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Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse (2003)

The episode begins with the MI5 agents locked down as part of a simulation about a potential terror incident, supervised by two Home Office agents. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred and a chemical agent deployed. The suspense builds as messages indicate a catastrophe taking place outside, and intensifies as the superior shows signs of exposure, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to opt for either shooting them or letting them go and risking contaminating the sealed MI5 offices. Given it’s Spooks, his decision is predictable.

Threads from 1984

The production was inexpensive but one of the most frightening programmes I have ever watched because of the stark reality and grim official statistics. Saw it not long ago following the initial broadcast; I frequently went to the Sheffield pub from the programme which underscored the actuality and the offhand factual official statements that aired. Continuing to be utterly horrifying after three and a half decades.

The 2022 Severance episode The We We Are

The season one finale of Severance has to be right up there in terms of gripping installments. I remained for the whole show actually sitting tensely, pushing alongside Dylan to hold the switches that sustained the Innies’ extended time, while shouting to the Innies to disclose their facts. The ultimate peak – “she’s alive!” – felt like an explosion.

Industry – White Mischief from 2024

Installment five in Industry’s third series made my pulse quicken. I had to pause and get up and depart the area multiple times because of the sheer scale of the reckless self-harm I observed. Rishi Ramdani is in deep shit in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt to loan sharks due to his addictive betting, assuming hazardous chances on a wager involving sterling which may result in huge losses for his employer. Naturally, he embarks on a betting frenzy, uses copious drugs and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, gets beaten to a pulp. Each instance you believe it can’t get any worse, it does. There is a chance for salvation at the end of the episode yet he wastes the chance, with horrifying consequences in the concluding part of the season. Absolutely had to relax following that!

The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday

Peep Show itself isn’t necessarily a stressful show. However, the Holiday episode features such degrees of awkwardness that it will make you rise for the full show, riddled with anxiety. It all ramps up when Jeremy and Mark realize needing to deceive regarding the dog 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 can be!

The West Wing – The Two Cathedrals (2001)

No other viewing has been as gripping compared to my initial viewing 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 personal secretary and reaches a crescendo involving a Haitian emergency, and the repercussions of the secrecy regarding the president’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, with confirmation of his intention to seek re-election. Superb programming. Never bettered.

The 2018 Bodyguard premiere episode

The opening of the British series Bodyguard, featuring the main character on a train with his young son, is personally a top tense installment. He observes a woman in Islamic attire entering the restroom and knows something is off. The explosive disposal specialists are summoned, enter the train, and endeavor to coax the woman to discard her bomb jacket. Anxiety builds to a practically unendurable point, until, finally, the vest is neutralized.

The 2001 Buffy episode The Body

Buffy enters her house to discover her mother has died due to natural factors, which is the rarest form of demise in this paranormal series. The installment lacks any soundtrack, a gloomy atmosphere, and we see the episode through the experience of Buffy’s astonishment upon finding her mother.

The Sopranos – Made in America from 2007

The concluding moment of the last installment of the series was extremely nerve-wracking. And if you watched it when it originally aired, you – at first – weren’t sure why. Tony’s enemies, real and imagined, were all vanquished. Doesn’t this resemble the season one conclusion? “Think about the small elements.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The family sit in a restaurant. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony sorrowfully notifies Carmela difficulties are arising with another member of his team collaborating with the authorities. Meadow parks the vehicle. Odd persons arrive at the eatery. Stare at Tony(?) Meadow parks. Tony puts a record on the jukebox. Meadow parks her car. The door chimes, a person comes in. It cannot be Meadow, she is still parking. Tony glances upward. Don’t stop. It stops. My heart sank roughly 20 minutes after.

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

I stayed up to watch this episode in the early morning. It was extremely gripping after the buildup of bad guy Negan locating the survivors, mercilessly mocking his targets and then keeping the death a mystery (concluded with a suspenseful moment). The first-person perspective of the victim and the muted audio – argh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season