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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

This installment starts with the intelligence unit locked down while undergoing a drill relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, overseen by two Home Office officials. As things progress, it seems an actual attack has occurred and a chemical agent deployed. The anxiety increases as incoming communications show a crisis unfolding beyond their walls, and intensifies when the leader seems contaminated, and the government agents endeavor to depart, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or allowing them to leave and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. This being Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads from 1984

Threads had minimal funding but arguably the most terrifying series I have viewed because of the stark reality and grim official statistics. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I often attended the bar in Sheffield featured in the show which emphasised the reality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that aired. Continuing to be utterly horrifying 35 years later.

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 keep his hands on the levers that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while screaming at the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – resembled a outburst.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

Installment five in Industry’s third series had my heart racing. I was compelled to halt and rise and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the deliberate ruin I saw. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks because of his compulsive gambling, engaging in dangerous ventures on a wager involving sterling which could lose his company millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and experiences wins and losses, is brutally attacked. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it worsens. There is a chance for salvation 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!

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 will make you rise throughout the entire episode, permeated with worry. It all ramps up as Jeremy and Mark discover being compelled to falsify about the canine they by chance collide with and later efforts to get rid 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 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals

No other viewing has been as gripping as when I first saw the concluding episode of The West Wing’s second season. The installment begins with the consequences of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak with a situation in Haiti, and the effects of the withheld information regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to seek re-election. Wonderful television. Unsurpassed.

Bodyguard – episode one (2018)

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train accompanied by his small son, is personally a top tense installment. He observes a woman in Islamic attire heading to the toilet and realizes something is amiss. The bomb diffuser experts are called, enter the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Tension escalates to a nearly intolerable level, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001

Buffy comes into her home to realize her mom has deceased of natural causes, which is the most unusual type of death in this paranormal series. The show features no musical score, a sullen tone, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America

The final scene of the final episode of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, had all been defeated. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Think about the small elements.” Yet the atmosphere is strangely foreboding. Nearly Twin Peaks-like fear. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow stops the car. Tony gloomily informs Carmela there’s trouble afoot with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow secures a parking space. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The door chimes, a person comes in. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony looks up. Keep going. It stops. My heart dropped from my mouth about 20 minutes later.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016

I kept late hours to see this show at 2am. It was extremely gripping after the establishment of antagonist Negan discovering the characters, cruelly taunting his victims then not knowing who he killed (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