‘I definitely needed a lie-down after that!’ The most intense television episodes ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)
This installment starts with the MI5 agents confined while undergoing a drill about a potential terror incident, supervised by two Home Office agents. As events unfold, it appears that there really has been an attack with a chemical weapon released. The suspense builds as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and gets worse as the boss appears to be infected, and the government agents endeavor to depart, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. Given it’s Spooks, the outcome is expected.
Threads from 1984
Threads had minimal funding but arguably the most terrifying series I have viewed owing to its grim authenticity and grim official statistics. Saw it not long ago having watched the original; I often attended the bar in Sheffield shown in the series which emphasised the reality and the offhand factual official statements which was broadcast. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.
Severance – The We We Are from 2022
The season one finale of Severance ranks highly as a tense chapter. I was throughout the episode literally perched nervously, pushing alongside Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while shouting to the Innies to get their truths out there. The concluding高潮 – “she’s alive!” – was like an eruption.
Industry – White Mischief (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 wanton self-destruction I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in major difficulty professionally and personally – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks because of his compulsive gambling, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, is severely assaulted. Every time you think things cannot decline more, it deteriorates. Redemption seems possible as the installment closes yet he wastes the chance, leading to terrible outcomes 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 includes such amounts of embarrassment 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 then spend the rest of the episode questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it turns out to be!
The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)
No other viewing has been as gripping as when I first saw the second season finale of The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s personal secretary and reaches a crescendo with a situation in Haiti, and the effects of the withheld information of the president’s MS diagnosis, coupled with verification of his aim to run for another term. Wonderful television. Never bettered.
Bodyguard – episode one (2018)
The beginning of the UK show Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train accompanied by his small son, is personally a top tense installment. He observes a woman in Islamic attire going into the loo and realizes something is amiss. The bomb squad is alerted, enter the train, and try to persuade the woman to remove her explosive vest. Anxiety builds to an almost unbearable degree, until, indeed, the vest is disarmed.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body from 2001
Buffy enters her house to find her mum has passed away from natural reasons, which is the rarest form of demise in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we view the installment through the lens of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The concluding moment of the last installment of the program was incredibly anxious. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – initially – were uncertain of the reason. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, had all been defeated. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Remember the little things.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony gloomily informs Carmela difficulties are arising with an additional associate cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow continues to park. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow finds a spot. The bell rings, someone enters the restaurant. Can’t be Meadow, she’s still parking. Tony looks up. Continue. It halts. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.
The Walking Dead – The Last Day on Earth from 2016
I remained awake to view this installment during the night. It was extremely gripping after the establishment of antagonist Negan discovering the characters, cruelly taunting his victims and then keeping the death a mystery (ended on a cliffhanger). The victim’s POV shot and the muted audio – oh no! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season
