extent of the reckless self-harm I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit professionally and personally – overwhelmed by debt to loan sharks due to his addictive betting, assuming hazardous chances with a bet on sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, does tons of drugs and drink and experiences wins and losses, is severely assaulted. Every time you think 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. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. But the episode Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it can cause you to stand for the full show, riddled with anxiety. The tension escalates when Jeremy and Mark realize being compelled to falsify about the canine they by chance collide with and subsequent attempts to dispose of it. You then spend the rest of the episode wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it is possible!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

Nothing I have seen has been as tense 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 reaches a crescendo 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. Superb programming. Never bettered.

Bodyguard – episode one from 2018

The start of the British program Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train alongside his juvenile boy, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and knows something is off. The bomb squad is alerted, board the train, and try to persuade the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Tension escalates to a practically unendurable point, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

The 2001 Buffy episode The Body

Buffy arrives at her residence to find her mum has passed away due to natural factors, which is the rarest form of demise in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a gloomy atmosphere, and we see the episode through the experience 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 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, were all overcome. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Think about the small elements.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow stops the car. Tony gloomily informs Carmela difficulties are arising with yet another of his crew collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks. Strange people enter the restaurant. Gaze at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. 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 looks up. Keep going. It ceases. My heart dropped from my mouth roughly 20 minutes after.

The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth

I remained awake to view this installment at 2am. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan locating the survivors, savagely teasing his prey and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season