‘I absolutely had to rest after that!’ The most intense TV episodes you’ve seen

Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003

This installment starts with the MI5 agents restricted while undergoing a drill concerning a fictional terrorist event, overseen by two Home Office officials. As events unfold, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical agent deployed. The anxiety increases as incoming communications show a catastrophe taking place outside, and intensifies when the leader seems contaminated, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, compelling the character played by Matthew Macfadyen to choose between firing at them or letting them go and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.

Threads from 1984

Threads had minimal funding but arguably the most terrifying series I’ve ever seen because of the stark reality and grim official statistics. Watched it about a month ago after seeing the first airing; I used to visit the pub in Sheffield shown in the series that highlighted the truth and the offhand factual official statements that aired. Remaining completely frightening after three and a half decades.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The first season finale of Severance has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I was throughout the episode actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while yelling at the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she’s alive!” – was like an eruption.

The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief

The fifth episode of Industry’s third season caused my heart to pound. I needed to stop and stand and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the deliberate ruin I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – buried in financial obligations to illegal creditors because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks on a wager involving sterling that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Each instance you believe it can’t get any worse, it deteriorates. There is a chance for salvation as the installment closes but he misses the opening, resulting in dreadful effects during the season’s final episode. Definitely needed a lie-down after that!

Peep Show – Holiday from 2007

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, permeated with worry. It all ramps up once Jeremy and Mark find themselves having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and subsequent attempts to dispose of it. You then spend the rest 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 have seen has been as tense compared to my initial viewing the season two finale to The West Wing. The show opens with the fallout of the passing (in a road incident) of the president’s personal secretary and builds to a peak involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to pursue re-election. Superb programming. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train with his young son, is personally a top tense installment. He spots a Muslim woman heading to the toilet and knows something is off. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, board the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Suspense rises to a practically unendurable point, until yes, the vest is diffused.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001

Buffy comes into her home to realize her mom has deceased due to natural factors, which is the least common kind of passing in this paranormal series. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a sullen tone, 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 concluding moment of the last installment of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s adversaries, actual and perceived, were all overcome. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Recall the minor details.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The family gathers in a diner. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony gloomily informs Carmela there’s trouble afoot with an additional associate working with the government. Meadow parks the vehicle. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony selects a song on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Continue. It halts. 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 after the buildup of bad guy Negan locating the survivors, savagely teasing his prey and then leaving the victim unknown (ended on a cliffhanger). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muffled sounds – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season