‘I truly required a break after that!’ Your most intense television episodes ever
Spooks – I Spy Apocalypse from 2003
The episode begins with the intelligence unit locked down while undergoing a drill concerning a fictional terrorist event, overseen by two Home Office officials. As the situation develops, it seems an actual attack has occurred and a chemical weapon has been unleashed. The suspense builds as incoming communications show a disaster happening externally, and gets worse when the leader seems contaminated, and the two Home Office officials attempt to leave, pushing the protagonist portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen to decide between shooting them or permitting their exit and endangering the sterile MI5 environment. As this is Spooks, the outcome is expected.
Threads (1984)
Threads had minimal funding yet among the scariest shows I’ve ever seen because of the stark reality and dismal official figures. Saw it not long ago after seeing the first airing; I often attended the bar in Sheffield featured in the show that highlighted the truth and the casual, straightforward government details that were transmitted. Remaining completely frightening 35 years later.
Severance – The We We Are from 2022
The concluding episode of Severance’s debut season has to be right up there as a tense chapter. I spent the entire episode literally perched nervously, exerting with Dylan to maintain his grip on the controls that allowed the Innies to remain active, while screaming at the Innies to get their truths out there. The ultimate peak – “she is living!” – resembled a outburst.
The 2024 Industry episode White Mischief
The fifth episode of Industry’s third season made my pulse quicken. I was compelled to halt and rise and leave the room several times due to the immense extent of the reckless self-harm I saw. Rishi Ramdani faces serious trouble in his job and domestic life – up to his eyeballs in debt from unscrupulous lenders owing to his uncontrollable gaming, engaging in dangerous ventures on a wager involving sterling which could lose his company millions. Inevitably, he starts a gaming binge, consumes excessive substances and alcohol and alternates between success and failure, is severely assaulted. Every time you think things cannot decline more, it deteriorates. There is a chance for salvation as the installment closes but he squanders the opportunity, with horrifying consequences in the season finale. Absolutely had to relax following that!
The 2007 Peep Show episode Holiday
The series Peep Show isn’t typically anxiety-inducing. But the episode Holiday features such degrees of awkwardness that it will make you rise for the full show, riddled with anxiety. The situation intensifies when Jeremy and Mark realize having to lie about the dog they unintentionally hit and later efforts to get rid of it. You subsequently use the rest of the installment wondering if it might be more awful than cremation, and it turns out to be!
The 2001 The West Wing episode The Two Cathedrals
Nothing I’ve watched has been more intense as when I first saw the second season finale of The West Wing. The installment begins with the consequences of the demise (in a car crash) of the president’s personal secretary and escalates to a高潮 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. Wonderful television. Unequaled.
Bodyguard – episode one from 2018
The start of the British program Bodyguard, with the protagonist on 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 senses something is wrong. The bomb diffuser experts are called, enter 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.
The 2001 Buffy episode The Body
Buffy comes into her home to find her mum has passed away of natural causes, which is the least common kind of passing in this supernatural show. 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 2007 The Sopranos finale Made in America
The final scene of the final episode of the show was pants-wettingly tense. And for those who saw it during its initial broadcast, you – at the start – didn’t understand the cause. Tony’s foes, genuine and fictional, were all overcome. Surely this has the feel of the season one ending? “Recall the minor details.” But the mood is bizarrely ominous. Approaching Twin Peaks-esque horror. The clan sits in an eatery. Meadow finds a parking spot. Tony gloomily informs Carmela problems are brewing with another member of his team cooperating with the officials. Meadow parks. Strange people enter the restaurant. Look at Tony(?) Meadow is parking. Tony plays a track on the music machine. Meadow finds a spot. The door chimes, a person comes in. It isn’t Meadow, she remains parking. Tony looks up. Don’t stop. It halts. 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 incredibly tense following the introduction of villain Negan finding the group, 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 – ugh! {We then had to wait for season seven|We then needed to await season