‘I truly required a break after that!’ Your most intense television episodes of all time
The 2003 Spooks episode I Spy Apocalypse
The episode begins with the intelligence unit locked down as part of a simulation relating to a hypothetical terrorist attack, monitored by two government representatives. As things progress, it becomes clear a real incident has taken place and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The tension ratchets up as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and escalates 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, it is unsurprising which one he chooses.
Threads (1984)
Threads was low budget but arguably the most terrifying series I’ve ever seen owing to its grim authenticity and grim official statistics. Viewed it recently after seeing the first airing; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub featured in the show that highlighted the truth and the glib matter-of-fact official information that were transmitted. Still absolutely terrifying decades on.
Severance – The We We Are from 2022
The first season finale of Severance deserves a top spot as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode literally perched nervously, straining every sinew with Dylan to hold the switches that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to disclose their facts. The final climactic moment – “she survives!” – was like an eruption.
Industry – White Mischief from 2024
Installment five in Industry’s third series had my heart racing. I had to pause and get up and depart the area multiple times owing to the vast degree of the wanton self-destruction I saw. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble professionally and personally – buried in financial obligations to loan sharks owing to his uncontrollable gaming, taking such risks with a gamble on the pound that might cost his firm millions. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, does tons of drugs and drink and wins, loses, wins, is brutally attacked. Every time you think it can’t get any worse, it worsens. There’s hope of redemption as the installment closes but he squanders the opportunity, resulting in dreadful effects during the season’s final episode. 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 includes such amounts of embarrassment that it will make you rise the whole episode, permeated with worry. It all ramps up when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and following tries to eliminate it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment questioning whether it truly can be worse than incineration, and it is possible!
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 show opens with the fallout of the death (in a traffic accident) of the president’s confidential aide and reaches a crescendo 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 run for another term. Superb programming. Unsurpassed.
The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode
The opening of the British series Bodyguard, with the hero aboard a train with his young son, is for me one of the most intense episodes ever. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and knows something is off. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, get on the train, and try to persuade the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Anxiety builds to an almost unbearable degree, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – The Body (2001)
Buffy comes into her home to find her mum has passed away from natural reasons, which is the most unusual type of death in this supernatural show. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a somber mood, and we witness the episode via the perspective of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.
The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007
The ultimate sequence of the series finale of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And if you viewed it when it first premiered, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, were all vanquished. This seems similar to the first season’s finale, right? “Recall the minor details.” However, the vibe is oddly threatening. Almost Twin Peaks levels of terror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow parks. Tony gloomily informs Carmela difficulties are arising with another member of his team working with the government. Meadow secures a parking space. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The bell sounds, an individual enters. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony raises his gaze. Don’t stop. It halts. My spirit fell roughly 20 minutes after.
The 2016 The Walking Dead episode The Last Day on Earth
I kept late hours to see this show at 2am. It was extremely gripping after the buildup of bad guy Negan discovering the characters, savagely teasing his prey and then keeping the death a mystery (concluded with a suspenseful moment). 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
