🔗 Share this article

Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

This installment starts with the Spooks team locked down as part of a simulation 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 reports reveal a catastrophe taking place outside, and escalates as the superior shows signs of exposure, and the government agents endeavor to depart, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or allowing them to leave and potentially infecting the secure MI5 headquarters. Given it’s Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads (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 having watched the original; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield from the programme which underscored the actuality and the glib matter-of-fact official information that were transmitted. Remaining completely frightening 35 years later.

Severance – The We We Are from 2022

The season one finale of Severance ranks highly among intense episodes. I remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, straining every sinew with Dylan to keep his hands on the levers that kept the Innies on overtime, while yelling at the Innies to get their truths out there. The concluding高潮 – “she survives!” – resembled a outburst.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

Episode five of the third series of Industry made my pulse quicken. I was compelled to halt and rise and leave the room several times owing to the vast degree of the wanton self-destruction I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit professionally and personally – overwhelmed by debt to illegal creditors due to his addictive betting, assuming hazardous chances with a gamble on the pound that might cost his firm millions. So of course, he goes on a gambling spree, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is severely assaulted. Every time you think the situation cannot deteriorate further, it worsens. There’s hope of redemption by the episode’s conclusion yet he wastes the chance, 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. But the episode Holiday includes such amounts of embarrassment that it’ll have you standing up for the full show, permeated with worry. The tension escalates once Jeremy and Mark find themselves having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment 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 second season finale of The West Wing. The episode starts with the aftermath of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s personal secretary and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the effects of the withheld information of the president’s MS diagnosis, along with affirmation of his plan to run for another term. Wonderful television. Never bettered.

Bodyguard – episode one from 2018

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the protagonist on a train alongside his juvenile boy, ranks among the most gripping episodes I’ve seen. He spots a Muslim woman heading to the toilet and realizes something is amiss. The bomb squad is alerted, get on the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to remove her explosive vest. Tension escalates to a practically unendurable point, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)

Buffy arrives at her residence to find her mum has passed away from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this mystical program. The episode has no background music, a sullen tone, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s dismay upon uncovering her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America (2007)

The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all overcome. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Recall the minor details.” 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 an additional associate collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks. Unfamiliar individuals come into the diner. Gaze 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 isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Keep going. It ceases. My heart sank about 20 minutes later.

The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth (2016)

I kept late hours to see this show at 2am. It was so intense following the introduction of villain Negan finding the group, 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 – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season